Rum instead of champagne: Justine Lemeteyer and Matteo Iachino were served regionally appropriate drinks at the award ceremony of the PWA Foil Slalom World Cup in Guadeloupe. They could have enjoyed them beforehand, as there was not enough wind for any more races at the end. As a result, it remained the same after the third day of competition, on which both dominated the action.
Nothing changed for the German starters either: Lars Poggemann started the season with a good 13th place, while Nico Prien was somewhat disappointed with 18th place.
Lemeteyer triumphs in the Caribbean
Justine Lemeteyer was over the moon after her victory ahead of Lina Erzen and Blanca Alabau: "The event was great and I really wanted to win in the French Caribbean, so it feels even better to win here." For the 2024 World Champion, the change of sponsor has paid off: "It took me some time in the winter to get used to it after four years with the same equipment, but now I'm faster than before." The winner is already looking forward to the upcoming competitions.
Matteo Iachino dominated the men's event, followed by Pierre Mortefon and Alexandre Cousin. The Italian won every single heat in which he competed - an achievement that he himself described as unique in his career: "I don't think I've ever won every heat I've competed in. It feels incredible!"
Tactics and material development as the key to success
Iachino emphasised the importance of winter preparation for his success: "We never perform at our best. Maybe we have really good material, but when you find that magical setup, you don't want to use it during training." He was also able to improve the board and sail, while the foil remained unchanged.
An important factor in Iachino's dominance was the adaptation of his race tactics. He explained: "I chose a different strategy on the course. Before, I had orientated myself on the tactics for fin races, but now I have adapted it. It worked, so I'm happy." The Italian emphasised that it is often the small things that make the big difference.
Results PWA Foil Slalom Gudeloupe 2025
Ladies
- Justine Lemeteyer
- Lina Erzen
- Blanca Alabau
- Femke van der Veen
- Bobbi-Lynn de Jong
- Mae Davico
- Tess Sermet
- Julie Payen
Gents
- Matteo Iachino
- Pierre Mortefon
- Alexandre Cousin
- Jordy Vonk
- Amado Vrieswijk
- Maciek Rutkowski
- Alexis Mathis
- William Huppert
- Benoit Merceur
- Sem Stroosma
