Matteo Iachino won his first world title ten years ago, but the Italian then had to wait until 2023 to celebrate his second PWA triumph. After this long dry spell, however, Iachino has enjoyed a real run of success: Foil World Champion in 2023 and 2025, followed this year by his first title in Slalom X. On Sylt, the 36-year-old has the chance to compete for the World Championship title on the foil once again. Chris Yates from the PWA asked Matteo a few questions about this.
Hey Matteo, how's it going?
Everything’s fine! I’m back in Italy for a quick visit to my parents and to do a bit of training on the beach in various conditions in preparation for Sylt!
It’s been a while since Fuerte – how does it feel to have won your fourth world title?
This is my fourth PWA title and my fifth in windsurfing, and it just feels brilliant. I’d say the first and this latest title mean the most to me. The conditions this year were fantastic and it feels brilliant to finish in first place!
"Fuerte 2026 was probably the best competition I’ve ever taken part in!”
Going back to the event in Fuerte: the first seven heats were probably among the best you’ve ever ridden, weren’t they?
I reckon the event itself was probably the best competition I’ve ever taken part in during my windsurfing career. Really windy, some lovely waves at times, and fantastic conditions every day. I knew I was in good form, and I knew my kit was a killer combination this year, but at the start of the event I hadn’t expected quite so much.
Before the final day, it really did look as though you had victory all but in the bag, but then you were surprisingly knocked out in the semi-finals and Pierre won, meaning it came down to a decisive final elimination … How did you feel as you watched the final unfold, and how did you prepare yourself mentally for that decisive showdown?
It was really strange. I’d never had such a lead when three-quarters of the event was already behind me, and I told myself I should just take it easy. But the standard is so high that you can’t just give 90 per cent – you have to give it your all. In the final elimination round, I still had a big points lead, but I gave it my all right up until the penultimate stroke and only then did I start to think about it – and it worked out.
Did anything out of the ordinary happen in this penultimate elimination round? Up until that point, you’d seemed pretty unbeatable throughout the event...
As I said, I just wanted to relax and take it easy – doing just enough to secure the win without taking any risks. But at a PWA event, you’ve no chance of doing well if you play it safe and only give 90 per cent...
Sylt is now just a few weeks away – how are you feeling about the event and the start of your title defence in the foil slalom, and how are your preparations going?
I feel really good on the foil kit too. The speed’s there. I’ve still got a few final adjustments to make, but I’m almost ready. The sail and board definitely feel perfect. A few weeks ago, I wasn’t really in the mood to get back on the foil, but now I can’t wait to be back on the starting line.
