More time travel:
Any regatta racer can go fast - maybe, but that's not enough to win a slalom. If you want to make it onto the winners' lists, whether nationally or internationally, you need a lot of training and experience. More and more pros and amateur racers are gaining this in winter on Tenerife.
When you think of Tenerife, images of high waves, fat backies and wave 360s from the best locals such as Dany Bruch or Alex Mussolini spring to mind. But the small village of El Medano in the southernmost part of the island has also been a favourite place for slalom pros from all over Europe to spend the winter for years. This winter, however, there were significantly more racers than in previous years. The reason for this is the professional slalom training provided by Mark "Sparky" Hosegood, who also ensures that everything runs smoothly on the water at the PWA Slalom World Cups in the summer.
Top guys like Ben van der Steen, Ross Williams, Matteo Iachino, Andrea Cucchi and the Germans Gunnar Asmussen and Vincent Langer, to name but a few, met up and showed the other water sports enthusiasts what fast windsurfing really means. Sleeping in late, having breakfast, a bit of heating up from time to time and lots of partying - sounds quite nice, but in no way corresponds to the daily routine of the training group on Tenerife. They jog in the morning and then stretch their muscles. Without this, the stiff slalom pilots wouldn't be able to move at all. Then, depending on the wind, they go out on the water for over six hours on some days with a wide variety of training content (technique and tactics, which is particularly important in slalom). Afterwards, the training is analysed and those who still have energy go to the gym or tinker with their equipment. The success proves this concept right. Matteo and Benni are in almost every final in the World Cup and Vinci is usually at the top in Germany. Vincent sat down with the boys for us and gives us an insight behind the scenes.
Vincent: We were just at the video analysis with 21 men. It seems like there's something special about this training. What is special about the slalom training in Tenerife?
Sparky (trainer/organiser): Everything! (laughs) This training concept is unique in the world. Here, professionals and amateurs can train together in simulated competition conditions and prepare for events.
Vincent:What does that mean exactly?
Sparky: Training takes place in two heats with up to ten people and is organised like a real regatta, according to the PWA regulations. It's all about the right starting position, tactics, speed and ambition. Amateurs and professionals are equally divided in the heats. After the races, the heats are always shuffled. The last two from heat one have to go into the second heat and the first two from heat two move up.
Vincent: Interesting! Aren't all the "non-pros" in the Heat two?
Ben Van der Steen: We worldcuppers always start in heat two first and then have to work our way up. That way it's fair and we have the ambition to race as well as possible. And everyone races against everyone else.
Vincent: How many races are completed on a normal day?
SparkyAround 15 to 20 races. Due to this high intensity, the participants get more races in one month than in a whole World Cup year and of course a lot of experience. But we don't just race, we also put in training sessions focussing on jibes and tactics.
Vincent: That sounds like a lot of fun, but also a lot of work! How do you feel after 20 races in one day?
Jordy Vonk: You're completely exhausted and just want to go to bed. But the experience gained, especially for me as a young driver, is priceless.
Vincent: Isn't Maui perhaps a better place for training?
Marco Lang: El Medano offers perfect conditions for us. From flat water to choppy waves, from eight to 38 knots, there is everything. That's very good, because the PWA events are also held in a wide variety of locations with a wide variety of conditions.
Matteo Iachino: This is exactly what is important to us. There are also lots of other activities here. You can do everything from gym, mountain biking, yoga and surfing to climbing when there's no wind.
Sparky: And don't forget the point of good and favourable accessibility. You can fly there and back from Central Europe with Ryanair for as little as 150 euros.
Andrea Cucchi: And the beach is sandy, without stones, and you can quickly change equipment, which is great for racing, but also for testing.
Vincent: Ahhh, so there's no wind sometimes?
Ben van der Steen: Unfortunately, more than a few days this winter. But we use the time wisely, for example with video analyses. Sparky films a whole series of starts and jibes on the water. You can see your own mistakes on the big screen and work on them.
Vincent: Do you think the training here this winter will bring you further forward?
Marco: My timing has got so much better and I already have a much better feeling than at the end of last season.
Vincent: Are there any moments that still surprise you on the water?
Jordy: Logo, even though it's only a training race, everyone is going full throttle. It's just like a real race. Crashes and crashes are part of it!
Everyone laughs and looks at Malte Reuscher (ITA-777), who didn't get the nickname "Kamikaze Malte" just for fun. (Three broken boards from opponents and hardly more than the foot straps left of his own).
Vincent: Does that mean there are sometimes arguments?
Ross Williams: On the water, things get stressful. But on land, everything is forgotten. It's a very homogeneous group and that makes the training effective. Shake hands and go!
Vincent: Last but not least: Who can take part and how does the registration work?
Sparky: Every hobby racer is welcome. Slalom equipment should be available and the jibe should be right. In my opinion, these are the only limiting factors. Nobody needs to be afraid of the pros, except Malte! (everyone laughs).
This article first appeared in surf 11-12/2014
Editor's note: The TWS slalom training programme now also includes foil and slalom X. The race director is now Thijs van der Meer, who has also been part of the PWA race crew for many years. Many participants such as Jordy Vonk and Maciek Rutkowski offer their own camps, but the training races in Tenerife are an important part of the preparation programme.
