I saw this on windsurfjournal (translation by google). Interesting I thought.
"8 times world champion, aged 35 years nearly half past to compete at the highest level, the Australian Steve Allen took a surprise decision at the beginning of the season leaving Gaastra and Tabou to buy his own equipment like everyone else!
Windsurfjournal.com : Why have you decided to buy your own equipment this year?
Steve Allen : I did not want to settle at the winter mercato ... I had proposals from smaller brands that Gaastra and Tabou but the proposed budget does not stick with anything that could be expected for me in terms of development and development in addition to the competitions. And then I wanted to be sure you are using equipment with which I felt good and I am satisfied.
WJ: How did you choose your material by opting for the best, least expensive?
SA : I opted for the cheapest and most efficient at a time, but especially for those who resells as easily at the end of the season. I worked with Robert Stroj of Neilpryde a few years ago at the time of ART then Neilpryde. I have always felt at ease with the sails that he developed. And as I heard he had been working hard on new models and the sails was good, my choice was naturally to Neilpryde. As to the boards, I tried a Starboard iSonic 86 last year and I really liked this board. There were also the good results of Bj?rn Dunkerbeck late season last year that finally convinced me. I received my boards two days before the race in Austria, but the adaptation was done well, finishing 10th of this stage without having had time to really adjust myself!
WJ : This is a high-level rider who bought his own equipment is quite unusual ... you do the competition at a high level for a long time, what lead to this situation?
SA : I think the sport has lost its fun side over time. I am no longer going to Maui for some time but I've heard stories where this winter guys of different brands do not even speak on the beach during tests and nobody disclose anything about its options for fear of giving good combines to competitors. As for brands, there is zero respect or loyalty from what you could make to a brand or what you have done to it in the past. If there is unfortunately a bad season or if it is injured the following year, budgets are revised downward starkly. Of course, this is my vision of things, but how this was going on in recent years does give me more flavor to the competition which was my passion. Now, I just want to make myself happy. I could not navigate that two days before the start of the race and I did not have a fin for my bigger board but the most important is that I have enjoyed on the water.
WJ : Do you think your decision, which is not trivial, will reflect the brands of windsurfing in the future in their relationship with the riders?
SA : I know that things are changing in Neilpryde at the moment and it is also for this reason that I chose the sails of that mark. The former management led me to leave the sail a few years ago. I hope that especially for young people who arrive, things will go better in the future.
WJ : What do you think of the rule which restricts riders to 6 sails and 3 boards for the entire season?
SA : I do not like it really and indeed I find it a bit stupid. It is found in a narrow format where you can not change the material in peak season except in case of breakage. It does not even run the business with the ability to resell the equipment during the season. For guys who pay their equipment and make some steps up the ladder, they are obliged to register any early season, even if it is material from the last year and they do a good result and have the possibility of a new board and they can not! And beside that, the Formula Windsurfing Class is so much simpler and accessible to all ...
WJ : What are your goals this season?
SA : I want first of all have fun on the water competition, which was really the last two years. Lack of sufficient budget, I could not go to Korea, but I'll do the other stages of the PWA World Tour in slalom this season and hopefully return with some good results! "
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Apart from being a world class sailor he is extremely pissed off with Gaastra as well. Major contractual issues with breakage, warranties and pay.
It was on the SB forum awhile ago which helped him make the decision to buy his own gear to race on his own terms.
Wonder where this pic was taken, the water looks brown! Or is it just a crappy color contrast in the pic.
www.google.com.au:443/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode&q=podersdorf+austria&sll=-31.9554,115.85859&sspn=0.021556,0.035706&ie=UTF8&ll=47.871223,16.799469&spn=0.136338,0.54657&t=h&z=11
I see he is doing well at Costa Brava...leading the final before being pipped by Albeau and Willians at the finish see PWAworldtour.com
personally i think steve is the most talented windsurfer to come out of australia.
Looks like he is now sponsored by pryde www.pwaworldtour.com/index.php?id=7&tx_pwasailor_pi1[showUid]=154&cHash=695192d0cf
