 After having won the formula windsurfing German championships in Sylt, my plans were to take part at the European Championships in Poland. I knew from the beginning that it would have been hard to get to top positions at such a high level event with my physical condition, but I also knew that if I would get punished by the worlds top riders, it would have been good for understanding even better what the AC-1’s are going to be needing for 2009. After the first day of no racing, for the rest of the week the wind was punctually coming in at lunch time. Due to 130 competitors they decided to divide us into 2 fleets. 6 Races to be done like that, to then divide the fleet into gold (top 65 sailors), and silver fleet (the other 65) The competitors!: 
As luck comes, I was put in the hardest heat. I managed to score always top ten positions, but as fleets were divided, it was like scoring between 10th to 20th place. I realized that my racing thinking for tactics was very rusty and slow in such a strong level of competition. It was not my speed missing, but my reaction to the situations. On third day, as I started racing in the Gold Fleet, (so all top sailors together), suddenly something clicked in my mind. ‘Now I remember’! I had a come back on how to race to be at the top! I started scoring top 10 results and by last day I was 10th overall after 10 races. On last day we had 3 races, but I could only loose 2 positions due to a third discard with the 11th race. I had to race good to try to limit the loss and to gain something would have been very hard. The first race I finished 7th. On the second race of the day, I was not sure whether to take our 12.5 or 11. The wind was increasing each second, but as we had raced all week on 12.5 condition, I was not too happy to try the 11. Well it was a good choice to go down one size! The wind picked up to over 20 knots, and I managed to finish 5th. After this race I came back and I was totally dead. Even 11 was quite big for the conditions, and it was pretty hard with no chicken strap on the downwind. I got to the beach and the part of my team which was racing in the silver fleet was actually rigging for me and Alberto the 9.9 for doing the last race of the event.. I was surprised. They did everything in less then 5 minutes. I just sat on my knees trying to catch a breath before the last rush. I finished the event 11th and I was quite happy. Even if it took some races before I started motoring, I was happy to be there between the top guys, just as when I was professional windsurfing only. Now that Point-7 is run by a great staff, this will give me time to get back into a complete training schedule to do more events at higher level. There are 2 things, which I was really appreciating during last 2 events. I realized how all my riders are actually feeling in a real team. In the past I had always seen how each rider is actually just racing for himself. (The only exception was The Team during the end of the 90’s). During this last event, it was actually nice to see Florian, Kurosh, Alberto, Marco some of our polish riders, helping each other, giving support, solving problems, and sharing equipment at the moment of needs: just proud to be part of the black knights. I was appreciating to be part of the racing again. I realized how important it is to be running a company like this and being able to use the product directly into the highest level of windsurfing to understand the needs of each rider. I’m now motivated to push my team, and future riders who want to join, to come next winter in Sardinia and fully train for next racing season. I’ve seen now how each single member of my team is racing: I know now their weaknesses and strengths, it will be a fun to now get them stronger for next season and get some specialized training for them. Alberto Menegatti just making the upwind mark:  Florian Bandel racing in Leba: 
Marco Begalli the winner of the Silver Fleet: 
Kurosh Kiani going downwind at the Allegro FW Europeans 2008:  If you like to race with our sails, and you have some free time during your winter, you should send us a mail so that you can join our program. AC-1 2008 summary: Overall in slalom and formula I was very happy of their performance. The sails have a good top speed to rule the scene. What is very nice is the reactive acceleration under the gust. The sails are very stable and they can go incredibly overpowered. Generally they all need a bit of extra power in light wind perhaps. This will be easy to develop. The rotation of the cambers has been improved a lot in 2008 compared to the 2007 on the slalom sizes. In the formula sizes, they still need to be a bit improved in the sizes 11 and 12.5. This will be solved with a new camber, and by making a small modification on the batten stopper. We are making a lot of sizes for the AC-1 range: (even 2 10.0 : 9.9 for FW and 10.0 for slalom), and for 2009 we will bring in an 11.8 for Formula. Now the sizes for FW are 9.9, 11, 12.5. The 12.5 can be a very good sail for light wind for people over 90kg, but for 80-90kg an 11.8 would be an easier size to handle in lighter winds. 11 can still be a good light wind size for riders under 80kg. The new mast we are developing are going very well. There were a lot of mast breaking during these two events, but none of our ones from the new development. So this looks very positive for everyone’s safety as well, on top of the great performance they showed to have. Now I gave these new slalom masts to Marco Begalli and Alberto Menegatti who will take part in 10 days at the PWA in Turkey. Very hot weather, lot’s of racing stress, and this will be another good test for the masts to be whipped. Now I’m in Sylt for 1 week for a bit of hardcore windsurfing (today 50knots!!), and relaxing with my family. On Tuesday I will leave for Denmark for the Nordic Championships. The production in China for 2009 sail is almost to an end, so in September the sails will be available. Hoping you are finding a lot of wind, enjoy your windsurfing,
Andrea | 
