Alexandre Caizergues claimed the 2017 Kite Speed World Championship, held on Masirah Island, in the Sultanate of Oman.
Caizergues won 10 of the 12 races and set a new championship record of 48.45 knots (89.72 km/h). We asked Alex a few questions after the event to gain a better grasp on the conditions and gear he was riding during the event! Read the complete interview below.
Was is the first time you went to this spot in Oman?
Yes, first time but for sure not the last one!!!!
The country is amazing, lots of spots, almost nobody riding, cool waves and the people are just amazing and cheerful. All of this without talking about the speed spot, which is probably one of the best and fastest we ever had for a world cup event.
Can you tell us a little bit more about the conditions there?
On Masirah island, where the competition took place, weather is great. 30°C / 86°F (which is a lot cooler than the capital Muscat where it’s usual to get over 42°C / 107°F during this season), almost 30 knots every single day (in July it can exceed 40 easily). The speed spot is of course off shore wind, shallow water so very flat.
We saw some pictures where you are riding the Diablo. In what conditions do you ride the Diablo vs Furtive?
I rode almost all the races with the Diablo 9m. It’s made for the 25-35 wind range and this is all we got during the comp. I usually ride the Furtive 10 sqm from 35 to 40 knots, then the 8 sqm between 40 and 50 knots and finally the 6.4 sqm over 50 knots.
Do you think you could break your overall outright record with a Diablo?
Outright world record is another story… Riding with a Diablo for speed it’s walking along the edge… If you got the perfect wind conditions, it’s damn good. But as soon as you’re overpowered, you cannot do a thing except praying. The Furtive is much more versatile and give me a lot more safety margin without losing performance. Especially in record conditions when the wind often exceeds 50 knots (60 knots in the gusts).
Is the board you are using the same AC21 that is on the F-One catalog?
Yes, I rode my production AC21 all along, for sure the most efficient and easy to ride board on the market (and I did not say this because it’s my personal pro model)!!!!
2017 Kite Speed World Championship | Top 5
Men
1. Alexandre Caizergues (FRA) 48.451 knots
2. Sylvain Hoceini (FRA) 45.988 knots
3. David Williams (GBR) 45.794 knots
4. Victor Bachichet (FRA) 44.902 knots
5. Luke Wigglesworth (NZL) 42.983 knotsWomen
1. Hannah Whiteley (GBR) 43.84 knots
2. Armelle Courtois (FRA) 35.65 knots
3. Cecile Varin (FRA) 35.65 knots
More on the 2017 Kite Speed World Championships: surfertoday.com