Rosati chooses AC-1 2K13
Andrea Rosati has been on the professional tour since 1996. A multidispline sailor who has won many Italian titles in all disciplines.
A long time friend of Andrea Cucchi where Rosati’s mum was taking care of both in some early trips!
Andrea has other obbligations for his wave sails, but none for the slalom sails, where he is allowed to use what he likes best. So after a winter in S.Africa we got a call from Andrea and the rest you will read from his words:
You are still in South Africa, how is the slalom scene in the country? It’s mainly famous for it’s waves, but we have seen also Alberto Menegatti and pictures of other PWA pro riders slalom sailing in the area.
South Africa I think IS the place to be in the “summer”. From professional windsurfer to beginner, you always have the perfect set up. You can really program your days like at work. Windsurfing become part of your life to do it in any hour of the day, it depends from what do you want. If you have to do slalom but there are 3mt waves there is the lake where we mostly sail in slalom. Perfect training playground with buoys and with local people like Robby and Peter, Mitch and other ones that are not slow at all…..actually….. And not least everithing it is so close around 5km area.
When did you realize that P7 slalom sails could have been your choice?
This is a nice question. Already at the end of the season I was tempted to go for the black arrows….. but my board sponsor pushed me to take another decision and also I was afraid that the sails were too heavy and that the camber rotation, that for a slalom sail it is everithing, was not the best, and so I opted to buy 2013 from another brand. Then after tested my new sails here in south africa I had a little issue with the masts and with the high wind range as the sails were very powerful and they were not fitting on my style of sailing. Alberto Menegatti with the Point-7 from last year he was killing me expecially on strong wind, where generally at other times, it was the only chance to have equal speeds with him. So I tried to speak with the Team from where I bought the sails to find out if I could get some different masts to see if I could trim myself better, but it was not possible. One day, my friend Peter Lumley showed up at the beach with his brand new AC-1 2013….. rolled open the sail and told me….with this I will kick your ass!!! So we went in the water and actually I still kicked his ass….. and he was a bit surprised from my speed…. then we switched. He took my sails and I took his AC-1, and I have to say I had the best sensation ever that I was not having for a long time… I could keep the AC-1rig with only 2 fingers without any stress, unbelievable acceleration and never ending top speed!!! I was destroing him like Alberto usually does it with me with the 9,3….. and on the first run with my gps I did straight 5km/h faster. After the jibe I had to be careful as the rotation of the camber was so easy that when I took the sail back from other side was already pulling me like a tractor and almost going in catapult!!! Then we went out of the water and I realized that the sail was not even trimmed as good as it could have been! ….OMG I wanted to die!! I trimmed it nicely gave back to him the AC-1 and this time I could not overtake him anymore !!! So I started to think about it, but I was not sure yet…. as the small sails are great but what about the bigger ones?? So we organized a session in Langebaan, toghether with other top pwa rider too, and the result was exactly the same!!! So I had to resolve the issue with my board sponsor to go Black, but even without their permission I had already in mind that nothing was going to stop me from taking those black things! I’m thirsty of getting great results in slalom again, and I’m sure with this new sails together with my new boards, I will have the greatest chance ever.
Before deciding to go Black on your slalom sails, did you try them?
Already 2 years ago I did try a 7,9 in Alacati and I was impressed from the top speed and the semplicity to enter in the jibe even if I was totally overpowered. But on the straight line was feeling strange and a bit too heavy. Then last year again in Alacati I made a test the day after the end of the competition and I’ve been totally impressed!!!! This time the test was with my mates Matteo and Tine and funny enough Tine came to me and try to tease me telling me that he will kick very bad my ass even if we were swopping sails….. and he got a nice present from me 🙂 The difference was evident but still the sail was hard to make rotate as Andrea Cucchi was rigging the sail with so many spacers and the cam had way too much pressure for me!!! Last year, Andrea with the 7,9, was the fastest guy on the tour. No doubt!!! But then you still have to jibe and the sail has to rotate easy. This year also this issue has been solved and the rest you read it already…..so what else is there to ask!?!
What did you like about them?
The easyness on sailing. Going at almost 40knots with 2 fingers on the boom it is a lot!!! The sails while you are going are breathing and the acceleration it is never ending with an incredible top speed! Also the acceleration after the jibe it is devastating! And not last the rotation of the cam, progressive and soft!
You did a great job last year in the IFCA events, what are your targets for this year?
I have to say I had my best results ever but apart from the results I did not enjoy the racing…. the rules makes all so difficult and the organization was terrible at the IFCA events! I really want to do good in pwa as last year for the first time in my carreer I never ever entered in any final in slalom….nor winner either looser!!! And for sure I’ll try to win as many as possible events in Italy even if my enemies are not easy to beat at all!
Now that you will be using the slalom sails as the Black Team, will you join them in a near future to their training in Tenerife?
Unfortunately not this year as I did my ticket back already. They are doing a great job and I think next year I will join them for a month to trim my equipment at the best and to really train in competition mode!
We know that you are long time friends with Andrea Cucchi. You both started PWA in the 90’s and are still often travelling together. How does it feel to be first time again on the same sails, and what do you expect from this collaboration?
It’s great!!! I should have done earlier!! By now it is just a little collaboration but I think toghether we could do a lot of things and we will see in the future. My goal is to come back in slalom in pwa too and it is not an easy one at all! For the rest the time will speak.
Will you help out in the development?
If they will ask me why not. For sure I will give them my feed back as I always did it with my sponsors even if I was not envolved on the developing.Then they will decide it if it’s good or not.
