Out with the old, in with the new! Alberto Menegatti claimed the opening victory of the 2013 PWA Racing season and his first victory on the Tour by winning the Ulsan PWA Slalom event in Jinha Beach, South Korea. At 28 years old, the Italian giant is the youngest winner of a PWA Slalom event and is having a great start to the 2013 season. After the speed and performance displayed in Korea, he's proving that the winter of grueling training certainly is paying off! Menegatti will now be looking to keep Björn (Dunkerbeck) and Antoine (Albeau) off the highest steps of the podium. Is this the start of a new era in slalom?

With the help of the PWA, we caught up with Alberto who's on his way back to Italy and asked him a few questions:

Starboard/PWA: Firstly, congratulations on your first ever event victory! You recently moved to Point-7, did it take you long to adjust to your new sails and do you think they played a key part in helping you to victory?

Alberto Menegatti: My equipment helped me a lot into this first event for sure. The sails played out to be very fast and efficient and, in combination with the new 2013 iSonics, they were just a great match. As soon as I stepped on the new sails and boards, I had a great feeling! Of course, it took me some time to make the best out of my kit, but this happens with everything you ride. The final push was given by my Z fins; they allowed me to have the extra turbo speed when needed.

Starboard/PWA: Many recreational sailors are interested to know what size fins you sail with, with each sail. Can you tell us which fin sizes you use?

Alberto Menegatti: The sails, boards and fins themselves are good, but the real potential comes out when you have a good set up!! It is always a matter of combination. My best combos are:

• 2013 iSonic 127 with 9.3 AC-1 and 48 Z SL if it's wavy or choppy and 48 Z SF if the conditions are flatter.
• 2013 iSonic 107 with 8.6 AC-1 and 40 Z SL if it's wavy or choppy or 40 Z SF if the conditions are flatter.
• 2013 iSonic 107 with 7.9 AC-1 and 38 Z SL if it's wavy or choppy or 38 Z SF if the conditions are flatter.

Starboard/PWA: What boards did you register for the PWA Tour this year and why? Please explain each board choice. Which board did you mostly use during the Ulsan event?

Alberto Menegatti: In the previous year, it was always easy to select my Starboards since you knew the board to take were 127 liters, 107 liters and the smaller 87. If you were not to heavy, you could go for the 117 liters as a light-wind board. This year, Rémi (Vila) and the Starboard team have done such an amazing job! Having new boards such as the 110 liters, the 97 liters and the 90 all performing very good, it took me a long time to do a good selection. But in the end, the ultimate choice went down again for the 127 liters, the 107 and the 87! And I'm sure that regardless of the conditions, I'll be covered!!!

Starboard/PWA: We noticed you had unusual mast base settings with an extended mast track. How did you come up with these settings? How does it work for you?

Alberto Menegatti: I'm the only Starboard rider that is likely to use the mast foot position 3-4cm further back then recommended. My set-up is very physical and not easy to hold but I find it extremely fast and this is why I go with it. In order to move the mast track so much back, I need to have an extended mast plate, otherwise there is a risk that the mast base will come out while sailing. A few guys have tried to do something similar, but no one could actually go with it! (laughs) Let's say I have a unique set up!!

Starboard/PWA: You are part of the new generation of slalomers, adept of waist harnesses. What are, in your opinion, the advantages of such a harness compared to a seat/traditional one?

Alberto Menegatti: Well, in my experience, the waist harness allows me to hook in and out faster, making it easier to jibe in the race. At the same time, I find the waist harness more technical, which is very nice for me, because depending on the conditions, I will change my position on the board and where I put the weight and the pressure. In each moment, I can play with it. With the seat harness, I feel strapped on and can't move, especially when the conditions change quickly, I believe you have a disadvantage.

Starboard/PWA: Your latest video shows some intense winter training, both on and off the water. What did you work on and why?

Alberto Menegatti: Guys like Antoine (Albeau) and Björn (Dunkerbeck) have such a big advantage with the experience they amassed through the years… And the knowledge they have is just huge!
I decided that if I wanted to get anywhere near them, I had to push myself harder… In the winter, I trained a lot in the gym, doing aerobic exercises with a specific program designed by my trainer Roberto Actis. At the same time, I was tuning my kit to the max, and I engaged together with the P-7 team some team training in the water. This consisted of real racing, with real starts and jibing with all the team, all day long! All of it made this possible in Korea!

Starboard/PWA: If you had to pick one piece of windsurfing equipment you couldn’t live without, what would it be?

Alberto Menegatti: Everything has a time… Now would be my slalom stuff: iSonic 107 Carbon fitted with my 38 Z and 7.9 AC-1 …I'm sure that 10-15 years from now, it will be a big fight between my slalom kit and my wave kit!

Starboard/PWA: What are your favorite food and drink?

Alberto Menegatti: T-bone steak, fillet, sushi… But I'd eat almost everything… and lots of it! Except cheese, I just hate cheese!!

Starboard/PWA: What would you be doing if you weren’t windsurfing?

Alberto Menegatti: I would still be an athlete, but my life would be for sure a tad more boring… even if I would probably be more wealthy…! (laughs)

Starboard/PWA: Describe your perfect days sailing.

Alberto Menegatti: The 2nd day of racing in Korea when I won the 1st elimination was exactly the perfect day sailing!!! Hopefully a lot more perfect days will come!!

Starboard/PWA: What's your favorite location to sail?

Alberto Menegatti: Torbole / Trentino / Lake Garda in the summer is just perfect! Regarding winter, I'd say Cape Town!

Starboard/PWA: Thanks Alberto for everything and looking forward to seeing you on the podium in Costa Brava!

Ulsan PWA World Cup - Elimination 1: Men's Winners' Final

For the full event report by Starboard, click here!

Final Results - Men

1. Alberto Menegatti
2. Antoine Albeau
3. Ben van der Steen
4. Cyril Moussilmani
5. Julien Quentel
6. Gonzalo Costa Hoevel
7. Antoine Questel
8. Pierre Mortefon
9. Jimmy Diaz
10. Cédric Bordes

Pictures are courtesy of the PWA World Tour / John Carter