Is AA moving to JP ?

change underwear who does that...LOL.
I think slalom sailing IMHO is too narrow a discipline. I can appreciate the talent it takes to do well but, the wind needed and therefore the specific venues just dont bring this aspect of the sport to even the average windsurfer.
There been a few articles and comments on the web lately on how the top overall sailor could , "COULD " be quantified. Takign in account speed, slalom, and wave events.

But here is an idea, have theses guys do slalom, speed and waves on
ONLY .................

ONE BOARD
what a concept!!

then lets see what the maunfacterers would make !!

now there is an interesting concept!!

[crazychemical]

they wouldn't make such a board, everyone would hate it. Even if you'd give the possebilety of different fin possebilities the boards rocker would be too fast for waves, too slow for speed and slalom. Also the boards width would be too narrow for slalom so you'd win nothing on that boards. Recreational sailors tend to sail on one spot, maybe two, and the conditions there are usually the same. So a two board quiver for recreational sailors is perfect and with the current second hand market it is even affordable. I'm a recreational sailor and own 3 boards, over 8 sails and 4 masts. It's all a matter of saving and investing. I seldomly buy new gear but i don't sail anyhting older the 2000, and the 2000 sails i own, i tend to not sail to frequent anyway, which is why i don't replace them.
But my main comment on this post is: WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH AA MOVING TO JP?
personally i don't really care what the sailors are sailing but this may be interesting for SB. With Bjorn Dunckerbeck entering the SB Isonic team and AA leaving SB could prove it's slalom boards superior to others. If AA next year starts losing his grip on the PWA slalom circuit and AA regaining, after reighning 2nd and 3rd for a few years, SB proves that on a highly competative level, it's SB that matters and noone else!
Why riders change boardbrands and sailsponsors i don't really care. I guess at first you're just happy you even get a sponsor. And once you've established yourself you can start brandshopping and once that gets boring i guess it's all about who pays the better cheque when your contract comes to an end.

thats my view of it

chemical is right. if aa goes to jp, there will be real pressure on jp/aa for him to maintain his results. and with the rejuvenation of bd on sb boards and aa not on sb boards, it could be tough. great advertising for sb: "thats what happens when you don't use sb boards"

[nonopr]

I dont think we are in for a surprise. JP Already has a fast slalom board that just need little more tuning to make it faster.
I think is more or the sailor not the sailboat.
This is a marketing move for the PWA, now things are getting hotter. I hope they use this change for the best.

[mim]

Well, there are fast slalom boards and there is isonic.
Since the contract is starting at the beginning of 09 I am not if they can modify the boards according to the needs of AA.

With BD on Starboard, AA will be in a very difficult position. A certain advantage for AA could be if BD goes to Severne. I like Severne but till now there was not much success in slalom or speed.

It will definetely will be a tough year for all the sailors.

PS: Just a small note...the board makes the difference. remember before AA joined Starboard, he never won a PWA Slalom event.

I will definetely not change the brand event that AA was one of my favourites...

[crazychemical]

Originally Posted by nonopr

I dont think we are in for a surprise. JP Already has a fast slalom board that just need little more tuning to make it faster.
I think is more or the sailor not the sailboat.
This is a marketing move for the PWA, now things are getting hotter. I hope they use this change for the best.

They've always told me: no matter how fast the board can go, if you're a slow sailor that board won't move an inch faster then you. And it's true, i mean, u need training, skills and experience to be a good sailor in a certain dicipline. But on a professional level ... everyone uses the same techniques, same whatnot so this is the point where gear starts to matter. So, i guess we'll have to see how much tuning JP will do with AA to it's boards and if those adjustments will allow him to beat the IS.
Don't underestimate Severne. Remi Villa rides with them and puts down very nice results. I'm sure BD could pull it off with the right amount of feedback to the sailmakers.
But those are all things we'll have to see when PWA 2009 takes off.

[Screamer]

Crazy has some interesting thoughts
If AA doesn't sweep most of the slalom events like he did in the past (and let's say Bjoern or KP does), it will prove iS strength.

I have nothing against top sailors changing sponsors, we all try to make the most of our jobs. What bothers me though, are obligatory statements: "I'm so stoked to be a part of such a talented and hard working *insert manufacturer* team, etc, etc". Rubbish.

[crazychemical]

agreed. I'd like to see a saylor with the balls to tell the people: hey, my contract with A got to an end and B had a better followup so i went with B. More interesting job because i get to do this and this, and they pay better. It's why they probably change...
though when KP changed from Maui Sails to Gaastra i always wanted to know the full story... i mean, he co-owned MS and went back to the brand that he left intentionally years earlier .... now eighter big bux or big arguement.

But in the end, sailors keep changing till they retire or start their own brand (like Robby Naish, Jason Polakov and Svein the main man himself). Fact of life just like beer getting you drunk.

[mim]

Originally Posted by crazychemical

Don't underestimate Severne. Remi Villa rides with them and puts down very nice results.

I am not underestimating Severne, just that on PWA there is not that much top ten in Slalom on CodeRed.

PS: I am riding only Severne, and I like it! That just how the results are!!!

[nonopr]

KP and MauiSails???hummmmmmm....To many people owning the same company????Who has the inside story?????
I would love to know that one. He won a few titles under MauiSails.