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Windsurf Magazine catch up with Duotone chief sail tester Marco Lang for an update on his season so far:

 Photos: PWA/ Carter

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WS: What have you been up to over the past few months?

ML: As every year I spent two months on Tenerife for training and preparation for the upcoming season. The same time I developed new products together with Duotone Chief Sail designer, Kai Hopf. In March, I went to south of France for the final preparation with Pierre Mortefon, but then I left just before the lockdown. Since that I have been back home in Austria!

WS: Have you been able to sail?

ML: Austria was really strict with their rules since the beginning of the lockdown in Europe. So, after two weeks of quarantine at home, I could sail again on my home lake. It´s not the windiest spot, but I was happy to be out in the fresh air. I kept everything pretty secret, because I knew few other PWA Sailors were fully lockdown at home under stricter rules.

WS: Are you still training the same for PWA events or are you taking a break?

ML: I never stopped training, I want to stay strong in my mind and don´t lose the motivation for testing and competition when it returns.

WS: What is your role for Fanatic and Duotone?

ML: I am Chief Tester for Duotone Windsurfing and I am always trying to help the Fanatic guys as much as I can with the development of their boards.

WS: What is the highlight of your career so far and why?

ML: It´s still my Victory on Sylt! I hope I can repeat that moment, but now I am more focusing on Product developing than being an out and out racer.

WS: What do you love about racing?

ML: The speed we reach really gives me an adrenalin kick!

WS: Where do you see yourself in ten years-time?

ML: Hopefully still working for the Windsurfing industry.

WS: What does it take to win a PWA event or round of slalom?

ML: A lot of ambition combined with a bit of luck.

WS: How do you like foiling compared to slalom?

ML: The last weeks I could catch up with a lot of foiling and I have really started to love that feeling in the light wind. In light gusty conditions you become really frustrated with fin equipment, but with the foil you don´t care as you glide through the lulls.

WS: Are you looking forward to the new slalom/ foil racing formats when PWA racing resumes?

ML: I still don´t know what I should think about it. It´s something new which nobody has seen before, but one thing for sure, I will be 100% prepared!

WS: Do you enjoy the testing side of windsurfing?

ML: Since my beginning of my windsurfing career it was my goal to work for a windsurfing brand. Pretty soon I met Kai Hopf for the first time and from the first moment, I was addicted to developing products. Getting great feedback from customers almost feels as good as winning an event to me these days.