Spotlight on a Pro: Ross Williams

Ross Williams means business! The 25 year old British all-rounder has joined Team MPG and is now Race Developer for Gaastra Race Sails. We caught up with him in Maui.

Team MPG: How did that come about?

Me and Robby Swift (a Team MPG rider) spend a lot of time together and this winter I wanted to try and make the next step up the ladder and try and take things a bit more professionally. So I asked Scott (Sanchez) if it was OK if I trained with the Team and he agreed to a trial period. Now he knows I’m committed and I am on it full time.

Why?

I figured out that I’m not that good at doing anything else other than windsurfing! So I need to focus on it and try and make a decent career out of it and I want to be the best I can.

What does he help you with specifically?

He keeps me focused, healthy and fit which means going to the gym 4 times a week on a programme designed by Scott and an additional programme for when you are away from the gym at events. In terms of actual racing advice, I’ve raced since I was 9 years old so I’m pretty up to date on race tactics! All I needed was someone to kick my backside into gear and make sure I stayed fit and focused.

GAASTRA: So tell us your NEW role at Gaastra?

Well Matt Pritchard is the head guy in terms of testing and I’m like his No.1! I will be helping Matt with the wave sails but the development of the race sails is down to me and Dan Kaseler (Gasstra’s new designer).

You must feel a bit of pressure then?

Yes, I do feel a bit of pressure but then also I have finally been given the opportunity to try stuff out.

I learnt a lot from Phil (McGain) and Kevin (Pritchard) and designing, especially with race sails, is basically a process. You get your design, then race it against this years sails and if it’s slower, then you go back and change a few things to get it up to speed and then try and make it faster than last years range. It’s not like you start from scratch every year. You change the little things and then that all adds up to a better and faster sail year on year.

Where will the testing be done with Dan Kaseler NOT based in Maui anymore?

The majority of the testing will still be done on Maui and then I’ll take the development sails with me to events in Europe and sail them outside of competition and constantly report back to Dan Kaseler in Seattle.

Do you have a testing partner?

Not as such but there are a few people that I race with like Gonzalo Costa Hoevel and we will train and tune together before an event. I help him out by sailing next to him and making him as fast as he can be and vica versa.

Where’s the focus this year: waves or racing?

Everything, including all the slalom events like the IFCA Europeans in Turkey and the Slalom Worlds in Fuerteventura. Then you have the Euro Cups which will be Formula racing and slalom and the PWA Wave Tour. I just don’t have time for Super X. Last year I did 26 events and was away from home for 10 months. There is no way I could fit it in.

Now what about the NEW Olympic Class (Neil Pryde RSX). Surely you would be an ideal candidate?

I’m not really that interested in it as such. It is in the back of my mind as who doesn’t want to go to the Olympics? I’ll probably get one and see how I do and certainly go for the UK Trials.

Is the Formula Camp worried about lots of sailors switching over to the RSX and abandoning Formula?

My way of thinking is that if you are a good sailor, you can sail anything so you should be able to switch between the Formula events and the RSX events pretty easily. I don’t think it will affect the ongoing success of Formula.

You were considered for the RYA Olympic Team, (the well-funded UK Sailing Team) but you’re not on it. Why?

Phil McGain signs up with Carbon Art International to produce high performance Slalom boards.

Once again the South of England has provided me with a serene tranquil milieu... 

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