Matthew Iachino (Starboard ,North ,prolimit ,Surfhub ,Slam ,gourmet sushi , Tyrrhenian power , Monetto construction company, Municipality of Albisola :) has finally realized its project of crossing in windsurf foil from Liguria to Corsica thanks to the collaboration of @la_nostra_energia @ilportodeipiccoli and @yachtclubitaliano.
The desire for the windsurfing crossing from Liguria to Corsica (80 nautical miles or 148km) it is not new and goes back at least to the years 90 when two other professional Ligurian windsurfers, a certain Luca De Pedrini and a certain Paolo Ghione, discussed the possibility of this long distance the first starting from Noli with the tramontana and the second from Bordighera with the east or with the libeccio.
At the time the foil did not exist and the slalom equipment was not as advanced as today.
Searching on the web another Ligurian had succeeded in this enterprise : Maurizio Del Gaudio in 1983 had reached Corsica by windsurfing starting from Diano Marina.
But let's go back to our national standard-bearer Matteo Iachino : RIWmag caught up with him for a hot interview after this incredible feat !
RIWmag : Hello Matthew ! First of all, congratulations ! How you feel now ?
Matthew Iachino : thanks ! I'm a pond 
RIWmag : What is the official time when you accomplished this feat ?
M.I. : 6 hours and 3 minutes.
RIWmag : You had a GPS with you ? You have an estimate of your average cruising speed ?
M.I. : Counting that I did two hours without gliding that lower the average , 27 km/h.
RIWmag : What was the most difficult moment of this undertaking ?
M.I. : When approaching the Corsican coast the wind dropped and I stopped at 8 miles from destination. It took me an hour and a half to walk through them …
RIWmag : What was the best moment of this enterprise ?
M.I. : Definitely climb the rock of Giraglia!
RIWmag : You are a top rider of the World Cup, always super trained both physically and technically. How tiring this undertaking has been for you ?
M.I. : Surely I always train but this is something different. Staying focused for six hours doesn't have much to do with sprints. 3/4 minutes I do in world cup batteries.
RIWmag : How fast you got to the finish line, the Giraglia (Corsican island located at the northern end of Cap Corse, about a mile away from Barcaggio) ? In how many edges ?
M.I. : The last miles were aft while before transverse/lasco. I did 4 stakes in the first 70 miles to detach my legs a bit while in the end I must have done 8/10 Edges.
RIWmag : Starting from Imperia Corsica was not visible. What were your points of reference to be able to travel a more or less optimal route ?
M.I. : They gave me more or less a direction and after about 89 km you started to see the coast and I knew I had to go to the lower part.
RIWmag : How many people participated in this project ? What professional profiles did you use to make it happen ?
M.I. : The ITA140 team is primarily composed of Stefano Camera, friend and great collaborator without whom I would not have moved a foot from Liguria, Roberto Actis who is now part of the family, gave a great contribution to the project, Marco Carasso, another super friend and official photographer of the event, Riccardo Piombo, friend and drone attendant, Giacomo Marta Videographer, and the captain of the boat. Thank you all!
RIWmag : This year we will see you at the Windfestival or you will be engaged in the PWA regattas of Sylt ?
M.I. : I will be in sylt definitely.
RIWmag : You have just finished a historic feat and you will still be tired : thank you very much Matteo for your availability 'and kindness in having granted us this interview and again congratulations !
M.I. : Thanks to you and see you soon!
interview: RIWmag
photo & video: courtesy Matthew Iachino
