Steve Allen (Starboard / Severne) has a wealth of experience to his name both in and out of a competition environment. He started windsurfing at the age of ten and joined the PWA world tour ten years later, and since then he has achieved a huge amount. Allen has consistently finished the slalom tour at the top of the pack and this season he was able to finish in an amazing 11^th place, despite having missed Costa Brava and part of the Aruba competition. We caught up with Allen to find out a little more.

PWA: Firstly, what are your thoughts on the 2011 season and how would you rate your result?
Allen: "I had some bad luck, with having to miss Costa Brava from having a FW event on at the same time and then the next event in Aruba my gear arrived after two days of competition dropping me from 3^rd in the ranking after the first two events to very deep in the pack."

PWA: How long have you been windsurfing?
Allen: "28 years."

PWA: Who has been you biggest influence on your sailing?
Allen: "My Father, as he taught me to windsurf".

PWA: What would you be doing if you weren't windsurfing?

Allen: "I would be a plumber or into renovations for older houses and flats."

PWA: Where is your favorite place to windsurf and why?
Allen: "I don't have one best spot, I love to travel the world and sail all the good locations."

PWA: What is your favorite move and why?
Allen: "I guess the table top forward as I was one of the first to perfect it for competition."

PWA: What move did you find the hardest to learn and why?
Allen: "Probably the back loop as the timing for the landing is one of the most critical from all the jumps."

PWA: What new moves are you currently learning?
Allen: "I am not pushing too much on new moves not to get injured as my main focus is the racing."

PWA: How do you learn your moves? Videos? Watching others?
Allen: "Bit of everything and asking the guys, unless you invent the move then you have the idea in your head and just go out and go for it."

PWA: Where is your favorite spot on the PWA tour and why?
Allen: "Maybe Costa Brava as we all stay right on the beach at the event site making it social and easy to see when it is windy."

PWA: How does competition make you feel? And how to do prepare for your heats?
Allen: "A lot of anxious feelings, between heats I try to keep my food intake regular to keep my energy up, stay focused and out of the sun as much as possible."