When it comes to professional windsurfing equipment, the details are crucial. In an in-depth conversation with PWA pro Michele Becker, we gained exciting insights into his personal setup.
The sail: Patrik Race HA (High Aspect)
Michele relies on the Patrik Race HA sail series (High Aspect). The design has remained consistent over the years—a testament to its reliability and performance. The larger sizes will remain unchanged for 2025, with only the smaller sizes receiving updates.
Michele's tip:
When choosing between two lengths for the Extension, always go for the longer one. Example: If the sail specifies a 31 cm Extension, he uses 34 cm. This allows for more trim options and better control over the sail trim.
Boom setup: Stability is crucial.
Michele uses a Patrik Boom with a length of 200 cm to 250 cm – and surprisingly, he even uses this wide Boom for his smaller 7.4 sails. The reason? The additional stiffness provides exceptional stability in gusts and makes the entire setup more controllable and predictable.
The harness setup: Liberty carbon harness + FreeFall hook.
Michele relies on the Liberty carbon harness in size S, which is optimally designed for his weight of 93-95 kg. Particularly interesting is his choice of a special "Free Fall Hook" from France. This innovative solution provides an important safety feature: Under strong pressure, such as that caused by a catapult fall, the hook opens automatically. At a price of around €180, this investment may seem high at first, but Michele's argument is convincing: "A single serious crash that damages the mast, sail, or Boom would already make up for the investment." It is very easy to use – after triggering, the hook can be pushed back into place without any problems and you can continue sailing.
The AEON: A new era of performance.
The AEON Foil has not only established itself in the professional scene, but is also increasingly inspiring ambitious recreational windsurfers.
The 550 front wing has emerged as his favorite. "It's butter-smooth in turns and on the reach," Michele enthuses. It's interesting to compare this to previous setups: while he used to ride with significantly larger wings of 620 or even 725, today the more compact 550 is enough for him.
The 150 Backwing is his choice when it comes to maximum speed – however, he mainly recommends it for advanced riders. The 160 Backwing, equipped with additional winglets, offers around 20-30% more control, making it an interesting option for ambitious windsurfers. For particularly demanding conditions, Michele opts for the 195 Backwing, which is characterized by excellent gliding properties and superior control in wind holes.
An important piece of advice from Michele concerns the choice of size for the foil board: "Don't go by the liters, go by the width!" He himself rides with a width of 85 cm—a value that has proven itself in his setup.
The underestimated role of rake shims.
Michele pays particular attention to the Wind Lounge shim box in the carbon version. These often underestimated components play a decisive role in the performance of the Foils.
Michele opts for the long version of the shims, which fills the entire Foil box. This choice is well considered: the longer version allows for a much more consistent setting of the Foil angle and distributes the pressure more evenly over the entire length of the box. Another advantage is the avoidance of angle errors that can occur with shorter shims.
Even as a pro, I sometimes struggle with the perfect rake," Michele admits openly.
Conclusion
Michele's detailed setup impressively demonstrates that success lies in the sum of the details. The perfect balance between performance and control makes the decisive difference between a good and a perfect setup.
You can find the complete interview and more videos with Michele Becker on our German and English YouTube channels. Take a look.
As a team rider for Wind Lounge, Michele is available to advise you on all Patrik products. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by email at willkommen@windlounge.de.
