Justine Lemetayer: The Rising Star of Windsurfing – Exclusive Interview

2023-11-21 07:04:47

Par Sports Editorial in Caen
Published on 21 Nov 23 at 8:04 See my news Follow Sport in Caen

Justine Lemetayer has been a member of the OCEAN club (Ouistreham Colleville Ecole d’Activités Nautiques) since 2017.

For the second year in a row, the young resident of Colleville-Montgomery (Calvados) won the silver medal of the PWA World Tour, the professional windsurfing circuit, on Tuesday November 14, 2023 in Japan.

You have just returned from Japan where you obtained, for the second time, the title of PWA world vice-champion. How are your trips going for all these events?

I travel alone, but we meet up with the other athletes. We are competitors on the water, but we are friends on land. I have friends all over the world. This year we went to Italy, the Canary Islands and Japan. We are not always welcomed in the same way. In Japan, everything was planned.

You are part of the France PWA team and the France Voile center in Brest. Are the Olympic Games a goal?

In 2028, certainly yes! I continue to train, it was the condition of my professional contract. I do my physical and mental preparation in the morning before work. I sail alone or with other athletes. In the French PWA team, we have internships.

I also go to Brest which is one of the two Olympic training facilities. They are not the same boards nor the same circuits. I am part of the target group of under 23s, the goal is 2028.

Justine Lemetayer, windsurfing vice-world champion

Have you always wanted to play sports and, in particular, compete?

I started with handball when I was little. My goal was already to become a high-level athlete, but handball was played indoors. My parents had a sailing school, I needed the great outdoors, so I started windsurfing in Langrune-sur-Mer at 13. After three years, I came to Colleville, to the OCEAN ski area.

I like the sensations of windsurfing, the speed, I play with the elements. I got my first medal in 2020, I was 3rd at the French senior championship. Since then, I have been competing in competitions.

Justine Lemetayer, windsurfing vice-world champion

Justine Lemetayer is twice in a row windsurfing world vice-champion. ©ALiberté

In Hawaii to prepare the material

Compared to handball, windsurfing is not a team sport…

On the water, we are all adversaries. Our sport is similar to Formula 1, it is equipment brands that make up their team. With the other athletes, we try to bring the brand to be world champion. I’m in the FMX Racing team for the board and S2 Maui for the sails. The boss lives in Maui and I went to work there on next year’s sails. It’s exciting and, what’s more, it’s a week in Hawaii with all expenses paid!

His track record

2020: 3rd in the French senior championship
2021: French under-21 champion
2022: European and world under-21 champion; senior world vice-champion of the PWA professional circuit; senior French champion
2023: senior world vice-champion of the PWA professional circuit; senior French champion

You know that the high level only lasts so long. How are you preparing for your professional future?

I have just finished my STAPS license and I am starting a DEJEPS, State Diploma in Youth, Popular Education and Sport, under a professionalization contract with OCEAN. Initially, I wanted to do a master’s degree to be a PE teacher. But now, it’s more the job of coaching that attracts me. For now, this allows me to have a job that fits with my sporting career.

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Rillettes, chocolate, weight training and cardio

Physical fitness is important. Apparently the diet suits you?

I admit that, in this sport, we eat well! You have to be a little heavy to practice slalom. So, we must have good muscle mass and therefore, we eat. That’s good, I love rillettes and chocolate! But we also do a lot of weight training and cycling for cardio, the joints suffer less than with running.

Do you have very close fans?

My two vice-world champion trophies sit in the middle of the living room, it’s my father’s pride! He displayed all the other trophies in his workshop with last year’s banner. Both my parents have their workshop in the garden, my father repairs board sails, RVL, light sail repair, and my mother repairs wetsuits. I have everything I need !

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