WindsurfingUK Issue 8 September 2018 | Page 90

90 SPOTLIGHT Multi-faceted speed machine NoveNove Revo 135 Pro Info: www.i-99.it/y2018/windsurf/revo-pro/ Price: Revo PRO: € 2.299; Revo GLS: € 1.999 WORDS: WINDSURFING UK PICS: JAMES JAGGER Conclusion WITH CHAMPION WINDSURFER FINIAN MAYNARD AT THE HELM IN TERMS OF DESIGN YOU ALWAYS KNOW A BOARD SHAPED BY HIM IS GOING TO DO ONE THING VERY WELL: GO FAST! BUT HOW FAST IS THE QUESTION? NOVENOVE’S REVO RANGE OF BOARDS ARE BILLED AS DETUNED SLALOM MACHINES WITH THE ADDED BENEFIT OF BEING EASY AND SMOOTH THROUGH TRANSITIONS. THE 135, TESTED HERE, IS ALSO FOIL READY SO EASILY CAPABLE OF TAKING ON DUAL ROLES. As you can see there aren’t many downsides when discussing the Revo. It does like a bit of power to get fully up to speed in standard windsurf mode and the Pro black paint job does have a tendency to scuff up when presented with shingle beaches. But these are only minor points as for the best part i-99’s Revo 135 is a versatile sled that will put smiles miles wide on speed freak faces whilst allowing foil flyers the ability to get some hover time across multiple scenarios. One of the most fun and fulfilling NoveNove boards we’ve tested to date. In Pro construction the Revo looks aesthetically top drawer. Its black and lime green graphical livery lends a polished look to proceedings. Supplied with an MFC G10 Race 46 tuttle fin i- 99’s Revo 135 packs in the width that’s for sure. So much so that it can take up to a 10m sail – pretty hefty when you consider the board’s volume is only 135. Still, great it’s got so much range and we couldn’t wait to get it wet. As we’ve said on many occasion having time to really spend looking at a product is key to properly understanding a piece of equipment. We’ve partnered the Revo with a bunch of different sails – from freeride to slalom – and found that in all instances the ride is both forgiving yet blisteringly quick (in standard windsurf mode that is). During even the choppiest uk WIND SURFING of sessions, bearing in mind the board’s width, it takes down flotsam without any trouble and delivers riders through gybe transitions without hiccup. Even sailors still looking to nail down gybe fundamentals will find favour with the Revo, such is its easy going cornering nature. And then it’s back up to full zoom on the straight giving an exciting and engaging experience. And in foil mode? Considering this is a freerace board you could almost believe the Revo 135 is foil specific rather than foil ready. Partnered with a variety of different foil machines it’s an early planing and super stable platform having lifted off. Not all foils are optimised for every board but the ones we’ve partnered the Revo with have delivered fun and efficient experiences.