A new category is born

SEVERNE just launched the MEGA; a board that breaks the traditional freerace ideology. Two years of development with Cedric Bordes and shaper Albert Pijoan produced something rare: genuine race performance without the exclusive setup demands.

“When I first joined SEVERNE, there wasn’t really a dedicated race board in the lineup,” Cedric says. The team took their time. No rushed launches, no compromises. They waited until the platform was right.

From Pure Slalom to Modern Freerace

The original brief was straightforward: create pure slalom boards. But during development, the vision shifted. “We realized we could combine the qualities of slalom with freerace to shape a new category,” Cedric says.

The challenge? Making the fastest boards accessible. Pure slalom equipment delivers straight-line speed but demands constant attention. Light wind monsters become handfuls in chop. The MEGA needed to work everywhere, for everyone.

“It was a long process of exchange with Albert,” Cedric recalls. Early prototypes were rapid but exclusive. They pulled back, refined the fundamentals, made the board work naturally without hours of fine-tuning. When everything aligned, the solution came easily.

Fast Freerace DNA

Traditional freeride boards sit neutral underfoot; stable but lacking lift and acceleration. The MEGA flips that script. Strong performance when slightly underpowered makes it functional across most conditions. When wind picks up, it delivers slalom-level speed.

“It’s like a freerace board on steroids,” Cedric puts it simply.

No single feature creates this performance. The outline, overall rocker, V evolution from nose to tail, volume distribution, rail thickness; each element plays its role. The MEGA’s DNA comes from how these factors work together.

Racing Without the Arms Race

Boxier rails keep the board riding high without sinking; better acceleration, gusts become non-events as speed stays steady across all angles. Rearward volume distribution gives enough lift underfoot to accelerate, plane, and carry speed through gybes while maintaining control when conditions deteriorate.

Cedric keeps the end customer in mind during testing. “For me, a board or a sail is successful only if it’s easy to use. If you have to fight the equipment, even pure race gear, that’s never good.”

He looks for prototypes that almost sail themselves. Where you could ride eyes closed. If that feeling isn’t there, they adjust until the board genuinely works on its own.

Who Rides the MEGA?

The beauty of windsurfing lies in variety: different ages, body types, skill levels. The MEGA had to work for all of them without radical shaping choices.

Cedric’s ideal MEGA sailor? Someone who wants speed without the fight. They’re used to going fast but don’t want the arms race. They’ll likely pair the board with a 2-4 cam sail.

Both Antoine Albeau and Cedric chose the MEGA for racing. It also works for Sunday freerace sessions. On paper that sounds hard to achieve; in reality, it’s both fast and easy. Peak speed sits similar to pure slalom in a variety of conditions, but average speed stays highly competitive while demanding far less energy.

The Range: 63 and 73

Development focused on two specific sizes to concentrate learning. The 73 works from around 12 to 25 knots. The 63 covers 20 up to 40 knots. Two very different condition sets. While outlines look similar, bottom shapes differ significantly.

More sizes are coming. A 68 has been validated and heads to production soon. A ~60 is planned for stronger winds; a small rocket for events like Defi Wind. An ~80-85 will handle marginal winds and larger sail sizes.

Plug and Play Performance

“For me, equipment has to be plug and play,” Cedric emphasizes. Even without perfect tuning, it works.

On the MEGA, moving footstraps changes the ride slightly but never dramatically. Cedric keeps them centered most of the time, shifting them back in lighter winds for more lift. Wherever you place them, the board performs.

Same with mast track position. Cedric prefers it slightly back for a freer feel, but even too far forward, the board still goes. The MEGA adapts to different setups, sail sizes, fin choices. The shape forgives rather than punishes.

Sail Compatibility

The MEGA pairs naturally with the Mach sails. But it also works great with the Moto, SEVERNE’s 2-cam freerace sail, and even the NCX, a no-cam fast freeride sail. With fewer cambers, you can either size up slightly compared to 4-cam setups or downsize, depending on conditions.

Getting Started

Start with footstraps in the middle, mast track centered or slightly back. Standard settings. Then spend time on the board. Change sail sizes. Try different conditions. Get a range of sensations rather than relying on the first impression.

“The first feeling on a board is always important, but it can sometimes be misleading if the wind is too light or too strong,” Cedric says. Take your time. Have fun on the water.

The Journey

Working in a team pushing the same direction kept motivation high, even when test results surprised or disappointed. Some prototypes simply didn’t work. They adjusted, built new boards, progressed.

“As we say in French, hard work always pays off,” Cedric says. The journey wasn’t easy. But satisfaction with the result erases the fatigue and doubts. He’s genuinely happy with where they landed.

Launch Day

“I’m really happy and excited. SEVERNE always does a great job with communication – beautiful photos and videos. I’ve been involved in every stage of the launch, but I haven’t yet seen everything myself. It feels almost like when I was a kid dreaming in front of the magazines. That’s what keeps me motivated to keep working hard.”

The MEGA launches now. Two years of refinement distilled into two sizes that work for weekend racers and World Cup racers alike. Fast freerace isn’t just a new category; it’s the board you’ve been waiting for.

MEGA 63 / MEGA 73
Available now at authorized SEVERNE dealers worldwide. Click the map below to find yours.

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