Foiling Magazine #17 Free Digital Issue

I S S U E

# 1 7

WALL OF DEATH

MAKING WAVES

FIJI FIELD LOG

RIDING THE POROROCA

WHAT IT TAKES TO TURN ON

DAWN RAID ON CLOUDBREAK

TESTED: CABRINHA + NORTH + DAKINE + ARMSTRONG + GA + FLYSURFER + OZONE + MORE

1

2

ALL-ROUND PERFORMANCE

FIRM CANOPY TENSION for better per formance

EXTRA -STIFF AIRFRAME for control and stability

OPTIMIZED DIHEDRAL maintains power and flagged out stability

ERGONOMIC STRUT

for improved comfor t and balance.

30% STRONGER SEAM CONSTRUCTION

tolerates hitgher PSI in the air frame.

BLUE / RED

BLUE / PINK

DARK RED / DARK BLUE

2.5 / 3 / 3.5 / 4 / 4.5 / 5 / 5.5 / 6 / 7

freewing.star-board.com

@freewing.wolrd

3

T

E

A

M

4

F

A

S

K

R

C

E

N

ID

R

R

:

B

E

M

R

A

U

O

TH

TE

O

E

T

LL

A

N

D

C

A

S

H

B

E

R

Z

O

LL

A

Whether you’re free flying, wave riding or sending a freestyle session, the all new A-Wing XPS delivers. We recruited the world’s leading wing and kite designers to craft a wing with a hyper connected riding feel, sublime upwind performance, next-level speed and rock solid stability.

A-WING XPS FEATURES • AN INNOVATIVE CROSS-PANEL SAIL DESIGN (XPS) GREATLY REDUCES SAIL DISTORTION FOR CONTROLLED, COMFORTABLE FLYING. • PROPRIETARY HYBRID CARBON HANDLES SPORT A RIGID CARBON INTERIOR SKELETON AND SOFT PADDED EXTERIOR FOR BALANCED CONTROL, COMFORT AND SAFETY. • NEW GENERATION LIGHTWEIGHT DACRON, TRIED AND TESTED POLYESTER DACRON AND ULTRA PE WOVEN LAMINATE BRING A HIGHLY REFINED COMBINATION OF MATERIALS WITH IMPRESSIVE STRENGTH TO WEIGHT, DURABILITY AND OVERALL PERFORMANCE. • REMOVABLE BATTENS ENABLE TRAILING EDGE CONTROL FOR TAILORED PERFORMANCE IN LIGHTER OR STRONGER WIND CONDITIONS.

Learn more at armstrongfoils.com

5

STRONG LIGHT SUPERIOR

SKY STYLE TAKE YOUR RIDING TO THE NEXT LEVEL SURF / FREESTYLE / FREERIDE

DU OTO N E SPORTS .C OM

6

PHOTO: BEN THOUARD, RIDER: CLEMENT ROSEYRO

SI Z E S 4'5" × 21 .8" (45 L) 4'7" × 22.5" (55 L) 4'9" × 23.3" (65 L) 4'1 1 " × 24" (75 L) 5'1 " × 24 .7" (85 L)

P R O D U CT I N F O

FO L LOW U S

7

8

Mode Pro High-Speed Performance 3.5 / 4.2 / 4.8 / 5.5 / 6.8

Pro Technology When there’s even a slight shift in the wind or a small swell, we feel it. Our new 2024 Wingfoil Collection lives in the space between worlds, where wind meets water.

We draw on advanced engineering and technology to find harmony in contradiction. So you can focus your energy on mastering these two worlds.

Loft Pro Light Wind Performance 7/8

At North, we’re always reaching for more - more time on the water, more lift, more feeling, more exhilaration.

9

2024 ULTRA JET WING/KITE/PRONE/WAKE

SIZES: 850 | 1050 | 1250 | 1650 | 2000 | 2450 Experience the pinnacle of all-around foiling performance with the Ultra Jet front wing. Crafted using cutting-edge carbon construction technology, it seamlessly connects to Naish fuselages, providing an agile yet stable ride. Its lightweight and robust build combines 100% prepreg 3K carbon with UD carbon and glass core layup, offering unmatched strength and lift without compromising speed or pumping power. Designed for gradual lift and horizontal stability, the Ultra Jet suits riders of all levels in wind foiling, kite foiling, prone foiling or wake foiling. Enjoy increased speed, unrivaled maneuverability, and a smooth experience with this high-performance foil.

AVAILABLE NOW Amanda Cantor . Austin Kalama: Hover Downwind Foilboard, Carbon Plus Vario Paddle, Jet HA Foil

10

Amanda Cantor . Louka Pitout: Wingsurfer ADX, Hover Ascend Wing Foilboard, Ultra Jet Foil

2024 JET HA WING/KITE/PRONE/DOWNWIND

SIZES: 640 | 840 | 1040 | 1240 | 1440 | 1840

Introducing the Jet HA front wing, the ultimate high-aspect foil for maximum efficiency and performance. With an increased leading edge area and narrow foil sections, it delivers improved glide and stability. Strategically designed wing tips enable exceptional speed, pumping efficiency, and turning ability, setting a new standard for HA foils. The slight rake angle reduces drag while enhancing control and lift during turns, allowing the foil to breach the surface smoothly without interrupting the laminar flow. Perfect for riders of all levels, the Jet HA offers an optimized experience with an ideal balance of stabilization and performance for smooth handling on any wave or swell.

Kubus Sports BV . info@kubus-sports.nl . +31 (0) 88 5525200

Naish.com

NaishFoiling

NaishFoiling

11

12

13

s dan e Wi l 14

on

S CA N H E R E

15

16

CONTENTS F

E

A

T

U

R

E

S

118

1 24

130

HA LCYO N HAWAI I AN DAYS

MAK ING WAV E S

T H E WAL L OF DE AT H

Despite losing the entire contents of his

It’s a story that will no doubt chime with

Invited to experience one of the world’s

hard drive to a particularly unforgiving

many: rare is the rider who falls in love

longest waves, the “Pororoca” tidal bore

piece of flooring, Philip Muller was none-

with foiling at their first attempt…. In Kyle

in the Amazon, Matt Elsasser defied any

the-less able to recount his downwinding

Cabano’s case, after mixed success, it was

preconceived concerns about alligators and

pilgrimage to the land of aloha to us by

an assignment with Zane Schweitzer up at

fish with penchants for very small and dark

way of some good travel writing and a few

J-Bay that finally and fully opened up the

holes, and convinced Brian Grubb to come

of Quinn Wilson’s images.

obsession.

with him. And thankfully, no one actually died.

138

144

150

O P E N IN G UP THE BACKYARD

T H E F IX E R

F IJI F IE L D LOG

The Isle of Wight is best known in the UK as

Faced with organizing and executing a

And so it is that the old adage “the early bird

a popular tourist destination, with plenty of

product film and photo shoot at the very

gets the worm” rings especially true if you’re

attractive beaches surrounding the island’s

last minute, AXIS turned to the one man

Cole Kawana and Ryan Arzy, and you’re trying

lush green countryside and picturesque

who was always going to be able to get it

to beat the surfer crowds in Fiji for a good

villages. But both inside and outside of the

done, and done in style: Mr. Shannon Stent.

crack at Cloudbreak before dawn and the

sunny season, it also holds phenomenal foil

All he needed was a plane ticket and a

inevitable swarms arrive…

potential: you just have to know how to

couple of the best prone foilers out there…

access it…

R

E

G

U

L

A

R

S

2 8 E X POSURE / 86 UP LOA D E D : F L I T E T E A M TA L KS / 8 8 R I S I N G U P : JU L I A N CI TO / 90 EY EW I TN ESS : EAST OZ F OIL FE ST / 96 S E C R E T S P OT / 9 8 T H E LOW D OW N : N OR TH R ETU R N S HOM E, X-1 5 C L ASS , FA N ATI C M ER G E S W ITH DUOTONE / 112 GO O D ST UF F / 15 8 BAC KSTORY: TA KU M A / 1 62 THE 1 01 : G ETTI N G A I R / 1 64 W EA P O N O F C HOICE : ROB BY N A I S H / 16 6 R E D L E T T E R DAY: A G A R DA A F TER N OON , F LY I N G HI G H, F R I EN DS W I TH B EN E FI TS / 178 LEA D E R BOA R D / 186 T E ST E D / 2 0 0 I N B OU N D / 2 2 8 F OR ES I G HT: C HA R L ES ST P I ER R E / 23 0 T H E D E VOT E D : D R R E X F H AW THOR N E / 2 3 4 STATE OF P L AY: JON ATHA N M A N N

LEFT Pity poor Gordon Harrison, with a bird’s eye view of his imminent impaling.

And on such a sunny day too. We honestly don’t know what happened next, we’re not even sure we want to, but Gordon, if you’re out there, write us and let us know you’re ok, yeah?

Photo: Chase Heavener

COVER Whether it’s charging downwind at the M2O or pulling Gs on AXIS’ new Spitfire wing out at Ala Moana, Edo Tanas can turn it on whenever he’s required to.

Photo: Shannon Stent

17

THE BEST GETS BETTER

MANTIS V3 ALL-AROUND FREERIDE 2 / 2.5 / 3 / 3.5 / 4 / 4.5 / 5 / 6 / 7 The wing that has helped define and shape the sport is now in its 3rd generation. Increased convex dihedral, refined air foil section and the new convex strut increase the efficiency and range, allowing you to further maximize the true potential of wingfoiling.

18

Keahi de Aboitiz James Boulding

cabrinha.com 19

A B OV E Dane Wilson takes a moment to glide between pumps while on the Moloka'i to O'ahu 2023 race. For those of us who relish those little bits of “alone time” amongst nature, downwinders really do seem to tick all the boxes…

Photo: Salty Brother

20

EDITO R IA L

EDITORIAL If, like me, you’re a “dive into the middle of a magazine and see where the mood takes you” kind of reader, then, by the time you arrive at this editorial slot, you might already have noticed that the number of times the word downwind or downwinder has appeared in this magazine has dramatically increased from previous issues. If you’re a linear reader and you’re coming to this first, well, now you’re well prepared.

By any measure, foiling is still a relatively young pursuit. It’s a point I’ve made a couple of times before in this column but it’s worth making again: when we published issue #1, winging was pretty much unheard of. Surf/prone foiling was the top tier discipline, and I imagine few, not least myself, imagined much could knock it from the top spot. But in swoops wingfoiling, appealing to many through its hybrid nature, and here we are only a few years on, and winging is now, arguably, the dominating gateway into foiling and (most likely) its most popular discipline. So, with so much potential to tap into via foiling’s variety of niches and disciplines still, it’s not surprising that the popularity of certain aspects of the sport will rise and subside through varying factors.

Now, I’m not going to suggest that I have my finger firmly on the pulse. But what I can say with some degree of confidence, based on the prolificity of content that’s appearing in my inbox on the daily and certainly heavily featuring within our Instagram feed of late, is that downwinding is moving definitively out of the “niche” and towards the foil mainstream. It’s always been there of course, quietly gliding away in the background, but through factors which I will ruminate upon in a moment, it’s only now really starting to enjoy its time in the sun, with more accessibility, more adherents and, consequently, more coverage.

As with many water sport disciplines, not least foiling, it’s the ocean loving communities of the Hawaiian Islands that are driving the rising popularity of the scene and its uptake. From the dedicated Voyager crew on Oahu, to the various downwinder challenges to be found over there, such as the Maui to Molokai, or the Molokai to Oahu races, the Hawaiian archipelago has once again proven itself as the crucible for a looming obsession. That’s not to say that there aren’t other geographical contenders who’ve fed into this (I’m looking at you, Hood River), but let’s acknowledge the indisputable: per capita, there’s a higher concentration of watermen, waterwomen, sunshine and professional photographers in Hawaii than anywhere else on the planet…

So, what drives this shifting landscape, and why now for downwinding? Well, a clear definite factor is the advancements in materials, design, and manufacturing. Water/wind sport brand R&D budgets have dramatically increased for foil and wing these past few years, and now we’re seeing a lot of the fruits of all this investment. In downwinding’s case specifically, lighter and better designed boards, built specifically for downwinding and less as a multi-disciplinary option.

Another driving force is very likely the human desire for novelty and challenge. As one niche becomes more mainstream, new frontiers and fresh ways to challenge yourself rise in their appeal. But it’s also just the vibe, right? Who doesn’t love the idea of cruising oceans at the whim of the wind and currents, alongside your friends (and the occasional dolphin/whale/seagull)?

Thus it goes that the growth of these niches inevitably influences the content that finds its way into magazines and online platforms dedicated to such pursuits, such as this one. Hence why you’ll find some really solid downwind articles in this issue, such as Philip Muller’s time spent in Hawaii on page 116, and Jon Mann’s comment on the discipline in State of Play, on page 230.

Navigating the rise in popularity between one discipline and the other is relatively easy for me.

I’m led in the most part by what’s cooking out there in the field. If it’s wing (still the majority), I’ll get a ton of wing content. If it happens to be surf, wake, or downwind – the same. For the industry however, it’s probably a little trickier. The cyclic nature of trends is bound to influence sales, and predicting that ahead of production must be quite an art. Steering a course through this evolving landscape must be both challenging and exhilarating for those working on the front lines of foil development. It keeps everyone on their toes, but in so doing, also pushes R&D at an impressive pace. And I’m sure all of us – not least those out there gliding their way downwind as I write – are thankful for that...

Enjoy the issue.

Cai Waggett EDI TOR

E DITO R I A L

21

D ON ’ T G E T L E FT BE HIND!

We kn ew i t wa s t i m e to t h row eve r y t h in g in to deve lo pin g a win g to d el i ver t h e type o f t r u e h ig h - pe r fo rm an ce t h at ma tters to m os t wi n g e rs ; s pe e d an d co n t ro l, be cau s e eve r y a s p ec t of your ow n pe r fo rm an ce s te m s f ro m t h e re . · Pre - l oa de d lea din g e dg e · 20 % l i g hter a n d s t if fe r pe r fo rm an ce da cro n · M ul t i p l i ed s ea m s t re n g t h an d clean e r a e ro dy n am ics · Ca rb on f i b re h an dle s w it h eva g rip · Fo rce f i el d p eri m eter = prim e pe r fo rm an ce fo r lo n g e r S i zes : 2 .4 m / 3m / 3 .6m / 4 . 3 m / 5 m / 5 .7m / 6 . 5 m

22

Rider: Simon Burner

Photo: Louis Arnaud

ozonekites.com @ozone.wing

23

HERE New skool tech meets old skool vibes…

Photo: Franck Berthuot

PRODUCTION TEAM Editor: Cai Waggett Editor-in-Chief: Alex Hapgood Sub-editor: Sarah Sylvester Art Director: Nikki Hall Senior Photo Editor: Ydwer van der Heide Digital Marketing: Tom Weyers Technical Editor: Richard Boughton CONTRIBUTORS Aaron Barrett, Adam Bennetts, Alexander Bachev, Ancor Kather, Antonio Herrera Trujillo, Brandon Scheid, Brian Morsund, Bryan Soderlind, Charles Dasher, Charles St Pierre, Chase Heavener, Chipri Courdes, Chucho Nonnot, Craig Gertenbach, Cyril Coste, Cyrus Perry, Damien LeRoy, Dan Mullins, Dane Wilson, Dr Rex F. Hawthorne, Dreu Beavis, Dustin Pitzer, Dylan Wichmann, Emanuela Cauli, Eric Duran, Eric Geiselman, Eric Sterman, Fish Bowl Diaries, Florian Scharscher, Francesco Cappuzzo, Franck Berthuot, Fred Hope, Frederique Haver, Garrett Cortese, Glenn Duffus, Gwen Le Tutour, Henrique Casinhas, Ivan Van Vuuren, Jeff McKee, Jeremy Wilmotte, Jonathan Mann, Julian Ricardo Diaz Castro, Kaden Pritchard, Karen Lunstedt,Kari Schibevaag, Kawana Cole, Kawika Drummond, Ken Adgate, Klaas Voget, Kyle Cabano, Kyron Rathbone, Louis Arnaud Lavasier, Ludovic Teulade, Lukas Pitsch, Luke Atkinson, Manuela Jungo, Marc Schwarz, Marion Scharscher, Mateo Duchier, Matt Argentin, Matt Elsasser, Matteo Nativelle, Mickie Williams, Mike Chapman, Mike Raper, Myles Cameron, Nathan Birrien, Nathan Van Vuuren, Noah Flegel, Pablo Amores, Pavel Stefanov, Philip Muller, Quinn Wilson, Robby Naish, Ryan Arzy, Sam Scadgell, Samuel Tomé, Shannon Stent, Simon Axmann, Simon Burner, Stefan Spiessberger, Steffan Volert, Steve Legge, Stuart Gibson, Svein Rasmussen, Tess Pitzer, Theo Demanez, Thomas Burblies, Till Eberle, Tom Carroll, Tom Court, Tom Earl, Valérie Azzaria, Wind Adventures, Xavi Corr, Xavier de la Rue ADVERTISING All advertising enquiries can be sent to advertising@thefoilingmagazine.com

SUBMISSIONS We’re always on the hunt for foil adventurers who can write and/or take a good photo. Please send your pitch or previous examples of articles photography to hello@thefoilingmagazine.com

COPYRIGHT All material in Foiling Magazine is subject to copyright. Reproduction without the express permission of the publishers will result in prosecution.

PUBLISHER Foiling Magazine is published by Water Born Media Limited in 20-22 Wenlock Road, London N1 7GU

FIND US HERE @foilingmagazine foilingmagazine thefoilingmagazine.com

24

BlackBird THE HIGH ASPECT BOARD

www.afs-advanced.com

25 follow us

26

27

RIDE R Chucho Nonnot LOCATI ON Kingfisher, Pagudpud, The Philippines PHOTOGRAP H E R Franck Berthuot Chucho: Big shoutout to my friend Frankie for capturing this insane picture.

We had already been shooting for three days in the Philippines without the conditions we sought. There were some waves when we arrived at the wave spot, but they weren't what we expected. It was small, with few sections, but we still headed to the water with Frankie and Slater because, in all truth, you don't need epic waves to prone surf foil. The new SF-Series front wings make every little bump rideable. Once we were in the water, the tide was picking up, and the waves were getting aligned. It was a present from nature. Perfect waves, just for us. Even after the surf foil session, we captured our best shots winging in some light wind but with perfect, perfect waves, like what we dream of.

28

29

WIND WING BOOM • S U PR E ME POW E R A ND CONTROL FO R A N Y LEV E LS A N D STYL ES O F W I N G FO I LI NG

• M O N OLI THI C BO O M EN D S • E Q U I PPE D W I T H 2 PCS CA R B O N BO O M

WW B AVAILABLE IN:

3.0/3.5/4.0/4.5/5.0/5.5/6.0/7.2

# R R D W AT E R S P O R T S

30

FIRM CONTROL DOMINATE EVERY MOVE!

• STRIPE

• BLACK

31

RIDE R Ludovic Teulade LOC AT ION Jibe City, Bonaire Island P H OTOGRAP H E R Charles Dasher Ludovic: This photo was taken during our last shoot in Bonaire, in the Caribbean, a small island paradise with ideal conditions for wing foiling! Here we were on the Lac Bay spot in the town of Jibe, the perfect location, with parking five meters from the spot, an ideal launch with sand and a small lagoon that juts out, allowing us to take close-up photos in turquoise water. The wind was moderate to strong and steady all day, allowing us to enjoy ourselves, as I did on this big turn. The stability and power of the RAPTOR Wing V3 are ideal for this kind of trick!

32

Photo: Charles Dasher - SIC Maui

Designed to meet the needs of even the most demanding riders with exceptional features and unparalleled performance.

The RAPTOR WING V3 brings to life power, speed and balance.

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

RAPTOR WING V3 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 6.0 7.0 m2

33

NO MAD FO ILB OARD 90L

6’6” x 20.5” x 5.2”

115 L

7’0” x 23” x 5.4”

13 5 L

7’6” x 24.5” x 5.6”

A K DU R A BL E S U PPLYC O.C OM

34

C ONNECT WITH THE GLIDE The all-new N omad is an intuitive and st able lightwind and downwind crossover f oilboard wit h ef f or tless gliding capabilities. Per f ect f or catc hing long dra wn out wa ves, downwinding, or ge tting up on t he f oil in t he light est wind wit h your wing...

RIDER: Victor Hays.

P H OTO S : L o u i s L a va s i e r, M i t c h e l l D oy l e M a r k g r a a f f & S a m To m é .

35

RIDE R Xavi Corr LOC AT ION Gran Canaria PHOTOGRAP H E R Pablo Amores Xavi: This photo was from a great session near Vargas beach on the east coast of Gran Canaria in June this year. The wind was 25 knots, gusting to 35 knots, and there was a nice 1.5m wind swell. It was my first time in the Canaries, which didn't disappoint! The wind consistently blows from the North during July and August, so every day, without fail, the wind was pumping.

Being goofy, with the northerly winds, I jump heading towards the shore. I was sending some big slow backflips this session. Doing a slow backflip, I slow the rotation to get much higher, with the new AK Compact v3 giving me a nice soft landing. Pablo Amores was shooting, and it's always a great time shooting with my friend from my hometown of Tarifa.

36

EX P OSUR E

RIDE R Simon Burner LOC AT ION Mauritius PHOTOGRAP H E R Louis Arnaud Lavasier Simon: A magic moment from our sunset photo shoot for the Ozone Flux V1 wing. Going into the water that evening we weren’t actually very optimistic as the wind was slowly dying, but to our surprise the conditions turned out to be excellent and we had them all to ourselves until late. There’s something about those surprise solo sessions at world class spots; it feels strange having the whole place to yourself and you just don’t want them to come to an end..

E X P OS U R E

37

RIDE R Mateo Duchier LOC AT ION Lahaina, Maui PHOTOGRAP H E R Tess Pitzer Mateo: Maui’s wind rarely gives us a break, and we always hope for the conditions to glass off for sunset. This day, that was not the case. Despite small and bumpy conditions, it always feels good to paddle out, sit in the line-up chatting with friends, and it’s excellent practice. Generating speed and landing hard turns on days like this is pretty challenging, but it makes the glassy condition feel so easy the next morning! As much fun as other foil disciplines are, the simplicity of just surf foiling will always have my heart. Very little gear to set up, adrenaline rush even in the smallest conditions, intense workout, and you also get to slow down and enjoy nature’s show in between sets.

38

E X P OSUR E

APPLE SKIPPER SLIMMER. STIFFER. HIGHLY FINE-TUNED.

Rider: Mathieu Duchier | Photo: Tess Pitzer Jelvani

Understanding that advanced riders are eager for cutting edge performance, we’ve designed the Apple Skipper Wing to deliver just that!

More at appletreesurfboards.com 39

Limitless Performance.

40

625 • 800 • 1000 • 1225 • 1475 • 1750

Everything that I’ve wanted out of a foil, I finally have.

James Jenkins

R AY CO L L I N S R I D E R : JA M E S J E N K I N S

The MA range takes aspects of what we’ve learned from the HS, HA and CFv2 development to deliver a truly nextgen combination of intuitive carving, speed range and instantaneous breach recovery. These foils offer an excellent balance of performance to experienced riders across all foils sports.

Learn more at armstrongfoils.com

41

RIDE R Sarah Missiaen LOC AT ION Lake Como, Italy P H OTOGRAP H E R Lukas Pitsch Lukas: Amidst a windy day at Lake Como, an unexpected encounter with the vivacious and talented Sarah Missiaen led to a spontaneous photoshoot.

Equipped with brand new underwater camera gear, I captured this stunning moment during perfect light conditions just before sunset while swimming in the cold, spring-like Lake Como. I was aware of her considerable shooting experience, but my excitement reached new heights when I saw her performance in front of the lens...

42

RIDE R Brandon Scheid LOC AT ION Namotu, Fiji P H OTOGRAP H E R Stu Gibson Brandon: One of the best things about Unlimited Weeks on Namotu is certainly the unlimited tow foiling sessions. Each day the coveted hours surrounding high tide are utilized to get everyone on the island feeling that magic floating feeling. Namotu is blessed with several waves to choose from pending wind and swell size, just a short five-minute jetski ride away. However, everyone always seems to gravitate to Namotu Lefts. The wave starts as a performance left hand point that peels down the reef, once the swell moves to the inside of the reef it transitions into a smooth glassy green shreddable lump. Allowing you to easily take the wave straight to the breakfast bar...

E X P OS U R E

43

UNLIMITED PERFORMANCE WITH THE POISON

44

RIDER: KADEN PRITCHARD PRODUCT: TABOU TINY and GA WINGS POISON

POISON 2023 EXPERIENCE NEW LEVELS OF FREERIDE HIGH-PERFORMANCE AS WELL AS WAVE AND FREESTYLE POTENTIAL WITH THE 2023 POISON’S UNMATCHED SPEED, CONTROL AND HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS. TONS OF INNOVATIVE FEATURES INCLUDE THE BRAND-NEW INTERCHANGEABLE HANDLE SYSTEM, ALLOWING YOU TO QUICKLY SWITCH FROM THE RIGID HANDLES SUPPLIED WITH THE POISON TO THE SOFT HANDLES IN THE SAME MOUNTING FRAMEWORK. THE RADICALLY ANGLED STRUT PROVIDES OUTSTANDING CONTROL AND DIRECT HANDLING AS WELL AS AN ERGONOMIC ARM POSITION IN ALL CONDITIONS. CONTROLLABILITY AND AGILE HANDLING ARE GUARANTEED WITH THE UPDATED PANEL LAYOUT, ENHANCED LE STIFFNESS AND INCREASED TENSION IN THE CANOPY. ALL THIS IS ACHIEVED BY IMPLEMENTING NEW HIGH-TECH MATERIALS LIKE THE NEWLY DEVELOPED TRIPLE RIPSTOP CANOPY AND THE EXTREMELY STIFF AND ROBUST DKC DACRON. THE POISON FLIES EXCEPTIONALLY NEUTRAL, WHEN FLAGGED OUT, WHICH ENHANCES ITS WAVE RIDING POTENTIAL AND COMFORT TOGETHER WITH THE WELL-PLACED NEOPRENE PROTECTORS BELOW THE HANDLE AND ITS LIGHT-WEIGHT DESIGN. THE ENORMOUS SPEED POTENTIAL AND EXTREMELY STRONG ACCELERATION ALLOW YOU TO TAKE OFF INTO HIGH JUMPS WITH LONG HANGTIME AND EXTREME FREESTYLE ROTATIONS WITH EASE. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE IN A VARIETY OF CONDITIONS, THE POISON IS THE RIGHT CHOICE WITH ITS OUTSTANDING CONTROL, EXPLOSIVE ACCELERATION AND SPEED AS WELL AS ITS DIRECT AND PRECISE HANDLING. AVAILABLE SIZES: 2.8 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 5.2 | 6.2 | 7.2 NEW SPORTS GmbH Germany.

Tel: +49 (0) 2234 933 400 E-mail: info@gaastra.com Photo: Fishbowl Diaries

45

RIDE R Ancor Kather LO C AT ION Chiclana, Spain PHOTOG RAP H E R Antonio Herrera Trujillo Ancor: This was at the first stop of the Spanish championships in Chiclana Spain, where I took the first place this year. I love to do all these little events to train for world championship. In this picture I was riding a 4m Cabrinha Mantis in about 25 knots. It’s a very versatile wing, as you can ride it in almost any kind of conditions. In this competition I was starting to try some new tricks like toeside frontloops, but of course big falls are also part of the game when trying new moves. Luckily I have never got hurt too much, but to prevent injuries I am also training outside of the water to strengthen the body.

46

47

RIDE R Ken Adgate LOCAT ION Hood River, Oregon PHOTOGRAP H E R Karen Lundstedt Ken: This picture sums up what I like to do most, always thinking of new tricks and transitions to try, but mainly always having fun on the water. These high-speed booty tacks are so fun and technical. Hood River is one of my favorite places to ride, so many talented riders, amazing people and the views are breath-taking. Always grateful to my good friend Mike Zajicek for making the best foil.

48

E X P OSUR E

49

50

EX P OSUR E

RIDE R J eremy Wilmotte LOC AT ION Cronulla Beach, NSW P H OTOGRAP H E R Mickie Williams Jeremy: In my opinion, Cronulla beach and its surrounding waves rates as one of Australia's premier foiling destinations. It's been the perfect testing ground for all this new Armstrong gear. It’s certain to me at this moment, as I venture further into this otherwise confusing path of what to ride and when, that your ability affects your performance, and the gear determines what you can achieve; and I’m super impressed with the extremely smooth carving ability of the MA 1000.

E X P OS U R E

51

R IDE R Xavier de le Rue LOCAT ION South of France PHOTOGRAP H E R Nathan Birrien Xavier: I think that with age I am becoming obsessed by all the toys and all the possibilities that they bring to you to go out there and explore. It seems that the more I go, the more I realize that my thing is not really about performing anymore, but to experience and explore new things, new toys, new places, new visions. I don’t know if that’s the right thing to do, but it certainly is what’s driving me. Thankyou Aerofoils for letting me enjoy this incredible toy!

52

THE AUDI E-TRON FOIL

BY AEROFOILS SURF THE FUTURE & FLY OVER WATER

picture: e-surfer.com

A groundbreaking innovation in the surfing industry, the world‘s first jet-powered e-foil, designed and engineered by Aerofoils in collaboration with Audi.

With its eco-friendly electric motor, high-performance & secure battery pack, and build quality made in Germany, this electric hydrofoil surfboard by Aerofoils offers a unique and exhilarating surfing experience.

Scan QR Code to check out our 2023 products.

aerofoils.de

53

RI DER Francesco Cappuzzo & Gregorio Pugliese LOCAT ION Scarborough, South Africa PHOTOGRAP H E R Samuel Tomé Francesco: During our one-month stay in South Africa for the RRD shoot, we had an absolutely fantastic experience. We put in a lot of effort, but in the end, we accomplished an outstanding job. What truly amazed us was the new Wind Wing Boom; its monolithic attachment provided incredible stiffness that we couldn't believe until we tried it ourselves. It definitely added an extra level of excitement to our sportive adventures!

54

EX P OSUR E

RIDE R Ka ri S c hi b eva a g LOC AT ION Lo fo ten, No rway PH OTOGRAP H E R B ri a n Mo rs und

Kari: This wingfoiling session I had in Lofoten this summer was hands down the best in years! The wind was something else, both hot and sturdy, giving me that perfect push for some amazing glides. And oh, those mountains!

Bathed in sunlight, they looked straight out of a postcard. Wingfoiling here is a whole different level of awesome. The mountains form this jaw-dropping backdrop, and the water? It's so clear you can see the fish below. Imagine riding the wind, feeling the rush, all while these monumental peaks and crystal-clear waters are your playground. It's like nature designed this place for wingfoiling perfection. As the sun began to set, painting everything in warm hues, I couldn't help but reflect on the sheer beauty of it all. Lofoten, that day, gave us an unforgettable summer memory that will be hard to top.

E X P OS U R E

55

RIDE R Rya n Arzy LO C AT ION Na mo t u Lef t s PHOTOGRAP H E R Ka ren L und sted t

Ryan: Most don't know this, but Namotu Lefts is a pretty historic part of surf foiling and how it got to where it is today. With Kai and Ridge Lenny being some of the first surf foilers out there as well as Lefts being the spot where the first 2-for-1 waves were linked, it's been incredible to spend some time at this iconic break. When I found out that power-couple Roy and Karen from Kaohi Leash were gonna be on Namotu at the end of May 2023, I also had to make sure I'd be there. This evening was a fun-sized tow session on the outside of Lefts, and of course, Karen was there as always to get the shot!

56

E X P OSUR E

57

R IDE R Gwen Le Tuto ur LOCAT ION S o mew here i n F l o ri d a …

PHOTOGRAP H E R Da mi en LeRoy Gwen: Every year, I migrate from south Florida to the northwest of the US for the summer. This time, we decided to explore new locations on our way that you wouldn’t think of as a foiling destination. With the ability to take off from anywhere with the dockstart, beachstart, or rock start, and pumping around for a while, it is opening new opportunities to ride new places. This time, we found this magical place somewhere inland, where the water is crystal clear, and surrounded by trees. The take-off from the roots of the trees took a few tries to dial, but then made for a super unique experience pump foiling around. The Instagram Reel I posted of this session has over six million views!

58

E X P OSUR E

RIDE R Theo Dema nez LOCAT ION Ori ent B ay, St Ma rt i n PHOTOGRAP H E R Wi nd Ad vent ures

Theo: Wingfoiling in my home spot of Orient Bay in St Martin is the epitome of a Caribbean paradise, truly a breath-taking experience. The crystal-clear waters, warm sun, and beautiful beaches create an idyllic setting for this thrilling sport. Riding on the Cabrinha Link board and X-series 930 MKII allows me to perfectly mix the ride between waves riding on the upwind reef and freestyle action in what we call the “natural pool”. With the trade winds throughout most part of the year, the Vision has been my go-to wing for the whole season.

E X P OS U R E

59

RI DE R Ka d en P ri tc ha rd LOCAT ION H o ’o k i p a , Ma ui PHOTOG RAP H E R F i s h B ow l Di a ri es

Kaden: I luffed my wing and pumped down the wave. I saw the perfect ramp headed right towards me, I did a big bottom turn. I could see the water drawing off the bottom. I could see the shallow reef and the beautiful corals below! Then WAPOW, almost like a surfboard turn. It was a pretty amazing feeling sliding on the top of the foil right above the shallow reef and knowing if I fell I would be cut up. Then I safely landed and flipped my wing and headed out right away before it got too shallow.

60

E X P OSUR E

The easiest way to start flying.

Discover SiFly, the eFoils with the smoothest learning curve, enabling beginners to start riding in just 15 minutes. Featuring the most advanced commercial software, including session timers and geofencing, a user-friendly design, and a bombproof construction, all at an affordable price, SiFly eFoils are a lucrative asset for any watersports business.

Learn more at www.sifly.global

61

62

RIDE R Al exa nd er B a c hev LOC AT ION Vo urvo uro u, Greece P H OTOGRAP H E R Pavel Stefa nov

Alexander: eFoiling is a very dynamic sport. You can enjoy the tranquility and silence, cruising in beautiful locations you wouldn’t be able to access by boat, yet you can also ride aggressively and strive for records. I have recently gotten into freestyle eFoiling and I absolutely love the adrenaline rush it gives me. There is just something about controlling everything with the remote in your hand that is so different from all other extreme sports I have tried.

63

R I DER Philippe Ma rtin LO C ATIO N Gua deloupe, Frenc h Ca rribea n Isla nds P HOTO GRAPHER Matteo Nativelle

Philippe: Guadeloupe is one of the most fantastic places to wing, with perfect temperatures and a huge variety of spots on both sides of the island, both in flat water or waves. It's also great for surfing and all other water sports and simply a paradise… I'm in love with this island!

64

65

RI DE R Stefa n S p i ess b erg er LOC AT ION Mo nd s ee, Aust ri a PHOTOGRAP H E R Ma rc S c hwa rz

Stefan: Spring in Austria is without a doubt my favorite time of the year.

Although there is a big group of wingfoilers that hit the water even in winter, spring just brings this extra energy and excitement with it. So it was on that day. Sunny and a good 20 knot breeze on one of our spots, with thermal winds. I was lucky to have Marc, photographer and friend of mine being super motivated to get some shots that day. Winging in 5°C water temps is one thing, but taking water shots is another level with water temperatures like that. Well worth a good photo!

66

E X P OSUR E

RIDE R Mateo Duc hi er LOC AT ION Na p i l i B ay, Ma ui PH OTOGRAP H E R Dust i n P i t zer

Mateo: During this endless Hawaiian bummer, I have been experimenting with lots of new forms of foiling. As it has been completely flat, my friend Dustin and I decided to give “Rock Starting” a go for the first time. We showed up to this spot very confident that it would only take us a few tries to succeed. Little did we know how hard this was gonna be! Even with a big 1420cm foil… The tide was too low for the spot we had in mind, so we spent one hour of unsuccessful tries jumping off a slippery rock at sea level. The frustration was real! Eventually, the tide got high enough so we could try to jump off a rock wall about three feet high. Starting from a higher point really helped, and after probably 60 tries each, we eventually started to dial the technique. We could finally start having fun doing some turns, cross steps and getting these awesome shots!

E X P OS U R E

67

RIDE R No a h F l eg el LOCATI O N Deerf i el d B ea c h, F l o ri d a PHOTOGRAP H E R B rya n S o d erl i nd

Noah: It was a still and moody Thursday afternoon, I had just gotten in from a quick spearfishing mission with some friends and it only felt right to end the day with some strapless foil flow behind the boat. A few days prior, Bryan Soderlind (aka @TheGoldenBear) hit me up saying he’d be passing through town and would love to shoot some foiling. Bear is known as one of the most legendary photographers in the world of wakeboarding and many other genres of photography as well. I had never gotten the opportunity to shoot with him until this session. It is very rare and refreshing to get to shoot with such a talented photographer without any requirements of a sponsor or magazine. It was purely for the love of creation, sharing a sport we both love with others, and seeing what’s possible with a camera, and a foil. With no feelings of any sort of pressure, I was able to find my flow state very easily, and Bear captured my favorite photos I’ve ever gotten of myself on a foil, behind a boat. Thanks Bear!

68

E X P OSUR E

69

RIDE R Fred Hope LOC AT ION La Ventana PH OTOGRAP H E R Eric Duran Fred: I wasn’t really that into winging, until the shoot that provided these photos. I was never able to get the same power of a wing that I could with a kite. This meant it was harder to connect turns and carry my momentum. But on this shoot, I found the draw. The ability to let go of everything and float in the water, without being dragged downwind, was awesome. Add on having all your friends floating next to you and before you know it, you’re having a party out there. It’s easier to share tips, ride with those that aren’t as good, and tap into the energy of the ocean more so than the wind.

70

EX P OSUR E

R IDE R Dylan Wichmann LOCAT ION Manawa, Mauritius PHOTOGRAP H E R Thomas Burblies Dylan: We managed to nail this shot at Manawa in some pretty challenging conditions. The wind was a bit more south than the usual wind conditions in Mauritius. It made the conditions in the channel a bit more choppy than usual which made for a rough ride for those shooting the session from the boat.

For me on the foil, the slightly onshore wind was not an issue and actually made the inside bowl section stand up a bit more than usual which made for the perfect air section. This was my first session at Manawa and it was an absolute playground for wave riding on the foil. On top of that, being out of the cold water in Cape Town made the trip all in all pretty dreamy, and I was super stoked we managed to nail some sick shots on the trip.

E X P OS U R E

71

RI DE R Nathan Van Vuuren LOCAT ION Big Bay, South Africa PHOTO GRAP H E R Ivan Van Vuuren Nathan: Late in the afternoon on our last day of shooting the new Flysurfer TAO, we took a chance and checked out one final location in an attempt to capture a classic South African sunset at our local wing spot in Cape Town.

As soon as we arrived the sun rapidly began dropping towards the sea, so I quickly rigged up my foil and pumped up the wing, making sure to try catch the sun before it was too late. Finally, right at the end of the session, I was able to connect a set wave and strong gust of wind, which captured this stunning moment in time!

72

EX P OSUR E

PHOTO: R. SCHOEMAKER | RIDER: YUSCA BALOGH

P H O T O : I VA N VA N V U U R E N | R I D E R : N AT H A N VA N V U U R E N

ALWAYS FORWARD

NE W TAO SI Z E S:2.5 / 3.0 / 3.5 / 4 .0 / 4 .5 / 5.2 / 6.2 / 7.0 IN T UI T I V E . FA S T. L IGH T. #T HI SI S T HE WAY W W W.F LYS UR F ER .C OM 73

RI DE R Florian Scharscher LOCATION Lake Thumsee, Bavaria PHOTOGRAP H E R Marion Scharscher Florian: This summer I am on the lookout for creative ways to initiate my pump foil sessions. I am looking for fallen trees, natural gaps and stones that allow me to throw my board in front of me and jump onto it. It’s mainly due to my new Indiana gear and a special front wing (1396P) that enables me to jump straight onto the board without running. This shot was taken on Lake Thumsee with its cold yet clear waters next to the Bavarian mountains. The tree trunk was giving me an interesting way to launch and was the starting point for a lake crossing shortly thereafter.

74

E X P OSUR E

RIDE R Chase Heavener LOC AT ION Lake Maitland, Florida PH OTOGRAP H E R Steffen Vollert Jeff McKee (Marketing Manager, Slingshot Wake): During a recent trip to Florida to test some the latest Slingshot Foil gear we scored an epic evening session on Lake Maitland with the "unofficial president" of the Lake Maitland Foil Club. Chase has grown the sport of wake foiling on the Maitland chain of lakes TENFOLD, and when the golden hour sets in you can bet Chase will be somewhere out there, several waves back enjoying the magic.

E X P OS U R E

75

RIDE R Eric Sterman LO C AT ION Pailolo Channel PHOTOGRAP H E R Cyrus Perry Eric: Every year they hold the Molokai Holokai contest which attracts all the best SUP downwind foilers around the world. This event brings our local paddlers and community together and donates to the Molokai community.

This year was special because we had a huge surge in competitors since Covid ended, with over 45 SUP foilers alone. This was my second crossing from Maui to Molokai and it didn't disappoint. We had solid wind / bumps the entire way allowing guys to set new records. I was riding my 7'6 Stinger board with AFS 800 Pure foil on a 78cm mast. This combination allowed me to do well and place 6th overall. Looking forward to next year and spending time with friends and family!

76

E X P OSUR E

#

HAVE YOUFLOWN

YET ILA N FR ET IAS IS RID

ST EA LTH SE RIE S 7’6

”X 19. 25” @ 102 L BO

ST ING RAY II 115 0C

ING :

AR D,

M 2 FO IL WI TH 28” MA ST, ST ING ER FR 3 4.1 M 2 WI ND WI NG .

DW/LW

- 7’6”x19.25 @ 102L - 7’9”x19.5 @ 110L - 7’11”x19.75 @ 120L

STING-RAY II FOIL

- 1150 cm 2

DEVIL-RAY FOIL

- 1550 cm 2

STINGER FR3 WING

- 4.1m 2 | 5.1m 2 | 6.1m 2 | 7.1m 2

AVAILABLE ONLINE AT STINGERFOILS.COM | 604.902.3335 WHISTLER BC, CANADA

@STINGERBOARDSANDFOILS

77

78

RIDE R Chipri Courdes LOC AT ION Somewhere in Tahiti P H OTOGRAP H E R Valérie Azzaria Swan Habelt (jet ski): So for this session I remember we looked at the conditions and found that it wasn't bad but that the swell would hit on the other side of the island. So we went looking for this wave and we got great conditions, so we stayed for at least three hours and then my mom joined us during the day to take some photos! The scenery was magnificent, with the island behind us, and the weather was smiling down on us with plenty of bright sunshine.

79

RI DER Kyron Rathbone LOCATI ON Cloudbreak, Fiji PHOTOGRAPHER Stuart Gibson Kyron: That day at Cloudbreak was nuts, my good friend Tom Bowers and I had winged a similar swell there a week before without a photographer in sight. We were so pumped to get back up there and try to get a really deep one. I had ridden this wave for over a minute before it hit the inside ledge and that’s when things went next level madness…

80

EX P OSUR E

E X P OS U R E

81

82

EX P OSUR E

RIDE R Kawika Drummond LOC AT ION Secret Spot, Oahu P H OTOGRAP H E R Garrett Cortese Kawika: We had some of the Freedom boys together chasing waves around the island. We were towing each other in on some small but long rippable bumps. It was my first session on Tom Carroll’s signature TC Pro tow board and it felt good right away. I got on the rope and told Chris let’s try some airs. It wasn’t the best take off, so I popped it and it sent me higher than expected. It reminded me of snowboarding, especially after seeing the shot.

Another average day turned awesome with foils.

E X P OS U R E

83

84

85

F L I T E P E R F O R MA N C E T E A M TA L KS

WATC H N OW

With a few members of their usually widely scattered Performance Team in town, Byron Bay based brand Fliteboard thought it could be a bit of fun to bring a few more into the mix, for a bit of a team gathering and a chat. Cue some of the most recognizable figures in foiling, all converging at one of Australia’s most famous beach breaks…

ADAM BENNET TS Adam, this was a bit of an all-star casting. Who did all the organizing and managed to get everyone at the same place at the same time?

That would be our Marketing Director Pip, she’s epic! (Ed – We asked Pip: “When Brian said he was going to drop into Byron Bay to meet the team at Flite, I reached out to the team riders that live close by and everyone jumped at the chance to get together. The planets aligned with Eric being in town, and Benny Taylor, Beau Pilgrim and Mike Egan being available to shoot. It was the Avengers Assembled.”)

We’re aware that Flite founder David Trewern lives in Byron Bay. Was this filmed at his place?

Usually we do a lot of filming at David’s house, but it wasn’t available.

86

U P LOA D E D

So I called my mate Shannon Bennetts, who is also an avid Fliteboarder and he kindly offered his beach house for us to use. What a lord!

Did you guys get much time to hang out and ride before and/or after the interviews?

I get to ride a lot with Harley as he’s close by, but Eric and Brian were in town for a few weeks, so we also had some fun prone sessions with them at Wategos. I think they both extended their trips multiple times because they were having too much fun in Byron!

Was there much partying, or was it all Perrier, salads and early to bed?

No partying, but plenty of froth in the water!

ERIC GEISELMAN Eric, you’ve been foiling for less than a year but clearly taken to it like a natural. How was that first feeling of getting up on foil for you?

Foiling was a fairly simple learning curve for me. I started out in the surf and learned in about a day. I got one lucky glory ride that basically gave me this feeling I never experienced before. I knew I was hooked right there.

You mention that the camaraderie is a hugely important factor for you in foiling. Do you think that’s even more relevant on an eFoil?

I think the eFoil opens up an even further extension of riding on the water and to be able to share the feeling riding with friends is a must try experience.

You can include yourself in this, but who was the most natural at eFoiling out there in your opinion?

Everyone! The Fliteboard has such an intuitive approach and feel when learning that you can become really good really fast, and riding becomes very natural.

How was Byron for you?

Byron Bay was amazing. I have to make a trip back soon. I love it there.

You mentioned that you’d like to head to Bali with Adam.

Anything planned in yet?!

I’m actually heading to Bali today. Heading over to surf and foil, so I’m excited. I’m hoping to stumble into Adam while there.

SIMON AXMANN Simon, you hold a couple of eFoil firsts, such as the first backflip and the current speed record too. Any other records you’re looking to smash?

Definitely, I've been having a blast lately hitting speeds of over 60 km/h (that's more than 37mph) – talk about intense and thrilling! I've also been tearing it up on standardized racecourses, like those used in water ski slalom competitions. Right now, my top time to beat is 24.75 seconds. I've got my sights set on nailing a bunch of freestyle tricks like spins and flips real soon. Powered and unpowered wave riding is one of my favourite things to do, there's so much potential for epic adventures there, and I'm all about it!

Are we correct in thinking you also invented eFoil snorkeling?!

That’s correct. I've been exploring reefs and their amazing underwater life for three years now. It's also been super helpful for finding a lost GoPro. And, using Fliteboard for snorkeling is another cool way to show how versatile eFoils can be.

How was it riding with so many fellow Flite team members, and who impressed you the most out in the water?

It was great to catch up and ride with the Flite Performance Team. It doesn’t happen very often since we’re spread out all over the world. Sharing my local breaks in beautiful Byron Bay was very special. Matthew McVeigh has an impressive style and certainly knows how to rip on those super breach-friendly Flow wings! His snappy turns with half the foil out of the water are unreal.

You get the final word here - give us one final reason as to why anyone who hasn’t yet should go get on a Fliteboard…

EFoiling opens a whole new world of enjoying any body of water anywhere, it’s basically always on. Whether you take it easy and simply enjoy the sensation of flying over calm water or you’re trying to push the limits on a racetrack or in waves, you’ll have an amazing time without the need to chase the perfect wind, weather, waves, etc. It’s easy to learn, environmentally friendly and exciting – get into it!

F L IT E P E RF ORMANC E T E AM TA LKS

87

JULIAN R I CAR D O D I A Z CASTRO

Young Baja wingfoil prodigy Julian Ricardo Diaz Castro grew up in the water under the guidance of his windsurf instructor dad and Slingshot’s Wing Brand Manager, Wyatt Miller, who himself has a wing center in that neck of the woods. Now he has a taste for travel too… Surely the world tour beckons?

Hello Julian! First up, tell us how old you are and where you live…

My name is Julian Ricardo Diaz Castro but everyone knows me as Juliancito! I am 14 years old and I live in La Ventana, Baja California Sur, Mexico, which is one of the top North American wind destinations. Our windy season runs from November until May and it blows 20 knots almost every day all winter long. The town is small, but it is growing quickly with all the tourism for wind sports. Everyone in town does wind sports, when I was younger I was the only windsurfing kid but now I have so many friends who wingfoil!

Is this where you grew up? And how did you first get into foiling?

I grew up in La Paz which is the bigger city, 45 minutes from La Ventana. My dad had a windsurfing school in La Paz, he got me wind-

88

RI SI N G UP

surfing when I was about four years old. That's how I discovered my love for wind sports. On my 9th birthday, we moved to La Ventana where the wind is much more consistent and that is where I started to improve my skills in windsurfing. At the age of 11, Wyatt invited me to try a new sport called wingfoiling, right away I was riding a big 143L Shred Sled board, foiling both ways and helping out in the photoshoots for Slingshot, and that’s how I started to wingfoil.

Who have been your biggest mentors in the sport, and who do you look up to the most?

My biggest mentors have been my dad and Wyatt Miller. They have been helping me to get on the water every day after school at Wyatt's wing resort and have always supported me and continue to support me. I like to help all the guests get their gear set up on the beach and

give them tips. It's super fun to have all the guests cheering for me doing tricks close to the beach. There are a lot of kids from the USA and Canada in La Ventana during the winter so we have a fun group who are always pushing each other.

Chris McDonald lives there in the winter and so we are all trying to learn from him and he is super helpful with tips and encouragement. It really helps to have one of the world's best to ride with every day. We all are trying to reach his level... someday. Also winging with all the kids from North America has really helped me to learn English, now at school I help my English teacher to teach all the other kids in my school!

How do you balance your schoolwork with getting out on the water? Is it a struggle?

I have found a very good balance between school and sports since I am a good student and I like school, every day after school I go to the beach to practice wingfoil and at night I do my homework. I am trying to get more of my local friends to learn because there are a lot of opportunities that come from winging and the English is much easier to learn when you are winging and have friends who only speak English. There are many older kids in my town who kite and are now instructors and I think that the kids at my school can be wing instructors if they learn with me.

In terms of wingfoiling, do you have any goals you've set yourself?

In my life I have many goals but in terms of wingfoil I want to get better in my tricks and to have more consistency in them to be able to compete in the wing world championships.

Consistency is very important to be able to compete, no one is more consistent than Chris McDonald… sometimes I think he never falls. This summer Wyatt helped me to get a US visa so I could come to Hood River for the first time. I got to stay a whole month and I really, really want to go back next summer. That place is the most fun I have ever had in my life. Wyatt has been telling me about it since I was born... but it was more fun than in all my dreams. When Wyatt picked me up at the airport in San Francisco there was a train that was only for inside the airport... I could not believe it. Then the first thing we did was to go straight to winging under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. It was so tall, going under it for the first time and looking up and hearing the cars above me was one thing I will never forget.

Then at Hood River I saw snow for the first time, rode crazy mountain bike trails with jumps everywhere, learned to double backflip jumping off the pylons with the kids at The Event Site in Hood River and got much better at pump foiling. There were so many new experiences for me in Hood River that I think I want to travel more.

Do you plan to compete in wingfoiling at any point?

In La Ventana we have some long-distance races that I did last winter and the new Grom Fest kids wing and kite competition. Those were my first contests. Then in Hood River this summer I got to do a lot of contests all in the month of July. The first was the Blowout which is a 17-mile downwind race. Then there was the Bridge of the Gods kids’ freestyle competition and a week later there was the Gorge Challenge which is a 10-mile downwind race and course racing the next day. I had so much fun doing all the competitions with all the other kids. In the Blowout, I won a skateboard that I brought back home and have been riding a lot.

What's your favorite wingfoil setup?

At Wyatt's resort, we have all the newest prototype Slingshot gear and I help test all the new gear they are working on. It is so fun. My favorite right now is my Slingshot Launch Pad 45l, mast 82, front wing 550, SlingWing V3 Hard Handle wings, and the Turbo Tail 340 stab.

Finally, tell us what your perfect session looks like…

My perfect session would be a day at The Wall, 40 minutes east of Hood River, with my friends showing our best tricks.

There the river is narrow and the swell gets really big and very smooth in between. You can ride one swell for 1km downwind easily, but it is more fun to do big jumps close to the rocks where everyone is watching. It was my first time riding in fresh water and you dry so fast, after five minutes without falling you are completely dry and there are no sharks to worry about, only the barges that come by. It was super crazy to ride close to a huge river barge for the first time! I could not believe how close the other kids would go to the big barge, but after a few days I got used to them.

When they come from upwind you smell them first before you see them. It is a little scary because they approach from behind you…

JU L IAN RIC ARDO DIAZ C ASTR O

89

E AST OZ FOI L FEST W O R D S L U K E AT K I N S O N P H O T O S M AT T A R G E N T I N

It’s amazing what a pro-active foiler can achieve via WhatsApp… Zane Westwood managed to pull together dozens of foil frothers for the inaugural Foil Fest at Point Plomer on the eastern shore of Australia. Luke Atkinson fills us in on how it all played out… and which team won.

90

E Y E W I TN E SS

The East Oz Foil Fest is one of the first foil comps in Australia, that’s if you can call it a competition…

Everyone was just so stoked to meet up and foil with a bunch of like-minded people, no one was all that focused on competing!

lect waves, but also maintain the ‘surf’ element of having individual waves scored. The teams included in the event were Northern Beaches Sydney, Eastern Beaches Sydney, Central Coast, Ballina and Byron Bay.

The idea originated with Zane Westwood creating a group chat with about 15 foilers and proposed the idea of doing a foil/surf tag team event. The word spread, and the final turnout for the event was unbelievable. I would say around 50 foilers from all over the east coast converged for three days of absolute foil madness.

On the morning of the competition, conditions were not so favorable, with 10 knots of cross-onshore wind, very small swell and a rather low tide, however we pushed on and what a spectacle it was. From the first rotation in the water, surfers were having a ball; shredding, laughing, slamming rocks and really just enjoying themselves! The energy, positivity and laughter shared in the line-up and on the beach was really something special. For me personally, that is one of my favorite aspects of foiling. No matter who you are or where you’re from, the foil community is so welcoming and supportive of everyone, something found less and less in surf culture.

The conditions in the lead up to the event were superb. Friday brought glassy, clear water conditions with small rippable lumps in the comp zone and bigger waves just around the corner where an epic tow session went down. There was also an unforgettable sunset session that day with amazing conditions, all lit up by the most incredible sky.

That night the competition structure came together, with a meeting at the Central Coast Foil Pigs campsite. There, the format, rules and structure of the event were debated, debated some more, and decided upon.

The event was held in a two-hour continuous rotational heat with five teams of four to five people.

Surfers could catch a wave and maintain priority over the line-up for one pump-out, however only the highest scoring wave of that ride would count.

We thought that this was the best way to maintain the use of foils and pumping into the line-up to se-

We were super lucky to have this event and the days around it filmed from all angles by the boys at FoilFilms (Ben Tayler, Tony Prescott and for these still shots, Matt Argentin). The boys did an outstanding job capturing footage of all riders and focusing on creating content that’s more suited to bigger, “feature” length foil films, something you tend to see in other water sports such as surfing.

To be honest I am really looking forward to seeing what happens with the foil video space as a whole.

With the passion and quality of work that the guys from FoilFilms have, I'm sure they’ll be at the forefront of that.

E AST OZ F OIL FE ST

91

9292

EYE W I TN E SS

These couple of days were also my first opportunity to ride the new AXIS Spitfire wings. I had been out of action and injured for a few months prior to the event and hadn’t got to see or ride them previously. When Jeremy Wilmotte showed up with a car full of them, I quickly took advantage and got my hands on the SF900.

My first impressions? Wow. I know it is easy for riders to hype up a wing, particularly for a brand they ride for and represent, but coming from the ART range, the Spitfires really are an amazing surf wing! Most notably for me is the ability to handle large wingtip breaches and their performance in whitewater, not dropping unexpectedly, or launching you into the air. The SF900 for me is perfect for smaller 1-2ft days, pumping and linking waves with minimal effort and tight, smooth and fast carves. When there is a bit more energy in the ocean, the SF840 is perfect with even better turning and carves as well as maintaining the ability to link many waves together. I’m a big fan.

Overall, the East Oz Foil Fest tag team event was a massive hit. The vibes were high and as everyone packed up and the weekend drew to a close, people were wondering when the next event will be and if they really have to wait a year to do it all over again. I want to thank everyone involved in the creation, filming and running of this weekend, all the people that showed up and made it such a wicked time. The enjoyment shared by everyone was real and pure. I think it is safe to say that this event will definitely run again, but whatever the future brings for this event and the foil rituals, the focus will be on the fun, passion and enjoyment we foilers draw out of this sport.

Results: 1st- Ballina 2nd- Northern Beaches Sydney 3rd- Eastern Beaches Sydney 4th- Central Coast Foil Pigs 5th- Byron Bay

E AST OZ F OIL FE ST

9933

WA N T S O ME MORE F O I L I NG F U N? 94

ENJOY 10% OFF FOR LIFE USE CODE GET10 AT CHECKOUT AND SIGN UP FOR 4 ISSUES FOR THE BEST VALUE PRINT SUBSCRIPTION OFFER.

SIGN ME UP!

Rider: Dylan Wichmannr Photo: Kyle Cabano

95

T O M

T S P

T

SE

RE

O

C

C O U R T

P HOTO GR A P HER SAM SCADGELL

This is one of those unique places that isn’t only a secret beach but also a place that’s really difficult to reach. Not just because of the miles of inaccessible cliffs, but also its exposure to the full force of the weather systems that constantly hit this area.

Usually this spot has a crunching shore break and deadly rips that sweep the coastline, but on this day I was able to use my Fliteboard to gain access to what is the most picturesque section of the Jurassic Coast… riding along the pre-historic coastline with the incredible colors of the cliffs reflecting in the waters is an amazing feeling. I’m able to ride right next to the beach as the steep shelving beach dips into the sea. The water teeming with fish, the sunshine sparkling on the surface… you could be anywhere in the world, let alone on the south coast of the UK. This is for sure one of my top ‘secret spots’ that can only be accessed by Fliteboard on a day like this….

Tom

96

97

L

O

N

THE

W D O W

N ORTH R E T U RNS HOME

We’d heard whispers something was changing at North HQ, but things only revealed themselves to us when one of our team reported back from North’s recent dealer meeting in Portugal. When the news broke, we got in touch with North Foils Brand Director Mike Raper to find out more about the shift, and the new gear that’s come with it…

98

THE LOW D OW N

Exciting times! So, the first and biggest question - why is North Foils falling back under the parent company name?

I wouldn’t say we’re falling back; I’d say we’re returning home. North Sails, est. 1957, licensed the North trademark for many years. After our recalibration five seasons ago, we’ve had the opportunity to be more authentic to our North Sails roots. We're proud of how our new logo re-establishes our connection to this heritage. Although the logo has changed, the North Foils brand has not. We continue to remain strong in our core values.

The North Sails logo represents a horizon. Can you tell us the significance of this in terms of how it represents the North brand?

It’s all about the alchemy of the elements. The magic happens when wind meets water, and the logo is a visual representation of wind over water. If we break the logo down, you can literally see the horizon line separating these core elements that are fundamental and defining to our brand.

North Sails has a hugely respected reputation in the competitive sailing industry. What benefits from this are going to filter through to the end user?

We have this incredible heritage with North, but so much opportunity still lies ahead of us. With our new Pro-Series wings, we have been working closely for the past three years with the North Sails Advanced Textiles division to develop materials that will help to push the limits of the sport through greater performance. Lighter, faster, stronger,

and more affordable performance. As a vertically integrated company, we’ve been able to engineer and control the consistency of our material production, allowing us to deliver higher-performance products at a more accessible price. Materials like N-Weave and N-Weave45 are just the beginning.

In regard to our Sonar Foil System, we’ve been able to leverage the composites and technologies experience from our sister company, Southern Spars, which is also based here in Auckland and part of the North Sails group. The strength-to-weight ratio of our masts and geometry locking connections equals or exceeds our closest competitors. Within our development team, we have a strong naval-architecture background that has enabled us to develop technologies such as GeoLock, DropBox and the structural reinforcement and construction methods you’ll find in our hybrid carbon foilboards.

Along with the rebrand, you’ve also released some new products, what are the headlines here?

We are extremely proud of the new 2024 Collection. We’ve expanded the range and invested heavily in new wind wings, all new board shapes and a constantly evolving range of foils. The all-new 2024 Seek features an efficient tri-plane hull design with a slight convex at the tail for a cleaner release and smoother, more forgiving touchdown recovery.

We’ve improved the speed and acceleration and rearranged the volume distribution in the board for stability. Updated volumes for each board length mean you can now ride a full size shorter.

The 2024 Swell also features a new tri-plane hull design, while a lower

NORT H RE T U RNS H O M E

99

1 00

THE LOW D OW N

entry rocker and refined profile in each size give the board more effective surface area, helping to support your weight when prone and increase your paddling speed.

The new MA1850v2 and MA2100v2 Front Wings will make wingfoiling even more accessible for those new to the game or amped to get out in the merest breath of wind, due to their wide range and early lift. Evolving the top end of the MA series, the new MA850v2 Front Wing is a mid-aspect ratio wing ideal for all rider weights. Featuring a broad speed range and early lift for its size the MA850v2 has increased glide and pumpability. It is highly agile while retaining a locked-in feel for upwind/powered riding and ventilation-free tip-breaching.

There are also two new SF Series Front Wings (SF680 and SF830) coming soon – which will be game-changers for prone surfing.

Who are you targeting with the Pro Series wings, and what can you tell us about these?

The new Mode Pro targets advanced riders. As North’s stiffest, lightest and most durable wing, it draws on North Advanced Textiles technology for maximum wind range and shape-hold in extreme conditions. The new N-Weave45 high tensile strength woven fiber with cross-weave reinforcement is 30% lighter than a traditional Dacron, its new 45-degree laminate helping to control the torsional stiffness of the airframe. New Matrix stretch-resistant canopy material is designed specifically to handle the tension of the N-Weave frame, and Carbon GripLock Handles give you a faster, more direct feel. The addition of three new sizes (3.5, 4.8 and 6.8m) further expands the range. Nestled between the 4.2 and the 5.5, the new 4.8m will be an extremely popular size in a truly wide range of conditions, from storms to light wind.

The Loft Pro is for all riders in 6-16 knots of wind, carrying you through the lulls and converting the slightest puff into powerful forward momentum. The new Loft Pro is also powered by N-Weave45, North’s new high tensile strength woven fiber with cross-weave reinforcement, for a stiffer, lighter rig that holds its shape when under load and has a highly efficient power delivery. The Loft Pro also features lightweight Carbon GripLock handles to provide a more immediate, direct response and balance adjustment.

Finally, are the day-to-day workings of the company going to change at all in light of the new set up?

We have been working with our sister companies for some years now, and access to their resources means we have been able to accelerate research and development, creating custom samples that we are able to test on the water, day in and day out, in the epic year-round conditions we have here in New Zealand. It’s just what we do.

The logo change simply reflects the bond that we have and further solidifies our combined heritage and love for the wind over water..

NORT H RE T U RNS H O M E

1 01

L

O

N

THE

W D O W

X-15 CL ASS

Brands Starboard and FreeWing have recently come together to form a new one-design wingfoil racing class, the X-15. With the intention of creating a completely level playing field, where it’s predominantly rider skill that determines who is the best in class, the X-15 already has a number of events lined up around the world, across the year.

We spoke with Starboard’s Svein Rasmussen to get the full inside line on why it was created, how it works, and where it got its inspiration…

1 02

THE LOW D OW N

Hi Svein. So firstly, can you please give us a little background about yourself, and how you first got into windsports?

We have a beautiful coastline in Arendal, Norway. I started sailing with a towel and inflatable mattress in 1967, the same year Jim Drake and Hoyle Schweitzer created the windsurfer. I was deeply into skiing, meditation and karate / boxing, but always longed for water and wind time. In 1976 I saw a photo of Matt Schweizer, Zane's father, windsurfing at Lake Taho. That got me delivering newspapers for a few years so I could buy a second-hand windsurfer. I used to windsurf all day long, like 8-10 hours, and in the winter we carried the gear to the edge of the ice to have fun also on New Year’s Eve. Dress code was rain boots and windproof jackets and a thin long john wetsuit from Javlin.

Another year of newspaper deliveries and I made it to the Windsurfer Worlds. Suddenly I became the European Champion, World Champion and second in the LA pre-Olympics.

By 1993 I was 30 years old and I’d spent 10 years on the professional windsurf tour. I was the second oldest rider on the tour with loads of equipment experience and a good network of contacts. I moved to Thailand and established Starboard there. The OEM factory I worked with was small and I could quickly help improve the quality and introduce loads of new technologies.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: 1. The very first wing model...

2. The very first wing sketches...

3. Jim Drake on one of the first ever wing downwinders?!

4. Pete Cabrinha gets his first taste of winging... Photo: John Speer 5. Jim Drake and Svein Rasmussen.

6. The very first wing patent...

By 2000 we were the leading brand in windsurfing and our slogan became iQ, Innovation Quality. However, I almost gave up many times as we started with only $10,000 US and many “insiders” let me know that the last thing the windsurfing world needed was yet another brand. Other people supported our experimental brand strategy and kept the flame burning, one of them was Jim Drake.

X-1 5 C LASS

1 03

"DURING MY RACING DAYS, I ALWAYS FELT BEST WHEN RACING ONE DESIGN, IT MADE THE BEST RIDER WIN, NOT THE RIDER WITH THE MOST EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT." So I think that feeds into our next question – what was the inspiration behind X-15 Class, and where did the name come from?

During my racing days, I always felt best when racing one design, it made the best rider win, not the rider with the most expensive equipment. Several countries are still without a race circuit for winging, so with the X-15 we can connect associations and clubs to get racing going globally, together with our trading partners.

The X-15 rocket plane was designed in 1963, setting the world record for manned flight in 1967 and still holds the record 55 years later. It's perhaps one of the most sophisticated research programs of the last century. The X-15 was co-designed by Jim Drake, who was working on the project inside a room full of supercomputers. Jim was a very dear friend of mine, he and his wife moved to Bangkok to work with Starboard, and so yeah, our one-design program is named in his honor.

We hear that you almost had a patent on a wing way before the recent explosion?

Jim was living quite far into the future. The “Hand Wing” was patented on the 13th of October 1981, after inspiring talks with Uli Stanciu, who was the editor of a German Surf Magazine. He also holds the patent

1 04

THE LOW D OW N

papers and the very first wing that Jim made, with the help of Andre Lefrbre. Later on, Clinton Filen (FreeWing Brand Manager) and Jim discussed the development of the first inflatable wing. They felt there had to be a fun way to enjoy the wind somewhere between windsurfing and kiting. We worked out the patent papers in 2012 for the FreeWing, which we believe to have been the first inflatable wing. When asked to sign off the check for the application, I tested the wing on a paddle board and on a windsurfer. We had not yet developed large-sized foils, so the traditional windsurfing wing functioned better, and the check was never signed.

Starboard is also the supplier for the one-design iQFoiL Class, soon to feature in the Olympics. Did the success of this help motivate you into creating the X-15 Class?

The iQFoiL Class project was a huge team effort and we are really excited to see windfoiling featured in the next Olympic Games. Our crew has done an outstanding job together with World Sailing. I am motivated to see how we can increase interest in wind-powered activities by introducing winging and windfoil to sailing clubs worldwide. About 80% of kids stop sailing after using the Optimist, so if we were able to attract just 10% of those kids, we could see winging and windfoil garner huge growth.

What are the main considerations in working on a one-design class – cost or performance?

The main thing for me is to listen to everyone: light kids, ladies at my age, heavier men… everyone. Then we make a complete overview of how we can find the best balance between durability, second-hand value, cost and performance… Most important of all here is ensuring that riders from various weight segments can all be competitive.

Can you talk us through an X-15 equipment set-up?

The board has a long, low waterline, plenty of volume and sharp rails to easily get up to take off speed. Our designer of the iQfoil board, Remi Vila, has introduced a lot of forward V for the board to have extraordinary touch-down capabilities.

It's quite thin to reduce the distance between the foil base and your feet, creating better control. The TT box makes the connection solid and sits far forward so that when you fly, you stand forward and the nose area is small and easy to control at high speed.

The foil is a co-development between iQFoiL designer Tiesda You and Americas Cup chief designer Martin Fisher. It delivers overall performance, stability, extreme acceleration, exciting top-end speed and ease of use. So far, the 820cm2 is the size we focus on, while also looking at an option for less skilled or heavier riders.

The wing is currently in development led by Clinton Filen.

We want to introduce a trimmable wing to perhaps use only one wing size for all conditions. Stability and durability are very important, so we experiment with cutting-edge materials. The aspect ratio is relatively low to allow for pumping without the tips touching the water.

Do the foil setups cover all rider weights and conditions?

Our goal is that the Junior set-up should cover 25-60kg and the Youth senior from 60-90, but of course, light wings will favor lighter riders and stronger winds will be better for the heavy riders.

How does it work in terms of other brands and riders wanting to compete in the X-15?

Everyone can compete on the X-15 gear, just as we see in the iQFoil classes. The main aspect is that less gear is needed – one does not need to buy fresh new gear each year as in the open classes and everyone is provided the same chance to perform. Long term we’re looking at establishing a way for the other brands to join in, similar to what we have with the iQFoiL whiteboard project.

Do you see this being a potential route into Olympic inclusions then?

We want to create a fun, high-performance class to get loads of people into winging with relative ease. It will take a lot of work for us, our global partners and local schools and clubs to make it all succeed, but if Brisbane includes wingfolling, we will at least have a functional option for those in charge to consider. We also want to collaborate with other associations and parties to maximize and streamline our efforts.

You’ve already got a solid tour lined up. Can you tell us where the X-15 will be taking place throughout the year?

This summer we were lucky to be invited by Foiling Week to join them in Lake Garda, Italy, followed by Scheweningen in Holland and Arendal, Norway in July. Next up is Germany, UK, Poland, France and Spain, then over to Hong Kong and Thailand.

Next year we plan for five events in each of our main markets, some in collaboration with other events and some standalone races. So there’s lots of event planning going on for 2024.

ABOVE Svein, and the X-15 Class event at Lake Garda.

X-1 5 C LASS

1 05

L

O

N

THE

W D O W

FANAT IC ME RGES W IT H DUOTO NE

By the time this magazine hits your mailbox or the shelves of excellent magazine suppliers the world over, Fanatic’s foil division will have merged into the Duotone brand. Consequently, you’re also going to start seeing the freshly minted boards and foils that are now being released under the Duotone label.

To find out exactly what has taken place, we dropped the Duotone crew some probing questions…

1 06

THE LOW D OW N

So, big news! Could you first please give our readers an overview of exactly what’s taken place.

TILL EBERLE

Till Eberle (CEO, Boards & More): “Boards & More will continue to distribute Fanatic products from the wing foil sector under the Duotone brand name in the future. With Fanatic and Duotone, we had two powerful brands that occupy very similar positions. Fanatic has a heritage of over 40 years.

We grew up with Fanatic and we made Fanatic great. But since we founded the new Duotone brand for our kiteboarding products in 2018, this brand has achieved incredible strength, competence and acceptance among our customers. Duotone already covers a large part of the water sports world, from kiteboarding boards/kites and to windsurfing sails and wings for wing foiling. Duotone brings together a huge amount of expertise, and that's why we have decided to offer the products from the performance sector, which were previously under Fanatic (windsurfing and wing foiling boards) under the Duotone brand name going forward. The logical sequence is that we are phasing out Fanatic in the windsurf and wing foil segment over the next six months. In the commercial SUP (stand-up paddling) sector, the Fanatic brand will continue."

What was the reasoning behind the merger, and what benefits will arise from bringing the two companies together under Duotone?

Craig Gertenbach (Wing Foiling Division Sales Manager): "By co-inventing the new sport of wing foiling, our sport structure became intermingled. Wing foiling built a bridge between kiteboarding and windsurfing, because part of the development came from each sport, so athletes from both areas discovered wing foiling for themselves. Suddenly the whole thing becomes blurred. Everyone is open-minded, which is highly exciting and lowers barriers. Here in our company alone, you see how many people are now doing all the sports. This is another reason why we use teams cross-matrix. Those who are good in a subject area should do just that. It is much more efficient and consistent to do this under one brand. From now on, everything in wing foiling will also come from one source, as we have already established very successfully with Duotone Kiteboarding."

Till: "In development, we no longer work in individual sports silos anyway, we cross over. We were only able to establish wing foiling so successfully at Boards & More in such a short time because of the competent input that came from all our sports divisions. Ken Winner, the Duotone designer now develops the wings. Klaas, who tested the windsurf wave boards, is now head of wing foil development. Our D/ LAB and SLS series with the innovative materials from the Kite Division flow into wings and windsurf sails. Synergies in the development of different sports actually take the products for our customers a lot further. Together we are simply stronger. That has always counted at Boards & More. Without windsurfing sales, our origin over 30 years ago, kiting would never have had such great success. Wing foiling as a new sport, on the other hand, could never have developed so dynamically without the resources of kiting. This family of sports brands is so strong because we have a common platform with the Boards & More Group.”

CRAIG GERTENBACH

KLAAS VOGET

Klaas (Wing Foiling Division Product & Marketing Manager): "In the Wing Foil sector, there have been so many synergies between the two brands from the very beginning via the development teams that develop wings, boards and foils together in parallel. We've seen Fanatic foils with Duotone and Fanatic Co-Lab masts. If the speed of the wing matches the foil, it is simply much more pleasant to ride. You can only get the best result in a shared world.”

Fanatic has been a widely respected windsurf, SUP and most recently foil brand for many years. There must be an element of sadness seeing it go, despite all the positivity that lies ahead?

Craig: “From the outside, it may look like a huge step, but for us, it is a natural development. You should simply never stand still in life. For years, Fanatic and Duotone have shared

FANAT IC ME RGE S WIT H DU OTO N E

1 07

team riders, organized joint photo shoots and launched products on the same date. Actually, it is already one team and one brand, just with two different logos. And that is inefficient for everyone. The development teams for have been working together for years anyway. I have been working with Klaas for over 20 years, together we have pushed the Fanatic brand. Now we are responsible for the new Duotone Wing Foiling Division, i.e. wings, boards and foils – an opportunity to go further.”

And so, in the field, what does this mean for your average Fanatic foiling fan? Are the board and foil ranges still designed, shaped and built by the same people?

Craig: “The most important thing is that the product is right and that the people who create the products are passionate about it. Did customers buy a Fanatic board because of the logo? No, but rather because of our competence in development (R&D), the great image, the team riders, the reliability and backing from the shops. Is the shaper still there?

Yes. Is the Product Manager still there? Yes. Is it still part of Boards & More? Yes. Do the productions stay the same? Yes. Does the Sky Wing and Glide Foil still exist? Yes and yes.

We offer continuity, reliability, quality in the team and the familiar Boards & More products that have been popular for decades."

Klaas: "Product excellence is strengthened. Duotone stands for quality and innovation. Our customers no longer have to match two brands, which makes sense regarding the foil, they get everything from one source. Keep it simple! And the foil range becomes compatible across all areas of use."

Is the gear offering being expanded or reduced at all, now it’s under the Duotone label?

Klaas: “The board and wing range will remain the same, with updates of course, just the foils will come in a broader range covering wing foiling, kite foiling, SUP foiling, prone foiling, downwind foiling and windsurf foiling. During our testing, we noticed that windsurfers and kiters suddenly appreciated foils that we had originally developed for wing foiling and wingers began to use Duotone masts under their board because it is slimmer and therefore faster. Until now, there have been different mounting systems for kite, windsurf and wing foiling. The logical step is to unify this into one mounting system and to create a sensible, common range for the different segments. The requirements for an excellent foil are the same across all foil disciplines. From 2024 onwards, there will be mast-fuselage combinations that fit perfectly for kiting as well as for all the other areas mentioned above.

In addition, there are the front and rear wings for differentiated areas of use – of course, individual wings are predestined for special conditions – but everything is compatible with each other."

So does this mean everything will be modular?

Craig: "All the new Duotone foil parts we’re launching this September will be compatible with the previous Fanatic parts, meaning customers can keep using their masts/fuselage or foils and upgrade any parts. The current kite fuselages are also compatible with newer and older masts, just the new wings won’t fit the older kite fuselages anymore, as we’ve moved it all to the same mounting. The new Carve 2.0 Wings work great for both winging and kiting, so that will be the step forward for every kite foiler. Ultimately we’ll be able to cover a bigger range of foiling sports with the same amount of products, making it easier for our retailers to stock too.".

I presume Fanatic team riders will now begin riding under the Duotone banner?

Klaas: “Yes, same as with the products, also regarding the team nothing changes – just the logo on their board and foils – and the fact that they are in love with the performance updates to the range of course! In fact, for the team riders and many other parts of the business, it is more simple and efficient, with one logo, one social media channel, one website etc.”

1 08

THE LOW D OW N

So with new Duotone gear having just been launched – can you talk us through the highlights of the new range?

Klaas: “There are plenty of new products coming up. For example, in boards, we have the new Downwinder range, which has been a game changer at our various dealer/importer meetings – not only as very easy foiling downwinders, but also as amazing lightwind wingboards, together with our lightwind Ventis wings. All the Sky Surf, Sky Style and Sky Free shapes are brand new, whilst a new beginner board, the Sky Start, developed with Sky Solbach and Alan Cadiz makes learning to foil even easier.

New Unit and Unit D/LAB for 2024 should continue to set the standard for handle wings, with longer carbon front handles allowing one-handed riding and a more ergonomically designed strut that brings huge upgrades to the riding comfort. Our recently launched Ventis wing is fast becoming the leader in light wind winging tests and sales, whilst the Slick range, already introduced in spring, is still the leader in boom wings/compact shapes.

Our foil range has received quite a few upgrades, one of the highlights is our new Carve 2.0 Surf/Freestyle oriented foil line in 850 to 1430 – offered as a prepreg carbon (SLS) screw on option to ensure backward compatibility, as well as a two-piece glider in HM carbon, the Carve 2.0 D/LAB comes in four sizes, from 500 to 1100 – these new wings combine lower drag and higher speed with increased lift, pop and drive making them ideal for winging in the waves, for freestyle on flat water and all-round kite foiling. We have added new sizes to our Free foil range, now also offering the bigger 1500/1750 and 2000 sizes, as the best allrounders.

Our very successful Glide range continues unchanged in the smaller sizes from 725 to 1305 and gets new large additions with 1595 for light wind winging and to enter downwind foiling, as well as the new 2145 with 143cm span – a dedicated pump foiling weapon. New Quick-Mount masts and lots of small details round off the new foil range – all covered in hot new Duotone graphics of course.”

FANAT IC ME RGE S WIT H DU OTO N E

1 09

S U B S C R I BE TO DAY

…AND GET 4 ISSUES A YEAR OF PURE FOIL GOODNESS, AND A 100% ORGANIC TEE OF YOUR CHOICE! HEAD TO THE WEBSITE NOW AND ENJOY A 10% LOCKED-IN-FOR-LIFE SUBSCRIBER DISCOUNT BY ENTERING THE CODE LOCKED10.

THEFOILINGMAGAZINE.COM

110

RIDER: BRIANKGRUBB PHOTO: RODRIGO DONOSO

111

01

01

OCEAN SUNGLASSES RHINO HELMET

Water in your helmet an issue? Not with Ocean Sunglasses’ new Rhino Helmet, where their WDS (Water Drainage System) keeps the water on the outside, where it should be. Their Strips Fitting System (STS) also means you can customize your helmet to fit your noggin snugly and securely. Helmet available in two sizes.

02

02 FFB TC PRO

You’ll find out more about the TC Pro in the Inbound slot later in the mag, but suffice to say, when you have the former World Champ surfer Tom Carroll involved in your board design, you know you can expect pretty great things from it. Built for progressive paddle and tow foiling, and signed off by the man himself.

03 ARMSTRONG APF RANGE

03

The new Armstrong Pump Foil (APF) range redefines pump foiling potential with its ultra-low stall speeds, incredible stability and high efficiency, taking you further but with less effort than ever. The two sizes offer something for rookies to expert riders across a broad weight range. Co-designed with aerospace engineer Chris Porter.

04 ELEVEIGHT RSF

Built for performance, speed and glide, the new RSF foil from Eleveight has been ultra refined to eliminate anything that might create unwanted turbulence, allowing the smoothest transition of water across the entire system, allowing you to work on those deep carves and throwing down some pretty spectacular freestyle moves.

112

04

Deep carves in open ocean swell

Discover the Rise range on

takuma.com

113

05

05 DUOTONE UNIT

A staple in the Duotone wing line up, the Unit returns in its 2024 colors with a range of updates, such as the strategically angled long carbon front handle with enhanced ergonomics, built for effortless one-handed riding and facilitating new maneuvers. The Unit already had a good reputation as a comfortable wing, and with the new front handle, it just got even comfier…

06

06 FLYSURFER TAO

Another product that gets a deeper dive further on in this magazine, the TAO is Flysurfer’s lighter and faster surf wing, ergonomic both to the rider and to the environment it’s built for. Expect a highly maneuverable and nimble wing that’s gonna be your best friend when you’re out in the waves.

07 KAOHI WING LEASH

Kāohi Bungee Wing Leash with Wrist Cuff and Carabiner gives you the option to fly your wing from the soft wrist cuff, or remove the cuff and connect the carabiner to your waist belt or harness. The easily fit carabiner-to-waist connection works great when you are prone paddling your board and want to let your wing float behind you.

08 NAISH HOVER DOWNWIND

The new Naish Hover Downwind is designed with input from Austin Kalama and the Naish design team on Maui.

Precision built, the Hover DW collection offers a well-balanced design range in length, width, rocker, and hull shape.

They recently added the 110L model, targeting higher skilled riders who can handle less width. This equates to more momentum per stroke, making it easy to get up on foil even in flat water.

114

07 08

Steeve Fleury rides: SUP Foil 7’0 Carbon LW Carbonmast 72 cm 1396 P Frontwing 370 Stab HD Fuselage 610 Photo: Valentin Rey

Check out our Collection indiana-paddlesurf.com | info@whitewave.ch | A Brand of White Wave AG

115

#indianapaddlesurf

09

09 10

FLITEBOARD FLITECELL NANO

As eFoil batteries go, it’s dinky. The Flitecell Nano is the world’s smallest and lightest lithium-ion eFoil battery, offering up to 45 minutes of cruising time and even longer if you ride waves unpowered. Positioning it closer to the mast contributes to minimal swing weight, for the most responsive and maneuverable riding experience. At only 6.2 kgs, that’s a whole lot of fun out there carving swells.

10 AFS PRO 4’5

11

Built primarily for the benefit of AFS’ team riders competing on the GWA, the PRO 4’5 is an ultra-compact board built for maneuverability and performance, and for riders looking to push their limits in freestyle or waveriding. We’re led to believe it’ll also hold its own and then some when out on the racecourse too…

11 CORE HALO PRO

CORE roll up with their brand new low-weight, high performance wing, and this one seeing them work with the fabled Aluula Gold material, giving it a very stiff and lightweight airframe from which you’re going to enjoy plenty of lift and superior hangtime. Find out more over in our Inbound section.

12 INDIANA DOWNWIND FOILBOARD 7’0

We got a tip on this one, just before we finished up the mag. It’s the smaller brother to the 7’6 in the Indiana range and coming soon. Volume is 102 liters and it’s specifically developed for advanced riders looking for the most efficient flatwater-paddle-up board. Looks like one we might have to get on test…

116

12

RIDEENGINE.COM

117

Halcyon

Hawaiian Days Philip Muller’s springtime visit to the Hawaiian archipelago along with Salty Brother’s Quinn Wilson proved fruitful in terms of both downwinder experience and accumulated media. Sadly, some of the media never made it (RIP Philip’s hard drive), but Quinn still had his shots, and the experience is one that Philip’s not going to forget anytime soon…

WORDS PHILIP MULLER P H O T O S P H I L M U L L E R / Q U I N N W I L S O N / S A LT Y B R O T H E R

118

119

Quinn Wilson and I flew to Hawaii in February to commune with the pioneers of downwinding. With a truck full of foils and cameras we followed the voyagers for a week around the Hawaiian archipelago. Downwinding has so profoundly changed my life that I wanted to capture it in 4k, craft it, and shout it from the internet’s rooftop.

You’ll never see the magic that bloomed before us; our week of shaka throwing, couch crashing, boat borrowing, poke slamming, pickup truck shuttling, downwinder addict adolescence that swirls through my psyche like a haze of shimmering Polynesian sunlight – because I lost it. All of it. My toddler was helping me clear our dinner table and her tiny hand grabbed my hard drive. I fumbled the plastic brick and it fell to the floor. When I picked it up the internal parts rattled like a window unit air conditioner.

No, I didn’t back the footage up on another drive. Yes, I had already formatted the four SD cards after spending the plane ride home and the entire next day labeling and organizing the footage: the Waimea session, the illegal Maui drone shoot, three insane Maunalua downwinders, the Wind Club Hawaii wing session, interviews and hours and hours of beautiful tropical footage…

Before the trip, I didn’t know what to expect in Hawaii. I have since learned how liberating it is to approach something without any preconceived notions or expectations. Just take things as they come. There’s some wisdom there that my hamster wheeled brain struggles with. Perhaps losing the footage was the Universe's way of teaching me to let things come and let things go – to try and capture the energy of the river, you’ll find all you’ve gathered is a pail of water.

Perhaps the magic revealed to us was too great to capture, and that’s okay. As some consolation what has survived from our mind-bending celestial circus of voyaging is a few rolls of film I shot and photos that Quinn snapped. Enjoy.

Day 2: Maunalua Bay run with Jack Ho, Mala’e McElheny and Brady Hurley We’d been texting the groms all day to organize our run from China Walls to Black Point. A few of us had done the run that morning and charged the dinghies back upwind dodging the breakers over the reef line of Maunalua Bay. Bob Hurley pulls up in his minivan to the boat ramp, stoked and is taking photos with his phone, “The boys have never done this before.” Mala’e and Brady roll out and assemble their boards like teenage sloths.

Jack drops his ski at the ramp and starts doing donuts off the dock. Something with the gearing breaks. We tow him back to the ramp with a dinghy. After tinkering a bit, Jack says, “It’ll only go in forward. No reverse. We’re good to go.”

Quinn and I share a concerned look. We know how gnarly it is off the cliffs. The venturi of wind and swell collides against the sheer rock, sending plumes of spray and mist to wet the memorials of thrillseekers who missed their final slippery step. We look back at the crew, “Ok, let’s load up!”

For Quinn this was the make it or break it shoot. The stars had aligned, and we’d flown across the Pacific to capture this moment.

Day 4: North Shore dawn patrol and pinballs I was up at 6am and ran through the soft sand from Rock Piles down to Ehukai. I took a voice memo on my phone of the raging sea crashing against the shoreline. There’s a primordial, formless noise of energy mashing and mixing, gusts of wind scratch against the speaker, and then the occasional thundering of that energy colliding with the face of the Earth. In the darkness I can only feel the spray and distinguish the black grey of the sea from the white grey of crashing surf.

Quinn and I surfed Off the Wall at daybreak, alone for about 40 minutes, until two body boarders kicked out to the lineup and smiling, laughed at us for not wearing helmets. We both

120

F E ATUR E

H ALCYON H AWAIIAN DAYS

121

122

F E ATUR E

"DOWN THE PATH BETWEEN MANSIONS TO THE ROCKS, THE RIDERS LINE UP LIKE SCHOOL CHILDREN AT THE ICE CREAM TRUCK BEFORE PADDLING OUT FOR A CHIP AND ANOTHER RUN DOWNWIND. EACH JOURNEY IS DIFFERENT." got great waves, for our standards, and I pushed my personal limit, getting stuck a bit too inside when a four-wave set marched through. I did watch from the shoulder as the biggest vortex of wave mass I’ve ever seen ground against the reef.

Once our adrenaline subsided, we roused the grommets and went to Pinballs at Waimea. Mala’e, Brady, and JP Lattanzi chipped in just above the rocks and did laps in the lineup.

They beachstarted and rockstarted and pumped around the sunbathers getting slammed in the shorebreak. After lunch, Bob dropped us all at Kammieland and the boys chipped in and downwinded back to Log Cabins. In the evening we bodysurfed while Mala’e and Brady traded off towing each other with an eFoil in front of the house.

Day 5: Kaiko’os to Tonng’s The shady side of the Kalakaua Avenue is littered with boards, beside their still wet owners, their mouths grinning and sparkles in their eyes. A truck pulls up and it’s only a few minutes of foil tetris to load as many boards and bros for the shuttle back upwind around the base of the Leahi crater to Ke’ahamoa. Before the truck pulls away, a few more guys come out of the water and find space where there was none.

Down the path between mansions to the rocks, the riders line up like school children at the ice cream truck before paddling out for a chip and another run downwind. Each journey is different. The ocean has a lot of energy from the chip-in to the lighthouse. Then the swell gets a little flat at the corner and you need to find a good bump to stay connected to and follow it as it bends around the coast. The winds start howling off the backside of Leahi near the end of the run and it takes a few good pumps if you’re stuck between sets.

Every run I did I was greeted at the shoreline by another rider who was coming in just as stoked as I was, and we’d scuttle down the alley to the road for another chairlift back up.

Day 6: Breakfast with Kai Lenny We parked at the post office in Paia and crossed the street to meet Kai Lenny at a cafe. He and I had been emailing over the last few months about windsurf foil racing and he was keen to meet up while I was on island. Maui’s “no wind sports before 11am rule” worked in our favor. Kai had come from the gym and our crew was going to shoot a wing session with Otis Buckingham at midday.

Everyone was frothed. Kai told us about the underwater wave that wedges off the cliff at Nazaré and snaps foil masts if you don’t line it up properly. He talked about his jetski getting pinned on the rocks at Peahi. We compared notes on sandpaper grits for foil finishes. Sitting with him, while everyone at adjacent tables snapped selfies with him in their backgrounds, it became clear how he performs at such a high level: his brain is always focused on performance and his stoke is on ten.

We got fired up, but Otis was hesitant to charge Ho’okipa alone. It was big, windy, and the north swell was closing out.

“It’s too far to shoot anything good.” So we parked in front of a beautiful house and walked the path to the rocks at Kuau.

Otis and JP had an epic wing session…

H ALCYON H AWAIIAN DAYS

123

Making No journey into foiling is the same. For one reason or another, that first time on a foil will be a very personal achievement that’s going to stick in the memory. For Kyle Cabano, it was most certainly not love at first foil… Instead, it was a film assignment with pro riders Zane Schweitzer and Dale Staples that ultimately changed his entire outlook.

WORDS KYLE CABANO PHOTOS DAN MULLINS

1 24

125

D

o you dare the temptation of a gliding sensation? A feeling that could be likened to that of snowboarding endlessly down a powder-coated mountain slope or bombing a skateboard down a freshly surfaced road.

My journey with foil surfing started in early 2019 when I was working at the Airush Kiteboarding HQ in Cape Town. Clinton Filen in particular was the guy who introduced me to this sport when I was tasked with the duty of shooting a tow foil R&D session on the west coast of Cape Town. I had already experienced the pain and glory of the foil through kitefoiling in 2018 but it was not a feeling that resonated much with me. If anything, it caused some trauma with the high-speed bails and difficulty relaunching the kites in under 10 knots of wind.

The team consisted of South African big wave surfers, Jacques Theron and James Taylor as well as Clinton, the mastermind behind the designs. Although the ocean was a perfect glass that morning, the swell was small and the tide was too low for the spot to be any good for regular surfing. The rolling ocean swells were standing up on the outside reefs before dropping off into the deep water as they regained course towards the shoreline, a sight I would soon understand to mark the perfect foil spot.

I got dropped off by the jetski in the ice-cold Atlantic Ocean to capture the water shots while the guys deployed two foils and got towed up and into the unbroken surf. It was the strangest sight to behold, watching them flying over the surface of the water on a seemingly frictionless craft, while doing their best to salvage some style while fighting to keep their balance on the foil.

After two hours of shooting and alternating turns on the ski and foils, the guys were ready to call it for the session and invited me to try the foil. I dropped my camera off at the beach and was handed the ski rope and foil. I had an idea of what to expect while on the foil from my past experience kiting but I totally underestimated the water start behind the jetski. If you have ever done a waterski or wakeboard boat start you will know there is a hefty amount of power needed to get you out of the water and onto the plane. The same applies to the foil, however once you are on the foil you will quickly want to adjust your weight distribution to avoid breaching the surface with the foil, often resulting in a catastrophic nose dive. The next step after figuring out the water start was learning to balance on the foil after letting go of the ski rope and relying purely on your composure to keep the foil balanced. This proved to be too much for me and after a few unsuccessful attempts to ride the unbroken waves, I came back to the shore and did the wobbly walk of shame on my jelly legs that were totally depleted after a few laps behind the jetski.

During that time there were only a handful of riders surf foiling and it seemed to me that this discipline of foiling was reserved for professional and ex-professional board riders looking to fulfill their progression fix. I was very fortunate to be working in an environment with incredible prototyping going on and we were located in front of the most consistent surf spot in South Africa, Muizenberg. The waves here come in long, uniform, and corduroy-like lines making them perfect slow rollers for longboards or more voluminous crafts, as well as for foiling! Being in the right place at the right time has its benefits and I was given a foil board setup on loan to go and figure the sport out for myself.

I recall the early sessions and how much of a love/hate relationship I had with the foil. Some days I had a 6/10 success rate and managed to control the foil while riding straight. These were the successful and loving sessions, while the frustrating ones often had a zero success rate. Most importantly, I was not getting connected by the foil. This is for sure the most crucial rule on the foil. Do not let it touch any humans, including yourself! I would say the most obvious factor affecting my success was the type of waves I would get in each session. If the waves were dumping too hard or simply had too much size, I was unable to control the surge of energy and not make it to my feet. When the waves were really small and peaky, without any walling faces, I would just barely manage to catch the wave and engage the foil before the wave faded off, revealing the magic sensation of riding on an unbroken wave.

After about six months of intermittent success, I returned the foil to the workshop, rather certain that this sport was not for me and that I would stick to Big Air and freestyle kiteboarding and regular surfing.

126

F E ATUR E

127

128

Later that same year I got the privilege to meet and work with Zane Schweitzer, a Hawaiian waterman who was on the forefront of surf foiling. Zane had come on a visit to Cape Town to shred with the local crew and go on what we called the ‘Surf Foil Safari’, riding different spots along the east coast. That trip with Zane and Dale Staples really changed my perspective on surf foiling and the untapped potential that it held. From surfing under one of my childhood dream coastal bridges, to the longest wave I had ever seen someone ride at Jeffreys Bay, I left that trip with a bone to pick with the foil, and was determined to figure out its mysterious ways.

I continued to shoot foil surfing, with South African shredder Dylan Wichmann, and what struck me most about the surf foil is the ability of this tool to maximize joy in otherwise unsurfable conditions. It was definitely to my advantage to be working with these athletes, analyzing their movements from the water while shooting and then further breaking it down when reviewing my media later those evenings. Now that I had discovered foil surfing, I realized that my home spot offered it all. When it was glassy and big I would ride a traditional surfboard, when the onshore winds blew I would fly my kite, and when the surf was tiny or the wind a light onshore, I would be frothing to get out foiling. While surf trips remain the holy grail of the board-riding realm, I now no longer felt like I had to leave my hometown to attain the board-riding stoke and glory that I search for each day. This doesn’t mean no more road trips, it just means less desperate and more calculated road trips while red-lining the stoke-meter thanks to the abundance of great sessions at home. The road trips just became less frequent, longer durations, more calculated, and more sessions thanks to the spots that were opened up with the foil.

I remember a distinct session back home in around 2021, where I was unsure about the conditions and whether it was worthwhile foiling or not, but I rigged up and went in. I ended up scoring the longest rides of my foiling career to date. Ones that reminded me of the endless walls of the famous Jeffreys Bay, only these were in my backyard.

That was for sure the session where the foil clicked for me, and after two years of toil, I had finally learned how to foil..

What strikes me most about foil surfing in particular is the glassy ocean conditions that you can ride in, unlike the wind sport variants where the surface of the water is torn up from the wind. In addition to this, the feeling of being powered purely by the foil is second to none.

No motor, no wing, no kite, and no boats needed. As such, my chosen sub-genre of foiling would certainly be beach-accessed prone foiling.

This way I can go whenever I want, for as long as I feel like riding. No need to launch a boat or lug heaps of equipment down to the beach.

In a world where water sports are becoming ever more popular, I believe it is crucial to diversify the boardsports and thus distribute the crowds more evenly. Surf foiling allows you to target your very own exclusive peak. More often than not, a wave that is good for foiling is simply unsurfable, and vice versa. Not to mention the novelty spots such as foiling rolling swells under massive coastal bridges which are only made possible by the frictionless glide of the foil.

Currently, I find myself in Nicaragua for the season where I am working as a photographer at a surf retreat. There is no option of kiteboarding here due to the prevailing offshore wind direction so I decided to leave my beloved kites at home, but I did bring my North foil setup. Since an early age, I have been fond of supplementing my surfboard riding with additional water sports, to keep my stoke maximized. The foil has been such a blessing out here. In contrast to a surf session, a foil session is more like going to play a game of squash.

Once you have set up and paddled out, prepare to get those legs pumping! The session typically lasts 30-45 minutes and by the time I am out of the water my legs are shaking from the intense muscle activation, and I would say about 50% or more of your water time is spent riding the board, unlike surfing where much time is spent in the lull, waiting patiently for your turn.

I would say the keys to success in surf foiling would be having the correct equipment for your level of riding, knowledge of wave selection is crucial and therefore previous surf experience is essential, and patience because this board moves in mysterious ways and getting the hang of it will require endured enthusiasm. I would recommend either getting help from a foiler, or going for a lesson to speed up the learning curve while being as safe as possible. Keep a safe distance from other water users and respect the rules of the lineup if you are sharing the water with other riders on other vessels. Lastly, buckle up and get ready for the ride of your life! Foil surfing is so much fun…

MAK ING WAV E S

129

THE WALL OF

DEATH

130

It all started with an email for Matt Elsasser, and – two years later – escalated dramatically into a trip into the Amazon with Brian Grubb and guided by tidal bore aficionado, Serginho Laus, as the trio set about a mission to ride the longest wave in the world…

W O R D S M AT T E L S A S S E R PHOTOS MYLES CAMERON

131

A

s a young-ish surfer, it's not uncommon to feel we’ve missed the days of legendary surf exploration. We hear tales of scoring iconic breaks like Uluwatu and Honolua Bay with only your closest friends, but those times are now gone. The golden era of surf exploration by the pioneers of the ‘60s, '70s, '80s left few stones unturned. Seemingly every perfect barreling wave has been chartered and is now a surfing destination with a crowd to go with it. Fortunately, for those who have embraced the sport of foiling, unique and relatively undiscovered waves await exploration in the form of tidal bores. While traditional surfers may dismiss them as mushy waves, for foilers, their length and tsunami-like power make them a true hidden treasure amidst the world's surf spots.

Tidal bore waves are a phenomenon that occur in coastal areas where incoming tides generate a powerful wave that travels upstream against the river or estuary's current. The unique interaction between tidal forces and the river's shape and topography results in a rapidly surging wave front, which varies in size and strength depending on the moon's tides.

For many of us, tidal bore waves have an almost mythical allure. Tales of their danger and mystique have been passed down through articles and snippets of videos and photos.

I recall my father telling "Dad Tales" of his surf adventures, including an article from Surfer's Journal that spoke of the brave explorers who first surfed the tidal bores in the Amazon. From stories of fish swimming up your penis, to encounters with alligators and overturned boats, the dangers seemed unimaginable to my young mind. While the tales were mesmerizing, riding these bores wasn’t something I had on my bucket list.

That all changed when I received an email from a person with

1 3 2 F EATUR E

the intriguing email signature, "Serginho Laus - Professional Tidal Bore Surfer." My curiosity was piqued. Could there really be a professional tidal bore surfer? A quick YouTube search for "Serginho Laus" left me jaw dropped. There were videos from the Amazon, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and beyond – Serginho had experienced them all. The king of tidal bores, so to say. I couldn't resist; I replied to Serginho's email, offering to provide him with the Lift gear he needed, and asking the question that had been brewing in my mind: can you take me foiling on one of these tidal bores? The answer was an emphatic yes, and excitement for more foilers to join him in the exploration of tidal bores.

Two years later, the stars aligned, and the time was right.

Serginho was in Brazil during the prime season for the “Pororoca” in the Amazon. He was armed with a team of drivers and a fleet of jet skis, ready to embark on the chase of one of the world's longest waves. Having surfed the Pororoca for over 20 years, Serginho was the ultimate guide for the adventure.

Pororoca, derived from the indigenous Tupi language, translates loosely to "great destruction and roar". It refers to a specific type of tidal bore wave that occurs in the Amazon River and its tributaries, most notably the Rio Araguari and Rio Mearim in Brazil. For foilers, the Pororoca presents nature's version of Kelly Slater's wave pool – a machine-like wave unlike any other. Unlike Kelly's pool though, Pororoca is not confined to being a left or right, mushburger or hollow, fast or slow wave; instead, it's an ever-changing, 200-kilometer journey of various breaks as it moves along different bends and sandbars in the river.

One of the most inviting aspects of chasing the Pororoca is the ability to forecast it months in advance based on the moon's cycles. The moon plays a pivotal role in shaping the

T H E WAL L OF DE ATH

133

134

"AT SHOULDER/HEAD HIGH IN SIZE, THE WAVE PACKS MORE PUNCH THAN AN OCEAN WAVE OF SIMILAR SIZE, THE POWER PORTRAYED BY THE NOISE OF SNAPPING TREES ON THE SHORELINE."

135

136

F E ATUR E

formation and intensity of tidal bore waves. Its gravitational force generates tides as it orbits the Earth, causing the ocean levels to rise and fall. During specific phases of the moon, such as the new moon and full moon, when the Earth, moon and sun align, the gravitational forces are at their strongest, leading to higher and more powerful tides. This celestial dance allows foilers to plan their adventures and maximize their chances of scoring the perfect Pororoca ride.

As the sun began to rise, we killed the skis and listened. In the distance we could hear and then begin to see the roaring Pororoca grinding down the river. We hopped in the water and got towed into the first wave. At this point in the river, the wave was rolling three miles wide, Brian and I crisscrossed each other laughing in excitement, there were no words for the moment. The wave was pretty good, but what lay around the corner was about to blow our minds...

Brian Grubb, myself, and photographer Myles Cameron arrived in northern Brazil during the first week of May. None of us knew exactly what we were getting into, but trusted the enthusiasm and expertise of Serginho would lead us to the “goods”. As we drove through the jungle, we peppered Serginho with question after question. Trying to find a glimpse into what riding this wave would be like, how it worked, and how we would capture it. The reality is it’s hard to explain something that so few people have seen or experienced. It’s like describing Sasquatch. You’d think describing a wave to lifelong surfers wouldn’t be so challenging, but Pororoca is a unique beast.

As the river banked right, it began to get much narrower and enter a small channel about 100 yards wide. To the right was a sandbar stretching across the delta for a couple of miles, to the left was dense jungle. As the bore charged down this section of the river it stood up and became a mechanically reeling left hander, dubbed by locals as the “wall of death”.

This section of the wave is the finest foiling wave I have experienced. At shoulder/head high in size, the wave packs more punch than an ocean wave of similar size, the power portrayed by the noise of snapping trees on the shoreline.

The magic of weaving through a river in the jungle on a perfect wave blends a dreamlike state and reality. The Pororoca is real, but it’s beyond any wave you drew up in your notebook as a kid.

The first of four days surfing the Pororoca had finally arrived after three days of travel. A 3:30am wake up and a quick 30-minute drive and we arrived at the two skis we had left on the bank of the river the night before. The tide had dropped 30ft down the bank, and the skis were now high and dry on the side of the river. After wrestling with the skis, we were able to slide them down the riverbank and we set off under the moonlight up the river. Despite the wildlife in the Amazon, I believe the 60mph jetski ride up the river in the dark through inches of water is the most dangerous part of riding the wave.

The Pororoca is a wave like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. It was also just another “Aha” moment in my foiling journey. You know, where you think “I can’t believe how much fun this is on a foil?!”. It’s happened to me first in small surf, on a wing, behind boats, downwinding, and now on a river in the Amazon. I’m excited to find that next spot that sends the foiling stoke through the roof, they seem to lie around every corner. Call me when you find the next one.

T H E WAL L OF D E ATH

137

Opening up the back yard He’s traveled the world for years in search of wind and waves, but now, with the rapid development of foiling and its various niches and disciplines, Tom Court has come to realize that there’s plenty to enjoy right here on his doorstep, whatever the season, if you have the right tools for the job…

WORDS TOM COURT PHOTOS SAM SCADGELL

138

139

T

he Isle of Wight is one of those places that flies under the radar.

An island located just off the south coast of England, it is known for its stunning beaches, charming villages, and rolling countryside. It's my home spot, and although I have been lucky enough to travel the world in search of some of the best conditions for the sports that I love, the Island keeps bringing me back to the UK. There is a great community of shredders here who all share the love for the natural resources that this small, forgotten island can offer throughout the season.

Most people tend to associate the Island with the summer months when the sun is shining and tourists flock here for their summer holidays. Yet, there is something special about the Isle of Wight in the autumn, winter, and spring. The Island's natural beauty takes on a new dimension as the weather changes and the crowds disappear, leaving behind a wavestrewn, windblown environment for those who venture out of their houses. I have spent the last few seasons making the most of this and using the hydrofoil to expand my horizons, allowing this developing technology to open up new places to ride and unlock remote waves or reinvent the existing ones that make this place so special. The question is: which flavor? Wing, prone, kite, or... are we thinking Fliteboard?

140

F E ATUR E

"THE ISLAND'S NATURAL BEAUTY TAKES ON A NEW DIMENSION ASTHE WEATHER CHANGES AND THE CROWDS DISAPPEAR, LEAVING BEHIND A WAVESTREWN, WINDBLOWN ENVIRONMENT FOR THOSE WHO VENTURE OUT OF THEIR HOUSES."

When the wind picks up, the winging spots are rife with a plethora of wind against tide spots on the Solent side. Timing is everything for these.

If you're kite foiling, the whole island is open to you, with a solo rounding of the island taking the average person between 3.5 to 4.5 hours, depending on your speed and foil size. I wouldn't recommend trying to wing around it though… We tried it last year and it took over eight hours.

The open, exposed reefs off the south side of the Island play host to the best prone and wing wave spots. However, these won't hesitate to claim your equipment if it all goes wrong, smash you on the rocks, or pack you into some of the caves. As the swell starts to drop and we move into the flatter times, then the Solent comes alive with seasonal boat traffic, massive wake-making yachts, and tankers chugging up and down. This turns this small stretch of water into a Peruvian-style endless wave machine as we tow-in to the wakes, and we have scored some 10+ minute rides for miles as we track the boats. It’s one of our favorite activities when nature’s wind and waves don't deliver.

OP E NING U P T H E B AC K YA R D

141

142

F E ATUR E

"NO WEATHER IS REQUIRED, JUST A FULL BATTERY AND A CHILD-LIKE SENSE OF WONDER... YOU NAME IT, AND IT IS POSSIBLE WITH ONE OF THESE.."

By far the biggest innovation in the hydrofoil space for me, however, is the Fliteboard, the E-power setup that really does take the limitations away from foiling. By far the easiest way to learn to ride in general, but also the most powerful tool for getting on the water. No weather is required, just a full battery and a child-like sense of wonder... you name it, and it is possible with one of these. I have pushed its capabilities all season, from reef breaks, beach breaks, long-distance trips, big waves, small waves... and every time I get on it I can't quite believe how much fun they can be.

I have managed to score some pretty epic southside wave days using the Fliteboard True Glide prop, which spins freely once you let go of the trigger, so you can ride the wave. I have taken my board out in some pretty decent conditions, not just to explore but also to shred some of my favorite breaks. Scoring Freshwater Bay on a long-range ground swell, as the waves smash into the white cliffs, it is possible to use the Fliteboard to chip into the swells early, threading the line down the majestic cliffs, like you see in the shots here.

You should definitely get over here and try it for yourself… That’s why we call this place #theactiveisland after all.

OP E NING U P T H E B AC K YA R D

143

TH E

A small hiccup in AXIS’ new Spitfire range launch plan meant that the brand’s Team Communications Manager Shannon Stent had to throw together an effective content creation plan within a very short amount of time, in the hope of hitting the launch schedule. Turns out they chose the right man for the job…

WORDS SHANNON STENT P H O T O S S H A N N O N S T E N T & D R E U B E AV I S

144

145

A

fter a year of hard work developing and testing our new range of surf wings, known as the Spitfire, we were really excited to unleash them on the public with an official release.

However, just two weeks out we found ourselves in a jam when one of our key brand ambassadors moved on to explore opportunities elsewhere.

We needed to re-think the entire Spitfire release, and the clock was ticking!

By this stage there were already a few leaked images and rumors circulating about the Spitfire wing, it felt like it already had a soft release which wasn’t ideal. The Spitfire was so revolutionary and highly anticipated, it deserved much more: we needed to throw the kitchen sink at this one. During a conference call with the big bosses at AXIS, I cheekily said that if they gave me three days in Hawaii with Edo Tanas, we’d be able to deliver something spectacular for the Spitfire. I was told to pack my bags.

You see, Edo is one of the new breed of high energy up and comers with an explosive riding style and infectious positive energy. I’d been communicating with Edo for the last year, helping him with his ambassadorship and content creation. After getting to know him, I knew he was the perfect candidate to help us showcase the Spitfire at its full potential, and his island backyard provided the most perfect backdrop. So, with the green light from the powers that be, and with the release slated for July 1st, we had a seven-day window to make this happen. We may just be able to pull this off…

Things were starting to fall into place; flights - check! Edo check! Hawaii - check! But there was something missing. Enter The Duke. With a fitting nickname for a Hawaiian strike mission, Luke Atkinson brings a completely different vibe and riding style, usually known for drawing stylish lines across long green runners back home near Byron Bay. Luke’s laidback flow is the perfect contrast and complement to Edo’s high energy toolkit.

I was excited at the prospect of working with these two. And for good measure, I dragged my close mate from home Dreu Beavis along for the ride… it’s no coincidence that Dreu’s very capable on the glide machine and also very handy behind the camera.

"STEPPING OUT OF THE TACOMA, I REALIZED THAT WE HADN’T EVEN MET THE DUDES IN THE BACK YET, THEY JUST JUMPED IN AT SOME POINT, THAT’S HOW THEY DO IT HERE." 146

FE ATUR E

There’s something special about escaping the Australian winter, especially for those living in the southern parts, and after 19 hours of transit we’d finally landed at Honolulu International, stepping outside and greeted by the humid Hawaiian breeze.

Aloha. We were swiftly scooped up by Edo in his iconic Tacoma, board bags, camera cases and humans overflowing from the back tray. We’re now en route to our hotel in downtown Waikiki. After a quick check in and bag drop we were keen to wash off the 10hr flight from Sydney. We needed to get wet. No cameras today, just board shorts and foil boards. Edo offered the idea of a three-mile prone downwinder, the iconic Kaiko’os run, which follows the coast around the famous Diamond Head and into Waikiki. What a way to kick things off. So we loaded the truck, hit the coast, and collected a couple more downwind loyalists along the way. We had a full squad. When we arrived at the launch spot, we were greeted with perfect windy conditions and clear warm water… it’s crazy to think we were in an aeroplane just two hours prior. Stepping out of the Tacoma, I realized that we hadn’t even met the dudes in the back yet, they just jumped in at some point, that’s how they do it here.

We exchanged pleasantries and Edo, Rich and Christian gave us the run down on the paddle out.

Three miles later and we had found ourselves at the end of the run, the finish line was a perfect little foil wave with a mellow crowd. This was my first chance to see Edo and Luke riding the new Spitfire wing in the flesh. It’s safe to say that the gap between foiling and surfing is getting narrower. We stayed out for hours sharing glides with the local foilers, it was finally a chance to put some faces to names, including the likes of Kahi Pacarro, Simeon Ke-Paloma, Kane de Wilde and Gabriella Bella. It just so happened that we had landed at the perfect time, with everyone reminding us that we’d lucked into the first decent swell of the season, and it was forecast to hang around.

The Hawaiian foil community is so inclusive and welcoming, we couldn’t have asked for a better start to our trip.

T H E FI XE R

147

148

F E ATUR E

Now by my calculations, we had three full days of shooting ahead of us, before I had to bunker down in the hotel room for the final day to prepare and deliver the Spitfire content across to the AXIS art department, ahead of the release date. Day two was the biggest day of the swell, so we were up bright and early as Kahi had invited us to share the lineup with him at one of his favorite spots. The lineup was uncrowded with a few long boarders sitting out wide waiting patiently for the bombs. We were happy with the leftovers on the inside that were hugging the reef and wrapping into the bay. The long, wally lefts were a blank canvas for the boys to get creative, Kahi was putting on a show pumping into some huge wide ones with Matt Leong’s drone in hot pursuit. After an hour we probably could have tapped out and wrapped up the trip, it was a clinic of progressive foil surfing from the best in the business… from this point on it was all about upgrades. We wrapped the session up and headed to town to refuel with poké bowls and iced coffee, then Edo treated us to a guided tour of some of Oahu’s best kept secrets.

"I HAVE A DISTINCT MEMORY FOREVER IMPRINTED IN MY HEAD OF LUKE FLYING THROUGH THE AIR AMONG A BACKDROP OF HIGH RISE HOTELS, I WAS SEEING THINGS I DIDN’T KNOW WERE POSSIBLE."

The next day we were on it early again, as it’s now windy season in Hawaii and we wanted to try and bag some clean waves.

The locals are all in downwind mode, waiting for the afternoon runs, and who could blame them? The setups are world class.

We managed to get some fun sessions at some different spots as the swell started to ease, the ocean still providing a perfect foil playground. The boys were now well and truly dialed into their equipment, and the level of riding was truly inspiring. The FOMO was real and at this point I’m trying to convince myself that I’ve earned a break from the camera, so we wrapped up the afternoon with another Kaiko'os prone downwind run followed by a feed at one of Edo’s favorite local hangouts.

Day four saw the swell drop a little more, but not to worry, we had more than enough material already and it was still looking fun right out front. The summer crowds in Waikiki can be wild, and the people-watching is next level. Luckily we were close enough to be able to walk to the beach, so we opted for a mid-morning session with the million other people with the same idea, just for a laugh. We weren’t expecting too much considering the small swell and gnarly crowd, but we managed to have one of the funnest sessions, dodging learners on longboards, canoes loaded with tourists, catamarans and all manner of surf craft and inflatable toys. After a feed and an ice latte recharge, we got a message from Emma, one of the locals inviting us to ride with her and her crew on sunset at a spot up the coast that gets a little more swell. We’d been eyeing up a sunset session for a change in lighting conditions, so we were excited to mix it up a bit, and it was our final chance to bank some last minute shots.

A few energy drinks later and after what seemed like the world’s longest paddle out over super shallow reef, we found ourselves in a line up offering some of the most perfect foil waves you could ever hope for, Emma had come through with the goods!

A fun little reforming left and right combo resembling more of a skatepark than a surf break. The energy drinks were doing their thing and the riding had gone up a level, Edo was wrapping his now trademark carves all the way through to the inside, then he’d pump back out and repeat over, and over, and over. Luke was bouncing from peak to peak, left to right, linking waves and sections all over the place. I have a distinct memory forever imprinted in my head of Luke flying through the air among a backdrop of high rise hotels, I was seeing things I didn’t know were possible. We surfed until dark, and made the huge paddle in, still pinching ourselves. We made it to shore just as the heavens opened to draw the curtain on one of the most memorable days of foil surfing I’ll ever see.

The final day was upon us, we were all a little slow moving, we were surfed out, sunburnt, and the waves were almost flat, which was probably a good thing. I’d completed my late night editing frenzy and the Spitfire content was locked away. Job done. Coffee time. We’d spend the day on another one of Edo’s tours, this time soaking in the sights of the North Shore and re-living the memories of the last few days. So much had happened in such a short time. Hawaii had been good to us, we met a bunch of new friends and created some life long memories.

But it was time to go home, until next time. Mahalo.

T H E FI XE R

149

150

Fiji Field L

og

With small isla number of options nds come a limited shows up – so it w when a good swell dares, wins” for Cas a case of “he who as his crew plann ole Kawana in Fiji, Cloudbreak in ed a pre-dawn raid on by the surfing ma advance of being overrun jority…

WORD S P H O T O C O L E K AW ANA S GLE NN DU FFUS

151

for shells – d, I’ve combed ne bi m co us io of the year prev I had the rest s ap rh pe an th e form tiny little e week close you can se ore times in on m n w se do ri nt n be su d e an I’ve seen th in a deep squat but when seated nd sa ingfoiled of ns ai like gr to surf, I’ve w ar w af ho d om re fr be ok em lo m that e re lly formed, I’v microscopic ones pear to be as fu ap e al sc of e sens ued myself on would without a ed and been resc sl at th a s on ne co er d rf an su e intricate spirals I’ve rescued on great success, to ls eups, ra co er hour of empty lin exposed fing us d io an or y gl dr a e in id ols alongs shadow to bask low tide mini-po ve island wind si as m e th h ug g thro ce, I’ve Lefts – bravin land on foil thri is otu e th am ted N ga led vi oi na wingf ck, I’ve circum the same, I’ve enger off the ba ss pa e on lost ped three hex and only mes, I’ve drop ga es on a jetski l av al w otb fo 125 h in e ug ro the kind they us I’ve punched th ueeze bottles – sq e ad or at G e to take out the e sam a 6m wing only e drank from th ’v up I d , pe ts m ha pu et ly ck nt worn lots of bu d and subseque solve of the win re e th d ne ers and io est ing then qu gners and roof w si de 5m t lo a g up in d rk pe pa ’ve pum ormasters and Allen keys, I , I’ve met harb es tid e lin er rd on bo itual yogis and with scratches bonds and spir te ga hi va w e il v fo di h d es an a fr media executives 5m, I’ve turned cers and social en flu in ia ed m social nancial advisors eguards and fi fisherman and lif al ci ch er ea m m B co di d on an medics and B dermatologists en and helicopter m les sa e, I’ve e nc ra k tower wreckag en and insu m ea br les ud sa lo r C ga e ci th om ists and a single pilon fr psychical therap r balanced atop ai ch n w la a pinching sit on tless t-shirts by un photographers co en ed se en e id ’v w I e s, , I’v surfer en wear before and big wave one of the boatm w sa I r ea be brought I sw that it needed to cloth shirt that ng a lo h so ug ro es th av ed w rain guys towing in drank kava st jetski spin two a en pe, se e ’v I , popups sucked up a ro help a ski that and the board in to nd ay ha w y e m th n on ee the sides betw i suck up a rope I’ve seen a sk r, tte be n tte go e people and also I’ve mehow with thre ’ve gotten sick, so I e, rm ic be tw nd s sa ga a back in for pushed a ski up nguages, I’ve la ur fo pressure but in g an sound to tell the learned sl e re th d to an g en in ott en rg list d fo g the strut and I’ve learned an a wing – flickin ll fi to , I’ve r so es pr undation training matic com fo eu d pn ie a tr e ed ’v us I , e a dozen, I’v massage guns somehow with of the benefits of ed rn lea ly ib rc ’ve fo extraction s looking metal under inflated, I ou up ri se ng e di m en so d d an usting it mounted scope an not completely tr a telescopic hip ith w T N E empty carbs, by an ly not a fan of y ears cleaned al m d rm ha no e ’m ’v I I n , he Max h and dinner w lost a GoPro bread with lunc of es av lo 40 d closeouts, I’ve ast an my sister into ns with breakf ed fi uf sh m pu 20 lly ten na ea tio ’ve re, I’ve uninten tools – twice, I a dropped treasu of ch ar once or se in ered opening it id e floorboards ns th co e en ov m ev re d to an pact drill brought a book I’ve used an im ber ever, I’ve em m re I an th rough a more k a skulldrag th s and enjoyed it un ar dr ye e in ’v I e , tim ds pa e first el straightened kitesurfed for th d with laser lev ar bo rf su tow s, I’ve used a … a beating drum cing hermit crab ra 0 $2 lost e ed to meals by ’v on m m su twice, I en be the floor, I’ve the bar then on on ng di an st en in a chair th snorkel seated

152

F E ATUR E

Badum, badum, badum… rhythmic thumps on the Lali call out group gatherings across the islands of Fiji and indeed on Namotu as well. The wooden drum is carved from a solid block, like a horizontal canoe hull, the wooden slit drum has well-worn parallel lips along the top and bottom that form the resonating chamber. The edges of the drum are almost soft, hard wood beaten into splinters at first, and then slowly, over many hundreds of rings a year, the splinters wear down into shallow bowed wear lines like stone tiles on a well-worn pathway. Each double-fisted slam comes from overhead, the left arm hitting just before the right in a rapidly increasing crescendo. The call is for dinner – plans the next day are ceremoniously made across the table with close friends from around the world. Nowhere else on earth is the foiling potential for all disciplines so tightly concentrated.

Namotu and Tavarua Island are sisters situated just off the coast of Nandi, Fiji. Famous for their surfing, of course, these patches of sand are quickly becoming a pilgrimage for some of the most reliable foil waves suited for just about any branch of the sport. Each island has a protective barrier reef encircling them with reef passes separating them. The majority of water sports are concentrated in and around these passes, working from Cloudbreak (the perfect place to start a downwind run along the reef pass, and also has the potential to get some tow foiling or next level winging done) you have the first long pass with Tavi Rights on the opposite end.

Restaurants (beware, high tide only!) is the corresponding left off that same heart shaped island. Another pass brings Swimming Pools and its little brother, Mini Pools, perfect for onshore winging and foiling at all tides along the deep water drop-off. Working along that same barrier you reach Loveshacks, which can be easily connected on the right day via foil through to Namotu Lefts (the legendary spot where we all first witnessed Kai get a two-for-one). The dream side offshore trades make wingfoiling this spot immaculate, if you can get beyond the fickle wind shadow of the island. Finally, crossing the last pass, you get to Wilkes and its inside foil garden – wrapping swell trickles endlessly along the inside sandbar, yielding endless reforms over vibrant purple, blue, and green corals.

F IJI F IE LD LO G

153

154

A well-advertised swell happened to grace us, bringing with it a flock of migratory pro surfers chasing the pulse. It was decided at one of those dinner table planning sessions that pre-dawn patrol tow foiling Cloudbreak was our best shot at getting some waves to ourselves. You can hear the surge in energy the night before through the closed barn doors, and when you crack them at 4am to wake up, you can feel the vibrating air from the swell churning out those noises. The skis are sent barreling down the coral land mine-filled slopes and somehow unhooked by dexterous fingers in the dark. The first step into the water is shockingly not as hot as expected – a benefit of getting up this early is the extra padding from all the neoprene will not be unbearably hot.

On this trip, Ryan Arzy – Guest Editor on The Friday Pump newsletter for this magazine – is my tow partner. We set off – we should have about a 15-minute head start from the first surfing boats according to the plan, but some last-second foot strap adjustments have us set off together. No worries, the ski can book it. Can’t see the reef, we’re navigating by mental map. These newer skis have an overeager gas indicator that no one has figured out how to turn off, and it starts screaming. We stop, then start, then stop; and again, and again. We trying to diagnose whether we are on empty or if the sensor was just designed to cruise on a flat lake and is upset at being woken up so early to chaotic open channel energy. The surf boats creep up on us as we lose our lead. Deciding to push on possibly without gas, we arrive at the lineup in the moments before the first pre-dawn light appears. We toss the Freedom Foil Boards J.A.T.O. (Jet Assisted Takeoff) with Lift Foils 72 LCX front wing, 20 carve extended tail, and 32x2 mast out for its inaugural ride.

You realize how visual of a sport foiling is when you can’t really see – that may sound obvious but really in the dark you recognize that although foiling taps you into so much unseen wave energy that surfing skips over, your direct feel on the wave’s mood is muted. In surfing you are set into the belly of the energy, you can feel the angry bumps and hold onto the wall with your hands, digging your body deeper into the face. Riding this new kit, which was specifically designed to be flatter, faster, and with near unlimited speed was at first tricky. Pulls 1-5 were explosive, the stall speed was incredibly high, maybe in the low 20s, and required some refocusing.

Once up, the speed shrunk the mast size to feel about 24”, speed also let the water column climb down the mast and cause a breach much more quickly than expected. Finally, there was an adjustment to the speed on the wave, the first 3-4 waves I was set uncomfortably deep and somehow ended up on the shoulder for the majority of the ride. Of course, in the back of my mind, I didn’t want to take a tour of the inside reef searching for the all-black board in the dark – this certainly would be a lost cause.

The surfers began to arrive and sus out the conditions, so by necessity we took the ski deep, way deep. The goal was to be so far up the point that the engine roar could not even be intelligible. So perhaps another eighth of a mile up the point we were indeed quietly alone and in a new section I had never ridden before. The gear felt good, so we let a good 20-30 minutes pass in search of a wide swinger.

I was set deeper than I have ever been in any watercraft. I let go of the rope with about 100’ of shoulder reeling ahead of me. Amazingly one deep bottom turn brought me through… the incredible thing about riding gear so suited for these higher speeds is that, once dialed, it effectively shrinks the feel of the wave and the length of the lineup. It was the closest feeling to surfing I have felt in foiling. And strangely this well-overhead wave felt shoulder high and playful. Reaching the shoulder, another 50’ section reared, and I decided to go for it and work through the whitewash. Incredibly, and without noticing, while fighting around the section I ended up shooting way past the surfers and the boats, through the Shishkabobs end section and out into the channel. Ecstatic and with a jump, I steered into the channel to await my pickup, but to my surprise, the energy return from the foil was incredibly elastic. The speed from the wave easily held through the flats and now out to sea. I connected a two-forone! And then a third. The foil is so streamlined that at speed it became incredibly easy to pump. We ran it on repeat all morning – and then again the next day.

Badum, badum, badum… the island tides and winds and swells all coalesce and call for a different type of foiling each morning and each evening. When you can dance to this rhythm there is no more wonderful place to be a foiler.

F IJI F IE L D LO G

155

MADE IN AUSTRIA L E V I TA Z . C O M

156

157

B

RAND

TA KU M A

Did you know that Takuma was named after founder Cyril Coste’s son? Nope, nor did we. Just one of the many interesting nuggets of knowledge we found out when we went digging into the brand’s backstory with Cyril himself…

158

BAC KSTO RY

Hey Cyril. So starting out, what’s your own personal history in the industry, what were you doing before Takuma?

I have been immersed in this industry for a significant part of my life, which has been pretty cool. In the early days, I had an amazing eight-year stint as a professional kiteboarder. During that time, I was sponsored by Naish and also worked with them in their R&D department, specifically focusing on kite and board development. It was an incredible experience, especially being based in Maui.

At the same time, I opened a center in my hometown in France, which was both a shop and a school. I was really passionate about gathering feedback from clients to create the best possible products that everyone could enjoy. It was a cool way to stay connected to the needs of the community.

Then, when stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) became a thing, I decided to start my own brand called LOKAHI. It was an exciting time for me as I moved to New Caledonia and completely fell in love with the world of downwind paddling, both prone and on a SUP. While I still enjoyed kitefoiling. I became fascinated with foiling and the potential for using it in downwind.

Eventually, I sold my brand and fully dedicated myself to developing foils and boards that could handle waves and downwind conditions. I became completely obsessed with it, and in 2018, I decided to create a brand of my own to share this cool passion with others.

CYRIL COSTE

Can you tell us how you first came up with the idea of Takuma as a brand? What was the very first starting point?

Well, the initial concept behind Takuma as a brand actually originated from my desire to have my own engine boat for cruising in New Caledonia's lagoon. So, I started Takuma as a small local boat brand to fulfill that personal need. Interestingly, some of my friends saw what I was doing and expressed their interest in having similar boats for themselves. That's when Takuma began to transform into a small brand.

However, my passion for foiling took hold of me, and I became completely obsessed with the idea of riding waves and swells for kilometers…. It was during this time that I made the decision to leverage the Takuma brand and utilize it for the production of foils and boards that I was developing.

How has the company developed since then, up to today?

Since then, Takuma has experienced significant development and growth. In 2019, recognizing the rising demand for foiling products, I made a strategic decision to partner with my good friend Thomas Bevilacqua, who not only runs a publishing company but is also deeply passionate about water sports and brand image. This partnership marked a turning point for Takuma, as it transformed into a proper brand.

My own passion for foiling continued to intensify, and I had a vision of being able to foil every day, regardless of the conditions, while also sharing this passion with others. With this in mind, I began collaborating with BbTalkin to develop eFoil and electric products. In 2019, we successfully launched our first eFoil onto the market. The demand for eFoils was tremendous, and from that point on, the company started growing rapidly.

During this period, the entire world of foiling experienced a boom, coinciding perfectly with our offerings. We were fortunate to have the right products at the right time, including early wing designs, a comprehensive foil line in the Kujira, and our eFoil. The timing couldn't have been better.

In 2021, as the company continued to flourish, we realized the importance of establishing a more stable foundation. That's when Marco Leconte, with his extensive experience as a brand manager at NeilPryde, joined our team. His expertise and insights helped strengthen Takuma, contributing to its ongoing success. Today, it is truly amazing to have a dedicated and passionate team working together to drive the brand forward.

Each day, we strive to expand and propel the company, with everyone playing a crucial role in its growth and operations.

159

How did you come up with the name Takuma and what does it mean?

Actually, Takuma is the name of my son. When I became a father, I was filled with excitement and named my boat after him.

I had his name displayed on the boat. My friends and partners liked the name and encouraged me to use it as a brand name.

Interestingly, the name Takuma aligns well with the brand's story. It has multiple meanings, one of which is "expanded and development." It can also be interpreted as the "leading horse”….

We understand you’re based in Japan, is that correct? And where is the main Takuma HQ located?

Yes, I am actually based in the southern part of Japan, specifically in Miyazaki. This is where we have our design and testing center, allowing us to develop and refine our products in close proximity to the water.

Our headquarters for most of our operations, including finance, marketing, logistics, and customer services, are located in Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona is an incredible city with a vibrant atmosphere. It has become a hub for foiling activities, with numerous America’s Cup crews training and conducting R&D in preparation for upcoming competitions next year.

Being headquartered in Barcelona offers us a strategic advantage, allowing us to collaborate with the top of foiling technology and be at the forefront of the industry. It's an exhilarating environment that perfectly aligns with our passion for foiling and innovative water sports.

How important and influential are these locations to the brand?

Both Japan and Barcelona are instrumental in shaping our brand. Japan's minimalist design aesthetic and image have a profound influence on us, while its extensive foiling history, highlighted by Yamaha's remarkable three-decade-long research and development endeavors, truly amazes us.

In parallel, Barcelona has emerged as a hub for cutting-edge foiling technologies, fueled by the America’s Cup teams. The presence of these teams and their groundbreaking achievements drive us forward and position Barcelona as a key location for our brand.

Foiling has obviously grown a lot in the past few years. Did you anticipate how quickly this sport would proliferate? And if so, did you plan for that as a company?

Indeed, the growth of foiling in recent years has been mind-blowing across various aspects such as winging, electric products, and wave riding and downwinding... it's fully amazing! While we didn't necessarily anticipate the extent of this growth, we were deeply motivated by every facet of foiling.

Our passion for the sport drove us to develop products to each segment. As a company, managing this exponential growth was not without its challenges. We experienced rapid expansion, almost growing too fast, which required us to quickly adapt and organize. However, it's a thrilling problem to have, reflecting the demand and excitement surrounding foiling.

How did the Covid years affect the brand? And do you believe you’ve come out of it stronger?

The Covid years coincided with the brand's early stages, making it difficult to determine their impact on sales. Some believe that the pandemic had positive effects for certain brands, as people engaged in more outdoor activities when travel was limited. Personally, I had to adapt my working methods and learn to produce differently due to travel restrictions. Despite the challenges, this shift has brought positive outcomes for the brand.

160

"WE ARE DRIVEN BY OUR PASSION AND LOVE FOR THE SPORT, CONSTANTLY PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES AND WILLING TO TRY NEW THINGS." Give us a little overview of your foil range now. What are the biggest sellers, and what are your personal favorites?

Our foil range is simple, and we intend to keep it that way. The Kujira II, which we released a few months ago, is a high-performance foil suitable for various foiling disciplines such as winging, waves, and downwind. It has been a tremendous success since its launch, surpassing our expectations and creating high demand. And then there’s the Kujira Helium – more compact, easy and super playful! Overall, the Kujira II is our best-selling foil range, and we are continually working to meet the increasing demand. It's truly exciting to see the positive response and growth in the market for our foil products.

As for my personal favorite, I am using the Kujira II 1100 for prone foiling and downwind, while the 650 and 800 are my go-to for winging and tow foiling.

Where are your primary locations for testing, and who are the key riders out there doing this?

Our primary location for testing is here in Miyazaki, Japan, where we have our dedicated test and R&D center. However, we also travel to other destinations like Tahiti and various locations in Europe to experience different conditions and environments.

Our key riders play a crucial role in our R&D process. Matahi Drollet in Tahiti is one of our riders who pushes our products to their limits, providing valuable feedback. Leo Etienne spends a significant amount of time in Japan, testing our entire product line, including both electric and non-electric. Fred Morin, also based in Tahiti, provides us with invaluable feedback and insights. Additionally, Sean Carey in Miyazaki is an integral part of our testing team.

In addition to our professional riders, we have an exceptional internal team of experienced foilers who provide us with extensive testing and market feedback. Their expertise and dedication contribute significantly to our ongoing development and improvement processes.

Takuma has always felt like a brand that’s not afraid to come out of left field with new innovations. Does that ring true to you?

I believe that rings true for us. We are driven by our passion and love for the sport, constantly pushing the boundaries and willing to try new things. Testing and experimenting with products is a part of our everyday life.

Our focus is not solely on being different for the sake of it. Our R&D efforts aim to genuinely enhance our own experiences and make each day better. And so far, it has been successful.

And actually we are thrilled to announce that we have some exciting and innovative products in the pipeline. Stay tuned for more updates very soon!

161

HE 101

K

T I

S

T

&

C

P

S

T R

I

GET TING AIR W O R D S M AT H I E U D U C H I E R P H O T O T E S S P I T Z E R J E LVA N I

162

Doing airs on a foil is extremely fun because it is so accessible and the learning curve is fast, transforming frustration into satisfaction in no time.

In surfing, it takes years to learn how to do an air, just because it’s so hard to get the right wave/conditions for it!

In foiling an average wave does the job.

You can put yourself in the right spot by pumping out, you already have tons of speed, and even a mushy wave can be a good ramp for practicing.. and you wear straps, which makes it that much easier.

A small/bumpy day can become fun by practicing airs, and the frustrating phase does not last long, you will get it in no time. Here are some pointers from me…

STEP 1: Get in the straps. Probably the hardest part, ha! What works best for me is getting my back foot in first, before I get on foil and while my hands are still on the rails, keep the front leg hanging to balance yourself and stick it in the front strap when you are ready. Having big straps overly loose helps. I’m riding the Appletree Apple Skipper prone board here.

build confidence by first doing jumps on the flat or small foam balls.

STEP 4: Boost and commit. Press on the back foot while hitting the ramp to gain more height and do not lean back. If you land on your back/butt every time, that’s because you lack confidence that you will land that air. Keep practicing with less speed / smaller ramps until you can fully commit.

STEP 5: Keep the board under your feet by extending your toes to secure your feet inside the straps. Having loose straps makes it easier to get your feet in, but also easier to get them off, intentionally or unintentionally.

STEP 2: Get speed! Keep your mast high to reduce drag. Taking a high line on the wave and adding a few pumps will help you generate the speed needed to get high. If the waves are over chest high or you are getting towed, then you will already have the speed!

STEP 6: Do a 90-degree rotation while flying, grabbing the rail with your backhand helps initiate this rotation and puts you in the right position for landing, it will also force you to bend your knees and make your board go higher.

STEP 3: Find a ramp. A vertical wall will make you fly higher and send you back into the wave. Timing is key, if you hit it too soon you’ll land behind the wave, but that’s a great way to practice and get comfortable with doing airs. Start gradually and

STEP 7: Stick it! This is the scariest part, but landing on a foil is softer than on a surfboard or wakeboard since the foil absorbs a third of the impact before your board touches the water.

Crunch down and wait for the whitewash to give you a push, pump back up and get back out ready for your next one.

163

RIDER WEAPON

ROBBY NAISH N A I S H W I N G - S U R F E R A DX

RIDER HEIGHT

5’10

RIDER WEIGHT

180LBS

164

Development on the Naish Wing-Surfer ADX began about sixteen months ago. I have been riding the production wings full-time since the spring of this year.

I do not really have a preferred ADX wing size, size as they all work great. For wave riding I like to use as small as possible, and for flat water I ride a bigger wing than most people. My size of choice for this session was the ADX 3.5m. The canopy and the trailing edge are made of ripstop, and the leading edge is constructed with dual weight Dacron. The heavier Dacron at the center of the leading edge and face of the strut make the wing stiff at the center and bomber strong.

The handles are constructed with two semi rigid, narrow diameter handles that are light and super comfortable. I like a wing to disappear in my hands. You need to feel like the driver and not a passenger. Some wings out there feel very “disconnected” because of their handle designs and overall geometry.

I have ridden every Naish wing since the original Wing-Surfer, the S25, S26, Matador, Matador LT and MK4. I have obviously tested some different wings from other brands as well just for comparison. Compared to Naish’s earlier wings, the MK4 is more structured and “rigid” in feel. It has a more linear leading edge and wider wingspan per size than previous models, as well as quite a bit more dihedral. The power delivery is very different as is the range per size. The idea originally was “one size does it all.” Now things have become more tuned and precise, and although the ADX has a lot of range, it comes in a lot of sizes for people to optimize their chosen “power” for the given wind. You can ride a 3-meter and a 6-meter in the same wind… but with very different riding experiences and required power input from your arms.

But the ADX performs amazingly well, either under-powered or completely lit.

I like to go fast, fast so top end speed is important to me. The ADX has great top end and does not “load up.” Balance is also key. I like to ride pretty powered most of the time, but I still want the wing to feel light in my hands and not feel like I am fighting it. Overall balance of power and draft stability is key, as is making lift at all angles of attack. I’m 60 but I still love to boost. I do not spin or do forwards or back loops… but I want lots of lift for big jumps. The ADX gives me that more than any wing I have previously used.

We tried many different directions through the development process. In the end we chose a wing that was the best all-around design: light in the hands, great power delivery but fast and easy to handle when powered up. The handles were also critical to the functionality of the overall design.

They have to be just flexible enough to ease the point load on the strut, just the right diameter and shape to sit easily in your fingers without giving you arm pump and have to be just the right distance from the strut for good control.

I like to ride pretty big boards compared to most good riders. I normally ride between a 62 and 75 liter, depending on the conditions and what I am doing. I like to float. On the foil side, I am usually on a 914 or 840 HA unless the wind is really light, then I ride a 1040 HA. I like working on prototypes and the R&D, but only to a point. I was getting to the stage where all I ever seemed to be doing was testing something to meet timelines etc.

Sometimes it is good to just go out and ride for fun and not have to focus on testing anything. I now have a good balance of development testing and just getting out and riding what I want to ride.

I really like to ride one board and one foil and one wing that I can go fast on, jump, waveride or whatever. I do not like constantly switching gear, so I like a wing that can do everything well. Even though I clearly have access to as much equipment as I want, I like to keep things as simple as possible. For pure wave riding, especially in offshore winds I might choose a “softer” wing that luffs more… so in those conditions, I might ride a Matador or MK. Their softer canopy flags more neutral than the cambered-more rigid canopy of the ADX if you are luffing against the wind. If you windsurf,

the ADX could be described more like a cambered freeride sail and the Matador and MK4 are more like wave sails.

I’ve mostly been riding the ADX in Maui lately. I had a really good session at La Perous on a 3.5 in blasting gusty offshore winds and head-high surf. But my favorite these days is just blasting around on a bigger wing… like a 6 or 7 meter. I spent a week at Sherman Island, California, riding a 6 every day, and had a blast!

165

A GARDA AFTERNOON RIDER

&

PHOTOS

WORDS

EMANUELA

LOCATION DATE

166

MANUELA

DUOTONE

MONDAY

29TH

JUNGO

CAULI PRO

CENTER,

MAY,

2023

LAKE

GARDA

Invited to join her pro riding peers on Lake Garda, it was never going to be a bad day for Manuela Jungo. Especially as the sun was out, and the lake’s predictable Ora winds arrived on cue…

T

he anticipation was palpable as I arrived at the picturesque Duotone Pro Center Tobole on the shores of Lake Garda. It was a beautiful day, with clear skies and the promise of adventure in the air. I had been eagerly waiting for the southerly Ora wind to kick in, and during that time, I took the opportunity to explore the amazing center.

As I wandered around, marveling at the state-of-the-art equipment and vibrant atmosphere, my friends started to arrive one by one. Nia Suardiaz, Gollito Estredo, Rocco Sotomayor, Tom and Aleks Acherer and photographer Emanuela Cauli joined me, and we all shared the excitement of the day ahead.

Finally, the thermal wind began to show signs of picking up, and we wasted no time. With a sense of exhilaration, we quickly rigged up our favorite setups and headed out onto the crystal-clear waters of Lake Garda. Paddling out for about 20 meters, we rode upwind, aiming for the tunnel.

The experience of riding with such a talented and passionate team was incredible. The boat with the photographers followed our every move, capturing the essence of our rides.

Each rider showcased their favorite and best freestyle tricks, pushing the boundaries of what seemed possible. The lake was our canvas, and we painted it with our daring moves and breathtaking maneuvers.

A GARDA AF T E R N O O N

167

After the freestyle session, we switched gears and rode close together. As a group, we took to the water, gliding effortlessly across the lake's surface. It was a thrilling sight to witness everyone cruising so close together, honing their skills and reveling in the joy of flight. The harmony between wind, water, and our gear was something truly magical.

Laughter and camaraderie filled the air as we challenged ourselves and each other, pushing our limits and striving for perfection. The photographers captured the moments of triumph, freeze-framing the pure joy and determination etched on our faces. It was a true testament to the power of sports and the human spirit.

As the day progressed, the wind gradually began to taper off, reminding us of its ephemeral nature. But we made the most of every precious moment, savoring the last gusts before bidding farewell to the water. With a mixture of exhaustion and contentment, we managed to make our way back to shore, just in time before the wind died completely.

The evening was a perfect ending to a remarkable day. We gathered together at the center, sharing stories of our exhilarating adventures over delicious food and lively conversations. The sense of community and the shared passion for wind sports were tangible, as we reveled in the company of like-minded individuals.

As the sun began to set, painting the sky with vibrant hues, we reflected on the day's events. It was a day filled with adrenaline, laughter, and the sheer pleasure of wingfoiling.

We had challenged ourselves and embraced new experiences. Lake Garda providing the backdrop for an unforgettable adventure.

168

ERGO CONCEPT

THE NEW DEFINITION OF COMFORT ZONE 6

0 °

F

I

T

Y

S

T

E

M

E L E M E N T S

S

3

S U R F I N G

Designed within the Ergo_Concept

Introducing 360°

the

FIT

new

SYSTEM

Enhanced Wearing Comfort Increased Safety Individual Fit

SLASH

AMP

169

F LY I N G H I G H RIDER

&

PHOTOS

WORDS FISH

LOCATION DATE

170

KADEN

BOWL

DIARIES

HO’OKIPA,

SUNDAY

MAY

PRITCHARD MAUI

21ST,

2023

(AND

A

BIT

OF

MONDAY)

Things don’t let up much for young Kaden Pritchard, who’s having to find the balance between his sponsor commitments, world travel, and just getting in the water to regularly top up his stoke levels.

But, as you’ll no doubt conclude after reading this article, his stoke levels are doing just fine…

T

his day started just like any other. The wind was blowing through my window, and I could hear the trees shaking. Then, abruptly, my mom wakes me up. She was all hyped saying, “Kaden! The west side is firing right now – Oluwalu is going off!" I was so stoked. I couldn't waste any time. I made a peanut butter and jam sandwich, and we hopped in the car to drive an hour to the break.

When we pulled in, I could see the waves were straight-up insane! I mean, there were back-to-back air sections and barrels everywhere. I didn't wanna leave the water, but my mom reminded me that it was my last day before heading to Hood River and I needed to do a photoshoot. In a mad rush, my mom drove me towards Ho'okipa, we called my dad and had him bring all my wing foiling stuff to the beach. I grabbed all my gear… and guess what? We forgot the attachment to pump up my 2024 GA wings! Can you believe it? It was scorching hot at 2pm under the Maui sun.

So instead of going all the way back home, we decided to go to Sugar Cove and borrow a pump from one of my dad's buddies.

F LY ING H I G H

171

Back to Ho’okipa and the wing pumped up I was ready for action! I got in the water with Paul, the photographer from Fish Bowl Diaries, and later, we did some sick lifestyle shots with Sophie, his partner. We nailed some incredible pics that showed off the epicness of wing foiling. Then Paul had this genius idea to capture a backflip on a wave. When the perfect wave came, I geared up on my Cross 3.5 wing, went for the backflip, nailed it! But I wiped out when my foil hit the reef. After that wipeout, I headed to the shore and grabbed the brand new Poison 3.5 wing and I had the most epic sesh, catching sick waves and having a blast. And let me tell you, the bonus was we got some killer lighting and the sickest views of Iao Valley.

We had a blast getting more shots, focusing on the jaw-dropping scenery of Ho'okipa Beach, and the sesh was hands down one of the most memorable ever. As the sun started to set, we packed up our stuff, thinking about all the sick photos and unforgettable moments we had throughout the day. The spontaneous decision to chase those waves at Olowalu, the

172

RE D L E TTE R DAY

mind-blowing wing foiling sessions, and the breathtaking views of Ho'okipa… it was all a freakin' epic experience!

The next day I woke up feeling toasted! My arms were super sore, but we had to jump on a jet to PDX because we were about to score some epic wind at the Gorge. When we hit the front desk, we had to lug around seven heavy bags of gear! I'm talking wings, boards, foils, wetsuits, and helmets, all that jazz. We were sprinting through the airport hallways, barely making it to our flight in time. We had a solid 10 minutes to chill before takeoff.

Once we landed in Portland, it was already 9pm, but we didn't waste any time. We headed straight up to the Gorge. The next morning, I was dead tired, like a worn-out dog. Jet lag was totally catching up to me, and I was still feeling exhausted from the previous day.

But let me tell you, getting on that plane and heading to the Hood was the best decision ever. We had a whole week of the sickest wind you can imagine!

173

1 74

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS RIDER

TOM

EARL,

WORDS

TOM

EARL

PHOTOS

AARON

LOCATION DATE

WILSON,

MIKE

CHAPMAN

BARRETT

ENGLISH

SATURDAY

JONATHAN

CHANNEL

JUNE

10TH,

2023

175

1 76

RE D L E TTE R DAY

A planned gathering of three hardcore foil frothers and four equally hardcore Zapcat pilots provided some mutually beneficial fun times off the coast of the southwest UK, plus plenty of insight into each other’s respective sport…

O

n the 10th of June, the perfect opportunity came about to bring together a group of friends. Half were hydrofoil addicts, the other half Zapcat racing boat addicts.

Jonathan from @foilhub organized a day of fun, capturing content and combining the two sports. Mike Chapman and I picked up fellow foiler Jonathan from our neighboring county of Cornwall on our way to meet Elite Marine Service’s Lewis Huddy, Ben Lawly, Steve Putt and Matt Pearce at their base at Turnchapel, in Plymouth Docks.

Everyone gathered on the side of the docks, deciding on a “let's head out and see what the conditions are like” approach to the day. If there was very little ground swell maybe there’d be some further offshore action, with some downwinders. It seemed like that might be an option in the moderately strong easterly wind that was blowing. Ideally everyone was hoping for some lumps to be making it into Whitsands Bay, a 30 minute blast south in the boats.

With the Zapcats in the background and already in the water, the boys were scratching their heads wondering which foils to rig up.

Jonathan decided on his Lift Foils 120. Mike with his Unifoil Progression140. I couldn't decide which front wing to go for, so took a few of my Unifoil wings with me.

After a bumpy ride out of the Plymouth Sound and around Rame Head peninsula, we were greeted by 1-2ft of clean little peelers tucked away out of the easterly wind. With only two tow ropes and trigger-happy boys driving the Zapcats with their grunty 2-stroke engines, there were some funny wipeouts to get going while everyone refined their tow up approach. There were some violent tow ups that left riders airborne and gear flying everywhere – worthy of “Kook of the day” entries. Thankfully there were no injuries before everyone had everything dialed in!

Halfway through the session, Aaron Barrett, the dedicated in-water photographer swam out from the beach and jumped in a Zapcat, to be dropped into position further down the beach. Aaron had never been in the water with foilers before but quickly managed to nail some great shots that captured the foil action. It was also the first time the team from Elite Marine Services had experienced towing a hydrofoil, quickly learning and getting a sense of what the sport was about.

The day was finished off with the foilers jumping into the Zapcats for a joy ride to experience the speed and unreal G-forces those boats are capable of pulling around corners. While the swell didn't reach its anticipated peak, it was a super fun day and everyone was already making plans for another session later in the year.

After a bumpy upwind journey back home, a rather exhausted but satisfied team gathered in a local dockside restaurant for some beers and food. Sharing stories and discussing some of the intricacies of Zapcat racing and foiling.

F RIE NDS WIT H B E N E FI TS

177

RD

A

LE

ERBO A

D

GWA WINGFOIL WORLD TOUR MID-SEASON WRAP If the GWA season started the season with a bang with ground-breaking events in New Zealand, Cape Verde and France, it moved on to another plane with the back-to-back competitions in the Canaries, Spain. In less than two weeks in July, the teenage athletes moved the wingfoil dial with stellar performances that were, quite simply, astonishing. First, in the windsurfing "bunker" of Pozo Izquierdo, Gran Canaria, where the GWA was welcomed to make its debut thanks to organizer, windsurf legend, Bjørn Dunkerbeck. The second stop was equally historic, as the GWA made its first appearance at the 35th edition of the Fuerteventura World Cup on Sotavento beach. The conditions delivered by two events could barely have been more contrasting, but the end result was the same: performances that marked a step change in wingfoiling's upward trajectory.

GWA W I N G F O I L WO R L D C UP GRA N CA NA RI A , S PA I N P O Z O I Z Q U I E R D O , 1 1 - 1 6 J U LY, 2 0 2 3

The opening round of back-to-back stops in the Canaries heralded a number of innovations. A wingfoil Big Air battle was included for the first time with world champions crowned. But the FreeFly-Slalom drama was the first on the block. Spain's Nia Suardiaz began what was to become a procession over the two weeks. Still just 16, Suardiaz was a class apart, winning 12 of the 15 eliminations rounds comfortably, even in the tricky 35 knot breezes. Only New-Caledonia based Orane Ceris (FRA) seemed to have any answer for Suardiaz's blistering pace and eventually took a few elimination rounds and the second podium step, with Bowien van der Linden (NED) third.

In the Surf-Freestyle battles, Ceris also came closest to Suardiaz, pushing the Spanish teenager in the final. Suardiaz faltered when she opened with an unusual crash in the pumping winds moving towards 40 knots. The women were on their smallest 2m2 wings. Ceris seized the opportunity to respond with a high-scoring Back Flip. But Suardiaz kept her nerve and while her own Back Flip failed to match Ceris's, the Spaniard used her

11 77 88

L EA DE R B OA R D

wealth of competition experience to build her heat score with solid tricks, easing away to comfortable win victory.

Suardiaz's only misstep – in the whole of the Canaries fortnight, it would turnout – came in the final of the inaugural Big Air contest. The new competition is judged 80 percent on height and 20 percent on style, to encourage variation away from simply the highest jump. Spain's Mar de Arce Sánchez, in her first competition, just outpointed Suardiaz to take the first GWA Big Air world title. Suardiaz had the consolation of picking up the prize for the Red Bull Rockets Award for the highest jump in the women's competition – 6.6 meters.

The men's Big Air contest saw a clutch of new wingfoiling faces take center stage. Going into the three-way final, the veteran French racer Titouan Galea looked to be favorite after he landed the highest jump of 10.2 meters in the semi-final. But in the final, in huge winds, Galea, seemed more conservative riding on his less-favored "regular" side to hit the kickers, and took third.

One of the breakout athletes of the competition was Germany's Benjamin May. May's jumps were not the highest, but he had enormous Front Flips, that the judges loved, completely dialed. Julien Rattotti (FRA) was going big, and his last two jumps measured 11.1 meters and then 11.2m, earning him the Big Air world champions' crown.

The last jump in the Big Air final landed Julien Rattotti, a relative newcomer, the men's Red Bull Rockets Award. It was valid across all competitions, including Surf-Freestyle. But perhaps inevitably it came in the Big Air contest.

The big kickers and huge nuking winds just off Pozo Izquierdo's black volcanic rocky shoreline were the perfect setting for the maiden Red Bull Rockets contest. The innovative competition uses The Surfr. App attached to a mobile phone worn by the athletes under their wetsuits to measure the jumps.

In the FreeFly-Slalom contest Titouan Galea was so dominant that he had the title in the bag even before the last race. But it did not start well. He was late for an opening elimination round heat, with the result that he had to fight to get back on terms during the competition. By the end of the sixth round, though, he had done enough that he was unbeatable. Italy's Francesco Cappuzzo had looked like a strong challenger for the crown earlier in the competition, but had to battle to the end to take the second podium step. Cappuzzo just got his nose in front of Alan Fedit (FRA), who had shown remarkable consistency throughout and held the second spot on the leaderboard for much of the competition.

The showdown in the Surf-Freestyle final between teenage wingfoil stars was one for the ages. The US's Chris MacDonald, 17, and France's Axel Gerard, 15, went head-to-head. Gerard had been clinical and ruthless in his semi-final, but could not quite repeat his form in the final. By contrast, MacDonald was on fire and threw down probably the biggest wingfoil freestyle heat ever seen. It was a monster performance and he barely put a foot out of place. He earned 9.17 for a Front Flip Frontside 3 Combo, 9.87 for Frontside 10, and a "world first" triple Combo – a Back Flip into double Frontside 3s that earned a near-perfect 9.97. His heat score for the three counting tricks was a remarkable 29.01 from a possible 30, securing the crown.

RESULTS SURF-FREESTYLE MEN

1 Christopher MacDonald (USA) 2 Axel Gerard (FRA) 3 Alan Fedit (FRA) 4 Benjamin May (GER)

SURF-FREESTYLE WOMEN

1 Nia Suardiaz (ESP) 2 Orane Ceris (FRA) 3 Bowien van der Linden (NED) 4 Agata Blach (POL)

FREEFLY-SLALOM MEN

1 Titouan Galea (FRA) 2 Francesco Cappuzzo (ITA) 3 Alan Fedit (FRA)

FREEFLY-SLALOM WOMEN 1 Nia Suardiaz (ESP) 2 Flora Artzner (FRA) 3 Orane Ceris (FRA)

BIG AIR MEN

1 Julien Rattotti (FRA) 2 Benjamin May (GER) 3 Titouan Galea (FRA) 4 Malo Guénolé (FRA)

BIG AIR WOMEN

1 Mar de Arce Sánchez (ESP) 2 Nia Suardiaz (ESP) 3 Agata Blach (POL) 4 Orane Ceris (FRA)

RED BULL ROCKETS AWARD Men Julien Rattotti Women Nia Suardiaz

11.2m 6.3m

GWA WINGF OIL WORL D TOU R MID- S E AS ON W R A P

11 77 99

GWA WINGFOIL WORLD CUP FUERTEVENTURA, SPAIN P L AYA S O T AV E N T O , 2 1 – 2 6 J U LY

GWA WINGFOIL WORLD TOUR MID-SEASON WRAP

France's Titouan Galea clinched the title in the FreeFly-Slalom battles in Fuerteventura, Spain, in a thrilling contest that went down to the wire on the final day. The experienced racer sealed the win in the very last race, just seeing off a stiff challenge from his closest rival, Italy's Francesco Cappuzzo, by the finest of margins. The battles among the 40 men over three days of FreeFly-Slalom action and nine elimination rounds was intense. Galea and Cappuzzo were neck-and-neck, but Bastien Escofet (FRA) pushed the leading pair all the way to take third, with his compatriot Alan Fedit just behind in fourth. The win gave Galea back-to-back FreeFly-Slalom crowns in the Canaries.

The women's FreeFly-Slalom was fought out in two epic days on Sotavento's turquoise waters, fueled by 20–25 knot breezes. After 15 elimination rounds, Nia Suardiaz had proved almost unbeatable. The teenager had won 13 of the rounds and had the title in the bag long before the finish. Suardiaz's dominance was even more complete than her stunning Gran Canaria display. Only the French duo of Orane Ceris and Flora Artzner kept Suardiaz's within range. But they only got a win a piece at the death, and it was too little, too late. Artzner took second and Ceris third.

The four-way women's Surf-Freestyle final was a cagey affair. Newcomer Viola Lippitsch (AUT) could not quite match the firepower and consistency of the other riders.

Orane Ceris seemed to struggle after landing her customary, early Back Flip for a big 8.63. Bowien van der Linden built a steady if unspectacular heat that earned her second place. But it was Suardiaz who showed the way.

She put some good numbers on the board, like 6.0 for a Frontside 3, but then crashed several trick attempts.

She kept her composure, though, and earned 7.07 for a Combo and a Back Flip for 8.03 that sealed yet another victory.

Chris MacDonald's high-scoring Combos and Frontside 10 in the Sotavento Surf-Freestyle final pushed reigning world champion, France's Malo Guénolé, 18, to try to close the gap. The young Frenchman almost landed a Back Flip-to-Back Flip Combo, but his failure saw him slip to third place in the end. Spanish-Belgian rider Jerome Cloetens, 27, was the unexpected sensation in Sotavento. He took the second podium place and split the teenagers in his first final, throwing smooth One-Handed Back Flips and stylish nose grabs. French teenager Axel Gerard had again made the final, but could not keep up and ended in fourth.

180

L EA DE R B OA R D

RESULTS FREEFLY-SLALOM MEN

1 Titouan Galea (FRA) 2 Francesco Cappuzzo (ITA) 3 Bastien Escofet (FRA) 4 Alan Fedit (FRA)

FREEFLY-SLALOM WOMEN 1 Nia Suardiaz (ESP) 2 Flora Artzner (FRA) 3 Orane Ceris (FRA) 4 Kylie Beloeuvre (FRA)

SURF-FREESTYLE MEN

1 Christopher MacDonald (USA) 2 Jerome Cloetens (ESP) 3 Malo Guénolé (FRA) 4 Axel Gerard (FRA)

SURF-FREESTYLE WOMEN

1 Nia Suardiaz (ESP) 2 Bowien van der Linden (NED) 3 Orane Ceris (FRA) 4 Viola Lippitsch (AUT)

GWA WINGF OIL WORL D TOU R MID- S E AS ON W R A P

1 81

WANT SOME MORE FOILING FUN? ENJOY 10% OFF

FOR LIFE USE CODE GET10 AT CHECKOUT AND SIGN UP FOR 4 ISSUES FOR THE BEST VALUE PRINT SUBSCRIPTION OFFER.

SIGN ME UP!

182

Rider: Kai Lenny Photo: John Bilderback

1 83

T

186 186 187 188 188 189 190 190 191 192 192 193 194 194 195 196 198

184

E

S

T

E

D

A R M STR O N G A-W I N G X P S C A B R I N H A V I S I O N 03 S I F LY R I D E R VAY U AU R A X I O N S L AS H CO R E H E L ME T N O R TH M O D E P R O OZO N E F LUX V 1 A P P L E TR E E A P P L E S K I P P E R S H O R T F LYS U R F E R TAO F R E E D O M DAG G E R DA K I N E CYC LO N E V 2 W I N G U N I F O I L P R O G R E SS I O N 2 0 0 L I F T F O I L S 70 H A MI STR A L S KYWAV E B OA R D TA H E A L I Z É W I N G G A GTX W I N G F O I L A R M STR O N G A P F 1 880

THE KNO

OWLEDGE

I

200 202 204 206 208 210 212 214 216 218 220 222 224

N

B

O

U

N

D

D U OTO N E V E N TI S & V E N TI S D/ L A B AX I S S P I TF I R E A R MSTR O N G A-W I N G X P S F LYS U R F E R TAO TA KU M A R I S E E L E V E I G H T GT1 + RRD WIND WING BOOM OZO N E F LUX V 1 A K N O MA D S I C R A P TO R W I N G V 3 CO R E H A LO P R O F R E E DO M F O I L B OA R DS TC P R O STI N G E R STE A LTH

1 85

ARMSTRONG A-WING XPS The original Armstrong A-Wing was notoriously powerful per size, and suited many riders at the fledgling stages of the sport, where priority was to get on foil and thrust oneself along without prejudice. As wingfoiling has progressed so rapidly in the last couple of years, equipment needs to match increasing skill levels, and with more refinement in power delivery required for more complex and subtle maneuvers, it was time for the A-Wing to evolve and that’s exactly what Armstrong have done. The XPS has been through a ground-up redesign process stretching over two years, with around 100 prototypes produced across the size ranges with various new potential materials tried and tested.

tention to detail in the canopy. Firstly the sail paneling seems to sit perfectly with no wrinkles anywhere, and it pre tensions itself drum tight with the most elegant and effective pre-loading of a canopy we’ve yet to see on the market. The deeper profile section in the front of the canopy is locked in place, and the panel layout and seaming distributes load towards the tip of the strut much like the clew of a sail, also taking into account the warp and weft of the material, orientating the cloth for minimum stretch. Small removable carbon battens in small pockets also help control the trailing edge. DLE 130 also frames the canopy as an intermediate on the leading edge juncture. Armstrong have coined this their Cross Panel Sail design, hence the XPS moniker. Windows are sensibly placed above and below the boom, lightweight and noticeably clear TPU. The strut is curved to balance the load evenly between your hands and orientate the sail most ergonomically towards the body and the profiled section of ripstop sits creased until it’s loaded, once the sail fills it’s tight and all makes sense.

First of all, let’s hit on the hot topic of airframe materials. The bulk of the airframe is made from DLE 160 Dacron and is relatively standard with internal reinforcement internally across the shoulder curve of the LE with DLE 130 which is a little lighter and stiffer. This double up of two complimentary materials stiffens the airframe a treat where required. So, in essence, standard materials were used to purposefully allow flex when the wing is loaded as well as provide a little comfort and flex in the wing. In the wingtips, they’ve pre twisted the shape in the opposite direction to its predicted load, to achieve their intended design when the wing is actually in use, with the force of the wind on it.

The handles strike an excellent middle ground. It’s essentially a solid carbon bar with webbing sewn in over the top providing texture, EVA foam sandwiched inside. This little bit of give enhances comfort over a rounded plastic and foam system, and your arm fatigue won’t build as fast as with a higher diameter rounded grip. The squared profile allows an extra layer control by flexing your wrist control in gusty conditions,

On inflation, which is handled by bayonet valves on the strut and leading edge, it’s obvious that the XPS has been designed with much at-

CABRINHA VISION 03 As the fledgling sport of wingfoiling has matured into 2023, Cabrinha’s wing selection has expanded accordingly, now offering two different models in standard Dacron with the Mantis and the Vision, as well as the more exotically built Apex range. The Vision is available in a comprehensive range of ten sizes from 2m through to 8m, which is the largest wing currently available in the Cabrinha range.

Examining the Vision’s shape, we’re looking at a fairly similar outline to the Mantis, with squared off tips and a forward swept leading edge shape. However, the Vision differentiates itself from the Mantis in various ways… The first and most obvious being a case of Vision by name, vision by nature, with the wing sporting some truly panoramic TPU windows giving a comprehensive view of the aquatic battlefield. If you’re in a busy spot, the positioning of these provide decent forward vision of where you’re heading as well as downwind. The second major difference is in the amount of dihedral which is increased over the Mantis and has two benefits, the first being the wing is more compact in use and a little easier to spin and handle, as well as making it more suitable for smaller riders. In the larger sizes this comes into play even more. The increased dihedral gives it a purposeful stability when trying to punch upwind aggressively, combined with a slightly deeper profile providing more low-end grunt when pumping onto foil.

move a little in gusty conditions and keeps things comfortable in a crisis.

The carry bag is quite unique and deserves mention – it’s a generously sized roll top backpack with a massive aperture, similar to a dry bag you might find on a boat, and it’s extremely simple to quick pack the wing after a session without having to compress it, providing a very practical approach to an often sandy and irritating situation. The leash is available separately so you can choose between a waist or wrist at your discretion.

So which should you choose? We’d say if you had more of a freestyle leaning, you’re shorter in stature or prefer a wing with a compact span you should take the Vision over the Mantis, particularly if waves are a secondary consideration. We found it a great wing to blast round flat water on, and it’s super eager to please when it comes to initiating a punchy lift.

It runs upwind well, and still flags impressively on the stiff nose handle.

Materials-wise there’s plenty of carry over from Cabrinha’s illustrious kite range with the canopy comprising of their two-core nano ripstop, and the airframe made from their high tenacity Dacron. It’s clear that plenty of attention has been paid to construction in the center of the leading edge tube, where its visible seaming alludes to multiple layers of Dacron which have been sewn in to stiffen this key mid-section of the airframe. A screw-in bayonet valve handles inflation and a twin set of symmetrical hoses feed the strut from the leading edge meaning it doesn’t lag behind the leading edge pressure as it fills. Rather than using hose clamps or cable ties, Cabrinha have opted for a proprietary screw-on system to clamp the hoses to the valves, which is ultra clean and neat, with no sharp edges. A dump valve nestles on the side of the strut to aid deflation.

Maybe playing a secondary role to the Mantis’ lead, the Vision should perhaps be further up the pecking order in terms of freestyle due to the more compact span and increased dihedral with the larger sizes staying noticeably more manageable as a result. It’s a sprightly feeling, full featured and versatile freeride wing which will please a massive range of riders.

CABRINHA VISION 03

The handle system carries across the whole range this year and the Vision sports two EVA covered composite handles. Their profile is elegantly narrow and accommodates your fingers comfortably. The handles also have a rubber bump coating to avoid dinging your board, as well as being able to squash down almost fully due to articulation at each end. Torx bolts allow simple removal and replacement, and some spacers are present to let you choose the angle at each end or run the handle closer to the gently convex strut. The flex in the handle lets it T EST E D

186

T E S T E D

186

POWER DEVELOPMENT

OVERALL STABILITY

DEPOWER ABILITY

UPWIND PERFORMANCE

RESTING STATE ABILITY

SETUP SPEED

AGILITY

DURABILITY

and you can hook your fingers over comfortably. The handle ends have soft coverings and won’t damage your board. If you want to bridge the two with a harness line, it’s super simple with two dedicated loops present. The front handle has enough clearance on the strut to adopt a pistol grip style, which can be a huge control bonus over the nose handle, which is positive and stiff, for onshore wave riding. The provided wrist leash is long and elasticated, and has a huge stretch so it’s easy to paddle with. There’s a constricting wrist cuff with a small integrated spinner.

In the hands the XPS immediately feels tight and solid, there’s zero flutter in the wing, even when overpowered. Forward drive, speed and upwind ability are phenomenal, and that lack of flutter and associated drag only enhances the feeling of efficiency further. The wing has a significantly wide and usable power band, and the short span makes it delightfully easy to rotate. In an onshore wave scenario it was easy to whip the wing across horizontally in front of your body as you changed direction. Round the corners, you can tell plenty about a wing’s stability from a high-speed aggressive tack, where things remain exceptionally composed. Initiating lift, the tight canopy and rigidity seemed to allow for pokey ascents and floaty landings, with the wing holding shape well.

The wingfoiling equivalent of a scalpel, the XPS precisely slices through a range of conditions with extreme accuracy. It’s combination of searing upwind ability, ghost-like flagging and general superb handling whilst overhead and through the bends enables the rider playful mobility for freeride and wave use. Relatively standard materials and sensible inflate pressures would perhaps lead you to underestimate the performance potential, but don’t be fooled, this is a rapid, tight and solid feeling wing with delightfully progressive power delivery.

ARMSTRONG A-WING XPS POWER DEVELOPMENT

OVERALL STABILITY

DEPOWER ABILITY

UPWIND PERFORMANCE

RESTING STATE ABILITY

SETUP SPEED

AGILITY

DURABILITY

SIFLY RIDER SiFly are a new-ish entry into the world of eFoiling. Whereas the standard question when you see someone with an eFoil tends to be “woah, where did you find the cash to buy that?!”, SiFly have built cost/value into their business model, but also without compromising on quality. SiFly is very much a passion project, and was founded

by Alexander Bachev who has competed in the high octane world of Formula Kite. His plan was to create a foil that could deliver the same sensation to newbies, and also for all the obvious benefits that the motor-driven world of eFoiling brings to the whole foiling community.

In terms of the price point, we had the “Rider” on test, which comes in at a very respectable €7490, with carbon wings and a long range battery (up to 120 minutes). There is also a cheaper edition, the SiFly ECO which comes in sub €5k with a smaller battery and non-carbon wings. Both the Rider and the Rider ECO also have one eye on the rental/school market with the ability to track and record session times and to monitor commercial use.

We had the Rider with two front wings, the Cruiser 1300 and the Sport 700. In terms of the board, the Rider boards are ‘soft top’ so are essentially a closed cell foam without any additional laminate.

The result is a soft board which remains light, pretty much 100% ding proof, as well as being easy to bounce off for learners! Weight wise it is relatively light, admittedly not as light as the EPS/carbon alternatives but with the battery and motor eFoils are never going to be a light option and the board is far less of a variable than with its un-powered alternatives.

Setting up the board was easy, with clear ‘Quick Start’ instructions as well as an excellent range of YouTube tutorials for anything more in depth. The board pairs with the SiFly app on your phone which then tracks your sessions once you are back on land and provides you with all of your vital stats as well as the ability to share to your social media channel of choice.

We initially rode the board in ‘learner mode’ so with the Cruiser 1300 wing and with the prop guard on. The power and torque delivered are excellent and the controller provides an intuitive experience, with the ‘standard’ +/- power up and down options. We had some concerns that with the relatively flat base, the Rider would prove to be a bit sticky coming off the water but it released very easily and once up on the foil – with an assertive amount of front foot pressure – it accelerated smoothly and in a controlled manner. Increasing the speed, and each increment delivered a nice injection of controllable speed,

overall a very smooth and reassuring experience which felt very comfortable in the 14-22kph range. This set up would be great for schools and for anyone without foiling experience, although the 1300 wing also provides enough performance to enter the fast and fun range too.

For the next few sessions we removed the prop guard and slotted on the Sport 700 front wing. To be honest, it looked very small compared to the 1300 and we were had some doubts around how it would perform. We expected to need a lot more power to get up on the foil and then potentially a slightly ‘skittish’ performance. We were wrong. The Rider accelerated just as smoothly and then – once up on the foil – was very well tuned. It provided a very lively and responsive ride, without feeling out of its comfort zone.

Turning was crisp and tight and – with commitment – could be satisfyingly aggressive, and the cruising speed was comfortable around the 28kph range with the top speed well above 35kph range. We didn’t push it much beyond that, but mainly due to rider fear than the limits of the foil!

The SiFly was ridden by riders ranging in weight from 41kg through to 80kg and provided a comfortable and controllable foiling experience for all riders. Of course this is the perfect introduction to anyone looking to master the feel of foiling or other foiling disciplines, or if you just want to race around without having to concern yourself with unpredictable variables such as wind or waves, then the SiFly Rider provides a super-fun foiling experience at a slightly less eye-watering price point.

T E ST E D

1 87

T E S T E D

1 87

VAYU AURA X Bill Hansen has designed plenty of sails over the years with a career stretching back well into the dark realm of 80s windsurfing and various kite designs under his belt. A qualified pilot from the age of sixteen, it’s safe to say he knows his way around flying objects of all types. In fact, he developed perhaps the original hand-held wing in the form of the Windweapon, so it’s fitting he’s now working with Vayu, bringing his wealth of experience designing their inflatable wing range.

making it easy enough to paddle prone with. There’s a small stainless swivel integrated near the cuff to avoid any bunching after repeated tacks and jibes which works like a charm.

In the front quarter, X-Ply has been utilized in the window region to avoid the bagging associated with PVC when in extreme heat or cold, and this in turn will also stabilize this mid-section of the sail.

The remainder of the canopy is Teijin D2 cloth, with a detailed canopy layout with seams running parallel to the trailing edge. The tip of the strut has some Dacron reinforcement in a layered radial arrangement. A healthy level of dihedral has been employed, this seems to aid its flagging stability and upwind performance.

Available in three concise sizes of 4m, 5m and 6m, the Aura X is their top-of-the-line, no compromises high-end offering, and our initial reaction was that it certainly offers plenty of exotic new materials.

The full Aluula airframe is exceptionally stiff and light, and allows for narrower tube diameters, which are essential for a more aggressive and performant wing. This is particularly noticeable in the strut, which has a serious slim down in comparison to the Dacron version of the Aura. The leading edge has scuff protection on every segment join running all the way out to the wingtips, and the nose handle is comfortable and rigid, allowing for excellent control levels when flagged. They’ve run a sneaky band of Aluula in the trailing edge as well to keep things tight here, as well as three soft EVA battens in pockets per side for anti-flap measures. The leash is a constricting Velcro wrist cuff and has a bungee with a decent amount of stretch

The handle system is modular, and you can switch between softer webbing loops or carbon mini booms with four simple hex fittings per handle. Both options were provided as standard. We tested both and found the softer loops useful in gusty offshore wave scenarios to add a little suspension to a wing that has an inherently rigid airframe. The carbon handles are beautifully manufactured and super lightweight; we found no discernible difference in the flagging ability between the two options when on the front handle. These provide a very direct and connected feel, and allow you to push the wing into the backwinded position, and will keep the freestylers happy.

ION SLASH CORE HELMET We’ve seen various collaborative affairs in product development from ION recently, first with Wingman on their high hook harness jacket and now with WIP on an all new wingfoil-specific helmet in the form of the Slash Core.

All foiling sports, as we know, have the inherent danger of being smacked by the foil or board, as well as some fairly heavy crashes from height in general, and particularly when we enter heavier wave, freestyle or even tow foil environments, things can go wrong quickly so protecting your head is, without a doubt, a sensible idea.

Being foolishly slack on the head protection front, I was intrigued to see what a water-specific helmet would feel like, and whether it would impede my performance. The first thing I noticed about the Slash was the weight, or lack thereof. It’s a shade over 400g and none of it absorbs water, so it doesn’t get any heavier when saturated. Popping it on, and there’s a rotary tightener similar to a snowboard boot BOA system which sits at the back of your head above your neck. This links to a band that runs all the way around your forehead in a circle, allows you to tighten in tiny increments, which click satisfyingly and let you lock the helmet in place with a comfortable level of security and tightness. There’s a fair amount of adjustability here, with my S/M size working with a 5cm range of head circumferences betwixt 51 and 56cm for a micro-skulled homo sapien like myself.

Once it’s locked on there’s no budging it, and if you want to, the adjuster will allow you to crank it so hard your brain may pop out. Internally, there’s some softer EVA which does a great job of padding between the harder impact resistant material and your scalp; comfort levels are high. It comes with removable ear pads, which have some small apertures to give you some decent awareness of your surroundings, and importantly, you can still hear the wind increase and decrease. These are going to be great for keeping you warm in the winter and avoiding the dreaded surfer’s ear. If like me you’re a sensitive soul and a little on the claustrophobic side, these popper off to allow you full high-definition stereo, and would shed a bit of heat in warmer climes.

to disengage it. It’s very tactile to locate and fit, so you won’t be stood fumbling ashore. It’s a true set-and-forget system – you’ll adjust it the first time and probably not need to again.

Protection-wise, it’s a helmet designed with EPP to take serious hits and be reusable, and not needed to be swapped out if you do have an episode like some products. When you do take a big impact, there’s six vents over the top of your skull and two more at the back, so the water drains out without you being aware. The chinstrap has two points of adjustment, one where the two straps running down join, a lever can winch this apex up and down a smidgen to accommodate all calibers of ear. The final closure is a ratchet system with two larger red buttons T E ST ED

188

T E S T E D

Probably the biggest accolade you can award a helmet is its lack of presence. Once it was installed on my dainty little cranium, mainly due to its feather weight and excellent fit, I completely forgot it was there. Particularly without the ear pads installed you barely notice it. If your levels of self-preservation necessitate one, this lightweight and full-featured helmet could be the most important purchase of your impact protection quiver, transcending all watersports stealthily.

188

Handling-wise, the wing lives up to its exotic materials – it’s searingly fast in a straight line and very light to handle. Its efficiency and speed allow you to carry plenty of apparent wind and it loves to climb an aggressive angle upwind. Round the bends the lack of mass and low diameters make it easy to run round your transitions, particularly noticeable when tacking upwind with speed; there’s no unwanted down pressure or turbulence here. Its power band is quick to access and progressive, and you can access a lot of power in a short sheeting adjustment with your arms. Pumping on foil in the lighter airs, it seems to prefer a quick sharp cadence as these stiffer wings tend to, and the low end is comparable amidst its peers.

The Aura X is going to suit sportive freeriders that want to go fast and turn aggressively. This naturally makes it a good contender on the race circuit as well, and its lightness and fairly high levels of dihedral means its wave performance is also formidable, particularly when mobility is needed to get in position. It’s best paired with a fast, higher aspect foil to get the most out of the fast sail. Unashamedly high end the Aura X is a versatile speed machine across disciplines with punchy power delivery and handling attributes that any progressive rider is going to benefit from.

VAYU AURA X POWER DEVELOPMENT

OVERALL STABILITY

DEPOWER ABILITY

UPWIND PERFORMANCE

RESTING STATE ABILITY

SETUP SPEED

AGILITY

DURABILITY

NORTH MODE PRO Last year’s North Mode was a decisive leap into new materials for the brand. Its race and high-end freeride focused design and concise range of sizes worked well, and it proved a performant and well-received wing. For 2024, we’re presented with the all new Mode Pro, this year extending the range into five sizes from 3.5 through to 6.8m.

As we are proudly reminded in their marketing, North Foils are part of the North Sails group, giving them access to a massive bank of knowledge and resources from a brand at the forefront of the world’s yacht sail manufacturers. This puts North in a unique situation where rather than source airframe material from an existing manufacturer, they can simply develop and manufacture their own, affording them a huge amount of freedom from a design perspective. This also enables them to work from the purer wing design specification backwards rather than the off-the-shelf material as a starting block.

In any case, this has led them to develop their all new N-Weave 45 material, which utilizes a similar material to last year’s cloth, laminating what appears to be a lightweight X-ply material to the inside, set at 45 degrees to the warp and weft of the outer material. This has the benefit of stiffening the material in all directions making for an even more deflection resistant airframe as well as toughening the tubes to abrasions, cocooning the inner bladders and making the wing extremely wear resistant. The extra stiffness allows some minimal tube diameters without compromising the structure. There’s no point stiffening the airframe this much and leaving the canopy in a standard material which will bag out over time, and North haven’t scrimped in this department either. A completely revised ripstop material has been implemented; North have coined this the Matrix-NHTRS. It feels silky, highly water repellent and crisp to touch and is a slightly heavier gauge. From a stretch perspective its statistics mean it’s far more robust and will keep the wing true to its design, extending the potential life cycle. The low-diameter rigid carbon handle system more or less carries over from last year with some slight revisions to the EVA grip texture, providing the same ultra connected feel. Windows are placed in small geometric shapes in various positions, including a small peephole number at the back of the strut which will be useful for racing. Inflation is handled by the usual North bayonet valves and a one-pump system is implemented with a lock off, however a second inflation valve is situated on the strut to top up the strut if you like to ride it ultra stiff, for freestyle for example.

So with all this new technology implemented, what are the tangible results in your hand? The keywords would be efficient, punchy, explosive and fast. When you want to turn the gas on, minimal effort is

required, and the power delivery is both progressive and effective over the sheeting range.. Forward speed is at the higher end of the spectrum, and it would be a crime to use this wing with a slow foil. Handling the Mode Pro is instant, and the handles make more technical maneuvers a tactile experience both on the surface and airborne. The stiffness enables you to initiate lift really crisply, and expect that solid airframe to bring you back down in an elegant fashion, with surface speed to ride out with.

Whilst it’s a wing that’s unashamedly aimed to run in positive wind conditions, we actually found the low end to be improved over last year’s Mode.

We found the two new materials complement each other and transfer you pumping energy far more efficiently, which is important for a wing with a shallower profile. This more streamlined wing in turn enables decent upwind ability, running well through lulls on apparent wind with a glidey foil.

In the top end it absolutely thrives, and manifests an enormous amount of composure (and therefore ease of use) when other wings of a similar size would perhaps be on the limit. This is particularly noticeable through more complex maneuvers and running hard into wind in an offshore wave scenario, or simply running a fast high-aspect foil into a tack or 360 on the surface. The transition between backwinded and running normally was clean, seamless and controllable, keeping you on foil. In short, if you’re looking for speed and composure, and a hyper direct control feel, the Mode Pro should be high up the considerations list for high-end performance freeride and race applications.

NORTH MODE PRO POWER DEVELOPMENT

OVERALL STABILITY

DEPOWER ABILITY

UPWIND PERFORMANCE

RESTING STATE ABILITY

SETUP SPEED

AGILITY

DURABILITY T E ST E D

189

T E S T E D

1 89

OZONE FLUX V1 which feels ultra crisp to the touch. This hints at longevity in the design of this high-wear area and should prevent long-term bagging.

The center section is made from a more standard three core Teijin cloth found across their current kite range. Two smaller front facing windows are made from a lightweight and flexible material which has hydrophobic properties and remains clear when wet. On inflation, it’s clear that some preload has been designed into the canopy to form a super clean aerofoil with very little creasing. The trailing edge harbors six removable mini battens in pockets to control any potential vibration here.

Ozone’s recently released entry level oriented Fly wing was designed with a new module of their in-house OzCAD design software, which has produced many a legendary kite. This software has now been utilized to produce the Flux, which has a considerably different design remit, with speed and performance at the forefront of the agenda.

Ozone are one of the only brands that own their own factory rather than using OEM. Proudly manufacturing in Vietnam, with the best QC in the business, not a stitch sits out of place on the Flux. It’s a masterclass in sewing and accuracy, and you can see different seaming has been implemented on the leading edge to accommodate the new tube material with impressive attention to detail over the canopy construction.

The wing’s profile, we’d describe as mid depth, with a floating batten attached to the canopy with a profiled piece of ripstop at the front and direct connection to the strut at the rear. The strut is completely straight and a fairly narrow diameter, and accommodates two rigid EVA covered handles with lightweight carbon fiber cores, which have a slim diameter and round grip, angling themselves towards the rider in a welcoming and ergonomic fashion. The front handle has an intelligently placed rubbery coating to avoid damaging your board. The nose handle has a little flex and a comfortable backing panel to avoid knuckle chaff.

Material use is a hot topic for wing design in 2023, and Ozone have pulled out all the stops with the Flux. An all-new and super shiny 125g Dacron has been implemented, providing an exceptionally stiff and lightweight airframe which inflates via two separate and familiar red Boston valves. The leading edge has a large amount of segmentation, making a great job of smoothing the wing from an aerodynamic perspective. We’re looking at a lean and fairly high-aspect shape with quite a dramatic leading edge sweep and light dihedral. If anything can look fast when stationary, this is a prime example.

Whilst the airframe and rigid handle system, combined with the pre-loaded canopy design, all hint at a wing that could be a bit of a handful, there’s enough reflex in those tapered wingtips to smooth out the bumps and keep things comfortable. The forward drive of the wing also reduced fatigue; where wings with more downwind tendency will give you grief through the gusts, the Flux seems to transfer

The canopy comprises of an intricate paneling layout to distribute load evenly out to the wingtips along the seams running across its span. It’s built in three distinct sections. Along the front side of the LE and rear quarter along the trailing edge, another new material has been implemented in the form of a harder wearing 95g ripstop,

APPLETREE APPLE SKIPPER SHORT The Appletree Skipper concept transcends all foiling disciplines across their board range; in this instance we get to grips with the Apple Skipper Short, available in two stock sizes 3’4 and 3’10. The lightest and lowest volume board in the Skipper series, it’s aimed as a minimal pocket board for kite, wake, tow and pump foiling. The 3’10” we tested comes in at a skinny 18.4l. Designed like a dam busters style bouncing bomb, or perhaps even a skimming stone, the Skipper has a pronounced bulge that sits a little lower than the foil box and naturally bounces when it hits water to seriously aid recovery on harsher touch downs, but as a bonus also feels like a natural position to place volume when taking off from the water to aid that all important front foot stability. The tail fades out to an efficient teardrop style point, and the board is generally narrow, at 16.5” at its widest point.

foil box. The volume was easy enough to sink on board start, and the board naturally wanted to climb to the surface and face the right direction. Whipping into some smaller summer waves in the UK, the narrowness lets you crank some decent turns over without any risk of catching a rail. With such high levels of feedback through the board, whilst of course it would function perfectly with an aluminum mast, it would be a bit of a crime to use this with anything but some decent carbon underneath to get full benefit and energy transfer.

It’s clear from a glance at the bare carbon that a lot of reinforcement has taken place around the foil box area. A vacuum infused carbon layup fuses the waterproof closed cell foam to the laminate extremely solidly with a minimum of epoxy used, minimizing weight. Inserts are present in a Y configuration. The EVA deck pad has a relatively smooth texture and offers a decent level of grip but also allows a little wiggle room for adjusting foot placement, important for a board of miniscule dimensions and almost no swing weight, which will feel sensitive underfoot. Even on this tiny board, Appletree have installed their proprietary longer foil box to allow a massive range of foils to be used, even those that like to sit extremely far forward in the box. As with anything from Appletree, customs sizes, colors and tail dip designs are available to specify from the factory as everything is built to order in their Portuguese factory.

We tested the Skipper Short kite foiling, where it absolutely shines amongst its peers. The volume there is just enough not to hamper a lightwind board start, and its bullet-like shape offers almost no flat surface to the wind, which it pierces like a proverbial bullet. The innate feeling of connectedness to the foil offers a ridiculous amount of control and sensitivity.

The Skipper Short takes the Skipper concept to the tiniest level, where it performs fabulously; the exceptionally stiff and light board makes for an extremely connected feeling to the foil, with a huge amount of feedback, and the shape can be thrown into all sorts of scenarios and has the best chance of bouncing out rather than tanking. As a kite foil board it feels electric, and as a wake or pump board, its innate stiffness translates every drop of energy you produce into thrust, wasting nothing.

APPLETREE APPLE SKIPPER SHORT

Behind a boat, the precise feeling carries over beautifully, but you get an insight into how the stiffness translates into extended pumping ability, where we could navigate between wakes and gave us an opportunity to play the classic how-far-can-you-pump game. We were lapping the boat with ease with the tiny swing weight and ultra-stiff T E ST ED

1 90

T E S T E D

190

TAKE OFF

ROLL STABILITY

TOUCH DOWN

FORWARD/BACKWARD STABILITY

PUMPING

GENERAL STABILITY

SURFACE TRACKING

DECK COMFORT

this energy into forward momentum and speed. This reflex in the wing makes for an easy-to-access pumping cadence procedure to get on foil, and the upper wind range once lit up is far extended over their previous WASP range. Once up on foil, the wing feels immediately rapid and dynamic, absolutely hammering upwind. The handles feel well connected and allow excellent control when performing more technical transitions, Heineken jibes were very easy as you’d expect.

The slimmer profile and inbuilt canopy tension allows it to transition upwind through a tack with minimal disturbance and drag, keeping you well composed on foil. Access to lift for jumping is easy to time, and the wing holds its shape well in the air to give you a decent chance of landing. It powers out of turns well, and suits a generally fast riding pace and foil system.

The Flux is perhaps the wing Ozone fans have been waiting for. Searingly rapid forward speed with lightweight handling, intelligent material use, and what’s potentially the best build on the market is a heady combination of factors. A wide usable range per size and high level of composure through that massive wind range enable the rider a technical advantage, and you can see why the marketing from Ozone is perhaps a little race-driven. What’s not to be underestimated is how well all these attributes apply as a freeride and wave wing – the light weight and excellent balance when flagged make for a very competitive wave performance. Its upwind ability is startling, and once on foil you can run exceptionally efficiently on apparent wind alone, particularly noticeable in lighter wind conditions. It’s a premium wing in every sense of the word, which looks and feels like it’s been built to a specification rather than a price point. The Flux sits proudly on the starting grid like a thoroughbred racehorse chomping at the bit. It’s securely amongst the top brass of contemporary wings, and is futuristic in both performance and appearance.

OZONE FLUX V1 POWER DEVELOPMENT

OVERALL STABILITY

DEPOWER ABILITY

UPWIND PERFORMANCE

RESTING STATE ABILITY

SETUP SPEED

AGILITY

DURABILITY

FLYSURFER TAO Flysurfer’s original entry to the wing market, the MOJO, was extremely well received, with its unique segmented handle system and generally easy going, yet performant nature appealing to a broad range of riders across wave and freestyle disciplines. The TAO fits in alongside the MOJO as a super lightweight windowless version, with lower tube diameters and a little more performance. A massive range of eight sizes are available with the smaller sizes at half meter increments and the largest spreading up to a punchy 7m.

Shape-wise, it’s a compact low to mid-aspect outline with a decent degree of dihedral. The solid mid-section of the wing tapers quite heavily into a significantly thinner tip, which is designed to flex a little and take the sting out of gusty conditions. The strut has quite a pronounced curve to help maintain the wing’s profile as well as aim the handles in a comfortable direction to the user. The panel layout has plenty of offset seaming and some preloading in inflation; it holds its shape admirably under load, with the airframe allowing a bit of bounce. The front handle has been stiffened in comparison to the MOJO, allowing for more control when flagged, although the wing’s low weight and high dihedral makes for an innately stable platform. Our test model was provided with a waist leash which had a decent bungee cord and ingenious double Velcro closure for excellent security around the midriff. Inflation is handled with two iSUP valves on the leading edge and strut respectively. These allow inflation with a minimum of effort and accurate inflation pressures where you need 8PSI in the strut and 7 in the leading edge on our 4.5m test model.

The good news for MOJO fans is that the handle system has carried over. It’s ultra soft and comfortable, providing a notable degree of suspension in gustier conditions. The segmented loops let you trim along the strut in increments, and your fingers lock into the ribs which give a reassuring and accurate feel to the general handling.

How it differentiates itself from the MOJO is mainly in its weight and span, which is a little more compact and easier to handle. It spins on a dime, which could definitely lean it towards some more complex freestyle maneuvers. The fairly deep canopy profile means the low end is solid, and pumping onto the foil is simple, with a low frequency required to get moving and gentle reflex from the sail keeping power delivery smooth through the arms. Once up on the foil, you get decent forward drive rather than downwind, and it feels relatively gen-

tle through the arms once released. It’s definitely going to suit shorter and lighter weight riders. Throwing the TAO into an aggressive tack, there’s a little flutter but nothing unmanageable.

Whilst definitely still maintaining high levels of application across all disciplines in the Flysurfer ecosystem, we felt the TAO had its best application for wave use, where its lightweight and extremely well-behaved flagging ability really shines. Its smooth power delivery lets you fade into sections gently and with decent forward speed. Its gust absorption is exceptional, and if you ride in challenging offshore conditions it’s definitely going to make things as forgiving as possible.

The TAO is minimal, light, simple to operate and exceptionally comfortable, and will naturally suit those with a more elegant, rather than brute force approach to wingfoiling. Nothing feels harsh about the TAO even when the wind conditions are horrific.

FLYSURFER TAO POWER DEVELOPMENT

OVERALL STABILITY

DEPOWER ABILITY

UPWIND PERFORMANCE

RESTING STATE ABILITY

SETUP SPEED

AGILITY

DURABILITY T E ST E D

191

T E S T E D

191

FREEDOM DAGGER the board to breathe when exposed to temperature, pressure, or elevation changes. While the durable extended length Chinook foil boxes require longer mast screws and add a bit of weight, this board unlocks the ability to use essentially any foil and be able to mount it on the ideal spot in the tracks.

The Freedom Foil Boards Dagger, known for its debut as one of the earliest downwind-specific SUP foil boards in the market, has been at the forefront of the downwind game for almost a year now. Available in four sizes, ranging from 6'9" (90L), 7'0 (100L), 7’5 (110L), and 7’10 (122L), the Dagger boasts several standout features that set it apart in the realm of pulled-in SUP downwind boards. FFB has harnessed a transitional hull design and a distinctive TV Tail, ensuring a blend of chop-slicing speed, frictionless flow, and stability. The Dagger's design revolves around one ultimate goal: efficient takeoff onto foil. Drawing inspiration from big wave style surfboards and non-foil powered racing SUPs, its narrow outline and pulled-in pin tail facilitate faster planing speeds for easy lift off.

While the art of just standing on any long and narrow SUP proves to be a challenge for beginner, intermediate, and even some advanced riders, the speed and glide through the water is worth the struggle.

While using the paddle to help balance, even a little bit of forward momentum adds significantly more stability. The angled rails flaring into the TV tail also noticeably grip the water, improving lateral support.

To get a feel for this board and the proper foil positioning in the boxes, we took the setup into small mushy waves to practice pop ups and pumping. We immediately realized how fun this board is in the surf. Being able to catch tiny ankle-biters on the inside and even unbroken rollers on the outside, the Dagger makes sessions enjoyable that would usually be too soft for prone conditions or previous generations of SUP foil boards.

For our test, we went with the 7’5, which at 110 liters is a great all around size for most beginner to intermediate riders or heavier experienced riders. Weighing in 16.5lbs (7.48kg), the board width on the 7'5 comes in at 20 inches and a uniform 5.5 inch thickness throughout the four sizes. We also paired the Dagger with the Unifoil Progression and Takuma Kujira II series foils to get a taste of both surf and downwind foiling.

In both waves and wind swell conditions, the Dagger also tracks straight without any yaw instability and doesn’t nose dive when sprint paddling to get up on foil. Once up and gliding the board was forgiving for mistakes and even breaches, quickly releasing off the water as soon as touching down. The Dagger pumps and feels

The first few things we noticed as we pulled the Dagger out of the box, was the full carbon sanded finish with Freedom’s signature pinstriping and color accents. Fully tractioned up with a custom FFB deck grip, the Dagger also features gore-tex vent plug that allows

DAKINE CYCLONE V2 WING Founded in 1979, Dakine’s roots have always been intertwined with windsports. Introducing some of the first adjustable straps, harnesses, and other windsurfing and kite accessories, Dakine has held its own as one of the sport’s most trusted brands. Continuing that legacy, Dakine has also been a strong presence in the wing scene, especially with their release of the upgraded Cyclone V2. The V2 has undergone thoughtful enhancements, including improved power distribution and balance. Its smaller wingspan also improves handling and sets the stage for easy control in waves.

Using the latest materials, the V2 showcases a high tenacity dacron leading edge, nano tech ripstop canopy, TPU windows, and kevlar wingtip reinforcement. The wing also features soft padded hard handles that are easily removable. For our tests, we paired the 5 meter Cyclone V2 with the Dakine Shock wing vest, Hanger hook, and Solo Wing harness line. Pairing this with our standard 65 liter wingboard and mid-aspect foils, we took this wing out in a range of conditions between 12-20 knots.

windows offer a clear view of surroundings for both safety and situational awareness during more crowded sessions.

Using the Shock Wing vest and Solo Wing harness also added significant improvements to our experience with the Cyclone V2. Of course, having the vest padding and protection for high speed impact enhanced our confidence and provided safety. The vest’s integrated webbing and low profile hook also extended our sessions by both preventing the usual arm fatigue that comes with winging and offered much harder upwind angles.

As we unboxed this new wing, we were excited to see a buckled top flap style backpack with plenty of room to easily unpack and pack the wing for day to day use. There was actually even more room for other accessories like the impact vest and for a wing pump on the side. Pumping up the wing, the inflation guide on the leading edge recommends 10 psi of pressure, which is relatively higher than other 5m wings of its class ensuring a super-stiff air frame. With the Sprint Inflate Valve system, we quickly inflated the wing, and at 10psi, the wing feels super solid and stiff, which only gets better with the direct feeling of the hard handles. The Deep Lake colorway also stands out both on the beach and is clearly visible way out on the water.

Overall, the Cyclone V2 delivers on all fronts, catering to riders seeking a powerful yet lightweight feel and performance in a broad range of wind conditions. It is especially suitable for riders looking for a stable freefly wing to take out in waves or to progress in freestyle.

DAKINE CYCLONE V2 WING

Our first impressions were very positive. With a powerful and connected low-end grunt to get up on foil, the handles were mounted in the perfect place to maintain strong upwind angles. They also extend far enough to make adjustments and trim in more or less power depending on varying gusts. Dakine’s leading edge handle features padding on the dacron, protecting the rider’s knuckles from getting scuffed and making the wing a breeze to freefly with in downwind conditions as well as in waves. With increased stiffness and canopy tension, the Cyclone V2 has tons of pop, making jumps in lighter winds possible and with minimal deformation under load. The strategically placed T EST E D

1 92

T E S T E D

1 92

POWER DEVELOPMENT

OVERALL STABILITY

DEPOWER ABILITY

UPWIND PERFORMANCE

RESTING STATE ABILITY

SETUP SPEED

AGILITY

DURABILITY

smaller than the length would lead you to believe. The weight distribution also offers stability in swinging the board through turns to stay in the pocket and in between bumps for both longer period and less-than-ideal bumps.

The more we used the Dagger, the more we realized its potential for a range of conditions and riders. Adapting across disciplines, opening lightwind winging on days never before thought possible, surfing in micro-sized or bigger rolling swells, and of course both SUP and prone downwinding, the FFB Dagger is a must have for those looking to spend the most days out on the water.

FREEDOM DAGGER TAKE OFF

ROLL STABILITY

TOUCH DOWN

FORWARD/BACKWARD STABILITY

PUMPING

GENERAL STABILITY

SURFACE TRACKING

DECK COMFORT

UNIFOIL PROGRESSION 200 As you’ve probably noticed, the Unifoil collaboration between designer Clifford Coetzer and foil guru Erik Antonson has been a hit.

With an ideal balance of low stall speeds, remarkable pump, yet impressive maneuverability, the Progression 140 & 170 will always be fan favorites as all-around foils. As anticipated, the team has continued this popular series with the Progression 200.

Cleanly fitted with Uni’s zippered front wing cover, this 1290cm front wing spans 1037mm with an aspect ratio of 8.3:1. For testing, we paired the Progression 200 with the 830mm Katana mast, medium fuselage, and neutral footed Shiv tail in new carbon construction. We paired this kit with both our usual 30 liter prone board and also on a 120 liter 8’6 Downwind SUP in small waves, as well as fun sized downwind conditions.

Our first test with the Progression 200 was on the SUP at our local river mouth in knee to waist high conditions. Paddling around in the flatwater portion of the river, our experienced 155lb (70kg) test rider was able to flat water start and pump around on foil. This was no surprise considering how well the Progressions are known for their great low end stall speeds. Once out in the waves, the predictable lift, pitch stability, and easy pump made it fun to link waves out the back. While this wing is the largest of the series, it maintained maneuverability and is still smooth to roll from rail to rail. In 20-30 knot downwind conditions, we also paired this Progression wing with the same 8’6 SUP and a 210 lb (95kg) rider learning how to downwind. Again, because of the significantly low stall speed and early lift of the wing’s profile, the Progression 200 proved successful to get up on, pump, and turn within the matrix of bumps.

Now you’re probably wondering for who and what conditions the Progression 200 is ideal for. Anyone looking for a larger foil they won’t grow out for small surf, wingfoiling, dockstarts, or for SUP foiling this is the wing for you. For downwind days, the 200 Progression becomes the go-to choice for bigger riders or average-sized riders in poor to fair conditions.

The 200 also serves as an excellent foil for beginners, offering easy handling and a forgiving pump. Its user-friendly nature allows beginners to quickly build the technique to tackle all foiling disciplines.

Also, after chatting with Erik on this new size, he recommends using

the short fuselage for linking waves in the surf or for downwind conditions with tighter bumps. The medium and long fuse options add more stability and smoothen glide for downwinding in better conditions. As for the tails, Erik recommends his upcoming Progression tails, 14.5 for slower conditions or for those looking for more low-end stability, and the 13.5 tails for rippers looking to loosen things up.

Whether you’re looking to maximize small wave sessions, take on downwinding, or even experience the thrill of SUP foiling, the Progression 200 excels in all arenas. Embrace its versatility, enjoy long runs, and elevate your pump game with the Unifoil Progression 200.

UNIFOIL PROGRESSION 200 GLIDE

STALL DROP

PITCH STABILITY

TRACKING

YAW STABILITY

CARVING STABILITY

SPEED RANGE

TURN RADIUS

T E ST E D

1 93

T E S T E D

193

LIFT FOILS 70 HIGH ASPECT date.

Lift pushed the boundaries of what was possible with high aspect wings with the release of the 120HA over two years ago. After the introduction of the 90HA, one couldn’t help but wonder, would they dare to go smaller? Well they did, and the 70HA is here to continue that legacy.

Now let's get to the good part: the actual testing! The first rides on the 70HA were towing at one of our classic A-frame breaks with shoulder to slightly overhead waves. The first thing we noticed was how much lift this foil has for its size. Compared to other Lift wings that generally ride further forward in the boxes or with the mast placement underneath the back foot, the 70HA felt most natural further back in the tracks, with our back foot a few inches in front of where the mast was placed. The main reason behind this is due to the high amount of camber in the foil’s profile cross section. Just like the 90HA, in order to make a wing of such small surface area work in a broader range of conditions, a significant amount of lift is needed to lower the stall speed and add to the wing's low-end.

The littlest brother of the High Aspect series, the 70HA features a completely redesigned raked outline and higher camber profile to offer considerably more lift and low-end speed from a wing that is only 452cm2. With a 75cm (29.5”) wingspan and significantly high aspect ratio of 12:1, this sleek carbon fiber front wing has been specifically designed towards advanced riders looking to maximize speed and agility in more powerful conditions.

As always, Lift delivers this front wing with their signature zippered wing cover and handy M6 screw bag. With full carbon construction, the front wing is molded into the front half of the fuselage, allowing the designers to change where the mast fits into the wing connection to match how the wing likes to ride. The other half of the fuselage is built into the rear stabilizers, so the Carve series tails with shorter fuselages effectively make the foil more reactive and sensitive for tighter turning potential. Along with the standard all-around 32 inch carbon mast, with a high performance wing like the 70HA, Lift recommends using a matching tail. So for testing, we paired it with their new 20 Carve stabilizer, the smallest tail Lift has made to

Once up and going, the 70HA feels ridiculously fast underneath your feet, almost as if there’s no drag and provides a floating sensation like there’s nothing underneath you. Harnessing the speed of even the flattest rolling waves from out the back, this streamlined foil is so quick that it can tap into the energy and speed of any groundswell.

Once the waves start to stack up and steepen is when you finally start to feel the foil’s full potential. With an incredibly loose ability to roll, even at high speeds, the 70HA is one of our favorite wings to turn. With the ability to initiate a turn with even the slightest movement at the ankles, transitions into deep carves, snaps, and cutbacks

MISTRAL SKYWAVE BOARD A long standing name in the watersports world, namely in windsurfing and SUP racing, over the last couple of years Mistral has been making strides to include foiling in their extensive range of watersports offerings with the intent of targeting the intermediate rider who wants to push their limits further.

The Skywave board has a striking shape and appearance that stands out against the ‘standard’ shapes and looks like it draws inspiration from the Mistral windsurfing heritage. A square tail with sharp edges for release at the back smooths into a round nose with a vee’d double concave to aid touchdowns. Multiple strap inserts provide more than sufficient strap possibilities to keep riders happy and a solid and grippy deck pad with full width tail kick completes the interface between rider and board. At 4’11” x 25.5” and 75L with a solid carbon construction ,the board is well suited for the target market of intermediate riders looking to progress their riding across all disciplines and downsize their boards. We tested the Skywave board with the Skywave wings and Sultan Foil. bogging a rail. Its compact nature and solid construction means that the board lends itself to jumping and rotations and those wanting to progress their riding in freestyle as well, though this is not something that we teste

The board is nice and stable even in choppy water despite its shorter length. The volume distribution is more toward the rear of the board making it easy to nose dive if too far forwards, but once you have your position dialed in it is very stable. Getting started on the board is really easy. For a 4’11” it planes very well. Having the volume towards the back lets the rider to stand slightly further back allowing for a bit more planing length allowing the board to build speed thanks to the v hull. We were especially surprised at how easy it was to get the board going in light wind in combination with the 5m Skywave and 1100cm2 Sultan foil, something that the harder rails toward the back of the board also help with allowing the board to release very easily when pumping up.

Mistral have designed a solid and responsive board that covers all disciplines well and complements their range of wing foil products. It is well suited to riders looking to size down to a more neutrally buoyant or smaller board that covers all disciplines whilst still being easy to start for how compact it is.

MISTRAL SKYWAVE BOARD

On foil, the board complements the surfy mid aspect Sultan foil. The board has a very solid feel to it and is responsive and easy to throw around in waves thanks to its more compact shape. It is easy to pump thanks to its low swing weight making connecting bumps and waves a breeze. The touchdowns when riding straight are very forgiving thanks to the generous double concave, though it can cause the board to track a bit. Touching down the rails isn’t an issue thanks to the softer edges allowing you to recover from rail touchdowns in carves. Which means you can focus on your turn as opposed to worrying about T EST E D

1 94

T E S T E D

194

TAKE OFF

ROLL STABILITY

TOUCH DOWN

FORWARD/BACKWARD STABILITY

PUMPING

GENERAL STABILITY

SURFACE TRACKING

DECK COMFORT

can be done as smoothly or aggressively as the rider choses. Lift has also dialed this foil’s ability to breach wingtips. Especially important for a wing with nearly a 30 inch wingspan, you can hear the tips slice out of the water without the usual loss of lift that’s expected with ventilation.

Now you’re probably wondering: why would you go with such a small HA when you could use something like Lift’s 100 Surf V2 for powered up conditions? Well the answer is quite simple: speed, pump, and efficiency. While pumping this wing needs some finesse and requires that the rider stay as high as possible on the mast to pump out to the next wave, the 70HA is so fast through the water that it covers ground multiple times faster than other performance HA wings.

LIFT FOILS 70 HA

The Lift 70HA is the perfect foil for those who enjoyed the 90HA but desire a looser and nimble experience in faster and juicier conditions.

It's a great choice for experienced wingers who want to achieve higher speeds without feeling overpowered or for effortlessly overtaking swells during wing downwinders. Developed by Nick Leason and the Lift team, this foil brings a shortboard-like feel to prone foiling. Embrace the exceptional and push your foiling skills to a new level with the Lift 70 High Aspect!

GLIDE

STALL DROP

PITCH STABILITY

TRACKING

YAW STABILITY

CARVING STABILITY

SPEED RANGE

TURN RADIUS

TAHE ALIZÉ WING Tahe, the brand resulting from the union of the legendary water sports brands BIC Sports and Tahe Outdoor, surely has in its DNA a focus on beginner-friendly, durable products designed to maximize time on the water and family fun. In fact, the result of such a fusion is a brand - as they put it - “dedicated to endless play time on the water with family and friends of every skill level”. And it is with this concept in mind that their new wing foiling gear has been developed.

This approach to the development of wing foiling gear is evident in the Alizé: a wing designed for beginners looking to embark on their journey of learning how to wing foil, but also for enthusiasts and intermediate riders seeking enough performance to take them well beyond the their first steps.

The Alizé stands out for its user-friendly design, making it an excellent choice for beginners taking their first steps into wingfoiling. The wing's moderate aspect ratio and intelligently distributed profile provide a balanced blend of stability and responsiveness. Novices will appreciate its forgiving nature, which allows them to focus on developing their balance and control without feeling overwhelmed.

Available in fou sizes from 3m to 6m, we tested the Alizé wing in the 6m size in different conditions, from flat water light wind conditions, to wave riding conditions. What struck us from the beginning was the versatility of this wing, a product clearly designed to satisfy a wide range of skill levels, from beginners to more advanced riders. On land, the Alizé displays a minimalistic design with a Dacron-only look that, by opting for not including any window, certainly adds to durability and light weight, an ergonomically shaped central strut with a slight up-lift shape and two wide mini-booms for extra control and grip.

Quick inflation and deflation make setup and takedown a breeze, allowing more time on the water and less time preparing equipment.

On the water, the Alizé reveals its versatile spirit. The wing, despite being extremely user-friendly and predictable in flying, has a somehow “rigid” feeling to it that makes it easy to maneuver and relaunch, while its compact design allows you to focus on your ride without being worried about the wingtips touching the water surface. We were especially impressed by the profile distribution of this wing: the sustained canopy tension over the whole surface of the wing made it very responsive to pumping in light winds while at the same time made it

very stable and locked in in stronger winds, reducing the risk of flapping.

We were also positively impressed by the ergonomic shape of the central strut with its slight up-lift that allows the rider to adjust power quickly and easily during the ride while not having to apply too much back hand pressure. This also makes it very efficient while pumping thanks to the recessed position of the rider’s back hang of the strut, allowing for a more relaxed body position overall that certainly increased both time on the water and user-friendliness. To add to this pleasant feeling, the central strut is equipped with two nice and wide mini-booms handles with EVA foam grip that enable you to position your hands precisely for excellent comfort and ensuring a comfortable grip for extended sessions. Again, a nice feature for a product that is supposed to be entry-level but that clearly sports many details that make it suitable for more advanced riders.

In fact, intermediate and expert wingfoilers seeking a versatile wing will find the Alizé a perfect match, for its carefully engineered profile that offers ample stability and efficiency, and its nicely refined ergonomics. Whether you're exploring wingfoiling for the first time or you’re an experienced rider, the Alizé signature dynamic handling will allow you to push your limits and get you from your first session well into your wingfoiling journey.

TAHE ALIZÉ WING POWER DEVELOPMENT

OVERALL STABILITY

DEPOWER ABILITY

UPWIND PERFORMANCE

RESTING STATE ABILITY

SETUP SPEED

AGILITY

DURABILITY

T E ST E D

195

T E S T E D

195

GA GTX WING FOIL SET Dutch brand Gaastra originally started up as a Victorian sailmaker at the turn of the 19th century but are most famous recently for being one of the enduring windsurf brands founded in 1980. This timeframe is probably longer than half our readership have been alive. They were onboard with windfoiling early doors, and it’s a natural progression for a brand with such a rich heritage to aim some products specifically for the wingfoil market, and we were presented with the GA Foils sub brand which contains all their wing-related offerings.

On test is the GTX Wing Foil set, which bases itself around an extremely stiff tapered, full carbon mast sitting at 97cm long (sidenote: we have it on good authority that there’s an 85cm version coming soon too). The whole package arrives with neat, tailored EVA covers for each component, and a decent sized carry bag with a leaf system internally to pad out in between items. All fixings are M6 on the system and accept a T30 Torx driver.

The mast’s top section and base plate connection is absolutely solid with a generous amount of carbon. It’s an open toe design for ease of fitting, and the foil box fixings includes some neat bespoke washers which locate themselves with a small indent; they are also reversible to allow for more extreme track positions. The mast tapers down gently both in chord and profile to a slimmer recessed head joint at the fuselage, which attaches firmly with three M6 Torx bolts. Torsional-wise we were extremely impressed with the stiffness of the system, and our rudimentary ‘in-garage’ deflection tests translated to a zero delay feeling when on the water, even when over a larger span of mast of nearly a meter.

The fuselage is a relatively slimline CNC-milled aluminum affair, accepting three more M6 bolts for the front wing and they sit in line and do an ample job of locking on the front wing with little movement. The nose of the fuselage sits on top of the wing rather than being recessed into it, but it’s a fairly hydrodynamically clean iteration of this popular design across the industry. Two small locating points match two holes in the front wing to maintain perfect alignment, which is an intelligent touch.

We were supplied with two MP (Maximum Performance) front wings in 1490 and 1090 which would form a sensible quiver for an 80kg intermediate rider and above. These have a traditional delta outline and generous taper into the tips, hinting immediately at eager roll characteristics, which it certainly achieves. There’s a light concave in the trailing edge of the foil profile in the middle of the wing which fades gently out to the wingtips, which have a hint of downturn. The nose of both front wings has a pronounced point to it rather than a radius, making for a purposeful looking profile.

In the water, we found this system aligns itself well with more progressive mid to high-aspect platforms. The mast feels very solid, and its taper means it’s quick when riding high. 97cm is quite a long mast, and allowed for some decent upwind angles as well as plenty of margin for error when dropping into a bumpy wave face.

The MP1490 has an impressive low end, and the speed range continues up to quite a decent pace. We utilized this for some lighter wind sessions and were impressed with the comfortable speed range and glide characteristics. The MP1090 is a significantly more performant beast, requiring more positive wind conditions to get going; once up, it sits in its speed range comfortably and provides some excellent glide. Roll-wise, it sits in the magic span region of around 90cm with those tapered tips easing its rail-to-rail transition.

The 62cm fuse we were supplied with made for an entertaining ride but still maintained decent pitch stability throughout the speed range; we

T EST E D

1 96

T E S T E D

196

thought the more performant foil matches this fuse size well, but the 72cm could certainly be employed for a more timid rider getting to grips with the system, or to make the pump cadence a more mellow affair.

The 210 is the smallest and most performant stabilizer offering from GA; it’s completely flat in the tips, running top mounted on the fuse. It feels quite rapid and loose when required, and comes with various shim options which we had a play with, and we found a single +1 degree shim seemed to spice up the turning, without increasing front foot pressure drastically. The foil preferred to run more or less central on our foil box, where other more progressive high-aspect systems would sit right at the front so trimming it across board brands should be simple.

The GTX foil system seems unashamedly aimed at wind-propelled foil sports and provides a surprising amount of performance and high-end carbon in an unassuming package. It’s going to suit anyone from intermediates perfecting their gybes to far more advanced riders. The solid nature and stiffness of the system balances speed, maneuverability and glide well, resulting in an easy-to-access and performant system.

GA GTX WING FOIL SET GLIDE

STALL DROP

PITCH STABILITY

TRACKING

YAW STABILITY

CARVING STABILITY

SPEED RANGE

TURN RADIUS

WE MAKE NEW RIDERS

Every Day

ZERO

HERO

Now Offering Zero to Hero Wing Camps LESSONS |

CAMPS |

OFFSITE COACHING

| GEAR

REALWAT E R SP ORTS.C OM | (252) 987.60 0 0 | CAPE HAT TERAS, NC

197

ARMSTRONG APF 1880 While the Armstrong high aspect series have been and still are great pumping foils, Armstrong has hit the pump and flatwater game head on with their new APF series. Aptly called the Armstrong Pump Foil, the 1880, 1675, and Pump 202 tail are here to redefine pump foiling for beginners and experts. Engineered in collaboration with aerospace engineer and renowned aftermarket tail designer, Chris Porter, this unique wing was designed with the clear objective to provide progression for flatwater pumping, personal records, and the first tastes of downwinding on small bumps. The key to unlock the potential of this series was to offer significantly low stall speeds and pitch stability without losing maneuverability for wings their size.

For our testing, we used the APF 1880, which Armstrong advises for advanced pump foilers under 90kg and progressing riders over 90kg.

Even though this 1880cm front wing has a bold span of 1302cm, it has a surprisingly lower aspect ratio than you’d think, at 9.2:1. We paired the APF 1880 with its complementary Pump 202 tail and extra stiff 795 Performance mast. We tried it on a variety of prone boards, as well as a current generation narrow SUP downwind board.

We tested this foil in a range of conditions, from flat water to small waves and micro wind bumps. If you’re not used to riding a “pump wing” it's a good idea to anticipate that you’ll experience a different foil behavior than what you’re used to for surf or wing foiling. The first thing we noticed was how much initial lift the APF 1880 had. Any slight forward movement with the foil through the water would create lift. A strong indication of a low stall speed, this enabled us to do dock and rock starts without having to run up to speed. This early lift also makes the foil pump more off the front foot, allowing us to put our hands further forward on the board when setting up and match its balance point. While pump foils tend to be very spanny and track with a mind of their own, usually resulting in total loss of maneuverability, the 1880 was surprisingly easier than expected to control and bank turns with.

less strokes and effort than thinner high aspect foils. After dialing the flat water pop up, we noticed that the APF would pick up bump energy from even the smallest waves and wind bumps. Being able to ride the foil at the slow speeds of lightwind chop let us milk every bit of energy from ripples that we previously thought unrideable. This made it fun to practice downwind in lakes or bays that don’t usually get fast moving or large windswell bumps.

The Armstrong Pump Foil 1880 is a remarkable addition to the world of pump foiling, setting a new benchmark for efficiency and stability.

Whether you're an experienced or an aspiring rider, embrace the glide, push your boundaries, and experience next level of pump and downwind training with the Armstrong APF series.

The cadence of the pump is also intuitive, allowing you to lightly bounce effortlessly to maintain the ideal height on the mast and comfortably hold a cruising speed. Due to the higher camber profiles of both the front and back wings, the APF won’t be moving with the same overall speed as the high aspect series, but this actually allows riders to focus on pump technique. This grants the glide and time to either gently pump off the calves or focus on isolating different muscles without early fatigue. We also found the APF 1880 to be exceptionally pitch stable, which helped us concentrate on getting into a smooth rhythm and cover more distance with less effort.

ARMSTRONG APF 1880

After testing at the docks, we threw the APF set on our downwind SUP to practice flat water pop ups. Unlike other wings we’ve used, you immediately feel the sensation of lift with the first few paddle strokes. So instead of focusing on being back footed and scooting back on the board to get lift, we found that maintaining the initial stance and putting more weight on the front foot while paddling up to speed helped to smoothly lift out of the water with significantly

T EST E D

1 98

T E S T E D

198

GLIDE

STALL DROP

PITCH STABILITY

TRACKING

YAW STABILITY

CARVING STABILITY

SPEED RANGE

TURN RADIUS

199

FR

A

R

ESH

R I VA L

S

INBOUND

D U OTO NE VE NT IS & V E N T IS D /L AB

A double drop from the team at Duotone, with not one but two new Ventis wings hitting the shelves, both built for light winds and one featuring an increasingly familiar golden airframe… We hit up Team Duotone for more.

20 0

I N B O U N D

200

Kudos on two new wings, team! Please tell us what kind of conditions the Ventis is built for, and what’s been the thinking behind the design?

Ventis wings work in the lightest of winds for the heaviest of riders. Their truncated leading edge tips minimize tip strikes, their deep profiles maximize power to get foiling, and their superior canopy tension and stability maximize wind range and controllability when they get fully powered up.

Tip struts add weight, but they permit the leading edge to be truncated. The truncated part of the leading edge is the part that hits the water most on other big wings, so Ventis wings are easier to pump up on foil without tip strikes. Tip struts also offer an opportunity to make the profile of the canopy near the tip quite deep and powerful. This contributes to the pumpability and early foiling ability of the Ventis wings.

And how about the D/LAB version?

The Ventis D/LAB is much like the standard Ventis, but stiffer and lighter. Anyone can benefit from the lower weight.

Heavier riders can benefit from the greater stiffness that Aluula offers. We made the Ventis D/LAB leading edge a little smaller in diameter, as too much stiffness can make the Ventis difficult to pump efficiently. Different riders will find different amounts of stiffness work best for them.

Tell us a bit about the construction that’s gone into both variations of the Ventis…

The standard Ventis and D/LAB Ventis have leading edge and strut construction similar to the relevant versions of the Unit, but the canopy material of the Ventis is all 50-gram ripstop rather than a mix of 50-gram and Mod3. We went with 100% 50-gram ripstop because we wanted to make the Ventis as light as possible.

For those who are not already aware, what is D/LAB and how does it figure into the Duotone R&D? Our D/LAB wings explore the limits of material science and engineering as they apply to wing design. We explore the limits without concern for cost and effort. The trend in D/ LAB has been to introduce more and more components that are based on UHMWPE materials, like Dyneema, Aluula, Cuben Fiber and others. Benefits of D/LAB construction include lower weight, better stiffness, greater wind range, and greater stability, both when luffing and when sheeted in.

How would a rider distinguish which wing he or she needs when choosing between standard construction and the ALUULA-built D/LAB version? What are the factors to consider there?

Standard construction works well for everyone, as even the heaviest Ventis wings are pretty light and even the biggest Ventis wings are stiff enough for all riders. That said, D/ LAB wings are good for everyone because they are lighter than standard wings. The bigger the wing, the greater the weight benefit from D/LAB construction. The stiffness of D/ LAB construction is a benefit mainly to heavy riders – riders over 80 kilos – and riders who otherwise put a lot of load on their wings. Big jumpers and racers can benefit from D/LAB construction, even if they aren’t very heavy. Ultimately it’s also a question of budget of course.

Talk to us about the recent patent sharing with F-ONE – how did the collaboration come about?

Where have you been testing both wings? Did you actively seek out light wind conditions?

Duotone and F-ONE share a similar mindset of supporting and growing the sport and its market. With Duotone we have been at the forefront of wing foiling innovations right from the beginning of the sport. The CWC is an interesting concept for winging in light winds and with bigger wing sizes. We found an agreement between Duotone and F-ONE that helps both brands to develop further.

We test Ventis wings in winds ranging from 5 to 12 knots, sometimes gusting to 15 or 18. We seek out light, gusty wind conditions in a variety of places in both Europe and the US.

We have so many ideas to develop that it’s impossible to work on them all! But you can be sure we won’t stop investing in innovation and product excellence.

201

I N B O U N D

2 01

FR

A

R

ESH

R I VA L

S

INBOUND

A X I S SP IT FIR E

We (and much of the foiling community) had been anticipating the arrival of the Spitfire well in advance, as rumors swirled and “chatter” got increasingly louder. It arrived to suitable fanfare from AXIS fans, and we swiftly got in touch with the AXIS team to find out a little more.

20 2

I N B O U N D

2 02

The Spitfire has been a whisper on the lips of foilers for quite some time now, with some very exciting photos floating around the internet. Has it been a simple process to get it to market?

From a product development and design perspective, much of the foundation for Spitfire stemmed from the ARTPRO development programme that started almost two years ago.

About a year ago we identified the need for a modern versatile performance medium chord length wing in our range to rejuvenate our Surf offering. Design progression was rapid, but we took our time to rejuvenate the packaging and appearance of the product to reflect our vision.

What were the key points that set your design direction?

We had a very ambitious vision for this new wing – Its primary purpose, to serve the needs of our performance surf riders, while being versatile enough to use across many other disciplines. The list of must-haves was a long one, and included: • Gentle lift for effortless take-offs.

• Turning that more closely imitates actual surfing, allowing riders to stay more in the pocket, with a smooth transition from rail to rail.

• Capable of operating smoothly at variable speeds as waves steepen and become faster or slow and lose energy.

• Excellent recovery from breaching, white-water hits and aerial re-entry.

• Great pump to link waves.

How does it fit in with the rest of the AXIS range from a performance perspective?

The Spitfire sits alongside the ART range and the HPS ranges, and we believe it complements both, as a more targeted Surf offering.

How does the Spitfire handle breaches? And what’s been implemented here to assist that?

Its distinctive elliptical outline, straight median line and lack of aggressive turndown through the tips, that taper smoothly from the center to the tips, encourage smooth, predictable water flow.

So just how much of the Spitfire’s DNA comes out of AXIS Research Team (ART/ARTPRO) R&D? Nothing happens in isolation, as indicated earlier everything about the Spitfire is a direct result of the progression in development that started with the original ART and has evolved from there. We have been making elliptical wings albeit with chopped-off tips since the first ART’s. Much has been refined since, with the reduction in sweep creating a straight median line, paired with very little turndown in the tips.

What’s the feedback been like from the team? We saw some amazing shots of Luke Atkinson…

Everyone is fizzing about them, everyone has their favorite for different reasons and conditions. Our riders like Luke Atkinson and Edo Tanas (seen in this magazine – Ed.) are demonstrating some of the awesome potential stored up in these wings.

You guys are very prolific with your product releases and have one of the most comprehensive ranges out there. Anything else in the pipeline you want to divulge now?

With the recent downwind events in Hawaii, like the M2M, Paddle Imua and M2O, our soon to be released ARTPRO range made a bit of a stir. Taking Olivia Piana, Edo Tanas, Kai Lenny and Perth Standlick to very respectable placing against the best in the world. It seems AXIS is incapable of

bringing a product to market sneakily, haha!

There is always something new and exciting we are working on. As we are focused on not just one foiling sport, but multiple foiling disciplines, our R&D team never stops, and is continuously developing and improving. The recent Maui experience and specifically the Molokai 2 Oahu race, proved our foils are now as fast as anything on the market, but there is still so much we can do.

2 03

I N B O U N D

2 03

FR

A

R

ESH

R I VA L

S

INBOUND

ARMSTRONG A-WING XPS

A new design for a new A-Wing from the Armstrong camp, one with all kinds of fresh tech and a good sprinkling of Armie Armstrong magic dust, no doubt. We dropped the team a line.

20 4

I N B O U N D

204

So a brand new wing and this time with three letters after its name. Please first tell us what the XPS stands for?

It’s short for cross panel sail design, which is the way the various panels that make up the canopy are arranged. The XPS layout optimizes tension with diagonal seams radiating from the load points at the center and the tips of the canopy, distributing the warp and stretch of the fabric evenly under load. This is something inspired by the sailing world and does a lot for the wing’s performance and durability.

How much evolution can we expect from the previous A-Wing?

The XPS is a brand new wing from the ground up. Like with every Armstrong design, the goal in development was to meticulously craft the most connected, intuitive and inspiring ride we could. Between the outline and profile, canopy layout and materials, and new carbon handles, the XPS offers riders a cutting edge platform for freeriding, waveriding and freestyle.

The handle design is quite unique, could you tell us the thinking behind this?

Dubbed the HCH or hybrid carbon handles, they’re truly the best of the hard and soft handle worlds. The interior skeleton is made from a piece of molded carbon covered with a thin layer of foam that’s just the right thickness to balance comfort and direct feel/responsiveness. A-stays on either end of the handles really lock them down laterally onto the strut, creating an ultra solid but comfortable feel when the wing is inflated. The front handle is slightly tilted relative to the strut to minimize pressure on the rider’s wrist when sheeted in, improving upwind ability and comfort.

The canopy is one of the tightest we’ve seen, tell us about how you’ve achieved this and how it makes the wing perform.

The aforementioned cross panel sail layout is definitely a factor, as is the pre-loaded design which fills out to its tautest, most optimal shape when powered up. The removable carbon battens also play a role in flattening out the canopy and minimizing trailing edge flutter under load. The top tier Dacron cloth tops it off with minimal warp and stretch that will maintain its durability over time.

Did you test any alternative Dacrons and canopy materials, and how did you decide which to put into production?

We tested a substantial number of fabrics across the board including the exotic varieties like Aluula and UPE. For the XPS, we landed on a combination of modern lightweight Dacron double layers with the top standard weight Dacron plus UPE reinforcements. By intentionally incorporating a bit more flex in this material choice than some of the exotics, the XPS effectively “breathes” through gusty air for a broader wind range and more comfortable experience.

Who’s been behind the scenes working on this?

Armie is always at the core of our product testing and development process – his vision and experience in foiling and sailing are invaluable, especially when creating a wing like this. For the XPS, we had the opportunity to collaborate with who we believe to be the top wing designers at the moment.

This partnership led to a very fruitful R&D process driven by our collective experience and understanding, the result being a wing we’re super stoked on. As always, our team riders provided immense real world testing feedback from a variety of locations and disciplines, and our manufacturing team made it all a reality.

Finally, how’s it been received by your multitude of team riders?

Given that we designed this wing in large part around their feedback, safe to say our team riders are stoked! Watching the XPS get launched, flipped, often landed on, and generally sent all around the world from waves to freestyle is the kind of positive reception from the team that we look for. Beyond our team, we’re excited to continue bringing the A-Wing XPS to customers so that they too can get inspired to push their progression on the water..

205

I N B O U N D

2 05

FR

A

R

ESH

R I VA L

S

INBOUND

F LYSU R FE R TAO

New in from Flysurfer is the TAO, a wave/freeride/freestyle wing that’s light and playful and ticks a lot of boxes. It’s been given the thumbs up by our test team (read about that earlier on) so we thought we’d dig a little deeper…

20 6

I N B O U N D

206

We’ve heard good things already team! Firstly, give us an overview of the TAO’s technical highlights…

We were focusing heavily on weight reduction to improve the overall feel of the wing. Keeping the wing affordable was another primary goal. The noticeable technical changes include an ergonomic strut, front handle, thinner leading edge, and the absence of windows and extra handles. Furthermore, the wingtip twist, V-shape, and sail tension have been revised.

It joins the MOJO in the Flysurfer wing lineup. What are the major differences between the two, and what kind of rider will lean towards the TAO? The TAO is simply more playful, performant throughout the wind range, and less exhausting to ride. It is better for freestyle, quick turns, and advanced gybes or tacks. The MOJO is perfect for heavy riders who enjoy more grunt to get going easily. It has advantages in light breezes and is the better choice when you access the sport. The difference you feel from the get-go is the overall weight reduction by 20% in direct comparison.

Have you kept the same unique touches to the brand handle system on the TAO? Yes, we like the feel of our handles and the grip, and the comfort they provide. We have been experimenting with other configurations that best suit the surf/wave style. Besides that, this configuration has advantages for schools, preventing the user from getting injured and the equipment from being damaged.

Have you experimented with any new materials on the TAO? There were plenty of prototypes with different lightweight materials. We didn’t like them due to their durability or stretch. We stick to a standard mix to keep the price low, and the product should be easy to maintain and repair. The TAO is the best option if you are looking from a performance/ durability/price perspective.

Have any of the team fed into the design?

Yes, mainly our South African crew around Nathan Van Vuuren fed into the design. Our wing designer, Maximilian Kühnhauser, feels blessed to have access to their feedback.

The TAO truly reflects their great teamwork. Shoutout to Nate, Tyler, Jake, and Luke.

We looked up the meaning of TAO and it essentially means “the way” - is the TAO the way?

“This is the way.” Apologies for the Star Wars reference. It stands for a way to find balance in life. It reflects how the wing feels: fast in a straight line, agile when needed, and steady when it should be. Intuitive from the first session on, to the extent that you forget about the wing in your hands.

207

I N B O U N D

2 07

FR

A

R

ESH

R I VA L

S

INBOUND

TA KUMA R IS E

Downwind is on the rise... and very much literally in Takuma’s case, with their brand new downwind-dedicated board.

Well the Rise looks like a sleek machine indeed. Could you give us an overview of what tech lies within the board?

The Rise truly embodies our excitement for this year! We've combined the technology from our other wing and prone boards to create the Rise model. The G-Deck, a total game-changer, revolutionizes comfort and take-off dynamics by establishing a perfect 50/50 balance between front and back foot, ensuring optimal posture. Additional-

20 8

I N B O U N D

208

ly, we've incorporated ample volume at the nose, a strategic move that significantly enhances take-off capabilities, balance, and offers a gentle touchdown. When it comes to construction, we've gone the extra mile to ensure it's the epitome of lightweight, durability, and impact protection, especially when used with a paddle. This technology is crucial in achieving the ultimate all-round board design. With three size options available – 100L, 110L, and 120L – selecting the right board becomes effortlessly clear, catering precisely to your requirements, intended usage, and conditions!

Downwinding has really taken off this year. Why do you think it’s having its moment in the sun?

At Takuma, we've always had a soft spot for downwinding, and lots of dedicated foilers have been enjoying it for quite a while. But this year, it's like the excitement has gone through the roof, and there are many reasons behind it. One thing is that the gear has gotten so much better, making downwinding way more accessible to everyone. Thanks to the new style narrow and long board like our Rise model, taking off without being towed in is now super easy. Then the coolest thing about downwinding is that it's totally your own adventure. Depending on the weather and what gear you are using, you can chase speed for an adrenaline rush, go for those deep styling carves, or even tight and speedy turns. It's all about that unmatched feeling of being in sync and having the freedom to ride your way. Almost like the vibes you get from snowboarding or skiing! So, no wonder downwinding is making waves – it's pure, and so much fun.

Does the Rise have potential as a crossover wing board?

Definitely, the Rise board is a total all-rounder! You can take it for a spin while downwinding, cruising, or even when the wind is just teasing. It's super easy to take off which means you can use a much smaller wing and therefore just spend much more time on the water.

Did you experiment with any other tail shapes? How did you decide on the final production model?

Absolutely, we've been diving deep into downwind board shapes for quite some time now. We even ventured into experimenting with unconventional and, well, let's just say "quirky" shapes. But in the end, we circled back to simpler shapes and lines that offer versatile performance. The ample volume and sleek tail provide stability and a gradual takeoff – it might be a tad less bouncy, but it offers an incredibly smooth glide when taking off. After numerous rounds of testing in various conditions with different riders, we locked in the production model. Our main goal was to create a board that's a true all-rounder – suitable for winging, stand up paddling, proning in waves, and of course mastering downwinding.

What foil setup are you recommending to pair with this?

I'd definitely recommend our Kujira II foils. Depending on your experience level and the conditions you're dealing with, the 1400 to 950 range would be right up your alley. These foils are not only incredibly easy to handle but also a complete blast when it comes to downwind action. You'll get a great mix of performance and the ability to carve up the waves like a pro. While we do have something pretty exciting in the pipeline that's geared towards high glide, speed, and all-out performance, the Kujira II remains the absolute champion of pure fun!

Which Rise riders should we be keeping an eye on out there?

In reality, it's the riders who are having an absolute blast out there! We're not on the hunt for those aiming to be contest champions; instead, we're all about the ones who are soaking up every ounce of enjoyment. Most of our riders are using the Rise board for prone downwind. It's like they're seeking the thrill of freedom and pure fun rather than gunning for top performance or the fastest runs imaginable. It's all about the ride that brings the most smiles!

Finally – and you’ve already teased a little on this – anything else incoming from Takuma that we should know about?!

Absolutely, there's a lot in the works that we're super excited about, but we can't spill the beans just yet as we're gearing up for the big launch. What I can say is that we're introducing a fresh line of foils that's bound to make waves in the foiling world. Trust me, the anticipation is real…

209

I N B O U N D

2 09

FR

A

R

ESH

R I VA L

S

INBOUND

E L E V E IGHT GT 1+

It was a session in the surf in Portugal that saw the first stirrings of what was to become the GT1+, Eleveight’s new performance freeride wing. Intrigued beings as we are, we set about finding out more…

21 0

I N B O U N D

210

Hi team. Firstly, please give us an overview of the new GT1+, and how it sits in the range alongside the WFS V4…

The new GT1+ was developed in response to the need for a high-performance wing that's very lightweight to meet the demands of the advancing wave and freeride market. As the sport has evolved, we see that experienced wing foilers require more performance with very direct control. The GT1+ is a bit more specific to this market with a lighter and stiffer frame and our exchangeable handle system which gives the rider some custom piloting options. In comparison, our WFS wing is a classic all-rounder suited to all levels and conditions.

In which disciplines does it excel in, and why?

The GT1+ is a performance freeride wing with specific attention to neutral drift and maximum maneuverability. It makes it a perfect companion for wave riding or long downwind sessions.

Tell us more about the XTC TEX material you’re using in the airframe…

In our wing range, we experimented with a lot of different materials. We wanted to minimize deformation and elongation under force, yet also achieve a weight reduction in the overall inflatable structure.

XTC TEX is a high-modulus fabric that's durable and tear-resistant. Engineered with double-coated technology, XTC TEX's secret is in every yarn. First, a resistant resin is applied to the yarn even before its woven, and then once woven, the resin is applied again for additional strength. The result is a much lighter fabric that's five times more tear resistant.

Used in the leading edge and struts, XTC TEX is highly durable with a direct feeling and it remains stable under load.

And how about the options in your CS Handle system, what can you tell us there?

The innovative exchangeable CS Handle system allows you to change between a soft handle with light and easy control, or a rigid option with more direct control to suit your preferred riding style. Ride the GT1+ with a traditional soft handle, or switch options easily by simply inserting the tension brace to give the rider a more direct feeling.

Talk to us about the canopy layout and seaming, this looks like an intricate design?

For the GT1+ we used our own well-known X4 ripstop which has fantastic durability and less wear and tear. The panel cut itself aims for efficient canopy load distribution ensuring a flatter and more rigid profile that gives less deformation and also dynamic power development. We paid special attention to the trailing edge with more panels and seaming to allow us to increase the canopy tension in this area. The result helps create a stable profile that gives better performance when riding upwind with a stable, neutral drift.

The dual infill panel is quite a unique design, give us the lowdown on that?

Indeed, our highly innovative dual-infill panel is pretty unique as it adds advanced profile support between the strut and canopy. The result reduces turbulence and creates natural drift as well as controls any stretch.

Tell us a little about the R&D. How does your development cycle work?

The GT1+ has an interesting story regarding its development process. The team were all surfing in Portugal and discussing the products in our line-up. Phil Martin, one of the founders, paddled out after a decent wave and had this sparkling idea about a new wing. He is an advanced wing rider and clearly laid out the concept and performance for this product. While still on the water, Peter Stiewe got excited as he already had this new inflatable material tested which was the perfect match for the idea, then added some ideas re-

garding a new handle system with an option between a rigid and a soft system!

After his next wave Phil came back with a big smile: “I have a name – GT1!”. We were all stoked about the idea and the new GT1 project was born. That was over a year ago and the starting point of the GT1+. Some weeks later, we had already tried the first prototypes using new material and the first approach for our CS Handle system. Peter Stiewe worked on several prototypes with intensive testing in Portugal, Brazil and Guadeloupe. For the handle system, we developed our own mould to ensure easy usability and maximum grip comfort. The final GT1+ was approved in March this year with a product release in May. And how about testing? How and where does that take place, and who’s been out there on the front line?

We rely on a small and experienced test pool. At the core of all our developments and testing is Peter Stiewe, our mastermind in R+D. He tests the products with different riders in different locations in Europe, Brazil and Sri Lanka. He also receives a lot of feedback from our performance French team who spend countless hours in the water and try all of our foil products in all sorts of conditions.

211

I N B O U N D

211

FR

A

R

ESH

R I VA L

S

INBOUND

R R D W I N D WING B O O M

Boom indeed. RRD are back with a brand new wing, with much of the focus on its unique new handle system. It really does look the business, so we’re aiming to test one for the next issue, but in the meantime, we went looking for answers…

21 2

I N B O U N D

212

So guys, firstly is this a fully new version of the popular Wind Wing?

Hi! Yes, this is a totally new wing, new shape, new construction, totally new system to attach the boom. What I can say is it’s a real revolution. Its monolithic boom-ends and the increased middle strut diameter make the wing super solid, allowing you to control every single move, with millimetric precision, especially in gusty conditions.

Tell us about the boom construction – what marks this one out from the rest?

It is a two-piece full carbon boom, featuring an iron push-pin connector and enhanced with a manually sanded grip. The unique feature of the Wind Wing Boom lies in its attachment system. The boom can be securely affixed to the middle strut through a stainless steel plate positioned between the middle bladder and the Dacron material. This innovative and robust system has been conceived and tested by RRD. Did you go through many iterations to arrive at the perfect boom design?

We dedicated two years of rigorous effort to ultimately arrive at the optimal solution. This achievement was made possible thanks to the invaluable feedback from our riders, customers, and agents. While rigorously testing numerous models available in the market, we managed to achieve remarkable wing performance, coupled with an aesthetically pleasing design.

What other changes are Wind Wing fans going to find in the Wind Wing Boom?

It’s probably easiest just to list these off. They are: • Unparalleled rigidity and performance • Tailored performance and convenience • Optimized aerodynamics • Uncompromising stability and visibility • Advanced Dual Valve inflate/deflate system • Cutting-edge 45° Diamond Grid Canopy • Wide windows = greater visibility • New light safety leash with neoprene wrist band • Delivered in a padded and functional backpack Can you talk us through the materials you’ve used for the wing, and the Diamond Grid?

The wing is crafted using double ripstop fabric and Dacron, but the significant distinction arises from our Diamond Grid constuction. This unique feature imbues the wing with greater rigidity compared to other wings available on the market.

Through thorough testing, we confidently affirm this difference in performance.

What kind of rider is the Wind Wing Boom pitched at?

This wing is suitable for everyone. We've noticed that it's incredibly user-friendly, quick to set up, and very easy to ride, accommodating various riding styles. As Francesco Cappuzzo highlights, this wing excels in slalom conditions, delivering exceptional performance.

213

I N B O U N D

213

FR

A

R

ESH

R I VA L

S

INBOUND

OZO N E FLU X V1

Now we’re several generations into wings, they’re becoming quite the sophisticated pieces of kit, with design being finessed and effective materials placed where they should be.

This is where we’re at as Ozone release the new Flux – and having been through 80 iterations before arriving on shelves, they certainly weren’t messing about with making sure they nailed it…

Another wing we’ve been hearing good things about. Tell us all about the Flux V1, and the kind of rider who should be popping it on their Christmas list nice and early?

bility and big wind range that comes from the tighter canopy. Thanks to new materials and the pre-loaded leading edge, the Flux maintains prime shape in greater wind speeds, and therefore offers more control, which is also thanks to the fact that we’ve been able to really reduce the effects of drag.

Our aim when setting out the parameters for the Flux was to try to design a wing that put the highest priority on the things that aid the improvement of freeride wingers most: speed with control. A lot of your riding progress comes from the management of speed and we felt that, while the foils themselves were speeding up underwater, we needed a wing to match them. That’s not to say you need to be riding fast on the Flux all the time because one of its greatest handling benefits is the sta-

21 4

I N B O U N D

Load it up and the Flux will keep its shape and create more usable power instead of deforming. As for who wants to put it on their Christmas lists? Well, we’d say, anyone who wants to get up to blistering speeds and enjoy staggering aerodynamic performance, for jumping, carving, wave riding, racing and everything in between.

214

Also of worthy note are the ergonomically angled front and back carbon fiber handles with EVA grip, which provide maximum control and comfort with incredible feel and response. You become super connected to the wind.

We read that you went through a high number of prototypes to get to the final version. How many exactly, and can you give us a little insight into your R&D process?

We made more than 80 prototypes for the Flux, which is unusual, but a high percentage of those were focused on the trialing of new materials. Since we started the Flux journey two years ago, a lot has changed in the material market, but it’s about more than just choosing a lightweight material.

Learning how to best work with them is vitally important and we found that, although some may be very light, they weren’t very easy to implement into manufacture alongside other materials. In a wing it’s crucial to be able to harmonize materials alongside each other to guarantee strength alongside excellent aerodynamic performance, which is always top priority for us.

Material development is very interesting in wings at the moment. As they are so small in area compared to a kite or a paraglider, the forces upon the canopy and structure are very focused on a smaller amount of material, so we really looked at how to not only improve performance, but also add longevity to the product. As it happens, reducing flutter and drag not only aids handling performance through better aerodynamics, but also helps the product last at peak performance for longer.

Owning our own factory gives us the unique advantage to have 100% access to a full time prototyping department, so whenever we develop a new product, we’re never really starting from scratch and we have a good idea of what needs to be changed. We usually hit around 10 or maybe 15 prototypes, but given these changes to the newly available materials, and really that wing design in general is in a state of ‘Flux’ in terms of asking wings to now do far more, we embarked on a much longer and more diversified journey towards a final product.

Talk to us about the new module you've implemented for OzCAD, your own bespoke design software. How did you modify it to accommodate wings rather than kites?

We can’t go too much into detail but having our own design software allows us to make changes where needed very quickly. We have Stu Yarrow working on it full time to maintain and implement the required changes that our designers may request. For the wings we recently added a feature that allows the leading edge to be preloaded which puts more tension into the sail and helps achieve the cleaner and tighter sail on the Flux V1.

What advantage does OzCAD have over more off-the-shelf design products?

For us, the advantage is that we can make quick changes if required. Those might come from the designers, but also from our factory as they continuously try to streamline the manufacturing processes, often requiring changes in the files that they receive from OzCad. For prototyping, our software produces files that are ready to send directly to the laser cutters, whereas files from other platforms would need to be extensively modified before they could be sewn in our factory with the level of accuracy that we are working to.

The Flux has some really interesting materials implemented, can you talk us through where and why?

We found that the best blend of materials to achieve the high-performance ride feel we wanted, across a wide range of wind conditions while providing a super connected feel for the rider, was to use a 125g performance Dacron on the leading edge and strut. We have a thicker canopy material on the leading and trailing edges that surround a lighter

canopy cloth in the middle. The structure is further strengthened thanks to the placement of more horizontal panels, distributing the load better along the warp of the fabric. None of these materials are exclusive to Ozone; we just spent a long time working out how best to implement them.

We noticed Johnny Heineken flying the Flux at the St Francis Yacht Club Spring WingDing which we covered last issue (where he came 1st incidentally). What’s Johnny’s feedback been, and did he factor into the R&D? Johnny is a phenomenal athlete who has become completely enthralled by wingfoiling. Having him onboard, testing our prototypes and sharing his incredible insights from pushing our products in extremely high-performance situations around demanding race courses, is invaluable. If we can make high performance more accessible, then we can also make products that become easier and easier to use for general freeriders. Johnny is far more than just a racer though; he’s a full shredding freerider. He says of the Flux: “The Flux is better for all types of riding that I do. The stability and rigidity of the sail shape along with reduced drag provide obvious performance benefits when riding with power from the wing, but the improvement is just as noticeable during transitions and when flagged out wave riding.”

215

I N B O U N D

215

FR

A

R

ESH

R I VA L

S

INBOUND

A K NOMAD

There’s no sitting-on-laurels at AK Durable Supply Co HQ, where the team once again produce the goods in the form of the new light wind/downwind focused Nomad board. We got in touch with the crew in Cape Town…

Firstly, tell us what the key concept is behind the all-new Nomad?

As a light wind and downwind focused board, what have you gone for construction wise?

The Nomad concept was centered around building the ultimate light wind wing board that is also versatile enough to use as a surf, paddle-up, and downwind SUP. We knew that if we could get a certain amount of glide speed, you would be able to pop up onto foil with ease. We also wanted a board that was very comfortable off foil, as we believed that anybody who was chasing light wind would most likely spend a fair amount of time off foil. Once on foil, we worked to optimize the length and swing weight of the board, making it fun to pump and still maneuverable enough to throw around.

21 6

I N B O U N D

Being a light wind and downwind focused board, it had to be lightweight to ensure maximum glide, but also super strong. We have used our Active Carbon construction, which has proven itself in our Phazer and Compact ranges. The Nomad has a full biaxial carbon top deck, wood sandwich standing area, and a heavy duty foil connection. Covering a lightweight fused EPS core, the Active Carbon construction creates an extremely strong and stiff standing area, while being ultra lightweight.

216

The foiling world is moving pretty quickly right… Did you foresee the emergence of downwinding?

Our R&D team has been active in the wing downwinding scene for the last few years, and a few from a SUP background started pushing the paddle downwinding, but the question has always been how commercial each of these aspects of the sport will be. At this stage, wing downwinding is still the biggest standout, but the SUP foil downwind side is quickly growing.

I do not doubt that downwinding will continue to emerge and attract many foilers. With advances in equipment, it is becoming increasingly more accessible. There is nothing quite like chasing big ocean swells and riding endless lines at the mercy of Mother Nature. Downwinding offers a unique and immersive way to connect with nature and experience the sheer force and beauty of the elements.

You must have some good downwinder options in your backyard, can you take us through the options you have?

We are fortunate enough to have great downwind options in our backyard. Cape Town, South Africa, is renowned for its strong south-easterly winds, commonly known as the "Cape Doctor”. These winds are prevalent during the summer months, typically from November to March. The Millers Point to Fish Hoek run, a very popular run, which is about 7.27 miles, takes advantage of these strong south-easterly winds that get upwards of 40 knots. We also have the Milnerton to Big Bay downwind run in Table Bay, with groups doing this daily in the summer. We can also sneak over to Witsands on the west side in the North-Westerly winds, but this can be tricky in bigger swells.

What would you recommend for someone just getting into downwinding – what size should they go for and what would you pair it up with, foil wise?

For riders between 60-80kg, we recommend the 90L, between 75-95kg, the 115L is ideal, and for riders between 80105kg, we recommend the 135L. For the foil, we recommend pairing it with our all-new Tracer v3 foil in windier conditions. The Tracer v3 1030 would be best suited for riders between 55-85kg, and the 1300 is recommended for riders between 60-95kg. We have also found the new Plasma 1600 and 2000 to be a workable option in very light winds with no swell running.

Which of the AK team are loving the Nomad right now?

It is a firm favorite of the whole team, with Victor Hays running the 90L along the Mediterranean coast daily. According to Victor, it’s a very versatile board that can be used in any conditions. If it’s very windy, Victor uses his Nomad for its downwinding capabilities, or when it's very light wind, he uses it for winging. He believes that the Nomad’s stability gives the rider the confidence to paddle it up on downwinders, and the concave deck gives you extra stability and confidence during turns at high speed.

Xavi Corr, Elias Quahmid, and designer Clinton Filen have been riding this board for light wind wing testing in the summer days. Peter Petersen has been the most involved in the product development, he runs the 115L as his daily driver, from SUP surf foiling in the morning, paddling up onto foil or using it as his light wind setup on the local lake, then running SUP downwinders in the evening.

Finally, we understand you have another new pump/tow board about to arrive, the Arcade. What can you tell us about this?

The all-new Arcade focuses on meeting the demands of the rider looking for a pump, tow, and wake foilboard. We focused on a very compact geometry that was ideal for a rider that either had a major secondary power source, such as a boat or ski, or a rider that was 100% focused on pump

foiling. Considering that this board might live in a boat or on a dock, we also wanted something durable, which is why we’ve made it using our bombproof Duratech construction.

I’m sure you’ll see more of this board in your next issue…

217

I N B O U N D

217

FR

A

R

ESH

R I VA L

S

INBOUND

S I C R A P TOR WING V3

It sounds like an absolute weapon, and by all accounts it is, so in advance of us getting our hands on one to test, we pitched some questions to the SIC team to find out more about the latest version of their Raptor wing…

21 8

I N B O U N D

218

The Raptor returns! Please fill us in on the latest incarnation, and what marks it out from V2…

Our team of experts has engineered a wing designed to meet the needs of even the most demanding riders with exceptional features and unparalleled performance. Our new lower aspect ratio shape, combined with a segmented leading edge, provides better wing tip control while turning and increased stability while free-flying and wave riding.

The new thicker center strut design with mini booms offers superior comfort and power management for pumping efficiency. And the stiffer durable fabric with the new paneling alignments provides better tensioning to help reduce fluttering and improve wing longevity. Windows were also added for better visibility/view for high-speed flying and safety.

Talk to us about your material choices for the airframe and the canopy…

SIC's enhanced ExoTex leading-edge material offers a lightweight solution with improved tensile strength and durability, enabling it to withstand the rigorous forces and stresses experienced during flight without compromising weight.

This strength is essential for preserving the structural integrity of the inflatable wing, enabling it to endure aerodynamic forces and retain its intended shape. Its low stretch properties also ensure that the fabric remains steadfast, maintaining its shape and size even when exposed to high pressures and heavy loads.

SIC's high-performance Triple Dura-Force canopy has also been enhanced, improving breaking strength, tear resistance, UV protection, elongation, and overall durability. You can feel the tight, crisp signature that the Dura-Force delivers.

How have performance requirements for wings changed since the original Raptor?

As wing foiling has grown, performance requirements for stability and control have changed wing profiles. Advances in materials, construction techniques, and paneling have led to more durable and lightweight wing designs that are more resistant to wear and tear. Handles and strut designs evolved, facilitating more direct power, comfort, stability, and control. Requirements for a wing's lift have shifted to better match evolving hydrofoil designs and shapes. Wing sizes have also expanded to better match wind conditions and end-use.

What handle setup have you opted for on the V3?

On the Raptor V3, we've added mini booms for better power management and direct control. The mini booms combined with the new strut design also provide superior ergonomics for comfort.

Where has the majority of the testing taken place for the new Raptor?

Extensive testing of the new wing has taken place across the globe in diverse conditions, all to deliver an ultimate performance experience for riders. Locations ranging from Maui to Bonaire to France, among others, have provided invaluable insights into various conditions, ultimately contributing to creating a superior product.

The Raptor wing shares its name with the Raptor board, shaped by Mark Raaphorst. Did Mark also play a part in the wing design?

Mark Raaphorst, renowned for his mastery in board shaping, has played a vital role in our wing foilboard development. However, SIC's wing development is led by a seasoned team of inflatable wing engineers and industry experts. These innovations have been rigorously tested by athletes worldwide, ensuring that every detail has been meticulously refined to match and use with Mark’s well-crafted foilboards.

219

I N B O U N D

219

FR

A

R

ESH

R I VA L

S

INBOUND

C O R E HALO P RO

Following on from the success of their inaugural foil offering, CORE have found their stride and just dropped a brand new wing, the Halo Pro, with the tantalizing promise of more goodies to come…

Hi team. Firstly, a new wing with the Halo Pro. Please tell us about this wing, and how it sits alongside the existing XC wing.

When developing the XC, we focused on building a wing that not only delivers a very high performance but is also very accessible for everybody, from beginners to advanced riders. With the Halo Pro, we decided to sacrifice a bit of comfort and accessibility to get a full performance driven wing. It comes with a flatter profile, offering not only more top end speed, but also more agility during maneuvers. In combination with the carbon boom, you’ll find a very progressive and high performing product in your hands.

220

I N B O U N D

You’ve integrated the lightweight Aluula material into the airframe of the Halo, and your CoreTex 2 material in the canopy. What are the benefits of both that users are going to notice and enjoy?

The primary advantage of using Aluula in this application is its exceptional stiffness. When pumping the wing or performing jumps, high forces are put on the wing's airframe. A stiffer wing translates to a more direct and powerful riding experience. The higher stiffness also allowed us to reduce the diameters of the leading edge, eventually making the wing remarkably faster. Last but not least, Aluula is also significantly lighter than our premium ExoTex 2 material. You will immediately feel

220

that when you pick up a Halo Pro, you’ll notice the playful handling during all your maneuvers even more. However, building a wing as light as possible was not our main target, we were rather more focused on a very rigid and durable construction which could withstand any condition the Halo Pro was put through.

Our proven CoreTex 2 used for the canopy comes with exceptional tear resistance and excellent UV protection. It was aligned in an optimal running direction within its different segments, eventually leading to a minimum elongation and therefore a very constant profile.

What were the challenges in incorporating the new materials?

That’s definitely a tricky one, since you cannot just “swap” a material that plays such an important role. A well performing wing not only needs a good shape and profile, but it’s also built on the perfect interplay of its stiffness and flex. Aluula comes with a lot of different characteristics than our ExoTex 2. Many of them are beneficial, some of them not necessarily.

Incorporating such new materials means working through many prototypes to perfectly dial in those characteristics, emphasizing all benefits and minimizing all downsides. The result in that case is a wing that unlocks new levels of riding, especially for advanced riders.

And you have gone for a boom set up, can you talk us through this and why you made the decision to go for this over handles?

The Halo Pro comes with a full carbon boom that is constantly attached to the strut. The decision for the fixed boom came from multiple reasons. First was that a perfectly trimmed wing needs a unique boom length per size. And building that into a boom which is also detachable adds a lot of excess weight we didn’t want on the Halo Pro. Besides the weight aspects, the long grip surface makes familiar maneuvers more intuitive and new tricks possible. Once you get used to it, you’ll probably never go back.

For a non-slip and comfortable grip, we have added an EVA flooring. The overall thin diameter of the boom makes it also comfortable to ride when using gloves. When it comes to packing it down, you simply roll the sides of the wing and fold the excessive part at the end of the boom, before you put it in its long shoulder bag.

It’s pitched as a high-performance wing. Would the Halo be too much power in the hands of a beginner?

I would rather say it is the opposite. When comparing the Halo and XC, the XC's power is way more accessible, especially in the low end. The Halo Pro on the other hand requires a bit more precise steering, mostly in light wind conditions.

That is easily possible for an advanced rider, who will eventually be rewarded with the Halo Pro's exceptional speed and agility.

Without devaluing the excellent all-rounder Spectrum foil – we believe there is a sneak peek within the Halo Pro campaign for a new foil lineup?

Well observed. The Spectrum is still a great foil system that offers a huge range of applications. With its bigger wings it’s great for teaching and light winds, while it still allows you to grow with the progress you’re making, simply by changing down to a smaller size. However, as we tried to outline today’s limits with the Halo Pro, we had to keep up with our foil system as well. What you can see being used during the Halo Pro shoot is a new system that is not only higher aspect, but also comes with significantly smaller sizes. There might possibly also be a carbon mast that allows you to exploit the full speed out of the new wings too…

gressive board model with less volume next to the Roamer?

Indeed, that is something we have been working on a lot recently. Not only for advanced riders, but also for lighter people we will add a second line to the Roamer that should leave no one wanting in the sub 50 liter area…

We also hear you might be planning to offer a more pro-

221

I N B O U N D

221

FR

A

R

ESH

R I VA L

S

INBOUND

FR E E D O M FOIL BOAR DS TC P R O

Built for and with the input of world champion surfer Tom Carroll, FFB’s new TC Pro board reflects the requirements of someone who really knows what they’re looking for out in the water. We got in touch with the FFB crew to find out more – and also heard from Tom himself, too.

Hey guys. How did the design process work with Tom?

Is the construction similar to the rest of your lineup?

It all started with an Instagram message! Tom Carroll (TC) has been pushing the boundaries of water sports since day one and working with him on the TC Pro showed us all the true depth of his knowledge and experience.

The TC Pro you see today is a product of a year and a half of development with multiple variations of the board until we got to this winning design.

Tom’s approach to foiling is all about power and drive and the TC Pro is a combination of these two key design points, maximized by using FFB’s unique construction and build processes. With a softer rail, progressive nose rocker and pulled-in tail, the TC Pro is as catch-free as boards come, allowing for more aggressive carves and a smoother release.

All Freedom Boards have three main construction targets: weight, stiffness and durability. The TC Pro is no exception to this rule with the use of the highest quality double-bias carbon throughout. The double-bias carbon has extra fibers running from tip to tail to maximize stiffness and response. Internally we use a stringer-less EPS core with E and S Glass wraps to minimize impact and improve resistance. Finally, as standard, all FFB boards include a uni-directional carbon strip on the base to further improve stiffness and strength around the foil box. In short, the TC Pro is light and rock solid!

222

I N B O U N D

222

The TC Pro comes in two sizes, who would you recommend for each?

The key design points of the TC Pro allow riders of all sizes to ride a board at a smaller volume and enjoy being on foil with a lower swing weight. Tom’s board of choice is the 4’0 x 23L version of the TC Pro. We suggest this model as a goto tow board or a prone board for riders under 5’9 (180cm).

The 4’4 x 30.5L version of the TC Pro is by no means a big board and still has the DNA that pushes you to perform, but the little extra volume and length will assist riders of all sizes when paddling and catching waves.

What would you pair TC Pro with from your foil line up?

The TC Pro is a pro model for a reason and is designed to handle anything a rider throws at it, so a foil to match the pro feeling of the board would be our suggestion. The FFB Halcyon 810 would be the best foil for the job!

Tom, before we get to the board, how did you first get into foiling and how does it sit alongside your surfing these days?

My interest in foiling was first motivated by imagery of Laird and Dave Kalama towing into and through lumps of water at Peahi and Maui around early/mid 2000s. But the snowboard boot and binding thing looked a little suss and then I tried it with my good maniac friend Ross Clarke-Jones, which proved ludicrous for our level of energy at the time. Then Kai Lenny tipped me over the edge when he posted himself on Instagram downwinding with foil plugged into a narrow SUP. I was SUPing a lot at the time and lit up immediately.

The adventure started in earnest from there.

As for foiling alongside my surfing today, well, knowing so many ex-surfer foilers who had lost their feel for their surfboard’s rail in the water and aimed their naturally laser-like froth at the multi-disciplinary adventure that is foiling – I fully understand this, I had to be prepared to lose surfing for those early learning years, feeling foil complexity into competency. Although, after 54 years surfing at so many levels, the full experience of foil and traditional surfing was simply non-negotiable. I feel the challenge of swapping between connecting vertical wave face to crest riding can bring about enormous benefits both physically and mentally. No doubt from within our skin, these multi-dimensional systems we view the world through love and thrive on variety.

We understand you had a good amount of input into the TC PRO? When the honor to work with FFB’s founder, shaper and designer Chris Sayer came up, I had already delved into design and creation of my own foil boards with some success.

I have always had a keen interest in design elements to improve the ride ever since I was alerted to the idea of altering my boards at 12 years of age.

Chris kindly turned me onto an original FFB Techno 4’4 back in 2019, which blew my mind… kind of the catalyst that sent the momentum of discovery frothing ahead. Today’s expression of this is through a collaborative effort molding and refining pedigree of files from my own archive and Chris’s invaluable working knowledge. Thankfully Chris has been very patient with me as I kept working back and forth to build the TC Pro line into a forgiving, performing, foil feeler that initiates and sends with absolutely minimal intrusion.

What were the most important priorities for you in designing a board that suits your style?

My priority in designing is less is more, an attempt to design simplicity, to go beyond our tendency to add. My personal aim with the TC Pro is to access prone and tow foil within the same board. I've always enjoyed the challenge of fitting my style into one piece fitting a broader range of conditions.

Where have you ridden the TC PRO and any standout sessions?

I’ve taken the TC Pro 4’0 22L with me for some amazing tow foiling sessions off Namotu Island last October and November – this place is foiling heaven on earth. On the same board, I’ve recently experienced one crazy prone session at a local foil reef named "The Gathering”. We usually tow this spot but circumstances that day didn’t allow me with limited time. The paddle out is solid but once popping up on the gathering lines way inside, the refractions allow an easy pump and fly to the line-up outback. TC Pro revealed its design elements clearly during this session, uninterrupted weaving through the wild gathering tipi sections, patches of refracted chop to fly over, not once did the board catch or bog down… epic memories stored!

223

I N B O U N D

223

FR

A

R

ESH

R I VA L

S

INBOUND

ST I N G E R ST E ALT H

Appearing on our radar from Canadian brand Stinger is their new Stealth lightwind/downwind board range. Taking a break from the shaping room, we spoke about it with Stinger’s founder/CEO, Steve Legge.

Hi Steve. So, can you initially give us an overview of the Stealth, what it’s built for and who’s gonna love it?

The Stealth is built with an early take-off in mind so you can get up on foil sooner than anything else out there. We designed it with tucked under rails that firm up at the midpoint of the foil box. This helps with stability, more importantly the flushing of water out past the tail. The bottom shape has a spoon-like shape because it makes the take off and plane out stage much easier. When a board has hard or defined channels, it often feels “stuck”, which makes it very hard to have it

2 24

I N B O U N D

224

release or it rails out in a direction you most likely don’t want to go.

So, any foiler, be it prone, paddle-up, SUP downwinders and light wind wingers will love the Stealth series boards.

Can you give a quick rundown of the construction?

Sure, we always vacuum bag our Stealth boards. We start with Canadian EPS 1.8lb V2 foam, (V2 means it’s been recycled once) that is cut on our in-house CNC. A 3k 5.7oz Carbon Twill - full wrap top and bottom, same 3k as well for the standing zone and over the foil box.

Then a full wrap of 6oz S-Glass. We use a Canadian resin called EcoPoxy Bio36 for the 3K vacuum bagging, and Resin Research for the S-Glass and the color tinting as well as the sanding coat.

It’s a sleek board. What are its key characteristics in terms of stability, width and glide?

The sleek design gives you far greater response or as riders have been commenting “a direct drive feel”, keep in mind though, you are sacrificing some stability when not on foil but the foil itself does add some stability, surprisingly. The width is variable from 16” to 20”, I find the downwind SUP foilers prefer the 16” to 18.5” width range and the wingers and proners like the 18.5” to 20.5” wide. These boards truly glide due to the long rocker lines, the take-off to be up on foil are so minimal with them, it’s truly a breakthrough for the sport of foiling.

We understand that the Stealth was inspired in some part

by Dave Kalama?

Yes, Dave is the pioneer of downwind foiling, I go to Maui often and saw how fast this was growing as a discipline of the sport. So, last fall I met with a university graduate that’s a family friend in Whistler who studied hydrodynamics and went to work on creating our own designs.

Has the Stealth been used in any of the major downwind events?

Yes, we sure have. Eric Sterman was 6th in the Maui 2 Molokai race this past June, he also competed in the Molokai 2 Oahu.

We also had a few compete in the recent Gorge downwind event. Tested and Proven…

What foil setup are you recommending to pair with this?

I personally recommend our Sting-Ray II 1150m2 with the new carbon MJ40 mast. Honestly though we are finding the foils that are high aspect from 1550m2 down to an 890m2.

Our mounts are the US fin box at 90mm, very standard.

You’re a proudly Canadian brand. How much of the board production is based “in country”, and how about the materials?

Yes, we are proudly Canadian! 100% of the board is produced in Whistler, BC, home of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The EPS foam and roughly half of the epoxy is Canadian, the other half of the epoxy used is US based, so we can easily ship across Canada as well as the continental USA and the state of Hawaii.

Finally, Steve, anything else incoming from Stinger that we can reveal to our readers?

We have been working on some shorter/lower volume Stealth designs as well, hoping to release those in the fall, we’re just about to release our new MJ40 Carbon Mast, and our new FR3 2024 Wind Wings with two pc bars that have an incredible low range just arrived, they’re available online now.

225

I N B O U N D

225

226

PURE STOKE Erika Lane Kāohi Bungee-style Wing Leash Kāohi Padded Waist Belt Kāohi 4' x 5.5mm Straight Leash

MADE FOR RIPPING

@kaohileash kaohileash.com

photo: arnold1956newman

227

FUTU

O

G

E

T

E

R

H

F

F O I L I

N

FORESIGHT From his home on the Magdalen Islands, Charles St Pierre is very much surrounded by wind and water. The perfect place then to sit and ruminate on where foiling is at and where it’s headed…

Who thought foiling would give me an entirely new perspective on riding the river or the ocean? For six years I’ve lived from my passion for wind and water through my wing and windsurf school on the Magdalen Islands, northeast of Quebec City. My first contact with foiling was on a windsurf foil.

I can’t say that I was hooked. Then, winging arrived. Right away, I saw the potential ahead to maximize my time on the water and to re-discover my local spots. To ride my favorite spots in a whole different way.

Since I’ve started foiling, it’s incredible how my perspective of the Magdalen Islands has changed. Downwinders, wave riding and many more adventures around the Islands are now possible with the wing. For example, one day I was winging with a friend, and we saw the ferry on its way to the Island. I decided to tack up the wind to reach it. Fifteen minutes later, I got behind the boat, rode the wave and made it back to a random beach. I then had to hitchhike to return to where I left; good thing my buddy Jayson was driving by at the time.

228

FO R E SI G HT

I have so many adventures planned with the wing. And you know what makes that possible? It’s the versatility of the sport. You can fit all your gear in the smallest car, bodysurf if you’re in trouble, and ride those weird conditions that bring you a whole new perspective to your playground, wherever that may be.

If you’re just starting out, understand that winging takes work and, trust me, you have to stick at it. The sport's most challenging part is the beginning: kneeling to standing transition, stability on the board, correct pressure on the board and going upwind. After that, the learning curve is quick.

I like where the sport is going. We see a lot of potential with the gear to ride all kinds of swell and waves, no matter where you have water. Even for those who don’t always have easy access to the ocean. The freestyle is also exciting. You can boost big jumps, spins, and flip on flat water. Who saw that coming?

H ARL E S ST PI E R R E

229

T

E

VO

E

TH

DE

D

DR REX F. HAWTHORNE

Following his accident in 2005, Dr Rex Hawthorne was back on the water within a year, scoping out any limitations to his passion for wakeboarding, but pushing forward none-the-less.

In 2019, he discovered foiling – and despite the extra effort involved to make it work for him, he’s never looked back.

P H OTOS S H A N E M E L E N KO

23 0

THE DE VOTE D

Dr Rex, when did you first discover a love for being in the water?

My family moved to Vernon in 1977, when I was nine years old, and my parents leased a cabin on Okanagan Lake and a small boat. My dad was a three-event water skier in his youth and passed his passion onto myself and my siblings. We spent most weekends at the cabin being dragged behind the boat. My dad, brother and I enjoyed trick skiing most. When I was 13 I skied in the British Columbia Summer Games, a provincial-level competition, and I took my gold in tricks which further fueled my passion. Growing up, my dad, brother, and I spent countless hours on the water every summer and traveled around doing local and provincial-level competitions. My dad competed in tricks at a national level well into his sixties, often placing in the top three and sometimes taking first place. I continued water skiing into the early 90s when we bought our first skurfer, beginning my transition to wakeboarding. I bought my first kite in 2000 after a trip to Maui and was hooked! It took wakeboarding to the next level. I did a lot of wakeboarding right up to the time of my accident.

Was it pretty all-consuming at the time?

I wouldn’t say so. Where we live, we have amazing summers… and winters. I would spend many hours on the water in the summer with my family and friends, and in winter we transitioned to the ski hill. That being said, after starting to kite, I would take at least a couple of trips a year during the colder months to kite, spending time in Maui, La Ventana, Corpus Christi and South Padre Island. I played as much as my commitments allowed. Being a husband, father and business owner, these all take time.

I believe you were training to be a dentist too alongside this developing passion for being in the water. How did you balance the water time with your nascent dental career?

To be honest, I never really thought of it; I just made time. I began dental school in 1991 and graduated in 1995. During that time, over the summers, I would return home and be on the water as much as I could around my work schedule. I continued to compete with my dad and brother. After graduating, I moved back to Vernon and began my career. I was self-employed and was at liberty to schedule time off when I wanted, which made it easy to spend time kiting in the winters.

Tell us about the accident in 2005. It must have taken a lot of determination to come back from that and into water sports…

I was mountain biking at our local ski hill in August 2005. It was the last run of the day. I rode an elevated feature, with a steep down ramp.

I had too much speed and went over the bars. I ended up landing on the bottom of the down ramp on my back end with enough force to pop out my T12 vertebrae, taking my spinal cord with it, what they refer to as a burst fracture. I was knocked out. When I came to, I was unable to move my legs. For lack of a better way to describe it, my life was turned upside down. I was airlifted to Vancouver, BC, where the surgery was done the next day. I spent 10 days in the spinal ward at Vancouver General and was then transferred to GF Strong for my rehab. I spent the next 10 weeks learning to live without the use of my legs out of a wheelchair. I returned home in November and started snow skiing that winter.

My dad was instrumental in getting me back out on the water. At that time, there was very little I could find commercially available, so we started designing various adaptive devices (what I refer to as my bucket) that I could fasten to my wakeboards. It was a bit of trial and error, making modifications or starting from scratch. The summer following my accident, I wakeboarded for the first time. My main motivating factor was my passion for being on the water and sharing that passion with my kids. I did make a trip back to Texas in the early days after my accident to give kiting a go, maybe 12-13 years ago. My kids made a video, which was posted on YouTube; search paraplegic kiteboarding.

It was fun, but I didn’t feel comfortable and was frustrated with my lack of ability and feelings of what I lost and could no longer do.

We understand you even began competing professionally in wakeboarding after that?!

Ha, I don’t know I would say that. My son really took a liking to wakeboarding, and as his skills developed, he began competing. We spent many weekends, as I did with my father and brother, traveling to competitions. Ultimately he qualified for Worlds in Toronto in 2017. He suggested that we compete together and reached out to the organizers.

They qualified me, I feel, because there are not a lot of disabled athletes competing. Regardless, it was an amazing opportunity to compete with my son. I was lucky to take the win in my division. Worlds was my first and last competition. After that, I stopped wakeboarding DR RE X F. H AW T H O R N E

231

as it was too hard on my body. I cracked my heel bone at Worlds, and previously had broken my femur and received 15 stitches after splitting my upper and lower lip attempting a backside roll.

So when did you first discover foiling, how did that come about?

In 2019, at a boat show, I saw a foil for the first time and thought it looked cool. My son picked it up right away, and it looked like fun. It was definitely not love at first foil, it was far more of a challenge than I expected. I tried lying on the board as well as just sitting on top of the board but was not even close. The following winter, I did some reading and bought a new front wing, the Infinity 76 and modified the bucket that I used to surf such that I could attach it to my board. It took the better part of the following summer just to get out of the water. The board was too buoyant and floated me upside down. I tried starting off the swim grid as I did with my surfboard, but the prop wash would play havoc with the foil as I was coming out of the water. Ultimately if the boat driver idled slowly, I could use the surf rope to keep my head out of the water until I was ready to start. It was all about timing, but I did manage to get up and ride with the rope for short periods.

That winter, it was back to the drawing board. I found an old 125 cm Lightwave Dave board I used to use for kiting and drilled a hole in it to hold the mast too. I also mounted my wakeboard bucket to that board. I added to my quiver the Slingshot Infinity 84 and the F-pump Quantum 100 foil. The next summer, all my hard work paid off, I was able to start behind the boat, as the board was not very buoyant, and I could push it under the water to deep water start. I was also able to get up and ride without the rope. Toward the end of that season, I tried a friend’s Cabrinha X1900 and 1600 with a carbon mast. I built a new lighter bucket too. Between the two changes, my riding again progressed. With some help from Cabrinha, I started this season with the new X1240 on the new stiffer 74cm carbon mast mounted to their Special Agent 125 cm board.

It has been a great season with a number of firsts.

Did you have any mentors throughout the process of learning?

I started foiling early on, and consequently, there were not a lot of people doing it to learn from. We were all learning together, which was fun, and it felt good to be part of something versus having someone help me with something. As well, I have not seen any paraplegics thus far foiling behind the boat, so I was unable to learn about their experiences. I did get a lot of support and ideas from my brother Mark, older son Reece, and a few of my closer foiling buddies, Shane, Mark and Bill.

When I was in South Padre Island this spring, the Cabrinha rep Rob was a huge help, along with Shane and my brother getting me back out kiteboarding.

In terms of foiling, are there any specific goals you’ve yet to achieve, and is there anywhere in particular on your radar that you want to visit?

Lots. This summer, I dialed in, crossing the first wake behind the boat from both sides. I would like to get my transfers from the second wake more consistent. The biggest challenge at this time seems to be my ability to pump. I’m weak. I am also hoping to kite with a foil next spring.

I’d also love to try foiling in the swell; getting towed in by a Seadoo. I have been doing a little reading on areas where I might be able to do this, again South Padre Island being one.

Finally, foil technology seems to be improving all the time. Is there an area in particular that you would like to see develop further?

Hmm, you don’t know what you don’t know. I have been super stoked about the improvements I’ve seen thus far, they have really helped me with my foiling and the progression I’ve had. One of the challenges is trying new gear, you pretty much have to buy it to try it. Now that more and more of my friends are getting into it, that is changing. For me, I like a lively, playful foil that turns well, yet is stable, with a lot of glide. I prefer a medium aspect ratio foil overall behind the boat, but I really enjoyed the efficiency and pumpability of the high-aspect wings. It would be cool if I could get the efficiency of a high-aspect ratio foil with the stability and playfulness of a medium-aspect foil. Lastly, but this is an area that I will be working on this winter, is the connection between my body (read ass) and the foil. I plan on playing with some different materials to see if I can custom-fit my bucket to my body, allowing me to control the foil better; the difference between ill-fitting ski boots versus custom-fit ones.

23 2

233

23 4

A

OF P

AY

ST

E

L

T

THE ENDLESS GLIDE

Downwinding has recently become the new darling of the foil niches, reflected in the increasing popularity of some key international events, such as July’s Molokai 2 Oahu race, and the emergence of the “Voyager” crew. Keen downwind enthusiast (and Foiling Magazine test team member) Jonathan Mann reflects on the growth of the discipline, and the social benefits that come with it.

W O R D S J O N AT H A N M A N N

235

Downwinding is probably one of the oldest “disciplines” in water sports. Whilst it wasn't explicitly called downwinding, the act of navigating the ocean and using the energy that lies beneath the surface has been something that mankind has done throughout history, with many cultures built around their ability to navigate their crafts across the oceans.

In modern day watersports, downwinding has a rich history across many disciplines; oc1, surfski, stand up paddle and prone paddling to name a few, with many legendary events around the world (M2M, M2O, The Gorge Paddle Challenge to name just a recent few). With the rapid development and adoption of foiling, we have seen the implementation of foiling across almost every conceivable water sport discipline including downwinding (possibly one of the best use cases for a foil?). Pioneered by some of the legends of the sport, the global growth of downwind foiling has been remarkable.

This is partly thanks to recent gear developments and partly thanks to the growing community both in ‘real life’ and on social media. But it’s very clear to see that not only are there more and more people downwinding, but the limits are also being pushed by the likes of James Casey and Olivia Piana, with their 200km+ downwind record runs.

But what exactly is downwinding? On the surface it seems obvious – go downwind. But it's more subtle than that. The discipline (or art) of downwinding is premised on the use of nothing but the energy in the water to navigate oneself from A to B. In foiling, downwinding is no different with different methods being used to get on foil. These are: prone with a chip in wave at the start, using a wing, and most “classically” using a paddle. Once on foil, the goal is to connect the

23 6

STATE O F P LAY

bumps and foil freely for the remainder of the journey. The wing is perhaps the easiest and most accessible way to get on foil and the best way for those getting into the sport to get started. But prone or SUP runs have an added element of freedom that means plenty of foilers are happy to endure the struggle of learning to downwind for the pure feeling of what could be described as “the endless glide”.

“I thought you could only do that on YouTube” is something a buddy of mine was once told as he foiled downwind past a winger on one of the Dutch lakes, which begs the question, “where can you downwind?” Well, the answer is simple: anywhere with a large enough body of water to generate bumps upon which you can foil. Obviously we would all love to live in Hawaii, Western Australia or Hood River, but it's possible anywhere. Europe has a thriving downwind community with great conditions on offer. Land locked foilers also have plenty of options too. For example, where I live in the Netherlands (whilst not landlocked) the Markermeer and the IJsselmeer are perfect for it in addition to the North Sea opportunities, and let's not forget the Great Lakes in North America, Lake Garda… the list goes on. In reality, the possibilities are endless. My discovery of downwind foiling has truly changed my perception of what good conditions are and has turned the majority of spots at home into the ultimate playground.

The greatest thing about downwinding (and foiling for that matter) is the community. Writing this article on the back of a trip to Hood River, I look back and can't believe how fortunate I was. Not only to score great conditions but more notably to have met such great people. As a solo traveler

"MY DISCOVERY OF DOWNWIND FOILING HAS TRULY CHANGED MY PERCEPTION OF WHAT GOOD CONDITIONS ARE AND HAS TURNED THE MAJORITY OF SPOTS AT HOME INTO THE ULTIMATE PLAYGROUND." doing a sport that requires others to shuttle, the local crew made me feel so welcome with no shortage of shuttles to jump in on and plenty of stoke to go around. This was also evident on social media in the last month around the Gorge Paddle challenge (and in Hawaii too for the M2M and M2O) where many of the downwind community converged for the sharing shuttles, stoke and general good vibes. This leads me into the social media community. Instagram was how I managed to connect with some of the local crew in Hood River, and definitely was a huge reason behind why I had such a great trip. Social media, I think, has been a key factor to the growth of this discipline. Both from a knowledge sharing perspective to motivation and sharing of the stoke.

From the first clip that Kai put out, to the dreamy content shared by Voyager foiler, credit is due to those who have documented the magic of downwinding which has inspired and motivated the rest of us to get into the sport and realize its potential. For me personally, starting out a year and a bit ago, I was blown away by how many people have been open and willing to share their learnings and experience with a random guy halfway around the world and it is something I'm also trying to pass forward when people reach out to me as well.

ABOVE Jon's backyard might not have all the sunshine - but it certainly has the bumps and wind.

Photos: Frederique Have

One of my biggest observations over the last few years that I've been foiling (and especially downwinding) is that there is so much stoke and encouragement going around.

I attribute it to several things. First, there is a humbling nature to learning this wonderful sport, even learning foiling in general. Whether you come at it from “scratch” (hats off to you if you do) or come at it with an extensive watersports background. Everyone has had to slog or paddle their way through a run at some point. Maybe it's the acceptance of this that unites us? Or maybe it's the fact that there is zero scarcity of bumps which makes downwinding amazing to do as a group, flying in formation without it ever feeling crowded. Really it's an individual sport best enjoyed with many. I can't wait to see how the community grows and develops as the gear advances and hope to meet many more stoked foilers on my travels…

237

HARD HANDLES EASY CONTROL

23 8

SLINGWING V3 HH HARD HANDLES / BALANCED / POWER

ALSO FEATURED // WING CRAFT V2 60L // PHANTASM CARBON 82 MAST // G 900 FRONT WING RIDER // BRANDON SCHEID PHOTO // ERIC DURAN LEARN MORE // SLINGSHOTSPORTS.COM

239

Ultra L Lightweight performance that inspires 24 0

241

Photo: Carlos Gonzalez

DO YO U WA N T M O R E ? !

The next Foiling Mag is just around the corner...

Get it first by signing up today.

SIGN ME UP!

24 2