Foiling Magazine #8

TOM CARROLL'S

JOURNEY INTO FOILING

THE BAJA FOG

JAMES JENKINS IN THE DESERT

TEST & TEC H 1

WING WAHINE

NAISH GIRLS ON THE UP

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W W W . P W R F O I L . C O M 12

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AOV E Like a butterfly looking for a good spot to set down, Chechu Noriega circling in some pretty spectacular Fuerteventuran inshore waters. Photo: Mario Entero

C OV E R James Jenkins knows how best to shake off the previous night’s tequila intake… by getting shacked under Baja bombs like this one. Photo: Eric Duran

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CONTENTS F

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A

T

U

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E

S

104

114

126

THE BAJA FOG

TH E TOM C ARROL L INT E RV IE W

B U RNING B RIDGE S

Luckily for us, James Jenkins didn’t let the

Here’s a guy who’s been surfing since for-

Some would see the inherent risks in

free-flowing ‘Fogs’ affect his day job on

ever, became a true legend of the sport

wakefoiling between concrete pillars un-

a recent trip down to Baja for a product

in the eighties, and then more recently

der a low-slung concrete bridge and balk

shoot. As our photos (and the cover)

picked up a foil and is fast on his way to

at the idea. Not Guenther Oka and pals,

clearly show, these small toasts to the

being an icon in this sphere too. Journal-

who saw nothing but an opportunity for

desert gods may in fact have brought him

ist and friend Paul Burnett sat down with

a markedly different kind of photoshoot.

a whole lot of good instead.

Tom to talk about everything foil…

We’re on Guenther’s side of thinking.

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WI NG WAHI NE

OF F P IST E

Blessed with Maui’s consistent A-grade

Photographer Sam Brisby joined James

conditions, young wing riders Christina

Casey on a mission to capture some solid

Naish, Rio Imperato and Mona Mutzen-

incoming swell off the northern beaches

berg are in the right place to hone their

of Sydney. All went pretty well as the

developing wing foil skills. Tipped for

photos will attest, but that’s not to say

great things, we caught up with the

the session didn’t have its fair share

three next-gen waterwomen.

of drama too…

R

E

G

U

L

A

R

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26 E X POSURE / 70 R I S I N G UP : KA L A N I MO R I N / 72 EY EW I TN ESS : M ON DI A L DU V EN T / 78 THE OU TER B A N KS : TOE ING T H E LIN E & T H E BAY / 9 0 DY N A MI C S DEEP DI V E: G EOF F COX / 96 THE G OOD STU F F / 1 52 B AC KSTO RY: STARB OA R D / 15 8 T H E 101: TOW-F O I L I N G I N S U R F OF CON S EQU EN C E / 1 60 W EA P ON OF C HOI C E / 16 2 WING COMMA N D E R : DAVI D L I T T L E / 172 R ED L ETTER DAY: S U S P EN DED M OM EN TS , EU R OP EA N H AWA I I , WAIKIKI SU NDOW N E R & BA P T I S M O F F I R E / 1 8 6 TESTED / 1 98 I N B OU N D / 2 1 6 F OR ES I G HT: N I CCOLO P O R C E L L A / 2 24 STATE OF P L AY: B R I A N F I N C H

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E D I TO R IA L

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EDITORIAL If you’ve been with us from the start, and you have been following closely, you’ll notice two things…

Firstly – and this should be instantly clear if you’re holding the mag while reading this – we’ve grown. The reasons I’ll come back to, but to get a little technical first, when we put together a magazine, we do so with some key numbers in mind. Of course, one of the major ones is cost – putting a magazine together is not a cheap undertaking. Balancing things up to make it viable is part ‘art form’ and part ‘leap of faith’, and let’s all take a moment to breathe a sigh of relief that this is not one of my responsibilities, because – trust me – it would not have gone well. I’m thankful every day that there are people behind the scenes who know exactly what they’re doing in that regard, and that we have subscribers and brands who believe in what we do and keep this jolly boat afloat.

Another key number when it comes to getting a publication onto the print press is our page count. When we put together a mag, our page count needs to be divisible by 16. I won’t dive too deep, when we slip into another multiple it means we’re obliged to fill it. With it the cost of printing rises, as does the cost of shipping. That said, it’s certainly worth doing if you have the content to fill it, and the support to make it work. So, at a whopping 228 pages, we’ve definitely come a long way from the 144 pages you’ll find if you check back to issue #1 (and we think it’s definitely worth it!).

The reasons? Primarily, there is just too much good content flowing in. As the riding improves, the sport proliferates, established water sport photographers start turning their lenses this way and writers just want to write… it’s generally my inbox where this all ends up. And I am 100% fine with this…

Secondly, another difference you’ll quickly note if you’re scanning back over issue #1 is that wing foiling is stark in its absence. In just under two years, this division of the sport has undergone off-the-scale growth. Its timing is no coincidence – winging enjoys such a well-aligned symbiotic relationship with foiling due to its functionality and accessibility, it’s a no-brainer for brands to expand their range beyond foiling and into wings. The former continues to grow apace, the latter is exploding, and in so doing, attracts more uptake.

The circle completes.

I’ll be the first to admit we were hesitant when we first caught sight of it. Is it kooky? Will our readers be interested? Fast forward to the moment I’m writing this. Not only is wing foiling more or less now a mainstream water sport (perhaps dependent on your parameters for the term), it’s now got its own championship tour, and it makes up (educated guess here) over a third of this current magazine’s content.

Sure – it’s often not the most photogenic of sports. We do sift through a lot of shots that look much the same and just don’t make the cut. But give it the right backdrop – say, a lighthouse (The Bay, page 84) or the rolling hills on the Maui coast (Wing Wahine, page 136), or this great shot of a stoked Armie Armstrong to our left, and it can look perfectly spectacular indeed.

Would we be where we are today without it? Well, yes. But we’re very glad it came along when it did, bolstering the foil-sphere, and, as you dig into the many, many pages ahead that it has helped fill, we hope you are too.

Enjoy the issue.

Cai Waggett

E DITOR

L E F T Armie Armstrong and Nathan Tuke stoked on some party wave fun. Photo: Cory Scott

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E D I TO R I A L

RIDER: Florian Jung & Victor Hays PHOTO: Mitchell Doyle Markgraaa

SURF 3’11” 5’4”

PUMP 4’3”

5’8”

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THE PHAZER The AK Phazer foilboard is a showcase of our obsession w i t h v e r s a t i l i t y. W e s e t o u t t o c r e a t e a s i n g l e b o a r d r a n g e that caters to foilers who want to explore as many aspects of foil riding as possible, in a single product.

T h e f a s t r o c k e r, h i g h v o l u m e , a n d c o m p a c t s h a p e s a r e easy to use and high performance at the same time, while the optional footstraps and sandwich construction open up the aerial and high-speed potential.

RIDER: Zane Schweitzer

PHOTO: Erik Aeder

A K D U R A B L E S U P P LY C O . C O M

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Pic: @emilie_we PRODUCTION TEAM Editor: Cai Waggett Editor-in-Chief: Alex Hapgood Sub-editor: Sarah Sylvester Art Director: Nikki Hall Digital Marketing: Tom Weyers Technical Editor: Richard Boughton Contributing Editor: Kjell Issey van Sice CONTRIBUTORS Abner Kingman, Adrian Geislinger, Alexander Bone, Alex Schwarz, Alexander Bone, Álvaro Onieva, Annie Reickert, Antonio Herrera Trujillo, Armie Armstrong, Blake McElheny, Brian Finch, Brian Solano, Bruno Sroka, Camille Bouyer, Chris Defrance, Christina Naish, David Little, David Trewern, Deimantina Juskeviciute, Dimitri Maramenides, Eric Duran, Erik Aeder, Fiona Wylde, Frankiebees, Fred Morin, Gary Siskar, Geoff Cox, Georgia Schofield, Gollito Estredo, Guenther Oka, Heinar Brandstötter, Hugh Mitchell, Ines Rodlauer, Ivan van Vuuren, Jalou Langeree, James Casey, James Jenkins, Jason Broderick, Jason Miller, Jason Philips, Jerome Cloetens, Jerry McArthur, Johnny Heineken, Julien Bouyer, Kalani Morin, Katie Cox, Ken Winner, Kirsty Browne-Cooper, Klaas Voget, Leonard Berner, Lino, Linus Pünder, Luke McGillewie, Mala'e McElheny, Mario Entero, Mario Nardy, Martin Letourner, Mateo Ell, Matthew Leidholm, Mike Raper, Miriam Joanna, Moana, Mona Mutzenberg, Moritz Pünder, Nathan van Vuuren, Niccolo Porcella, Nick Leason, Noah Andrews, Paul Burnett, Paul Campion, Phil Gallagher, Ridge Lenny, Rio Imperato, Ryan Taylor, Sam Brisby, Samuel Cardenas, Samuel Tomé, Scott Fears, Scott Goedkoop, Shawn Parkins, Simon Axman, Simon Croft, Steeve Fleury, Svein Rasmussen, Tamatoa Gillot, Thomas Silva, Tiesda You, Tom Carroll, Tukia Guyot, Tyler Soden, Vinnicius Martins, Wyatt Miller, Zane Schweitzer 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 Hayle, Cornwall.

United Kingdom ENVIRONMENTAL This magazine is printed on paper sourced from responsibly managed sources using vegetable based inks. Both the paper used in the production and the manufacturing process are FCS ® certified. The printers are also accredited to ISO14001, the internationally recognized environmental standard.

FIND US HERE @foilingmagazine foilingmagazine thefoilingmagazine.com

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R I D E R Adrian Geislinger LO C AT I O N Majanicho, Fuerteventura P HOTO GR A P HE R Alex Schwarz Adrian: Majanicho picks up any swell from the north and is probably best known for its perfectly predictable righthander on the inside. However, on this day we had a moderate sized swell with some nice ones coming in on the outer reef. Majanicho is blessed with a small natural harbor which makes it perfect to access the spot with the wing. Getting surf shots from this angle is quite tricky, but Alex followed along on a Jetski…

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RIDE R Simon Axmann LO C AT ION Fingal Head PHOTOGRAP H E R Phil Gallagher Simon: This was one of the first rides on the new Series 2 ULTRA from Fliteboard – testing out the footstraps and getting some solid airtime in the waves. Conditions were pretty challenging – lots of chop/moving water but it was a fun day out.

E XP OS UR E

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RIDE R Fiona Wylde LOC AT ION Los Barriles, BCS, Mexico P H OTOGRAP H E R Eric Duran Fiona: This day was a special day. It was late in the season and windy days were getting fewer and farther between. I had just received the new FreeWing Air V2 from Starboard x Airush the day before, so I called Eric to see if we could get some shots. It’s funny because normally it takes a moment to get used to new equipment, but it didn’t with the FreeWing. I hadn’t landed an air 360 yet in any wing session, but since Eric was in the water shooting, I thought I’d go for it. I crashed on the first few, and then I tried this one and landed it clean. Every aspect of the session put a smile on my face.

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E XPOS U R E

RI DE R Leonard Berner LOCATI O N Lutry Beach, Switzerland PHOTO GRAP H E R Scott Goedkoop Leonard: Glassy water, golden light, and perfect timing were key for this shot during an autumn session with friends. Foiling gives you the possibilities to ride in any conditions: pumping when it’s flat, surf foiling and downwind foiling when the wind is blowing. No more excuses for not enjoying a good session in the water every day.

E XP OS UR E

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R IDE R Jalou Langeree LO C AT ION Cape Town PHOTO GRAP H E R Jason Broderick Jalou: This winter in Cape Town I was pretty new to winging. I had just received my North winging set-up and was very stoked to get the hang of it.

This was probably one of my first baby jumps captured by Jason Broderick in Big Bay. I’m liking the new sport but my focus will be more towards downwinders and waves.

E XP OS UR E

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R I D E R Kjell van Sice LO C AT I O N California P HOTO G R A P HE R Ryan Taylor Kjell: You know those glassy mornings – no, oil glass – when you keep breaching because the surface is so calm that you lose all depth perception?

This was one of those. This spot is near and dear to me because it's where I first began my surf foil journey three years ago. While the spot's become more than a bit popular with foilers coming out from the city, it's still possible to get in a solo session if you know the secret tide. Riding the Lift 120 HA and my 20L 4'0.

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RIDE R Jason Miller LOCAT ION San Onofre, California PHOTO GRAP H E R Shawn Parkins Jason: The cobblestone points to the north served as my playground during my former years. Now that I’ve been introduced to the foil, the softer waves of Sano brings me so much joy these days. There’s something so alluring about the beach culture there – everyone’s inherently happy and always at ease. Grab a friend and come share some waves!

E XP OS UR E

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E XPOS U R E

R I D E R Vinnicius Martins LO C AT I O N Búzios, Brazil P HOTO GR A P HE R Mario Nardy Vinnicius: Here in my hometown of Búzios, like on most parts of the Brazilian coast, we are lucky to have many windy months, but from March until June is usually our off season. During this period, we sometimes get an hour or two of wind before the pouring rain comes. Not too many people go on the water on these kind of days... Spoilt right?! But this was not the case the day this picture was taken. There was a pretty decent number of people on the water and most of them were on wings. I’m not sure if it's because of how practical it is, or because everyone is just super addicted to it... Probably a bit of both.

All I know is that we gained some extra days of fun and air-time during the off season!

E XP OS UR E

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RIDE R The Bouyer Brothers LO C AT ION Witsand, Western Cape PH OTOGRAP H E R Samuel Tomé

Camille & Julien: We had just arrived in South Africa and immediately jumped in the water to try the new RRD hydrofoils. We had been waiting for a long time and were excited to try them and get some nice shots. Few people have been lucky enough to travel to South Africa this year due to travel restrictions. The beaches were empty and we enjoyed that day together with the rest of the team. Witsand is a beautiful spot, between mountains, white sands, clear water and when it is not windy it is ideal for surf foiling. Sharing waves and pushing ourselves further is what we love to do especially as we are brothers. Discover, experience, enjoy!

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E XPOS U R E

R I D E R Nathan van Vuuren LO C AT I O N Cape Town P HOTO G R A P HE R Ivan van Vuuren Ivan: So this was one of those rare autumn days, right after the first cold fronts swept by. A special African moment where the ocean smooths off, sand banks shift into place and just the right swell period aligns for an epic foil session. I was out in the water foiling with the local crew and, given the amount of fun as we were having, we realized that this may be one of those days that’s worth documenting on film. Well, two hours into the morning, this ended up being THE SESSION that will be etched into our foil memory banks forever. A fun mix of long, open ocean swells connecting into grinding little barrels; here’s just one of many showing a stoked Nathan lining up for his next aerial maneuver.

E XP OS UR E

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RIDE R Klaas Voget LOCATI ON Cape Peninsula, South Africa PHOTOGRAP H E R Samuel Tomé Klaas: I was sitting on the beach for two to three hours, waiting for the wind to pick up. When I realized it wouldn’t happen, I gave it a try anyways, since I had a photographer and videographer there. I was blown away by how early I could get up on the foil with my 4.5m Slick and 1500 Aero High Aspect – actually it would have worked the whole time. I caught wave after wave until it was dark and it was pretty much glassy towards the end. Real dream conditions!

E XP OS UR E

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RIDE R The Lenny Brothers LOC AT I O N Maui P H OTOGRAP H E R Noah Andrews Ridge: This session Kai, Annie Reickert and I took out the ski to learn some new flip variations and also try to bag a shot of us flipping together. It ended up being an insanely productive session with perfect head high ramps, light offshore wind, and Maui’s patented golden afternoon light. It took a few tries to get the timing right with both of us having to use the same tow rope and hit the wave at the same time, but we ended up getting some shots we’re really stoked with.

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RI DER Mike Raper (North Brand Director) LOCATI O N Muriwai Beach, Auckland PHOTOG RAP H E R Georgia Schofield Mike: We captured this photo on a very messy day at Muriwai Beach, 15 minutes from the North Design HQ. We're lucky to get 20-30 foot wave faces with a 15-20 second fetch here about 50 days a year, and when it's big, we tow-foil. If I had to drop every other sport, the one I'd never stop is foil surfing. It's the most efficient natural transfer of energy I've ever come across and such a different feeling to prone surfing. With foiling, you're working in a far bigger playground, and compared with surfing, it's easier to ride lumpy swell with cross-chop in windy conditions. Your neurons are firing on all cylinders to connect different lumps and bumps and experiment with unique fresh lines. I find foiling incredibly zen – there's no wing, no kite, just you on a foil going 35-45km/hour. You're in a flow state, harnessing all this powerful energy. It leaves you feeling invigorated, alive – like a kid again. It's like playing as a child; it's such a pure way to interact and connect with the ocean.

E XP OS UR E

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R I D E R Álvaro Onieva LO C AT I ON La Línea, Gibraltar P HOTO GR A P HE R Antonio Herrera Trujillo Álvaro: On a pure and classic summer day without wind in Tarifa, a bunch of kitesurfer friends and I went to La Línea to score some mini waves. The beaches were packed full of swimmers and “Sunday” people, the conditions were super borderline but enough to get up on the foil and connect some lines. This new sport opens up such wide dimensions to be able to ride on days you could never imagine riding on before.

E XP OS UR E

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RIDE R Jerome Cloetens LOC AT ION Tarifa PH OTOGRAP H E R Samuel Cardenas Jerome: It is quite often that there is the Levante in Tarifa. This usually means 40-45 knots of very gusty wind and I personally don't get too excited when I see that type of forecast. It is dangerous and quite unpredictable. For kiteboarding freestyle it is basically a no-go, for kite Big Air it is quite fun, but lately Balneario (our Big Air spot) is too chaotic to have a good time.

So I decided to have a go on the a wing foil on those type of days. At first, I didn't enjoy it that much but then I started getting the hang of the foil. Now I'm absolutely hooked, I keep on checking the forecast and begging to see 45 knots of Levante! It is just too much fun trying new stuff on the wing.

Especially trying backflips on the 3.3m Unit, it feels so damn good!

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E XPOS U R E

R I D E R Luke McGillewie LO C AT I ON Big Bay P HOTO GR A P HE R Miriam Joanna Luke: This session was probably one of the best sessions we had had since we started shooting with the Flysurfer team in Cape Town. For me it was especially special because there were so few people on the water, the waves were firing and it was just one of those stoke sessions that makes you think, “this is exactly why I love this sport!”. Looking back, this was the first day I learned to shift my MOJO in front of me and get pulled forward instead of just up. Stoke, progression, and mates made this probably one of my best wing sessions to date.

E XP OS UR E

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E XPOS U R E

R I D E R Martin Letourner LO C ATIO N Secret Spot, French Riviera P HOTO G R A P HE R Thomas Silva Martin: Spring season in the Mediterranean Sea can be quite inconsistent for surfing, with only small and choppy waves on offer a few times per month.

After several surf check failures, my friends Alex, Thomas and I were able to find this cool little secret reef. This righthander was actually long and powerful, perfect to make a few carves and wave connections in between the rocks!

E XP OS UR E

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RIDE R Hugh Mitchel LOC AT ION Perth, Western Australia PHOTOGRAP H E R Kirsty Browne-Cooper Hugh: Early Mother’s Day morning my Family and I load the foil gear onto our boat ready for a trip over to Rottnest Island. As we pull out of the pen, I set up the 170 Lift High Aspect wing and 25 tail that I was trialing from the North Fremantle Stand Up Surf Shop onto my Sunova Pilot 4’3 board.

A quick dock start off the boat and I was on the second wake, heading up river. As we passed by the cargo ships, a dolphin popped up on the wake in front of me, and then a second, even closer. As they sunk back underwater, I thought that the show was over, but a third dolphin emerged less than a meter from the board! It was an awesome experience, sharing a kilometerlong wake wave with the real local surfers of Perth.

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E XPOS U R E

RI DER Brian Finch LOCATI ON Kauai, Hawaii PHOTOGRAPHER Jason Philips Brian: I remember this session really well, it's my home break on Kauai, all the boys were out and it was one of my first strapped wing sessions where all the elements aligned to allow some legitimate air time: strap placement dialed, chose the right gear for the conditions, and the wind angle shifted over just right to setup up the perfect angle to launch out the back of waves, dirt bike style. I think the wind was in the 17-20mph range, not too much and not too little. The waves were really fun too, there were sets well overhead and super punchy. The impact zone erases you like the Bermuda Triangle, it’s great.

E XP OS UR E

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E XPOS U R E

R I D E R Simon Croft LO C AT I O N Plimmerton, New Zealand P HOTO G R A P HE R Paul Campion Simon: The frontside 360 can really kick your butt. I learnt this move quite some time ago and this particular day was a good chance to get back into it.

The motivation of a camera in the water always helps! Being fully maxed on my 4m wing meant a lot of face plants. Frustratingly the harder I tried, the more I got slammed. I’ve since found that the high wind technique for this move is slightly different. Allowing the body to lead the rotation first, and keeping the wing horizontal.

E XP OS U RE

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SLICK

F R E E R I D E W A V E

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D O W N W I N D

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RIDE R Zane Schweitzer LOC AT ION Oneloa Bay, Maui P H OTOGRAP H E R Adam Klevin Adam: Zane is one of the most coordinated ocean athletes I’ve ever met and I’ve shot most of the best. I work for Quiksilver as one of the last videographers on the payroll. I shot the best of the best and pretty much was assigned to Clay Marzo – he and I had a very good career. Zane and Clay grew up together. Zane was also pretty much born on a motorcycle and can do anything. When you put a foil and a board under his feet, you can expect he’s going to be heading skyward...

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RIDE R Linus Pünder LOC AT ION Eckernförde, Germany P H OTOGRAP H E R Moritz Pünder Linus: This time of the year the strong westerly winds that blow through our local bay quite often surprise us with rain and hail clouds, which have a tendency to release the anger of late winter upon us while we´re wingsurfing. However, being on the water with the new Duotone Slick for the first time was so incredible that we didn't pay much attention to either the cold and rainy weather or the frozen hands. Seeing that we managed to take a shot like this keeps us motivated until it's finally time to put the spring wetsuit back on!

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RIDE R Tukia Guyot LOC AT ION Tahiti P H OTOGRAP H E R Moana Tukia: Foiling in the garden. Perfect conditions at home with the AXIS Foils 810BSC – good vibes, good feeling, good gliding, speed carving and a whole lot of fun…

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RI DE R Heinar Brandstötter LOCAT ION Lake Traunsee, Austria PHOTO GRAP H E R Alexander Bone Heinar: I train the whole winter to improve my moves. I did a lot of kiteboarding before moving to wing foiling, so this has helped a lot. There are many people in Austria who are winging now so the level is getting higher and higher. Because of foiling, and with so many spots that get over 10 knots of wind early in the morning when it’s sunny, we can get in the water at about 5am.

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Kai Lenny by Paul Karaolides, on Wing Drifter Pro, available in 5’2”, 5’4”, 5’6”, 5’8”, 6’0”. quatromaui.com, @quatromaui

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R I D E R Ridge Lenny LO C AT I ON Outer Reefs, Maui P HOTO GR A P HE R Noah Andrews Noah: It's not often you get the opportunity to tag along with Ridge, Annie, and Kai on a jet ski. After all, they are usually running safety for each other, whether it be towing at Jaws or towing on the outer reefs. We chose a mellow day where the outer reefs were barely breaking and got started right at about golden hour. The clouds moved in which made it a perfect time to switch to black and white with all the light rays piercing through and illuminating just the peaks of waves. Kai, Ridge, and Annie took turns towing each other into waves and then flipping (and landing!) right side up off the back. Ridge remarked to me that he was going to try a tail grab backflip – something he'd never done before. As you can see, he nailed it. Maui magic was at it again that day.

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RIDE R Mala’e McElheny LO C ATI O N Maui P H OTOGRAP H E R Blake McElheny Mala’e: It is super fun to wing with my friends at this well known North Shore big wave surfing and towing break. We do not have a jet ski so the wing is the perfect way to get into the open ocean swells really early and ride on foil for a long time! This spot is great for winging in the waves and it will be crazy to watch wingers push their limits next winter. It's also cool to think about how my grandfather and his friends used to windsurf this same break when it was big! The Lift Surf 100 v2 and the Duotone 4m Unit were ideal for these conditions on my prone board.

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RI DER Dimitri Maramenides LOCAT ION St Petersburg, Florida PHOTOGRAP H E R Scott Fears Dimitri: This action shot was taken early morning near SkyWay bridge. I called Scott and asked him if he could meet me at the beach and take some pictures of the new prototype 4 and 5m EPICWINGS cruising shots. But then I started to jump and had not realized how amazing this wing was for jumping. So then because of my windsurfing background, I started to do flips and board 360s. And here’s the results…

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RIDE R Steeve Fleury LOC AT ION Geneva, Switzerland P H OTOGRAP H E R Lino Steeve: The sun was setting and we were testing the new pontoon at Tropical Corner, right next to the water jet. It’s always a pleasure to go out riding in the city, it feels like a movie – there is so much to watch from the top of your foil.

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R I D E R Annie Reickert LO C AT I ON Maui P HOTO GR A P HE R Brian Solano Brian: I met up with the Maui Ozone team in Kuau on the north shore of Maui to get some shots of the new Wasp V2 wings, go for a swim with my camera and enjoy some of the bluer water in the area. Currents are strong so there’s no time off in the water. As I turned onto shore to start kicking upwind, Annie boosted through the air in what felt like slow motion as a rainbow appeared out of nowhere. After a smooth landing, the rainbow disappeared, and I knew we had the shot! An epic Maui sunset followed…

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KALANI MORIN

Followers of key foil accounts on Instagram will almost certainly have already spotted Kalani Morin ripping it up in his little corner of French Polynesia.

His infectious smile and clear love for the water has been boosting stoke levels amongst all of us exponentially, while his fast-paced progression on the Mo'orea jaws dropping in his wake. We had to get him into the Rising Up slot…

PHOTOS FRED MORIN

Hey Kalani, could you first tell us a little about yourself… How old are you, where do you live, and where’s your favorite spot to ride?

Hello, I’m 8-years-old, I live in Mo'orea (the island in front of Tahiti).

My favorite spot is the one where I learn every water sport called Haumi Pass. It’s just in front of my house, so it’s super easy to get in the water.

What kickstarted your love of foiling?

The main thing that really excited me about learning to foil was the movie from Takuma that was shot on my island Mo'orea with Matahi Drollet, Tikanui Smith and Lorenzo Avvenenti. I love the style of the riders so much and how cool they are in such heavy conditions. They inspired me and I really want to do the same in the future. It’s so cool

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to see those riders in some of the locations I know and recognize them too.

How is Mo'orea for foiling generally? And how is the standard at such an A1 spot?

To be honest I don’t know exactly, I’m just foiling in front of my house with my father and I don’t see a lot of other foilers. I’m young and not really connected to this world for the moment, but I see a lot of small films and pictures that my father is showing to me, and I’m so happy to see that there are some other super young foilers in Tahiti too. My father always tells me he is so impressed about the level there is in French Polynesia. It’s in the DNA of Tahitian riders. There are a lot of spots to foil around the islands here, that’s why I think a lot of talent will arrive soon too.

Mo'orea seems like the ultimate paradise location… But is there anywhere else you’d like to travel to?

Sure, Tahiti and especially Mo'orea are paradise for foiling, but the only other places I want to go to are Maui and Waikiki on Oahu. My father has always told me it’s the perfect place to foil. I went there two years ago, but I wasn’t even boogie boarding then.

Have you had any spooky moments while you’ve been learning?

We understand you have some pretty crazy wildlife in the water out there…

No, never. I never think about wildlife in the water, because I’ve never had any problems and I don’t care about it… I’m too excited to go in the water to play. My father always says to me to take pleasure, don’t worry about danger and he is never far away from me, so I always feel safe and confident. He always repeats to me too that if he’s encouraging me to do it, it’s because I can do it… So I never think about the negative things. My life is positive and all about enjoying it!

What setup do you ride?

I love the TK40, and the Kujira 980 and 750 from Takuma. Takuma is making me a smaller board soon too… I can’t wait. I love it because my father is super involved in the Kujira and all my heroes are riding on it. And I feel it’s super easy and stable. I learnt to foil exactly on Christmas day and I used the Kujira 980 because my father put me on that one, and it was immediately easy to ride.

Who do you look up to the most in the foil world?

Matahi Drollet is definitely my hero, and Kai Lenny too for sure. Matahi because of his style – he’s so smooth, easy and efficient, and he’s a super humble and normal person too. Kai because of his performance levels and all that he is able to do in every single watersport.

He’s such a great role model.

Your dad, Fred Morin, is team manager for Takuma, and an accomplished rider himself. Would you like to follow in his footsteps and work for a foil brand?

I’m too young to think about it really. I would say yes and no... Yes because the fact he is foiling every day is so good! But also no because I don’t want to work behind a computer and make phone calls.

And finally, what would be your ultimate day? Talk us through it...

My perfect day is waking up not too early, taking breakfast with the family, playing with my sister Alana, doing Lego, and listening to music – this is my other passion, especially listening to DJ music, so I’ll try and listen to music all day long. After that we’ll go snorkeling, fishing or riding if there are waves. We are always checking it and depending on the size of the waves and the spot I’ll choose between boogie boarding, surfing or foiling. If it’s flat, we go for the eFoil.

After that we head back home and usually I’ll get on my bike. I love the feeling of freedom when I’m alone without my parents on my bike (and with music, always with music). The best moment of the day is when my father and I go for a final sunset session. We come back home when it’s almost dark and I look for some cartoons on TV with Alana. The dream is when we finish the day together, eating tuna sashimi for dinner.

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WINGFOIL WORLD CUP With an increasing number of competitive events beginning to flourish around the sport of foiling (and wing foiling in particular), we felt the need for a new section that offers a retrospective, onthe-ground review of what went down from those who were there and in the thick of it. First out of the gate is the GWA’s recent wingfoil event in Leucate, France – a great achievement in itself given the travel obstacles and pandemic restrictions faced by both organizers and riders. The Global Wingsport Association's Secretary General Dr Jörgen Vogt tells us how it played out…

The Wingfoil World Tour started the 2021 World Cup season with the traditional event in Leucate, the Mondial du Vent, at the end of April. Under extremely challenging conditions and Covid-19 protection requirements, the GWA managed to get this important event off the ground, in which the two official World Cup disciplines – Surf-Freestyle and Surf-Race – were held. A total of 53 riders from all over the world registered for the event. They made all the effort needed to participate in the GWA Wingfoil World Cup, such as the mandatory seven-day quarantine. Significantly more riders (especially from Maui and other water sport hotspots in the USA) had registered, but had to cancel their participation at the last moment due to the stricter border-entry regulations.

The first day’s waiting game had been quite entertaining with the whole GWA Wingfoil World Cup fleet. There are too many ways for action with the foils and the riders seemed to never get tired of it.

Teammates Titouan Galea and Maxime Chabloz have been hunting each other down the Surf-Race course, that included upwind and also downwind elements with a pumping section.

The event then kept to what it had promised. Surf-Freestyle action at 35 knots with many new and extremely radical maneuvers. In the men’s final, Balz Müller from Switzerland and Titouan Galea from New Caledonia faced each other. Titouan won the remarkable final with 26 points compared to the 25 points on Balz's scoring card. In the female’s final, the Dutch competitor Bowien van der Linden took the win against Olivia Piana from France.

In the Surf-Race heats, the racing format with an integrated surf and pump part of the course (which was already successfully run at the GWA Super-Foil Grand Slam event in Brazil last November) was again used.

In this format the riders are not allowed to use the wing on a specified section of the course. This very athletic form of racing is popular with all riders, and even seasoned racers like windsurfing legend Antoine Albeau paid tribute to this professional format. The Surf-Race podium saw Titouan in first place, along with Olivia Piana on the ladies side.

Overall we were stoked with how this event unfolded – the versatility of foiling was showcased very effectively and gave this talented group of athletes a platform on which to show their skills!

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Tim Taudien locked in switch. He has been one of the surprises in the men’s Surf-Freestyle, making it all the way to the semi-final.

Balz Müller has been on the forefront of the wingfoil freestyle side since the beginning. His technicality and style is outstanding.

The Surf-Freestyle competition kicked off in challenging 25-30 knots. Mathis Ghio keeps control on a Frontside 360.

The race is on! Timing is everything on the start line and anyone who crosses before the green flag is up gets disqualified…

The number of French athletes has obviously been high at their home event. Tom Auber was fighting his way up the Surf-Freestyle ladder into round 4 before losing to his fellow countryman, Malo Guenole.

Nobody has been backflipping as clean as Titouan out on the flatwater conditions in Leucate. His perfect execution and flawless style got rewarded with the top scores of the event.

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Having a well-timed start is crucial in any racing format. The top 5 of each heat were advancing into the next round and being late at the start line didnt give much room to catch up on the racecourse.

The event area was closed to public spectators due to the strict Covid protocols in place. Wings were lying in the sand like butterflies.

Before a Surf-Race heat, the competitors wait at the start boat for the timing of the starting sequence. Once the red flag goes up, they’ve got three minutes til the start.

GWA presenter Jo Ciastula has been on the beach mic pushing the riders like he loves to do!

Right off the water after the men’s Surf-Freestyle final, the winners were announced on the beach: 1. Titouan Galea, 2. Balz Müller, 3.

Riccardo Zorzi.

The women’s Surf-Freestyle final has been a hard fight between the girls, but Bowien van der Linden came out on top of Olivia Piana and Flora Artzner.

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Titouan goes big for the win.

When it comes to air-time, it’s hard to keep up with the man from New Caledonia. Here he is in flight mode during the men’s final against Balz Müller.

Titouan Galea has been dominating the men’s side in Leucate with the top spot in both disciplines. Balz Müller hard on his heels taking second place in both disciplines and Camille Bouyer completing the Surf-Race podium in third.

The men’s Surf-Freestyle podium sees Titouan Galea and Balz Müller claiming the same top spots again and 15-year-old youngster Riccardo Zorzi with an amazing performance getting in 3rd.

Bowien van der Linden takes the women’s Surf-Freestyle victory in her first ever competition, edging out Olivia Piana in a close final.

Third place goes to Flora Artzner.

Olivia Piana takes the win in the women’s Surf-Race discipline in a close battle with Flora Artzner in second and Bowien van der Linden in third.

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A WORLD OF ADVENTURE AWAITS.

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TOE I N G THE LIN E It’s not been the easiest year for brands looking to bring new products to market. In fact, between lockdowns, travel restrictions, border closures and the occasional wayward container ship shutting down critical global shipping routes, it’s fair to say it’s been a challenge like no other. The team over at Flysurfer are not ones to rest on their laurels while the world rights itself though, and team rider Luke McGillewie took the brand’s can-do spirit to the water while on a shoot in South Africa. All legal and above board (we think), Luke picks up the story…

WORDS: LUKE MCGILLEWIE PHOTOS: MIRIAM JOANNA

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icture this: An international brand books a shoot to create content on a range of new products in one of the only places in the world where travel is accessible, and the wind is blowing: South Africa. The shoot gear gets air-freighted to Cape Town, and on the day the gear arrives, the president announces another lockdown. Beaches are closed, and foilers are officially persona non grata! This was the situation that we on the Flysurfer team found ourselves in this past January. All geared up and nowhere to go. With our new MOJO wing ready to hit the market, we had a mission to accomplish, and we were going to find a way…

Our videographer Adam Sims had his target set on a beach in the Overberg, which he had scouted out the month before. We knew that the thick kelp forests could pose an issue for our hydrofoils, but the wind direction was just right, and the spot was well off the beaten path. There were two loopholes in the lockdown regulations that had us fairly assured that our sunrise strike mission would be mostly legal, using the boat slipway, and if that failed, trying to get on the water from an access-controlled beach.

Alarms were set for 4:30am, leaving just enough time to brew some hot coffee to keep us awake on the long drive east. We piled the wings, boards, and foils into our vehicles and set off just as dawn was breaking. Armed with printed copies of the lockdown measures, fishing permits, rods, and even a spear gun, we were ready to toe the line and, hopefully, stay out of the slammer!

We drove down the bumpy dirt road on our way into Pringle Bay and arrived in the early morning, with a thick mist blanketing the area.

We ventured out of our cars, shocked by the temperature. It was the height of summer in South Africa, yet the weather was freezing! We had not come prepared for the cold and scrambled to find enough layers to keep the crew warm. Luckily, we also had some new Flysurfer apparel and ponchos to shoot, and those blessed beanies were a lifesaver on an otherwise ice-cold morning. It was hard to leave the

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warmth of the vehicles, and the lack of sunlight allowed us to hunker down for a little longer. We watched as a crew of salty old fishermen cruised in through the fog and up to the slipway, bringing their vehicle around to load up and leave. We eyed each other through the windows, giving a friendly nod, hoping that they wouldn't report our strange behavior. While Adam may have passed for a fisherman with his sun-streaked red beard, the rest of us most certainly did not.

When the clouds broke, we piled out of our cars and started rigging up our fishing rods. It was still fresh, so photographer Miriam Joanna and I both got into our wetsuits, hoping the extra layer of neoprene would keep us warm until we were ready to get into the water. The slipway felt a little too exposed, so we loaded ourselves with wings and boards, camera equipment and fishing gear, and began our journey to a hidden bay around the corner on foot. With some of the group wearing the extra-long and comfy ponchos, we looked like a strange band of hobbits on a journey to Mount Doom. The scene

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became even more fantastical when we climbed over a small hill to find a weird, rocky house that looked like it had been completely built by one pair of hands. It sat like a guard tower on the rocks at the water's edge. We noticed a man sitting on a bench in front of the house, sipping from his cup of tea, watching us on our quest for MOJO content. Not wanting to irritate the locals, especially ones that lived in fortresses, I mustered up the courage to climb up the hill to speak to this mystery man. I put on my mask (as is protocol in South Africa) and approached. He gave me a very strange look, so I quickly removed the mask and stood at a distance while explaining what on earth we were doing. He'd been off the grid for some time and wasn't up to date on the latest Covid news, but he was happy to see some new faces and a sport that he'd never heard of before!

We got back to rigging our foils and pumping up wings while the camera crew set up and let the cameras roll. Our new friend – Dave – came down to the beach to see what it was all about and let us know that he had a small cottage behind the dune that we could use as our home base for the day. We were thankful for the protection from

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the windy conditions. We didn't realize at the time how valuable that little escape would be.

After navigating the kelp-filled bay on the foil for a few hours, we had managed to capture some incredible angles, showing a side of South Africa that I don't think has ever been seen before. Looking at the photos, we could have easily been winging in Ireland or Norway or, yes, even Middle Earth. Fellow team rider Alina Shalin was on the water getting some kite shots with Adam and Miriam while I took a break. The timing couldn't have been better because my phone was ringing. Our friends who were shooting some content for a different kite brand had just arrived at the slipway around the corner, and things were getting exciting.

You've never seen a beach clear so quickly. In only a few minutes, everyone was out of the water, wings and kites were deflated, and we were all running over the dune ladened with kites, wings, boards, and cameras. We stashed our gear in the yard of our little shack, hearts racing as we tried to process what had happened. We moved up to the roof deck to get a view from above so we could see the bay and the ridge that we had hiked over, wondering if the police were on their way. After a debate with the crew and a quick check on our regulations, we were fairly certain that we were still keeping it legal and weren't at risk of arrest. We calmed down over lunch, laughing at the chaos that had just unfolded.

There were four police vehicles parked at the boat ramp with officers watching Alina's kite, just visible over the ridge. We had managed to avoid detection with the wing being closer to the water, but the kites had set off some alarm bells somewhere. Not being 100% certain if we were breaking the law or not, we panicked. I spread the news to the crew on the beach, and the mission to 'GTFO' was underway.

When the sun came back out an hour later, we couldn't resist pumping the wings back up and going for another session. The brightening blues skies meant the scenery was getting more and more beautiful, and we weren't ready to waste the light and perfect wind conditions.

With one last session in the bag, camera batteries running out and SD cards filling up, we were ready to pack it in. It was safe to say that we had scored an epic day with a few moments of drama that we would never forget!

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T H E BAY Powerful currents, thousand-mile swells, sharky waters, notoriously thick sea fog, and one of the busiest shipping inlets in the world… Wing foiling in San Francisco Bay is not for the faint-hearted. But for a brave few, it’s a goldmine of endless opportunity, as champion kitesurfer Johnny Heineken can testify…

WORDS JOHNNY HEINEKEN PHOTOS ABNER KINGMAN

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ntil recently, foiling for me was mostly about going fast, pointing high, trying to beat people around the course.

Wing foiling hit the scene right as I was stepping back from kite racing. Though I’m still launching from Crissy Field in San Francisco Bay most days, winging has changed the way I view my local spot and allowed me to appreciate it in a new way.

Instead of looking for steady wind and flat water, the Crissy wingers now congregate in the sloppiest places we can find. A local favorite is the South Tower of the Golden Gate bridge. On a strong ebb tide, 6+ knots of current sucks out under the bridge in a glassy slick, uncharacteristic of a windy venue. The tower’s wake forms a series of standing waves under the bridge that morph into a washing machine of lumps behind the tower’s foundation. Combined with incoming wind swell, peaks and troughs appear seemingly at random, providing endless features to connect right along the barnacle-covered walls of the tower. With a well-timed hop over the shoulder and bank onto the next wave, you can hold your ground relative to the tower, doing this until your legs give out. Just watch out for the sea lions that glide along in the current relief next to the tower...

Follow the bridge a few hundred yards south and Fort Point might be breaking. The wind swirls around the old fort, which often completely shadows the inside. On a kite we only tasted the shoulder of this wave, but the ability to drag a wing into the shadow, dodge the rocks, and pump (or paddle) back out has opened this place up for daily riding.

Some days we ride man-made waves. Ships, fishing boats, ferries, whatever throws a wake. A morning check of wind, tide, swell, and commercial vessel traffic has become the new norm. “Green” ships on AIS are the best, these are the freighters. “Reds”, tankers, are rarely fast enough to throw a good wake. Gybe on the starboard bow

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wave just outside the bridge and you can jump onto a line of lefts that will run all the way past Alcatraz. It’s common to see a ship heading downwind with a flock of what look like ducklings playing, all on their own endless wave. The best part is you can talk to your buddies on the adjacent waves. You might even get a holler and wave from the crew on the ship, who appear to like these escorts into the Bay. On adventurous days, we’ll go well outside the Golden Gate. The typical thermal wind fades outside – it’s easy to be sucked out in an ebb, unable to get foiling. But the swell near mile rock can be tempting, and the risk adds to the fun. The goal is to be just cautious (lucky?) enough to make it home.

Earlier this spring, a friend and I got the rare offer of boat support outside the Gate. This provided an opportunity to push farther out than is safe to do alone. We took off from Crissy and met photographer Abner five miles upwind at Point Bonita. Days of wind swell jacked up on a shoal called the Potato Patch, creating an endless playground of rolling hills with steep double-ups sprinkled throughout. It’s a pretty surreal experience gliding full speed downwind for miles, connecting lump after lump that far offshore. Even on my quick Mike’s Lab foil it was easy to get maxed out on speed. Riding chop inside the Bay requires snappy turns and well-timed pumps to stay in the energy and avoid outrunning the waves. The open ocean is all about long, drawn out snowboarding turns, still staying on the steepest part of the wave but not cutting back too hard, and risking being outrun by the swell.

The evolution of the sport is what keeps many of us engaged, I’m no exception. I’d like to spend more time offshore, and also to figure out how to get out in bigger beach breaks. But, no matter what comes next, I’m sure it will continue to expand my understanding and appreciation of the Bay.

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Photo: Graeme Murray

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DYNAMICS THE DEEP DIVE

P H O T O S K AT I E C OX / S I G N AT U R E P E R F O R M A N C E G E A R

Photo: Graeme Murray

A little change to our Dynamics slot for this issue as we embark on our first ‘Deep Dive’ where designers lay out their thinking and engineering concepts behind their key creations. Kicking things off is Signature Performance Gear’s Flight Engineer, Geoff Cox. EVOLUTION I made my first surf hydrofoil in July 2016. I had just finished filming the first year of the ultimate waterman event at which Laird and Titus Kinimaka were ambassadors of the event and had brought with them their first gen clip in foils. Kai Lenny was also at the event and we talked about foiling.

Not long after the event we all saw the Kai Lenny clip of him foiling in Fiji and a week later I was in my garage shaping my first foil out of foam.

The first foils I made were mostly hand shaped foam cores then wrapped in carbon in a conventional wet layup. The designs were

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built from hand drawn templates much like surfboard shaping. They were very experimental with crazy amounts of dihedral and anhedral, basically big bonzer concaves and quite a lot of swept delta in the plan shape. I made many foils this way, trying out different design questions and trying to figure out what features delivered different feel in the ride. I was very much a learner myself so it was a difficult process. I have gone back and ridden some of those early foils and they are what I would now call a very challenging foil to ride! In June 2017 I was in Tahiti staying with my friend Manoa Drollet and he was riding some Naish and Horue foils and I got to foil on what at the time were called pelican foils. Manoa’s friend Mathieu was testing for them and I had many long talks with Manoa about foil design and came home psyched to keep progressing.

IMPLEMENTATION I started designing my foils in CAD. I had always been conversant in CAD software and my education background is graphic design.

Around this time some of my friends started foiling and I got to ride more foils as they came to market. I started to get a deeper understanding of what features actually did in a foil. I consumed everything I could find online about hydrofoil design. Literally hundreds and hundreds of hours of reading highly technical documents about hydrodynamic theory. I was fortunate enough to meet James Gell who worked in composites on the San Francisco and Bermuda America’s Cup campaigns and he gave me some good pointers on prototyping and types of carbon layups to use in my builds. He was at the time making foiling moths and we had some good chats about efficiency and low drag designs.

I started to use CFD analysis of my designs and really focused on foil sections. A foil I had hand made in 2018 had a foil section that I loved and I went back and modeled it in to CAD and analyzed it. About this time another well-known brand released a foil and my friend got one. The foil sections were almost identical, and it was encouraging to think I was thinking along the same lines as an established foil maker. It was a foil that I instantly loved but I found that I personally struggled a bit to pump on it. I went on a mission to design a foil that surfed well on a wave but did not sacrifice too much pump, so that linkups were not penalized for on-wave performance. As I was well down this path with many, many prototypes building up in the workshop, I got connected with SPG in 2019. I jumped at the chance to be part of such an epic team and my design focus on the super versatile foil fit perfectly in with what they wanted to add to their current offerings.

DESIGN GOALS The ability to get as close as possible to the performance goal in CFD simulation saved my fingers from a lot of sanding. Once ready to commit to carbon, I made multiple variations of one foil with small incremental changes so I could really confirm what each design element was contributing to the ride feel. There were some features that I deemed essential for the foil to really perform to the level we were aiming for. I had ridden multiple other foils that were not able to handle a tip breach in a hard banked turn. That was a trait I worked hard to eliminate from the SPG Gamechanger design. I also wanted a very agile, loose feel, but not have that translate to a twitchy yaw or unstable pitch. I was really after the shortboard surfing feel on the wave while still retaining great pump and glide. In my opinion the key start point that sets up all the other parameters is the foil section or in this case the variable sections. Then the plan shape, dihedral, anhedral, sweep, all key into that.

The versatility of a medium aspect foil is something we really focused on. I loved riding my Albatross for the effortless pump and I had a couple of foils that were insane in turns and whitewater but had terrible glide. The allrounder was something that everyone was after. Taking a look at shortboard design it had been achieved to a degree. I had a 5’10 that I could surf in 2ft onshore or 6ft Indo barrels.

Surely we can get there with a foil… There were some things that seemed hydrodynamically difficult – keeping the pitching moment under control while still having good agility was challenging. But easily tunable with some setup tweaks.

The benefit of a wing with some dihedral at the root is the way it will couple roll and yaw. If you stiffen up the yaw, the roll becomes more stable. By putting a tail on with more vertical area (i.e. bigger fins) the yaw settles down and also roll stabilizes as a function of that increased yaw stability. Alternatively, throw a very flat tail on with no vertical area and you can change that wing into a radical high-performance ripper. Also changing the fuselage length changes not only yaw and pitch stability but also pitching moment and pump cadence.

Changing out tails and fuses can radically alter the feel…

EXPERIMENT & REFINEMENT A lot of people get their foil setups and just lock in. In my view it is so much more fun to experiment and you may just find a sweet spot that takes your performance up a notch. Moving your mast base 10mm in the boxes is a massive change in ride feel. I move mine around a lot and make notes on what worked in different conditions. It is easy to get comfortable with a setup and be hesitant to change things. I am fortunate to have a local foiling crew + a global SPG crew who are

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game to try anything and have good technical understanding also, so we are always experimenting. We share our findings and all learn more together.

With a wing like the Gamechanger, you have so much ability to tune it to exactly the feel you want. Adding a higher downforce tail if you want a more positive lift feel, pushing the wing back in the box if you really like to get over the front of your wing and maximize your pump, pushing it forward in the box when going out and hitting the big stuff to get a bit more nose lift on those bigger drops. It is so easy to refine your setup. The process of working out what alters the performance you are aiming for can sometimes be confusing because everyone has a different way of interpreting what they feel in the foil. Matching your foil to your board is a good start point. I like my fuselage centerline to be perfectly level with my foot position on the deck. Some boards with tail rocker might require a mast base shim so you don’t end up riding with a very front foot high setup.

The Gamechanger was designed from the outset to be versatile. You can surf it, wing it and downwind it. By changing the fuse and tail it can cross over disciplines. I leave one super low drag tail on my medium fuse and use that on small glide days and have a tail with winglets on my smaller fuse and use that on surf days. It is just one screw to totally change my setup from a longboard to a performance shortboard. I don’t shim my tail but others do. I prefer to use a higher or lesser downforce tail instead of shimming so that the angle of attack doesn’t change. That way pitch will remain consistent across a wider speed range. There is no right or wrong way, only the way you personally like best. I like a bit higher downforce tail that has the benefit of really driving through the end of a carving turn. Also, it helps to counteract the nose forward pitching moment that main wings have as speed increases.

shim the tail by 0.5mm, some run the mast base well forward… personal preference is the name of the game.

THE FUTURE I ride as many other foils as I possibly can. I love the feel of something different. I don’t think there are really any bad foils out there anymore. All the major offerings are at a high level of maturity of development. It is interesting to see in some places design similarity starting to form. While at the same time some radical departures from the norm are showing up. We are only at the very start of an exciting exponential curve of innovation.

As riders push the performance envelope they will be driving the next wave of design innovation as they demand more performance from their gear. Watching top riders around the world enjoying and ripping on the Gamechanger foils is super rewarding, and locally Alex Dive is one of the most stylish foilers I have ever seen. He is drawing lines on his Gamechanger 900 that make me so stoked as the designer. Foiling with him and watching how much tip comes out in a big wrapping carve, watching how hard he pulls the end of his snaps, makes me start thinking about what needs to happen to allow even more performance from our foils. What will people be doing on them in one year or three?!

There definitely seems to be some clear differentiation between the disciplines. Wing, Downwind, Surf. What riders are going to demand from their gear as the disciplines evolve is yet to be seen.

We are, as I imagine almost designers are, always looking for the next design breakthrough. Will we see huge leaps or a constant evolutionary curve? Who knows. But it’s very exciting.

Team riders and friends on the Gamechanger 195/1260 do things completely different. It is fun to jump on other setups and see just how much your foil can be personalized to your style. Some guys

There are stepper motors humming away in the background as I write this. Cranking out the molds for something pretty crazy. So keep an eye out… you might spot something pretty interesting under the feet of someone in the SPG family soon.

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THE DEEP DIVE

SU B S C RI BE TO DAY

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ENSIS SCORE

amazing power and control, easy manoeuvres, clear view www.ensis.surf

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01 RRD DYNAMIC PRO CARBON 1200

The Italian brand’s “expert level” SWK (surf/SUP, wing, kite) Dynamic Pro front wing uses some of the stiffest carbon on the market for such a toy, giving it extreme rigidity in both flex and torsion. Speedy, carves hard, and is gagging to get amongst it in the waves…

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NORTH NOVA

North’s Nova wing comes with North’s ever-present attention to detail. A stiff geometry means you’re not going to struggle getting to your feet and riding in almost all wind conditions, while the perfectly formed ergonomic handles are guaranteed to keep you locked in when it’s pumping…

03 SPG ULTRA~X

The team at Signature have a very versatile board range, with lots of foil, wing and crossover options.

The Ultra~X is their dedicated wingfoil board that enjoys a deep deck concave, tip to tail beveled rails and a kick tail. Pure wing.

Available from 4’8 for the featherweights, to 7’2 for the “big boned”.

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INDIANA LE DOIGT

Le Doigt is French for ‘finger’ (shamefully had to use Google Translate for this) and to be precise this is Indiana team rider Steeve Fleury’s signature finger, shaped and designed specifically for pure pumping and dock starts, of which Steeve is a big fan, but with the option of switching into waves if the mood takes you.

05 FANATIC STINGRAY LTD

Fanatic do make some lovely looking boards and the new Stingray LTD doesn’t fail to satisfy once again. Built to close the gap between wing and windfoiling, the Stingray LTD is available in two compact sizes, built with multiple deck reinforcements so it can take a pounding, and offers multiple footstrap inserts to suit your wind sport preference.

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06 KOLD VIKING

Lightweight but stiff and strong, the Viking foil set from KOLD is built with multidirectional recycled carbon, and comes ready to rock and roll. The high aspect, highly efficient design lends itself to carefree gliding in cold North Atlantic swells. The name alone makes us want to grow a big beard.

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SM IDITY S G I R NCE S ICE RATIO A M R PERFO ALITY / PR QU BEST

www.srokacompany.com

Wing Foil - Kite foil - Wind Foil - Surf Foil - SUP Foil - Wake Foil 97

07 ENSIS SCORE

And score you most certainly will with Ensis’ new ultra-stable, lightweight and power-delivering wing. Built to be predictable and unwavering in even the most turbulent conditions, the Score will also be your pal when the wind drops, enjoying plenty of low-end power too.

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LEVITAZ BOOM

Levitaz’s new BOOM boards look the business, and this is no surprise from the Austrian brand who are known for their engineering savvy.

Built in a complete carbon construction, this dedicated wing board also comes with Sustainable Surf’s ECOBOARD seal of approval…

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AK DURABLE SUPPLY CO. PADS

The team at AK have come up with a handy little option if you’re looking to switch out your traction pads and switch in some footstraps. These glue-on pads feature an ultra thin stainless steel insert that’s built into a flexible nylon pad, so it’ll work to your board’s contours. Genius.

10 TAKUMA KUJIRA HELIUM

Yet to be released as we go to print, Takuma’s new ‘do-it-all’ medium aspect Kujira Helium shows that the French brand continue to enjoy a well-deserved ‘think outside the box’ reputation – the already innovative Kujira’s carbon composite outer (with its signature tubercle design) has been filled with a lightweight helium core.

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11 NAISH HOVER WING BOARDS

The name tells you what you need to know, with this second-generation range of wing-focused boards building on their strong reception the first time around. With the ability to switch them into SUP, downwind and prone foiling too, there’s very little reason to ever be on dry land.

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12 RIDE ENGINE VINAKA

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Covered over in our Inbound slot this issue, Ride Engine’s new Vinaka wing harness is built with support in mind, allowing less pressure on your arms and back when on those long downwinders. It’s light too, with the large size coming in at a mere 450g.

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FLY SAFE!

Discover the new SECURED OLAIAN FOIL, dedicated to foil learning.

Bumper soft leading edge => Absorbs shocks 8 times more than a regular foil

Side stringers for more stability

Non cutting soft edges

2 masts included, for gradual learning

Find out more on the website 99 or by e-mail: contact_hydrofoil@decathlon.net / @olaiansurf

13 SLINGSHOT DART V1

Slingshot’s Dart wing is now on the market and can be seen being used to its full mind-bending potential by expert riders such as Jeffrey Spencer. Its stealthy shape should make it clear this is no wing for beginners… A true rocket ship in the right hands.

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SUNOVA PILOT

Ridden by James Casey in his feature this issue, this collaborative shape is the brainchild of James and fellow Sunova team rider, Marcus Tardrew. It’s a high performance board built for prone foiling, and if you head over to James’ slot, you’ll see just what it’s capable of…

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CLOUD9 F-SERIES

With F standing for Froth, the intentions are clear for this foil, and with this full carbon package you can buy into the action on this high aspect wing in one easy hit.

It comes with everything, including a handy travel case. Check out Kjell’s review of the F-Series over in Tested this issue.

16 FLITE FLOW S 1100

The middle ground in Flite’s Series 2 Flow S collection, the 1100 is for the carvers amongst us, snappy enough to keep things loose in the waves, but you can also kick back and let the electric do all the hard work when you want a bit of cruisy chill time.

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LIFT3 EXPLORER EFOIL

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Part of Lift’s new generation of eFoils, the 5’9 Explorer benefits from all the new and refined tech that comes with the eFoil brand’s latest electric range. Plenty of battery life for prolonged good times, and big enough to be stable for almost anyone to get up and cruising on their first eFoil experience.

18 GAASTRA HYBRID 2000

The kite and windsurf brand’s move into foils is a strong one, and the Hybrid 2000 freeride setup comes in light and stiff, and complete with enough interchangeability should you need to mix things up down the line.

Plenty of performance potential on tap, so ideal for both those starting out and advanced riders.

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PHOTO: MIRIAM JOANNA | RIDER: THÉO DE RAMECOURT

LOOKING FOR YOUR MOJO? THEN LET US HELP YOU. SIZES: 2.8 / 3.5 / 4.5 / 5.2 / 6.2 / 7.0 WWW.FLYSURFER.COM

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THE BAJA

Rare is the trip that you don’t get skunked in some shape or form. Thankfully there are a few

‘safe bets’, places where the weather, the swell, and the cold beers can always be depended on.

Step forward La Ventana on the Baja Peninsula…

WORDS JAMES JENKINS PHOTOS ERIC DURAN

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I had been to Baja once, just a quick trip for Spring Break back in college, not what most would call the real Baja experience… But when my flight departed the peninsula this time, I could claim I’d had a taste of the real Baja…

It was frigid at home in the Outer Banks of N.C. when Slingshot Brand Manager, Wyatt Miller, called to give me the invite to his resort in La Ventana to shoot the new Flying Fish 3:1 foil board and hand over a quiver of the new carbon Phantasm foils. If escaping to turquoise waters and getting my hands on the newest foil toys wasn’t enough, he hinted that if the swell due to hit Jaws in a few days went off, they had a secret spot to take me on the Pacific side that ought to catch the leftovers. No more convincing necessary, I was already looking at flights to Cabo before we hung up.

Flying down the 800-mile Baja Peninsula from my layover in L.A., there were several times you could see both the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean at the same time. I had no idea the peninsula was that narrow at some points. As the plane flew down the Sea of Cortez side of Baja you could clearly see that it was windy, and long lines of swell were marching southward erupting on the shores of islands far below. Wyatt and the crew at his wind/wingsurf resort (prowindsurflaventana.com) must be out on the water having a blast, I thought, and with my flight landing at 1PM I might actually arrive in time to enjoy it with them.

I touched down in Cabo and after the two-hour shuttle ride, I arrived in La Ventana and was greeted by a lesson on the indigenous libation…The Baja Fog. A shot of tequila is floated in the neck of an ice cold Pacifico beer, then it’s topped with a squeeze of lime that provides the namesake ‘foggy’ appearance. The idea is to get the bottle as vertical as possible, draining the tequila-filled neck before savoring the rest of the limey beer. It went down following a cheer of “Fogs Away!”.

After seeing all the wind and swell from the airplane window, I was eager to check out the beach, so, fogs in hand, we headed down. A single-track trail gave way to the massive gear sheds piled to the brim with the latest wing boards, half of which hadn’t even launched yet…

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After several longing glances back at the toy sheds, we made it out to a nice white sand beach dotted with houses and small resorts along an L-shaped bay that would catch any downwind drifters like a perfect catcher’s mitt. I could see why this was such a windsports mecca, you could ride your wing straight out 10 miles and still have a sandy beach to land on downwind of you. It was headed towards evening and the thermal winds were beginning to fade with only one kite foiler on the water getting the last of it. I watched him drop the kite out of the sky, then pump his foil all the way around it before relaunching it again… the guy had some skills! I shot a look at Wyatt and he chuckled and asked if I had ever met fellow Slingshot team rider and recent world tour champ, Fred Hope. I hadn’t, so Wyatt whistled him over and we chatted on the beach and checked out the latest foil. The wing was tiny… I couldn’t believe he could pump it around the kite like he had. It was 5 o’clock now and the wind was steadily dropping so Fred excused himself in order to make it back upwind and home. Wyatt explained that Fred had grown up spending his winters in La Ventana, even attending the local schools as a kid. And from the looks of it he’d had plenty of schooling on the water as well.

The next day we were supposed to shoot photos with another couple Slingshot team riders, Reed Brady and Robby Stewart. I got the feeling that half the Slingshot team was based in Baja... Wyatt explained that La Ventana was basically “Hood River, Oregon South” with most of the license plates in town being from either Oregon or Washington, where Slingshot is based.

The next day a glassy, calm morning gave way to an approaching windline and we headed eight miles upwind from Wyatt’s place at the bottom of the bay. A dusty stretch of road later, we arrived at the Hot Springs beach where 140-degree water bubbled up at the tide line filling a series of little rock pools made by the hot tubbers. The water in a few of the pools was so hot you could boil an egg in it or scald your foot – as I did as I inspected the various pools.

The wind began to fill in, blowing into the mid-20s with some fun, rolling swell on the outside. I pumped up my 4.0m Slingshot Dart and grabbed the Flying Fish 30L we were shooting, while Reed blew up a 5m UFO kite. Reed’s lady and Slingshot film maker / ripping winger 106

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Kylie Zaramati filmed from the water as Wyatt chased us around with the drone. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen someone walk such a fine line between skill and complete recklessness with a drone as Wyatt. Reed and I each received haircuts as Wyatt tracked us at eye level. At one point he managed to hit my wing with the drone putting a 2-inch gash in the canopy and sending it into a tumble before miraculously righting itself just before splashdown. I am sure it gave him just as big as scare as it did me, but it sure didn’t stop him from his close-quarter flying. We were all having a blast and the best shot of the day came from Reed tucking under my wing like a barrel as I rode toeside with the drone capturing our laughter. Wing Barrels are now a thing!

After exhausting the memory cards, the crew decided to do a downwinder on the wings back to Wyatt’s. We were one wing short, so Fred and Reed took turns towing each other up onto the foil with the kite before letting go and cruising swell to swell as long as they could. We stayed about a half mile offshore playing in the 6-8 foot rolling swell, which was moving quite fast having picked up speed and period over its long fetch from somewhere far to the north. The most amazing part of the eight-mile downwinder was just how many people were out on the water. Every half mile or so we would pass another beach access with 50-70 more wingers, kiters and windsurfers. We must have passed 300 plus people in the hour it took us to get to the bottom of the bay. We were all smiles as we derigged in Wyatt’s carpet-covered gear sheds before heading back up the trail for an overdue round of fogs.

A couple days later, after being glued to the online feed of all the antics happening at Jaws and the outer reefs in Oahu during one of their biggest swells of the year, we made the call to head to the Pacific. Wyatt’s setup was pretty dialed, we loaded his 4x4 quad into the back of his Sprinter van, then tossed all the camping gear and surf toys on top. We hooked the jetski trailer to the hitch and off we went.

The quad would allow us to launch the jetski just about anywhere and also quickly make any mad dashes into the desert that might be necessary after the morning’s first coffee.

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After a two-hour drive with a couple stops for beer, ice and food, we pulled up at a deserted beach and unloaded. The swell was still pretty small, but we were all jazzed up with hopes for the morning. After a fun evening of campfire, Baja Fogs and the local delicacy of bacon wrapped hot dogs, we headed to our tents with barrels on the brain.

At dawn the swell was definitely bigger but nothing to get the heart pounding. With the place to ourselves and a jetski at the ready, fun was all but guaranteed. The swell hit a small rocky point and really stood up with a thick lip before peeling into a sandy beach that would hopefully catch our foilboards after a wipeout as we surfed with no leash. Wyatt towed me into a few little ones before the swell started to build. The guys had been telling me that we really needed a slight offshore to make this spot light up and show its true colors.

The second the wind switched, true to form the wave stood up, like way up! It had to be more than the wind though, the swell doubled in size in less than 30 minutes. The boys had warned me that Wyatt was about as reckless with his ski as he was with the drone and wave after wave, he began to tow me in deeper. I was full pedal to the metal to make some of the sections…

Growing up in the Outer Banks and spending a lot of my life in Nicaragua has gotten me used to heavy and hollow waves. However, looking at those waves through the lens of a foilboard gives a much more nerve-racking view. I know I can ride a barrel on a surfboard, but I promised myself going into this session that if the opportunity came, I would pull into a tube on foil. I knew the crew on the beach and behind the lens were rooting for me to tuck into one, so the pressure was on from all angles. After getting a few waves and feeling out the break while getting comfortable on my new foil setup, the set of the day came. We were in the perfect position on the ski and Wyatt whipped me extra deep. I remember doing a big fade and making a wide bottom turn as the wave started to form. This wave in particular hit at the perfect angle and I could tell it was about to fully barrel. It felt like slow motion in the moment, but the decision had to be made:

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straighten out and lose the board to the rocks, or pull in! I pulled into the pocket and forced my board lower to the water in anticipation of the power that would want to force the foil up. I traveled for a bit inside the tube and then partially breached the outside of my wing, regaining control shortly after. I was able to keep riding through the next section before ultimately falling. Even though I didn’t make the wave, it was one of my most memorable barrels I’ve ever gotten.

Something about the unpredictability of a rocky/beach break barrel vs. most of the foil barrel shots you see coming from a perfect reef break with an escape channel made it extra special. It took me a while to process the wave and it will definitely be burned into my head for a long time.

With the barrel shot in the can we hit the beach to chow down as quickly as possible and we spent the rest of the afternoon trading off taking laps on the jetski with everyone joining in on the fun. I couldn’t believe there was no-one for miles… Where else do you have a barreling wave with miles of beach and no-one to yell at you for using a ski? I guess this is the beauty of Baja. In the late afternoon we loaded friends and foils onto the quad to check out a couple other points nearby. The jetski followed us offshore and we got to tow a second point before the light started to fade and an otherworldly sunset broke out.

After my first foil barrel and a seamless series of good times, a storm rolled in the next morning with fog, drizzle and steady onshore wind dashing our hopes for a repeat. After a few hours of finger crossing in the rain we decided to abandon ship and head back to La Ventana.

We were greeted the following day with sun, wind and perfect turquoise water back on the Sea of Cortez. Unfortunately, I was also greeted by the shuttle that would whisk me back to the Cabo airport with all my new Phantasm carbon foil gear. As we headed southbound along the coast, I was already dreaming about going back. It only took a few days to see why so many of the Slingshot team call Baja home…

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THE TOM CARROLL INTERVIEW If you have come to foiling from a surfing background (or even if you haven’t) there are surely few wave sport enthusiasts amongst us who haven’t heard of the former world champion Australian surfer and style master, Tom Carroll. Plenty of us have had our lives in the water shaped by riders of his ilk (Ed: me amongst them…). Tom has always retained a broad-minded appreciation of all facets of board riding, and tentatively moved into foiling in the early 2000s, fully committing a few years ago. Now, it’s a full-time passion. Friend and journalist Paul Burnett sat down with him to find out how this all came to pass…

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"I SWEAR AS YOU GET OLDER IT TAKES SO MUCH LONGER, IT’S LIKE THE INFORMATION JUST HAS TO COME THROUGH THE BODY, REVERBERATE ALMOST, LIKE AN ECHO THROUGH THE MUSCLE TISSUE, INTO THE BRAIN."

So as this isn’t a traditional surf mag, why don’t you introduce yourself and let the people know some of the things that make Tom Carroll the legend that he is…

Ha! Ok. I’m 59 years old. Started surfing when I was 7. I became a Pro Junior Champion when I was 15 years of age. That catapulted me to competing on the world tour and I became a world champion when I was 22 and 23, consecutively. I then lost my world title to Tom Curren.

Bloody Curren haha…

Yeah. Curren turned into quite a force. He was already a world champion in the amateurs. I had to kind of stamp my ground before he came in. I also watched Occy come on and I thought “these guys are amazing surfers, I’m going to learn a lot from these guys, but I want to nail it as much as I can.” I was already very competitive by nature, just through the crew I grew up with. I got myself nine years of consecutive Top 5 places and surfed the tour for 14 years, stepped off and started working with Quiksilver a little more closely. They were my sponsor… still are. They sponsored me from 14 years of age, so it’s been a long time.

That’s a journey isn’t it? 45 years.

It’s been an incredible relationship yeah. But throughout those years I had all those great experiences of growing up through the development of surfing as a professional sport and all the kinda weird angles it took. Back then there were two strains of thought… soul surfer or competitor, and trying to figure that out through the ‘90s, it was pretty interesting but I was always absolutely given to riding a wave in any way, shape or form. Whether it be body surfing, body boarding, surfing.

Certainly back then it was “You’re a shortboarder, you’re not going to do anything else…”

Yeah. You couldn’t longboard. Like a longboarder would get beat up and told to go in at my local break. Body boarders too. It was really heavy. I never really got it because I liked the idea of just riding a wave, and what it gave me. It was a lot more than just competing and stuff for me. But down the track, I got on to windsurfing, kiting.

The windsurfing thing kind of came and went, and then I tried kiting and almost killed myself at the end of 1999. Robbie Naish supplied me with a bit of gear, and I got dragged up the beach. I didn’t get dragged. I actually gouged a trench… like something you’d have to dig with a shovel. I gave up that moment. But I was always looking at different ways of doing things and enjoying the adventure of it all.

In 2004, I was really interested in what Dave Kalama and Laird Hamilton were doing with the foil, but I didn’t like the idea of strapping in with boots.

Yeah. That was really dangerous wasn’t it?

Yeah. I really like Dave. Laird is a classic too, but I was closer with Dave and we’d done a couple of trips. He used to help Laird a lot in the big tow-in days and he’d say “you’ve got to try this foil thing. It’s going to blow your mind. It goes faster than anything else you’ve ever tried. You go straight through chop...”. So, I actually had a go.

Actually, the first time I had a go was with Ross Clark-Jones... and almost died.

Yes. There always seems to be stories with Ross that finish with “And I almost died.”

Haha yeah! I got one wave but I’ll never forget it. It was probably about a four-to-five foot wave and we were shooting for the Storm Surfers show… We were trying to put a trailer together and we got the boots on and we got dragged around Palm Beach closeouts. We had one of these alloy foils, similar to the Airchair foil, but makeshift.

My initial feeling, after getting stuck in the breaking waves with that thing, I just said “Nah! I’m not going to do this shit.” But as soon as I saw Kai Lenny doing that pump around a few years back…

Aw that! That’s everybody’s story isn’t it?

Yeah. And also a shot at Maliko on that little yellow board – jumping up and then just foiling a bump. That’s when I went, “That looks so dreamy and accessible…” and he kinda got me. I had to do that.

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So, moving on from the pre-foil Tom, when did it actually change your life?

At the ISA World Surf Paddling Championships in 2016 they were doing distance paddling around the islands and Kai Lenny was there with his GoFoil setup with that yellow board. He goes “Come on, I’ll take you out on the ski, let’s go.” and I thought, “I’m going to nail this!

I’m going to be the world champion at it.” That fucking baseline shit.

And then reality hits...

And it hits hard.

I just kooked out so badly. It felt so foreign. Kai and I were out at Swimming Pools off Namotu, and it was a little onshorish and I was dreaming about getting up on a Swimming Pool’s wave and just being able to glide along on it. I thought, “No worries, I’m going to be able to do this. I’m going to nail it.” I had a couple of runs where I was going along ok and I was on the rope behind the jetski, but as soon as I let go of the rope, I’d last a couple of moments and try and surf the thing and then I’d taco… BOOM, and just clip it, or just jump away from it. Just narrowly missing it.

I swear as you get older it takes so much longer, it’s like the information just has to come through the body, reverberate almost, like an echo through the muscle tissue, into the brain. Feel, remember, feel, remember... It’s like that. Then the body has to get the feel and relax a bit more.

I think the worst guys to teach are guys who have been surfing forever because they’ve got their muscle memory and they know what they think they want, which is exactly what they don’t want on the foil, in some respects.

And that’s what I realized that day. I came in and realized that I needed to get rid of surfing if I was going to learn to foil. I realised how different it was going to be. I can’t surf it. I’ve got to actually learn to foil.

So, I ended up tapping into GoFoil to get a setup. But I had a really screwed up knee by then and I went out and surfed the Eddie Event.

You surfed the Eddie with a screwed-up knee?

Yeah. I paddled out with Jamie O’Brien There’s a sequence I’ve got of me just getting lifted up, literally, and then just plonked over the back of the wave. I got blown over the back like a little light guy. I’ve got nothing to me when it comes to those elements. I’ve got to be really pushing down on the front leg, but I couldn’t. There was no power in it at all. I realised then that I needed to go look at a replacement knee. So, I went home and did that. At the same time I had the foil sitting there, and I realized with that knee I couldn’t get up and foil.

The knee wasn’t going to let me. So, I spent 2017 pretty much recuperating from knee surgery, and I was just getting ready to try the foil, but then I went snowboarding and injured my shoulder, which also needed surgery…

Ha! Old people! So at what stage were you able to get back on the foil?

I had shoulder surgery. I came back from that, and I was doing one of the Kalama Camps. My knee was fine, my shoulder was fine. I though, I’m going to dig deep and I’m going to get into this. So, I went out and I was determined to do it on a SUP. And Dave Kalama, the best teacher in the world, he was there to kind of guide me along. So, we’re doing what we call the Foil Garden which is right inside Wilkes Passage. It’s just a refraction. Probably about a 500m ride, some of them. A really good place to get some length of ride then paddle back out. And sort of reconfigure the brain a bit. That was the end of 2018. Then I went to Hawaii early 2019 and took that stuff with me and spent a couple of weeks foiling with Barton Lynch. I borrowed a board from John Amundson… I’m really thankful for that because it got me going. But I was going out in the worst conditions. It didn’t even look like it was a wave, but we’d go out there and have the best time. It was like we were grommets again.

I remember John Pizel came out on a Lift on one of the nicer days.

I looked down through the curve and as a surfer I just thought that looks like it would work to me. John said, “Yeah. Have a couple of runs on it.” So, I paddled out and the first couple of runs it just clicked and I went “Oh my god, this is next level.” It actually felt smooth on the turn and the way the wings were set up. I didn’t know much at all, it was just that feel. So my eyes twisted towards the Lift Foils.

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Also, before that I’d had a trip to Fiji and Paige Alms was there. She had the Lift Foil setup, and we organised a tow foil session. We had already been doing tow foiling when I had my Cloud Nine setup. I’m very thankful to Cloud Nine. I still have that S24 setup, it’s really cool to teach people with.

"THE BEAUTY OF WHERE WE ARE AT THE MOMENT IS THAT WE ARE SO EARLY IN THE CURVE… I RECKON IF WE WERE TO RELATE IT TO SURFING, WE’RE IN 1983, SIMON (ANDERSON) HAS JUST PADDLED OUT AT BELLS AND CHANGED THE WORLD OF SURFING WITH A THRUSTER."

They have obviously outgrown it with their new stuff which looks really good.

Yes. The new stuff is really looking good.

So how big was it on that session?

It wasn’t that big at Namotu. Three-to-four foot, nice smoothish faces. I couldn’t believe how nice the foil felt. I tuned in with Nick from Lift there. He sent me a little setup and it was a really superior foil.

I’ve still got that setup too.

You could really bank those turns.

Mmmm. It has a lot to do with that rear tail for me. I’m still learning so much. But I love the continuous froth of you and I going out in anything and having “Best Evers” every session.

You’re currently riding Armstrong. How did the transition to Armstrong come about?

At a Kalama camp. I started connecting with Freedom Foil Boards and they sent me a couple of different boards. I put the Lift on the tow-in board and I really started to feel the sensations of the Lift Foil.

I was going “Wow, I’m getting proper arcing turns now.” And then I was looking at all the gear in the shed, just studying it, and the Armstrong stuff just started to catch my eye for a number of reasons… the way it all fit together.

Beautiful piece of engineering isn’t it?

Yeah. The way it all sets up. So, I had a go on it, I was using the 1050 with the 232 on the back, I think it was. Those guys were using it for kiting but I just wanted to tow. Matt from REAL Watersports put me in contact with Armie, and he said, “I’ll send you a whole setup…”. So I’ve got a Lift setup. I’ve got a Cloud Nine setup. It’s absurd. But now I’ve signed an agreement with Armie because that’s how they wanted to do it, and I thought, I’m up for that!

So tell us about the KDMaui tail wing that you’ve got and how it goes with that setup.

It’s definitely different. I’m starting to learn more about the variables.

I had the HS850 on the front, the 70 fuse, with the 85 mast. What I would consider a good tow setup. I put the 13” KD on the back instead of the 212 I would normally, and as soon as I’d go into the turn it felt really good. I’d bring it up and then there’d be this crazy connection. All of a sudden, I’ve got these little concave-turned-down tips… instead of dipping up, it allows it to be a little softer in transition from what I’ve noticed. It was a super slick tail. No drag at all.

The beauty of where we are at the moment is that we are so early in the curve… I reckon if we were to relate it to surfing, we’re in 1983, Simon (Anderson) has just paddled out at Bells and changed the world of surfing with a Thruster. We’re at that level where the Thruster has changed the world and I think we’ll be going into a period of incremental change. It’s going to be so fun to watch that I reckon.

Yeah. Who knows how people are going to foil? We’re returning to the crest and looking for wedges, bumps and jumps and hitting things, winging it and getting to the air and they’re doing flips and stuff. But to see them getting the feel right so that it’s smooth and clean… For mine the movement towards evolving it is towards a smoother, uninterrupted turn, that you can transition in and out of without any weirdness and actually increase the freedom in transition so that you don’t have to think anymore. You don’t have to hold back.

You can just glide it. I’ve had a couple of nice feelings on the Armie.

Fast and beautiful.

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Cool… So, tell us about the foil boards that you’re making.

I’ve always loved making boards and designing boards. I did my own stand-up paddleboard brand, and still do. It’s a very small offering.

I’m not trying to rule the world, but it’s something I’ve got going.

These designs are from the influence of Blaine Chambers from Hawaii. I love that Maui culture. The Maui culture to me is the ultimate.

You can see what comes out of there. Like Laird and Kai and all these amazing surfers. Guys who use the wind and the waves. For me it’s the ultimate place on the planet for real innovation and stimulated design work around riding waves. All that Hawaii area, but Maui is producing some really amazing humans.

"I LOVE THAT MAUI CULTURE. THE MAUI CULTURE TO ME IS THE ULTIMATE. YOU CAN SEE WHAT COMES OUT OF THERE. LIKE LAIRD AND KAI AND ALL THESE AMAZING SURFERS. GUYS WHO USE THE WIND AND THE WAVES."

They’re sort of forced into aren’t they. Cause if you are only going to surf, you’re turning off by the time the trades turn up, then you’re watching all your mates kiting or foiling, and you’re going “Hey wait a minute!”

Yeah… that makes sense. And they’re not closed off. Here in Australia, they are so closed off. I’ve always like to find different ways to surf, and those guys seemed to express it the best to me. Why get caught on one thing? Foiling, like what we’re doing… towing into that stuff, it’s like snowboarding, and design work comes with it.

AXIS Foils have a board they call the Tray and it literally looks like that. It’s about an inch thick and it’s pretty much flat.

Yeah. I’m really interested in how boards go. What they do. It’s really interesting to me to make a functional foilboard and see what’s working. It’s super open. There is no set thing.

Yeah. You think it doesn’t matter because you’re riding the wing.

But then you find out it does…

Haha! Yeah!

So, I spoke with Adam Bennetts the other day about what style turns him on and what he wants to do. He was saying he’s right into long arc turns and hitting turns at speed. He said he appreciates what the guys are doing with straps but that’s not where he wants to go. As far as you’re concerned where is it that you want to go style wise?

I’m pretty basic. I’ve done the strap thing but unless I want to go big on the tow, I don’t think that straps are the way I want to go. I like being free. Being able to move my feet around the board at little bit.

I like the idea, same as Adam…

I appreciate what guys like Paul Cooper are doing, his ability to pop it out of the water is pretty much second to no-one at the moment but it’s not where I want to go. Maybe it’s just an old person thing?

I think it’s just physical capability. If my body was saying you can hit the air, I’d probably be doing it, but I just don’t have that confidence in the body. I think if maybe I landed something funny, I think I’d jeopardize my knee. I just don’t want to have that. I snapped my prosthetic out of my femur… The Dr reckons I’m mad. He sees me on Insta, and he says “Carroll! What are you doing?”. So I just love that carving arc and the continuous ride and focus on that.

I’ve always loved a cutback and I love that feeling. I’ve said many a time that you can do the best cutback you’ve done on a one-foot wave. Which is just a beautiful thing.

Yeah. And who knows, five years ago we didn’t know this was going to come up. Who knows where we are going to be in another five years? Especially with things moving so swiftly. People are just going to keep coming up with new things. If the design work can happen it will become more accessible for people.

I’m in two minds on that one. You were talking before about surfers and their closed mindedness as a general disposition and we all know that the learning curve is super steep and so the average surfer needs to be prepared to be a gumby for at least three to four months…

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What about the young kids right now? They’re kind of doing it. And then they’re going to grow, and the next generation are going to be even better. But you’ve certainly got to put a lot of time into it.

Fair enough. I would say then maybe in ten years rather than five years… cause our generation of old farts just aren’t happy to change. They’re not watermen. They’re surfers.

Maybe they need to get themselves some shares and get themselves an efoil. Ha! So, Thomas what do you want to leave people with? What are the Thomas Victor Carroll’s insights into foiling?

Do it safely. Do it with as much safety as you can. There are so many new breaks, we don’t even know. There’s a whole new world opening up of places to foil and how to apply the foil. If you’re a surfer and you are just enquiring, look for people giving lessons. James Casey is doing them here on the Northern Beaches… don’t try to do it on your own. You’ll just never get there with the time frame that we expect with anything in this day and age. We just want everything “now” these days. Get behind a jetski or boat and put the hours into it. Dedicate hours into reprograming the body and mind and then you start to feel it. If you are a surfer, take surfing out. Reprogram your mind to foiling and then put surfing back in over the foiling after you’ve got it. I think that’s the key. And all of a sudden, a whole new world opens up. A whole new world of ocean action.

And we’ve only really spoken about prone and tow foiling… You’ve taken up the wing. How’s that going for you?

I haven’t done it for a while. We’ve had a run of swell. But I’m back out there. I’m a little bit shy of the surf. But I can jibe, maybe three or four jibes. I need to be able to it really easily before I can go out in the surf.

And how’s your wing on the wrong side of your body going? On the switch?

Yeah. That’s the hard thing. And there’s all this finesse that has to happen when I’m coming around to that side. I still haven’t got the mechanics of that yet. I get maybe two of those if I’m lucky.

I was out at Makaha the other day and Ed was out there with the wingding. He’s doing really well Once you’ve got the wingding going you can play all over the place.

It’s a whole new thing. A whole new world.

What wing are you using?

A 4.2m Armstrong, which feels good.

I saw on Banzaigrom’s page the other day that the brand he uses starts with a wing as small as 2.5m. That must be for some mighty strong wind.

I have been out when it was too strong for the 4.5. It blew me off the water. One nor’easter off the Boatshed at Palmie but for the most part here the winds are either pretty calm or blown out, so you need a couple of wings.

It’s an expensive sport if you’re doing it.

Yeah. I know.

Maybe not for you. You bastard.

Haha! I’m so lucky. Luckiest guy around.

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BURNING BRIDGES F E AT U R E

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Few of us are in any doubt that having a foil in your arsenal means you’ll get more opportunities to discover previously untapped location potential, and more water time generally. But, as Guenther Oka discovered along with Brian Grubb, Meagan Ethell and Jeff Langley, it’s not just what you get to ride in or on… it’s also what you get to ride under.

WORDS GUENTHER OKA PHOTOS TYLER SODEN

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S MOOT H O PE R ATO R

My background stems from wakeboarding. I’ve been on my board for almost 20 years and the past six years I’ve been competing at a professional level. With all this time behind me I have learned to be creative and draw my own lines outside the box of what others can see or expect. Some of us started to pick up the foil as a fun hobby to do when it was windy or when we wanted to kick back on the weekends. When I realized the potential foiling offered behind a boat and how consistent the boat wave was, I really began to pursue it. As we come to a new era in towed water sports, the foil has helped me continue to look at things from a new perspective.

Going to Lake Underhill and seeing this bridge for the first time, I didn’t think much of it. I was helping with a wakeboard photoshoot and we were just shooting outside of the bridges and using it as a backdrop. My first thought when I saw it was that I’d be able to wakeboard in between the two bridges, but the channel was too narrow and the concept came to a halt. It was only after I began foiling more that I realized the potential it really had. Just outside of Orlando, the bridges span about 1500 feet long with one bridge running to the east and the other to the west. It leaves a small gap in the middle where the A24, my boat that I foil behind, was able to fit almost perfectly in between. The supporting pillars are what I was the most interested in. They would act as a natural obstacle course and something that added spice to our everyday foil sessions. As we moved further behind the boat, the rollers would space out allowing for us to maneuver in between the pillars. It sounds good on paper, right? Due to the varying water levels and my eye-ball-approach to the spot, I needed to get out with a crew to see if it would actually work…

I rounded up Brian Grubb, Jeff Langley, and Meagan Ethell, our Orlando locals and fellow foil enthusiasts, along with Tyler Soden and Shane Bonifay to make sure they captured the magic. With the weather starting to line up, we dropped the boat and the Seadoo into the water and headed to the bridge. It was a tight fit with the boat and it took some focus on the driver's end to keep the boat straight

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A B OV E In regards to traffic safety and being distracted, it's kind of lucky the freeway users on the bridge can't get a look at what's going on beneath them. Guenther and Brian line up for the shot.

THE REST It takes a certain mastery of the craft to avoid cartoon-like collisions with the concrete...

so it would not crash into the pillars. Once we got the first practice run out of the way, I knew we were looking good. Grubb would be the guinea pig first in the water and he did not disappoint. As a 20+ year Red Bull team veteran, Brian Grubb has seen it all. Grubb picked up foiling before the rest of us and knows his way around the wave better than anyone. Once up, he immediately dropped back a couple of waves and went to town. As I drove the boat, I tried to keep an eye on him and the path in front. I could just barely see his figure bobbing and weaving around pillars and ducking every 50 feet or so to avoid hitting his head on the supporting beams. As the run ended and he pumped back to the boat, our shouts of excitement echoed underneath the bridge signaling that the rest of the day was bound to be epic. He continued to blow our minds by pumping all the way outside of the bridge and then flying back under to catch the rollers far behind the boat. He definitely set the bar high for the rest of us. Meagan Ethell, a 6x women’s world champion wakeboarder, went next and navigated her way through the first row of pillars while drawing some fun lines under the concrete beams. She flowed through the pillars with a relaxed look and it was refreshing to have a lady's touch in the mix. The combination of these two foiling made me eager to have my first shot at it.

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“As we moved down the bridge, we had to duck lower and make more precise movements to avoid smacking our heads.”

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“Once I was up, my first thought was ' don’t fall'. My second thought was 'holy shit, these pillars are coming in hot'...”

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We took a small break to review the shots you see in this magazine (long live print!). The symmetry that was being lined up and the raw urban feel of the photos got me even more excited to get out there.

Once I was up, my first thought was “don’t fall”. My second thought was “holy shit, these pillars are coming in hot”. The rest was autopilot taking over and looking three steps ahead to find my way through this concrete maze. It was an unreal experience as we could make a few turns in-between pillars before putting on the gas and lining up the section we would soon be shooting through. We found the sweet spot on the fourth roller where there was a gap in the beams above. You could post up on that wave and straight-line it down the bridge watching the supports fly by with ease. It was like something out of a dream. I’ve seen clips of people shooting piers, but this was cranked up another notch because they didn’t stop coming. As we moved down the bridge, we had to duck lower and make more precise movements to avoid smacking our heads. The combination of everything added up to one of the most exciting days on the foil that I’ve ever had.

Jeff Langley got it after me and continued the hype by finding new lines. He worked on the inside of the pillars on the second wave and found some awesome rhythm while going back-and-forth. The sun began to turn golden and Langley kept the session going until his legs gave out. Grubb and I capped off the evening with a doubles session. It was like a game of cat and mouse as he led the way, and I tried my best to keep up with him. It got a little tricky as we both shot through the same pillars at once, but we maintained most of our control. Seeing him draw a line and me trying to follow suit right behind him was insanely fun. As the sun went down, it was time to pull the vessels and head home. We all made it out unscathed and, most importantly, with our foils intact. It was an eye-opening experience to say the least. The foil opens a whole new door for exploring unique bodies of water and turning an average session into something extraordinary. I encourage you all to take a second look at a bridge or rivers you cross on the way to work or to the beach. See what lies underneath and make something happen.

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“The combination of everything added up to one of the most exciting days on the foil that I’ve ever had.”

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Wing

WAHINE

Although winging has only truly broken cover within the last two years, there’s already a young generation coming through for whom it’s become first priority and second nature. Rio Imperato, Mona Mutzenberg and Christina Naish are three Maui-based friends who epitomize the broad uptake of this fast-growing sport. We got in touch to find out why wingfoiling has become their go-to downtime option...

PHOTOS FRANKIEBEES

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So firstly, how did you three meet each other? Were you friends before you started to ride wings?

ter it was difficult to even stay on the board but with every additional time I went out, I could see myself improving and having more fun.

Rio: I have known Christina since I was six years old because we went to the same elementary school and we have stayed friends since. I met Mona this year because of Naish and winging.

So what’s the best time you’ve ever had on the water. And then the worst time…

Mona: I met Rio and Christina at one of the Naish Wing-Surfer shoots.

Although I had seen Rio winging around the harbor, we hadn’t formally met until the shoot.

Christina: What Rio said!

Tell us how each of you first came to try out winging, and how those first few times on the water worked out?

Rio: In the beginning of summer 2020, my dad and I decided that it was time to go get in the water and winging seemed like the perfect option. We had one set to share between the two of us, which basically meant we got to inch from the beach to a buoy and back. After each run my dad and I would tell each other how much better our own sessions were which made for a pretty funny and competitive learning environment. After every day on the water, I came in with a huge smile even though I could barely go in a straight line, but I was always stoked to go again the next day.

Christina: The best foiling session I have had would definitely be this summer in Kailua. Although this was towards the start of when I began foiling it was such a beautiful day and it was just a really cool experience to be able to foil around Flat Island with an amazing view of Kailua beach. The water out there feels really safe and it is really cool to be able to go out as far as you want into the ocean. Although I always have fun in the water, a specific time comes to mind when asked about an experience that I did not enjoy... It was a really windy day and I was speeding along the water when I felt my foil hit something. I was thrown off the board into the water and I didn’t even know what hit me. After this, I saw a turtle swim out from under me. This wasn’t a painful or scary experience as such, but it made me feel so bad for the turtle…

Mona: That same summer, my parents started winging. They spent a lot of their free time out winging and would talk about it all the time. I decided to watch them one day and take photos. It looked pretty fun, so I decided to give it a try. The first few times weren’t too exciting, yet every session left me craving another session.

Rio: The best time I have ever had winging was definitely my second time in the Kalohi channel which runs from the Pailolo channel and along the southern coast of Molokai. I was with my dad and Keith Baxter was driving the safety boat. The wind was blowing around 25 knots and there was a decent swell which made for an epic 20-mileish downwinder. I could see the coastlines of Maui, Lanai, Molokai, and a hint of the Big Island. The water was crystal clear and I was finally able to let go and fly downwind comfortably for my first time.

I honestly have never had a bad experience in the water. I’ve been hit plenty by the foil, sliced open by the foil, and I’ve belly flopped countless times from 15 feet up because of failed jumping attempts; but all of this means I’m having fun.

Christina: My dad (Robby Naish) has been winging for around two years now and he encouraged me to try it this past summer. I had been to the beach with him many times before while he winged and I was eager to try it for myself. The first few times I went out in the wa-

Mona: The best time I’ve had on the water was a sunset tow session with the foil. It was so glassy, the waves were perfect, and the colors of the sunset were reflecting off the water. I couldn’t stop thinking about it for the rest of the week!

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Christina, we’re guessing you had access to pretty much every water sport toy there has ever been as you were growing up, being as your dad is kind of the king of wind and water sports. Has his influence been the major factor in your pursuit of winging, do you think?

Christina: I would say both of my parents are definitely my main influences for my sports in the water. Since I was young, I remember my parents taking me to the beach every weekend to SUP, surf, watch one of my dad’s competitions, or even ride on the front of his windsurfing board. Both my parents have always been so influential in teaching me how to do every sport I am interested in and they always support me when I’m struggling with a certain skill. Without my parents, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am and they always push and motivate me to improve.

Rio and Mona, we understand your parents were big windsurfers too. Do you think their passion has played a part in your development in the world of the wing?

Rio: My dad, Alf Imperato, was a professional windsurfer for most of his life and moved out to Maui for the epic conditions and lifestyle.

He used to be on the water day in and day out, but I came along and put an end to his previous endeavours! I never picked up kiting or windsurfing but I was desperate to get out on the water and join this amazing community because I was jealous of all the stories he told me about his ocean adventures. I became determined to learn to wing foil and it was the perfect opportunity to start and I am so grateful that we could make it happen.

Mona: Growing up, my family would go to the beach a lot. My parents would windsurf while my siblings and I would play on the beach and in the water. We all learned the basics of windsurfing as children, but I wasn’t a big fan of it. However, having knowledge of the wind ingrained into my head, it definitely helped me figure out the wing!

Maui is unquestionably the crucible when it comes to wind and water pursuits. For those of us who have yet to visit, tell us why the island is so special, and why it lends itself so perfectly to sports such as winging?

Rio: Maui is definitely paradise and a dream destination for the wind/ water world. This island is so special because of its location and the community. Due to Maui being located basically in the middle of the Pacific ocean, it's totally a place of peace, beauty, and calm. This island is one place where you can explore without end, especially on the water. Every new session is an opportunity to go farther and make new friends. The water community out here is refreshing, encouraging and such an honor to be a part of.

Mona: I agree. There are many things that make Maui so special.

Along with great wind and waves, this island has a welcoming community of people. Of all the Hawaiian islands, Maui has the perfect contrast between city and country. It’s neither too crowded, nor too empty in the water. Having a good crowd around is perfect for winging. Having like-minded and positive people can help you advance in the sport and have fun.

Christina: The beaches on Maui never fail to provide amazing conditions and the exposure to all of the main water sports makes it a fantastic place to learn or better yourself and your skills in a certain sport. All of the people at the beaches are so friendly and never fail to offer a helping hand landing a kite or lend out a pump if you’ve forgotten yours.

Understandably it’s been tricky recently, but do you travel much outside of Maui to ride?

Christina: Because of the pandemic, I have not traveled out of the state since last March. Being that I started my winging career this past summer I have not done any major trips for winging but I have gone over to Oahu many times and foiled in Kailua Bay. I would definitely like to travel in the future and look forward to challenging myself with some new conditions.

Rio: I have not traveled anywhere during the pandemic, but I would love to venture to other places in the future. I am not sure if this counts as “traveling” but I have wing-foiled and landed in Molokai, but I have not gone farther than that.

Mona: Likewise, since the pandemic hit, I haven’t traveled at all. But I would definitely like to travel in the near future…

How do you all balance your time on the water alongside education or jobs, and can you see the sea from your school/workplace? And is that a blessing or a curse?!

TO P L E F T It's easy to see how school homework might occasionally get sidelined....

Christina: To be honest, it’s not the easiest thing to balance school and my other after-school sports with my time in the water. I always come home with homework and on three days out of the five-day workweek I have other after-school sports that I go to. I’m always really busy and even though I try my best to get in the water after school I usually end up just going foiling on the weekends. The view of the ocean from my school is really pretty and clear. Even though it’s in Makawao, I can see the Sprecks and Kanaha area but I am far enough away that I can’t really see the conditions which is better so that I’m not wishing I could go foil.

TO P R I G H T Maybe the most novel way to shade oneself from that constant Maui sunshine...

Mona: I recently became unemployed which allows me to go in the water more. Back when I was working, I was only able to go in the ocean on the weekends. Now that I have more time on my hands, I can comfortably balance my time in the ocean with other activities.

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Rio: The water gives me a place to clear my head and be happy before I have to go back to doing homework, but it is definitely tempting to stay out and responsibility-free. It is definitely a rough balance, but with the support of friends and family, I am able to manage the workload from school which is usually around three hours a night, plus an eight hour school day. Like Christina says, we get a clear view of the North Shore, which only makes me want to get in the water more. This only leaves time to foil on the weekends, but I am looking forward to summer where the balance is weighed down completely by the wing foiling side.

At this stage foiling is still a pretty male-dominated sport, but it seems like this is changing gradually. Why do you think this is, and is there anything you think would encourage other young females to take up the sport?

Mona: Many wingers came from windsurfing or kitesurfing which are both male-dominated sports. Winging, however, has become popular at a time that revolves around the internet. In this day and age, social media seems to play a role what people do. All the calm looking videos of foiling that circulate social media can definitely convince anyone to give it a try. Along with that, people are realizing that their gender shouldn't determine what sports they can or can’t do. Seeing more girls winging on social media would definitely inspire other girls to give it a go.

Rio: I completely agree with Mona that winging is male-dominated because it is mostly made up of previous kiters or windsurfers which leaned that way. Personally, when I watch people learn, there is barely a difference in the numbers of men in comparison to women. Now that the previous kiters and windsurfers are no longer in the learning phase, more women are being introduced to the sport from its roots.

Secondly, I think this sport will end up being relatively even between the genders because it is such an accessible and family friendly sport.

The rigs are simple and pack away easily which definitely promotes more people to learn because there is relatively no struggle with gear unlike other water sports. Social media also plays a crucial role in popularizing female uptake within wingsurfing.

Christina: At first, foiling can definitely come off as scary and difficult and the fact that many females, both young and old, see mostly males out in the water can definitely make it more intimidating and de-motivating. As Mona said, I think social media definitely plays a big role in this gender gap, but I think society has also sort of normalized it that men are the ones that do more extreme sports, a stereotype we need to break out of. To all the girls thinking about taking up a sport, go for it! Water sports are so much fun and so rewarding once you spend time on them.

What’s your perfect set-up on the water, and what gear and which conditions would you recommend to anyone who’s just starting out?

Rio: My dream set up, which I am extremely grateful to be riding, is all Naish and includes a 20L Hover kite board (with foot straps for jumping), a 3.6m S26 Wing-Surfer, and the Kite Thrust 60 front foil on a 75cm mast. This epic rig is my favorite for speeding around the water and boosting huge airs. However, the best gear to start on would include a much bigger board and foil, with the same size hand wing. Depending on the beginner’s weight, the board could range from 110L to 175L because it allows for a stable and comforting stance which lets the beginner think more about the wind and foil.

I would recommend the foil to be around 180 square centimeters which is big, stable, and lifty. Personally, I improved the most when I was learning with a 3m hand wing, 170 front foil, 125L board, and of course footstraps (because then the rider does not have to think about where their feet should go)!

"I THINK SOCIETY HAS ALSO SORT OF NORMALIZED IT THAT MEN ARE THE ONES THAT DO MORE EXTREME SPORTS, A STEREOTYPE WE NEED TO BREAK OUT OF. TO ALL THE GIRLS THINKING ABOUT TAKING UP A SPORT, GO FOR IT!" 1 41

Christina: My perfect setup would be a 85L board with a Jet 1250 foil from Naish and an 85cm mast. For a beginner, I would recommend starting on a SUP board and then switching it out for a foil board once you get better and feel comfortable riding back and forth. The wing size really just depends on the conditions and once you advance to a foil board your mast choice is down to personal preference.

Mona: My perfect set-up would have to be a 33L board with a Jet HA 1040 foil. As for the mast, I switch between a 75cm and 85cm to wing and prone. I swap out different parts of my set-up depending on the conditions. I would recommend a beginner winger to start in winds around 17-23mph and on flat water. For the first day I would recommend a stand-up board in place of a foil board. But once the wing is figured out, a high-volume foil board should be used with a big foil and short mast. As you advance, you will want smaller equipment to maximize the fun. It’s always helpful to have friends in the community that let you try their setup. Comparing equipment will help you find the right set-up for yourself.

W I N G WA H I N E

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O James Casey and The Lost Boys crew kit up for some tow-foil fun and go big game hunting beyond the friendly shallows of their local North Sydney haunts. Prizes were won, but a freakish tangle nearly ended the session early…

WORDS JAMES CASEY PHOTOS SAM BRISBY

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ow foiling really opens up a very special world, waves that loom up and maybe never even break you can ride for hundreds of meters at a time. To me it is the heli-skiing of the surf world, riding open bowls with just you and your mate whipping you in. On this particular session we managed to explore a few different off piste areas. While most people surfed the beach breaks or easily accessible point breaks, we went out to some of our favorite deep water breaks. Conditions were about as good as they get, light offshore winds and a solid south swell meant just about all our favorite spots were working. We assembled a crew from the Lost Boys Foil Club, including Paul Burnett (who was only just back from a prolonged stint on the sidelines due to injury) and photographer Sam Brisby, a good mate of mine who conveniently had time off work…

We met up down at the boat ramp and assessed the conditions. The wave closest to the boat ramp (and normally the smallest) was looking solid, so I went with my production 4’6 Pilot with my GoFoil setup, the 36.5” mast with the TKR80 with a longer pedestal and flat tail wing. I like the longer pedestal in larger waves as it allows more drawn out turns and less twitchiness – nice in smaller stuff but not so nice when it’s bigger. It was only my second go on the TKR 80, a wing built specifically for towing, kiting and racing and I was still figuring it out. It turns differently with a bit less drive than the previous series of wings, but you can certainly pin the ears back when you get on a bomb.

I had a few waves but decided I was better off swapping out to what I knew with conditions being so good. I went back to the beach and left everything the same except switched out the TKR80 for the NL100. Straight away I felt the comfort of the drive and control in turn, maybe a bit less speed but the high-speed turns are what I love so I was immediately happy with my change of equipment and the boys on the ski agreed. I got a couple toying with the peaks and flirting with the barrels but not quite able to get deep enough. It’s tough getting barrelled on a foil without the ability to stall. The Takuma boys at Teahupoo showed us it is possible, but that is one of the premier barrelling lefts in the world.

We got a few more waves at the spot closest to the boat ramp and traded out with PB. He got a couple but fell in the impact zone a couple of times. It meant we got to work on our pickups, almost coming unstuck on one occasion. We tried to drag PB out of the impact zone using the sled, as there wasn’t time for him to get set using the rope.

This was a bad idea. One of the clips undid and the sled somehow got stuck under the impeller. As we went over a wave my foil board (which was on the sled) got caught on a strap and basically meant the ski wouldn’t accelerate forwards. A mid-sized set loomed as we tried to figure out what was going on. A quick squeeze on the throttle didn’t do much so Brisby jumped off, allowing me to see what was going on. Somehow the tail wing had got caught on a strap as the sled flipped up. I didn’t have time to fix it with the incoming set so gave the throttle a long squeeze and barely made it over the set.

Had it been larger, we would’ve been in trouble. Once out beyond the break I unhooked my tail wing and reclipped the sled. A disaster avoided and lessons learnt…

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"SOMEHOW THE TAIL WING HAD GOT CAUGHT ON A STRAP AS THE SLED FLIPPED UP. I DIDN’T HAVE TIME TO FIX IT WITH THE INCOMING SET SO GAVE THE THROTTLE A LONG SQUEEZE AND BARELY MADE IT OVER THE SET. HAD IT BEEN LARGER, WE WOULD’VE BEEN IN TROUBLE." 1 45

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"THIS IS PROBABLY MY FAVORITE WAVE. IT HAS MANY DIFFERENT FACES BUT IN A SOUTH SWELL IT RUNS DOWN THE POINT AND IN A MORE EAST/NORTHEAST SWELL IT BECOMES A FOOTBALL FIELD OF PEAKS AND A-FRAMES ... MY VERSION OF FOIL HEAVEN!"

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We swapped back and ventured out the back to more of a point break setup. This is probably my favorite wave. It has many different faces but in a south swell it runs down the point and in a more east/ northeast swell it becomes a football field of peaks and a-frames… my version of foil heaven! Today the swell was from the south so it was a point break style with a steeper, slabbier section and a longer more drawn out wall. The beauty of the foil is you can enjoy both on the one wave. There were a couple of sections to be had and I managed a few turns. All in all it was a super fun.

We had swapped out a few times before some of our fellow Lost Boys came around the corner and said one of the outer reefs was well worth having look at. We took their advice and zipped around the corner to see some fairly solid lumps capping out to sea. The tide was coming in so it was slowing down, but the winds were still good.

After a bit of a wait we managed to time it right and get three or four of the larger sets. It really is amazing how fast you go on these big and almost unbroken waves.

I am yet to see anyone that can fully handle the speed of these larger waves on a foil. The boys using the Lift foils seemed to be able to handle the speed, but I am yet to see many turns with mainly survival lines going on. I feel there is still a way to go in foil design to truly handle and attack these larger waves on foils. I for one am pretty excited to be a part of that evolution…

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O FF PI STE

THE REVOLUTIONARY HYDROFOIL RANGE

BY KOLD SHAPES

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ULTRA LIGHT E X T R E M E LY D I R EC T F E E L SUPER EFFICIENT & ENDLESS GLIDE EASY & TIGHT TURNING FORGIVING PROFILE & PREDICTABLE LIFT FULL SET, PLUG & PL AY

FRONT WINGS IN CM2 1680 1220 1960 1400 2260

WWW.KOLDSHAPES.COM 151

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Starboard are a multi award-winning brand with a thirst for innovation while keeping one eye firmly on their environmental credentials. Having been in the water sports game for almost three decades, they dived into the foiling industry head first in 2017, and haven’t looked back. Starboard’s Chief Innovator Svein Rasmussen (seen here) and Foils Founder and Designer Tiesda You give us the full story of the brand to date…

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Hi guys. The brand was founded in 1994, 27 years ago. Svein, how did it all begin, and what did the water sport landscape look like then compared to now?

Svein: Back in Arendal, Norway 1976, my father gifted me a subscription for the National Geographic kid’s edition. It had an article about a new sport called windsurfing. There were pics of Matt Schweitzer windsurfing at Lake Tahoe, and after seeing those images I could not stop dreaming. Two years later I had delivered enough newspapers to buy a second hand “windsurfer” which I pretty much ended up living on. I was so addicted and spent up to 10 hours a day out there, my skill level went up, despite having very little talent other than being stubborn – so next was competition, worlds and Olympics. Now in 2021, we are really lucky to choose between loads of exciting water sports and amazing performance gear. However, those early days gave me this pioneering feeling. Something similar happened when we started paddleboarding and now it’s happening again with wingboarding.

You have a very comprehensive water sport line up. When did Starboard take notice of foiling and decide it was an area of business to move into?

Tiesda: Our first exposure to foils was back in 2003 on Maui. Rush Randle, a Starboard team rider and a legendary waterman, was foiling on a set-up based on the Air Chair. Foils back then were too heavy, and the performance wasn’t really there, so besides some cool images, there wasn’t much traction. A few years later, early in 2016, I was on Hayling Island in the UK and saw for the first time with my own eyes a foiling Moth with super high aspect wings and a self-leveling mechanism just ripping in light winds. That got me excited and I started working on different foil concepts for windsurfing right there and then! By 2017, my first collection was ready and we launched Starboard Foils in August 2017.

The Starboard brand story talks of a fusion between Inca gods and Vikings. Can you elaborate on the thinking here?

Svein: A brand story starts with the people behind the brand in its first steps. Jean Louis Colmas from New Caledonia was our first shaper and invented the wood sandwich tech back in the 80s. His shaping logo was a tiki. We still work together a bit and his son Clement Colmas is on our SUP team. As we learned from Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon Tiki expedition, the tiki symbol comes from South American tribes that were floating over the Pacific to Polynesia on rafts. Tiki is the symbol of the sun, the energy that creates all our wind and waves.

During a trip to Hawaii, I was trying to figure out a name for the brand that was about to be created. I studied all the stars in the sky and their meanings but could not find anything that was encompassing all we wanted to make our brand represent. I thought Starboard could be a good combo between my Norwegian heritage and my interest for astrology. Starboard comes from an old Norwegian language and in its original form it’s called “styribord”, which means the side of the boat where the oar is attached, and the other side is port side. My aim in life is to try to bring together the best people in the water sport industry, get more people to enjoy the rivers, lakes and oceans – and then protect those waters.

Can you give us a brief overview of Starboard’s current foil range in 2021, and anything new that’s in the pipeline?

Tiesda: Sure. Our foils are divided into two families: wind foils and wing/wave foils. The wing/wave foils have two mast types: carbon and aluminum. Once you’ve picked your mast, you choose your wing set: the S-Types are our performance carving, low aspect foils. The E-Types are medium-aspect, giving more flying and pumping efficiency. The X-Type is super-fast and our most extreme wing. There’s also the Ocean Surf that’s a special line combining high-surface-area wings with a thin section. The Gliders are all-new. They’re our new super high aspect wings, for maximum glide and efficiency. They’ll be available in a wide range of sizes, from 1700 down to 900cm2.

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Tiesda You enjoying some of the expansive Starboard range.

What’s the most popular cross discipline foil in the range and why?

Tiesda: The S-Type is our most popular model at the moment. Foiling is quite a new sport so a performance foil that’s stable, maneuverable and light will tick many boxes. It’s the bigger sizes that are selling especially well too.

There’s normally plenty of your team rider names printed on each board. Tell us about the collaborative design process…

Svein: It’s all about participation and team building. Those people that help us develop a board with their ideas deserve to be mentioned on the board as co-designers. Starboard is a melting pot of ideas – join us, we listen to your thoughts, build your dreams and when proved good enough, we bring it all to market for everyone to enjoy. With your signature on it! Look at Trevor Tunnington for example. His signature will be on a new line of wingboards this season – this amazing foiler brought a new concept to fruition for us. Ollie O’Reilly put unlimited hours behind shapes and also introduces a new SUP/surf tech with us – under his name. Raúl Delgado – he will soon come out with a revolutionary new inflatable foil board technology – together with the legendary Tiesda You! These signatures represent some seriously hard team work, bringing to market our world leading products, time after time – not an easy feat.

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In conjunction with Airush, you’re now onto the 2nd generation of your FreeWing while the sport of winging continues to grow at an unprecedented rate. Do you think wing tech will continue to develop as the sport matures?

Svein: Wing tech development has hardly started, we are barely scratching the surface of what is to come. Mark Pattison and Clinton Filen are working hard to bring to market the next FreeWing evolutions. We believe that specialized gear for all sorts of disciplines will develop. There will be riders going 40 knots, perhaps the 2032 Olympics will include wingboarding disciplines for both freestyle and race even.

Our FreeWing program will have four different ranges in the market by the end of this year. The FreeWing concept is an idea we can trace back to 1982 when Jim Drake, the co-inventor of windsurfing, showed up at the Pan Am Cup in Kailua Bay. We worked with Jim some 20 year later and he was always excited about the FreeWing concept. We even made a patent application for the FreeWing in 2013 but did not follow-up, as without a foil it was no more exciting than a windsurf rig. I believe many designers and companies have similar stories to tell, it’s all one pool of synergetic ideas that are all happening. Wingboarding is taking off.

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What inspired your Quick Lock foil connection system? There are few comparable systems on the market.

Tiesda: I’d break down foil development into three categories. You’ve got the actual performance of the wings and masts based on their shape. Then you’ve got the materials and construction technology.

The third part is the quality and function of the assembly engineering. When you work constantly on foils and keep testing new prototypes and just go foiling all the time, you get into this incredible stream of creativity. It’s a really cool feeling to be in the zone. The next part is to be aware of the distinct challenges inherent to each development category. Then finally, it’s about having as little friction as possible when channeling that creativity into prototyping and to keep the spirit of innovation. Mix that all together, stay inspired, and I truly believe the products that come out as a result will continue to be awesome, generation after generation.

Finally, you’re well known for being a brand with strong environmental commitments, with a range of programs in place. Can you tell us a little about these, and how they work alongside the business?

Svein: Frankly speaking, the main reason I am excited about work these days is the potential we have to innovate in the environmental field. The future depends on all of us. If we want to get out of the “vacuum of ignorance” that has led us to the edge of the world, we might make some simple choices and turn a few things around. At Starboard, our three full time “eco crew”, lead by Tasmin Chilcott, focus mostly on climate change and plastic pollution. After pioneering calculating our plastic footprint, we taxed ourselves and set up a plastic offset program. We have 50 people daily picking up plastic from the beaches close to our test center in Thailand. For each FreeWing we produce, we pick up 1.1kg of beach/ocean plastic, the average amount of plastic pollution per person globally. This year we picked up 75,000kg of plastic trash from Thai beaches and this is perhaps the first commercial project of its kind. We use recycled fishing nets for most of our plastic parts, through an alliance with DSM engineering.

Concerning climate change, we calculated our carbon footprint for all raw materials, assembly, transport and all our activities. We introduced solar power for our workshop and offices, and plan to get all our assemblers to install it as well, but reduction will never be enough, so we have to draw down CO2 as well.

Though our Climate Park in Myanmar we are planting enough magic mangrove trees to be a 10x climate positive company. Each FreeWing is probably over 20x climate positive as we draw down about one ton of CO2 per wing sold. Starboard is also past climate positive, making up for all our emissions since 1994, so we want try to share how it’s possible to balance negatives with positives, even in our fossil fuel dominated industry.

Partnerships are important to reach further, so we joined Parley just before the Paris COP 21, Sustainable Surf and even made a memorandum of understanding with SCG, the larger CO2 emitter in our part of the world. We were the first water sports company to be certified

by B-Corp, and soon we’ll also be verified by the FLA: Fair Label Association.

There’s plenty more I could mention too but I’ll leave it there. As our World Champion Paddler Connor Baxter says, “never give up and always have fun!”.

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TOW-F O I LI N G IN WAVES O F C ON SEQUE N C E

BY TA M ATOA G I L LOT

Tow-foiling is not cheating… especially when the waves have some serious beans in them. It’s a great way to find yourself cruising big walls at high speeds and know that somewhere behind that wall is your partner who’s got your back if things get spicy. Here, Tamatoa Gillot takes us through the tow-foil essentials if you’re looking to get amongst it in some decent swells…

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• So first up, it’s important to have a good understanding of the spot and the wave swell orientation. This is key because if you don’t things can go badly wrong and pretty fast…

• Having a small boat or a Jetski is the best option (on small waves the foiler can manage his own safety, but on bigger waves the pilot of the Jetski must be ready to pick up the rider between waves and the timing is key).

• Having a tow-partner who you trust and is part of your team is critical. The Jetski driver needs to place the foiler in the right spot of the wave at exactly the right time, so they need to be highly experienced.

• Choosing the right foil for the right conditions is super important.

Make sure you choose a reputable brand, and make sure you choose the right set-up for the conditions that day.

• Start out on small waves and take a larger foil so that it is possible to pump and get away from the impact zone if you need to. In my experience, I started out with the AXIS 1000 HA Carbon Front Wing on a standard fuselage, with the 500 stab. I use the 75cm mast.

• Progressively charge into bigger and bigger waves and get on smaller foils. So when you feel the 1000 is saturating, using the 860 will then give you more freedom for turns and a higher surf performance level.

• Once you and your partner are dialed into the conditions and feeling confident, start to find other waves to gather that experience.

Remember, no wave breaks the same. At this point I use the AXIS HPS Carbon Front Wing. The 880 is a good one to improve your level in turns and carving, and get closer to the impact zone with peace of mind.

• This is now the time you can start to think about using the 700 HPS to carve turns in overhead to double overhead waves. These waves are fast, steep, and the 700 HPS is perfect for leaning into carves and feeling the G-force without losing any speed. On big slower waves you can use the 660 SP, as this allows you to make turns effortlessly and feels closer to riding on a normal surfboard.

• Happy? Now you can book a flight and go and foil your dream wave with your favorite set-up packed in your luggage!

• My last piece of advice (and the most important) is to always make sure it feels like fun and brings a smile to your face.

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TOW- FOI L I NG I N WAV E S OF CO N S E Q U E N C E

A K PHAZ E R WEAPON DIMENSIONS RIDER HEIGHT RIDER WEIGHT

Ever smiling and ever amped, there was no better rider we could think of than Zane Schweitzer to kick off our new section where pro riders highlight a cherished piece of kit that they wouldn’t be without... First up, Zane’s Phazer foilboard, from AK Durable Supply Co.

AK PHAZER 4’8 X 19.5 X 36L 5’6 150LBS

PHOTOS ERIK AEDER

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Working with the AK Durable Supply Co. team developing and designing the Phazer was a blast! Including the R&D that went into it, I’ve been riding it since February 2019. I put this board through the ringer until we got a board that was Zane proof. From beach and dock starts to foil surfing Pe’ahi and launching 25’+ jumps with the wing, this board has been through it all and is solid as ever. With a reinforced construction around the areas of impact under the feet and around the foil mount, along with the full pad and foot strap inserts, this board is my go-to everyday choice.

Early on when foil surfing on SUP and prone were first on my radar, I built backyard-style custom eco boards from reconstructing old SUP race boards. We’d delaminate and reshape them into what we thought would excel for this new sport – we didn’t want to just throw a foil on a conventional shortboard shape or a conventional SUP surfboard. But living here on Maui, I’ve got to try all kinds of different boards that are on the market and it’s well custom-made and it’s so great to see intention and innovation in the design specific to foil surfing.

When doing R&D and trying to improve a board’s design and shape, shape I try and consider as many scenarios and conditions as possible.

Every board has its own way it likes to ride, along with pros and cons that can make the board magic or a plug. Mistakes or falls that are made can be dissected in order to prevent the issue. Sometimes it is technique related but it can also be directly related to shape and design.

For me personally, I’m looking for a prone foil board that is gonna be somewhat comfortable with glide for the paddle out and into waves, while not being too big to be inefficient with beach starts.

When up and riding, I’m feeling for a smooth and clean release off the water and into flight while also having a smooth touchdown from flight back to contact with the surface of the water.

The transition from glide to flight, flight and more importantly the ability to transition from a touchdown on the water and back into controlled flight is one of the biggest things I’m keeping a feel for. This also includes the ability to hold control through a carve where the rail has a touchdown. Ideally, the board is only hitting the water from a slight mistake where lift is lost or after landing an aerial.

The evolution of the Phazer has been focused on function and durability in the surf. While some changes seem subtle, the board has evolved to everyday action, from beach starts and small wave ripping to high-speed tow foiling in big waves, and stomping high impact jumps.

A competition foil surfboard would be something that I could paddle comfortably in case a paddle battle situation comes to play, but also something light and compact enough to pump and control the line-up. A board that has smooth recovery and rebound from touchdown of rail turn to water’s surface or the landing of an aerial. A board just like the PHAZER!

Over the last few months most of my sessions are right in front of my house pretty much every day around Lahaina. If the waves are small or flat, I’ll have a blast practising beach starts and getting a good burn on pumping laps. Most days there is a something breaking though, so I always have a blast ripping the foil even if it is unappealing to surf or SUP. The most fun I’ve had on the Phazer has to be with the FreeWing though! I love the speed and ability to take off into the air and fly, hitting big jumps off waves, even if it’s just a huge straight jump! But I have really come to love seeing how big I could go with push loops/backflips.

There hasn't been much opportunity for competition with COVID-19 lately, but I’ve been on the water foil surfing and wing foiling a lot here at home on Maui and I’m so excited to get back into some events! The AK Durable Supply Co. and Starboard foil gear I have in my quiver for training has everything I need to feel confident getting back into competition mode.

What I like most about being involved with prototyping and R&D is the ability to create a unique relationship with my equipment yet always search for opportunities to innovate and improve.

When it comes to prone foil surfing or wing foiling, I can always rely on my 4’8 Phazer. I also love to downwind foil and SUP foil surf, so the Starboard 4’6 Wingboard with 69 liters of volume is pretty much the only other board I change to.

Having Maui as my home, home I get to see a lot of the custom and production gear from the market on the water, whether it's from local shops and riders or from visitors bringing their own gear. It’s been exciting to see so many developments and innovations not only in the gear but also showing in the level of riding! What I find the biggest difference is from my Phazer to the many other boards I’ve got to try out is the ease and comfort paddling along with the smooth recovery and takeoff of the water and into flight. What also makes me feel confident with my gear choice is the diversity and durability for any activity on any day – this board has passed the InZane thrashing tests!

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DAVID L I T TLE North’s recently updated foil and wing range benefitted from the design prowess wielded by some pretty key players operating under the wider North Sails umbrella, a company which in the recent America’s Cup held in Auckland, which also happens to be North’s back yard.

Integral to the team – and this issue’s Wing Commander – is North Materials Innovation Project Leader, David Little.

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New Zealand seems like a hotbed of wing and foil development at the moment. What's making it the perfect incubator for the emerging sport?

I think there are quite a few reasons. The country has a really high proportion of passionate water people, and it offers a wide range of wind and water conditions in a small area. The coast is 15,000km long and you are never further than 130km from the ocean. The weather is nice enough to test there all year round productively, and innovation is also part of the culture. The country is a long way from anywhere, so you get time to think, and it's costly to import, so there are drivers from both ends. You also have easy access to a lot of skills relevant to wing and foil sports.

People are drawn to NZ from many different countries, and they bring composites skills, design understanding, sailmaking, and all to an exceptionally high standard. Kiwis are also really good at remote working around the globe – something which has been extra useful in the last year. North has a broad multinational and multiskilled team.

I'm based in San Francisco despite my Kiwi roots, and I work out of my man lab at home. We draw on design, technical and manufacturing resources from throughout the network of our parent company North Technology Group and sister company, North Sails. Our sports are all about being in tune with our environment, but this experience is enhanced by using the best materials and designing them to be as lightweight, responsive, refined and durable as possible. We can also use IT to iterate the innovation loop faster as well. We're on a mission to build innovative wings, foils and kites in ways that improve your enjoyment of these sports. Who knows where it might lead?

What's your background in the America's Cup, and how has this knowledge transferred to developing wing products for North?

The America’s Cup is an extraordinary event – it's like Formula 1 racing on water. It exposes you to the best of the best and some very creative people and all in the sea environment. Many of the AC team members are enthusiastic kiters, wingers and foilers, so there is much more direct crossover than you might think. We might spend our day jobs thinking about refining a foiling sailboat, but we spend our spare time thinking about how to apply that technology to our after-hours foiling fun.

I've worked on America's Cup race teams, mainly on the sail side.

I started in 1999 with the Japanese team and have completed six America's Cups back-to-back, latterly with Oracle, Team USA. It gives you a culture of innovation. We would always be trying to increase performance, and the details really matter. We were working to build things lighter; to make the materials work harder and more precisely.

Leaving enough to get the design performance but no more than enough, so parts aren't overweight. Sails, sail battens, sail reinforcement, water-shedding coatings, storage bags – they all got the treatment – constant micro-improvements. They are such rapidly developing programs and fortunately really well funded, so that innovation is fast – something that was needed when foiling came along.

In North, we have access to the composites guys and equipment that designed and built many of the carbon parts for the foiling 72foot monohulls that just raced in Auckland. One of the sail designers for Ineos is a core part of our windsurf and wind wing shape design programme. Uli Sommerlatt, our Product Manager, engineered and built foiling boats before he embraced his current role. How many people have ready access to a range of pressurised autoclaves to cure parts in? We do.

The America’s Cup is about advanced materials – carbon fiber, Dyneema, Kevlar, glues and foams, and often how they all work together.

Our backgrounds can bring these in a practical way to the wing, foil and kite business. One thing that's different though is the available budget. In America's Cup, where budgets are millions of dollars, cost is virtually irrelevant. For our sports, where we are paying from our own pockets, cost is rather more important. So we also need to find ways to apply the technology in cost-effective ways. That is often part of the challenge. The great thing about North is we have both the scale and the expertise to make materials in house. That lets us get to cost points that others can't. In some ways it's early days, but my goal is to create unique materials that really benefit the rider at a price people can afford. Then we can integrate that technology across sailing, kiting and wing foiling.

W I NG CO M MA N DE R

TO P North Brand Director Mike Raper gets hands on with the R&D. RIGHT The team discuss a Nova proto.

FA R R I G H T The finished product...

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DAV I D LI T T LE

Photo: David Troeger

Photo: Franck Berthuot

W I NG CO M MA N DE R

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Cool. With that in mind, you recently released the Nova wing and it’s had a great response. How has it been building the first wing, and do you think that wing design will change as the sport divides itself into more clear disciplines?

Our chief kite and wing designer, Pat Goodman, has been able to draw from his vast knowledge to produce the Nova wing. In years gone by, Pat was also deeply into windsurf and glider design. The wings really draw on all of these skills, as well of course as Pat's legendary attention to detail. We have also involved Steve Calder (a North Sails Design Engineer who foil kites), and the two of them have been collaborating about the technical direction that the disciplines will need in the future. I think everyone is new to wing foiling; the sport is so new. People are only just understanding how the wings themselves work and what the features (LE size, taper, sweep, dihedral, anhedral, stiffness, recovery etc) bring to the party. I am sure we will see different things emphasized for the different disciplines in due time.

Window placement and downwind vision seems to be a tricky design choice for brands. How have you approached it?

There is debate as to whether you need them, but we believe windows are pretty handy as it's no fun running into something or someone at the speeds you foil at. We have done and are doing more work on window materials specifically. It would be really nice to have something lighter, which didn't give up such engineering performance as the present window materials. Our work here is still secret at present, but hopefully, it will make a real difference when it comes out.

Are the materials currently available a limiting factor in inflatable wing design at the moment?

At the moment, I think they can be. It's a balancing act between the performance and cost, and we haven't got that aligned right yet. To get the most out of a wing, you need to have low-elongation (stretch), but that can't be at the sacrifice of durability. Dacron is quite durable, but it is not the stiffest material, and because of its finish, it does soften over time. Also, if you go too light on materials, they can tear, and this is an issue with wings because you tend to land on top of them when you fall, and they are closer to the surf and the foil.

We are bringing some of our sailing materials expertise to the wings.

This lets us get extra stiffness for no sacrifice in durability. People launch from boat ramps and off rocks and ride skateboards in car parks, so wings need a lot more scuff protection where they encounter hard surfaces. The other danger, of course, is sharp hydrofoil wings puncturing the materials...

The inflated structure also presents some unique challenges (as it does for kites). Getting durable seams and controlling the effect of the inflation pressure on the stretch is critical. You can get a lot of energy release that can be hard to control – while at the same time, you want to lock up the energy using stiff materials. It is undoubtedly a challenge. I have done work with high-pressure inflatable battens and aero fairings for America's Cup, and this experience has been coming in handy.

Where do you see wing foiling heading in five years?

I think it will move into more defined disciplines – freeride, lightwind, surf, freestyle, and also racing. Material development often finds its way to racing first, so I always have one eye on that. However, we know from our other businesses that the racing pedigree beneficially crosses over to other aspects of the sport. Lightweight, powerful designs that last longer and are cost-effective to buy are desirable in all the different disciplines.

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Did you get to see any of the America’s Cup boats in action?

While in NZ at the beginning of the year, I did go out and watch some practice racing on the North Sails chase boat. It was impressive and super interesting – you could see teams’ performances improving day by day during racing – actually almost minute by minute.

After Luna Rossa Italy beat INEOS Team UK, they stepped it up another level to race Emirates Team NZ – and it was great to see them do that and to win some races.

This was my first AC since 2000 when I wasn't working for one of the teams. I toured the INEOS base, and it was interesting to see their set up, but it looked like there was a lot of work and late nights going on!

It was ok not to be involved this time around. I really enjoyed my time working in the Cup because of the competitive factor and the team environment. I always liked that there was an end goal, three years to get on the start line, so you better make decisions quick. But it's been great to move onto kite and wing foil development. The things I learnt apply very directly, and it's a license to try new things.

So there is that same sense of evolution?

Yes. I think winging and foiling are already developing at similar speeds to the America's Cup. We don't have the same cash resources as the AC Teams, but the parts are so much smaller we don't need those cash resources so the innovation loop is much faster. Much of the work has been done inside North already; we just need to adapt it to wings and kites…

We are able to use the same design tools that the teams have developed, and it has always been part of the North culture that America's Cup ideas are flowed down through the rest of the business for all of our customer benefit. I'm sure we will find foiling know-how from the just-completed America’s Cup in the gear we ride sooner than we think. North's products will certainly contain some, and I suspect others will too.

DAV I D LI T T LE

SUSPENDED MOMENTS CHRIS

WORDS PHOTOS

HUGO

LOCATION DATE

DEFRANCE MARTIN

PYRENEES

TUESDAY

R E D L ETTE R DAY

MAY

MOUNTAINS 4TH,

2021

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Balancing a healthy business with a healthy lifestyle can be a challenge in these unpredictable times of late.

So it’s more important than ever for PWR-Foil Manager Chris Defrance to find moments of calm, and where better than up in the mountains at dawn…

Getting up at 5am has a unique flavor. It's getting up with happiness and going off to find suspended moments in time. What could be more exciting in life than to live from your passion? It has been and still is the common thread in my life. With an eFoil on my shoulder, bare feet in the morning dew, I can anchor myself in the present moment.

I am incredibly lucky to live in a splendid region. In a few minutes, I can go from the sea to lakes in the mountains. This morning in May, I chose the small Pyrenean lake at the foot of the Canigou in St Jean Pla de Corts. At dawn, the lake smokes... I plunge into a slightly magical universe, a little out of this world. What a disconnection. All pressure flies away. Nothing pollutes my mind anymore. Only a strong connection with nature remains.

Because I really need it at the moment... These moments are a breath of fresh air. Running a company in 2021 is quite intense. The crisis we are going through is challenging us professionally. It is profoundly changing our way of working, thinking, acting and looking to the future. All the existing codes, the professional routine, the work steps have been broken at once. The reference points are no longer the same. The supply of raw materials, manufacturing, deadlines, transport... everything becomes difficult and takes much longer! It's as if the ground was moving and we spent our time looking for new supports. It’s a bit like the story of my life: finding the right balance. My passion for surfing and what it has taught me resonates more than ever in my professional life.

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S U S P E NDED M O M E N TS

These profound professional changes affect the being by force of circumstance. Everything is intertwined. Even if my personal life tends to be as healthy as possible (I grow a vegetable garden, I eat organic food, I buy as much as possible locally), I want my professional life to take the same turn: run a healthy business and work locally as much as possible. To an extent it is already the case, but I want to do more.

Find resources close to me, develop them if necessary. My goal is to make a 100% French eFoil.

It is these suspended moments, like the one you see here, that allow me to realize how lucky I am, by creating a bubble for myself. A bubble of well-being. The feeling of being in the right place at the right time. Out of time, out of the world, flying in an incredible scenery, I let my thoughts go.

As each of my sessions is an opportunity to test all the equipment created and that yet to come, I try to put myself in the mind of the customer... On a 6'6, I imagine I’m beginner in one of the rental centers… I check the ease of use, the stability, the accessibility. Very quickly, the sensation of flying like a bird is real. On the other hand, on a 4'4, I navigate between big curves and more radical turns. As in snowboarding, I take pleasure in accentuating the curves, so much so that my hands come to brush the water. What could be more beautiful when I wake up than to see the sun's rays in the droplets I leave in my wake? I have fun pushing the eFoil further and further…

The emotions that come over me in these early morning and lonely sessions remind me how much I really love what I do. I hope that every PWR-Foil owner has as much fun as I do, savoring every moment, feeling every part of their body in symbiosis with their machine and the nature around them. Whether it's in a lake, river or sea, each moment on an eFoil allows me to gain height and gives me bigger wings for the future.

R E D L ETTE R DAY

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172

E U R O P E A N H AWA I I WORDS

GABRIEL

RIDER PHOTOS LOCATION

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DEIMANTINA

JAMEOS

DATE

DEL

FRIDAY

BRUNO

SROKA

BACHELET

JUSKEVICIUTE

AGUA,

JANUARY

LANZAROTE 1ST,

2021

R E D L ETTE R DAY

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When new foil gear needs testing, the SROKA team head to their perfectly suited proving grounds: The Canary Islands, and more specifically the island of Lanzarote. Bruno Sroka tells us about one such test day, right at the start of a fresh new year…

This was a great day for foiling. And a great time to be on Lanzarote.

It had been forecasting big conditions for three days (6m swell, with winds heading in from the northeast). By the time the swell had wrapped around the island, conditions had become perfect. It was very calm, with no wind. Gabriel was able to do three sessions to test all our high aspect foils, to see which one was the best in the waves, which was best for pumping, and so on. Moreover, this happened to be a semi-confinement period on the island, so we were alone at this spot. We also had very good light for shooting.

We’re lucky to regularly get to ride in the Canaries. With year-round sailing conditions, unique landscapes, sunny and windy spots, the Canary Islands are the perfect destination to have fun on the foil.

Nicknamed the European Hawaii, this archipelago located off the African coast is our reference point to come and test equipment. We’re pretty much guaranteed to have the ideal conditions, every day, at any time of the year.

Depending on the size and direction of the swell, the Canaries offer big swell trains perfectly suited to downwind sailing, especially on the east coast when the swell envelops the island. It is therefore possible to go on big downwinders and to sail along the coast for dozens of kilometers. There are lots of options for foiling between this spot, Jameos del Agua, and all the way down to Arrieta. There are a multitude of more or less technical and more powerful spots that will meet all your needs for SUP foiling, surf foiling or winging.

Depending on the tides, the direction of the swell and the size, you will have to travel a few kilometers to find the best spot but – as we are all finding with foiling, there is always somewhere to get on the water pretty much whatever the conditions!

The swell season out here runs from autumn to spring with a very favorable climate (an average of 20 degrees, even in the winter). The west coast is well-placed to receive all the swells roaming the Atlantic. The smallest ripple is amplified and allows you to surf, even if the conditions do not seem great. On the other hand, when the conditions are huge, you can head over here to the east coast which has many spots to foil. Once you’ve got the conditions dialed, you can get in the water with your foil any day of the week. So it truly is a little paradise where you can train and progress quickly…

This was a magical day, and a magical start to 2021.

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E U ROP E A N H AWA I I

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WA I K I K I S U N D O W N E R WORDS PHOTOS

MATTHEW

LOCATION DATE

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SATURDAY,

MATEO

WAIKIKI, APRIL

ELL

LEIDHOLM 3RD

OAHU 2021

A need to escape the crowds of Waikiki sent Mateo Ell scrambling for the water. And as luck would have it, his timing was perfect…

R E D L ETTE R DAY

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I made the short but thrilling voyage from Kauai to Oahu for a downwind competition in March. It was my first time flying alone, and one of the first races in over a year that wasn’t canceled. My friend Jack Ho had invited me over for the event, which was cool because competitions with friends are more fun! The course was a Hawaii Kai run, about an eight-mile run along the ocean swells fronting the south coast. Due to social distancing, the race was self-timed and self-monitored.

On a clear spring Saturday morning, we jumped in the water and had a great time racing down the coast. There were also some other kids that showed up to do the race with us. In total there were about eight of us. We completed the race by noon. It was exhilarating, and yet it was over so quickly. What I didn't realize is that the best part of this day, this trip, perhaps this year, would be a few hours later.

After the contest, Jack, Mala’e McElheny and I refueled with quesadillas and rested from the run. By late afternoon, about 5pm, Jack had the idea to go foil Waikiki. There was a slight south swell, the winds had lightened up, and it was glassing off as the day turned to evening. We cruised down to the beach with our gear, relaxed, with no expectations, just hoping to get in the water one more time. I had my 4’5 Armstrong prone board with a 24” mast, the 232 tail wing, and the Armstrong high aspect 1125 front wing with the 60 fuselage.

Jack, Mala’e, Nick Kapule and I arrived to crowds of people. As we crossed the street, it was chaos. There were bikers, cars, people with huge longboards, and people cruising about in the tourism mecca that had just recently opened back up after a year. I was feeling overwhelmed, and coming from Kauai, too, this was a lot. There was an excavator and a long pipe in the water outside Queens, it was bizarre, was there even business and industry happening in the ocean? Look-

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ing around, it was overwhelming. I was suddenly eager to get in the water. We decided to start the session off with some beach starts, because we didn’t want to paddle out. The set up for beach starts was perfect, barely any shorebreak, and it got deep fast.

We had a GoPro camera with us and were messing around with it, pumping around the line-up as the sun started to set. Photographer Matthew Leidholm showed up with fins and a camera. He must have seen, with his artistic eye, something we had yet to experience. We cruised toward the waves, and there were about fifty people in the line-up, all on one peak. Canoes and boats started flying through; it was either get out of the way or get run over... The sun was setting further towards the horizon. The light of the day turned to red, orange, pink and purple colors. The evening became vivid, colorful, and alive.

I caught one wave and started to pump out toward the horizon, leaving the crowds and chaos behind. My friends were around me as well, and suddenly we were out there in the quiet sea, and everything came into focus. I commented to them that I had never seen a sunset like this. I realized how beautiful this environment was, once I got further out… I realized how grateful I was to be there. We were around a huge crowd trying to catch waves but once you caught a wave and pumped out past the line-up you were by yourself, soaring on swells you would never even think about catching on a surfboard. We were all getting multiple waves in a row, going 20+ mph. I never would have thought we would ever be going that fast on a waist high wave.

The magic of foiling is that you can experience these moments. I never would have had this opportunity if it wasn’t for foiling. There’s a sense of freedom and peace that I get from foiling and that is what’s captured in these photos.

WAI KI KI S U N D OWN E R

BAPTISM OF FIRE GOLLITO

WORDS PHOTOS

SAMUEL

LOCATION DATE

ESTREDO TOMÈ

LANGEBAAN,

FRIDAY

R E D L ETTE R DAY

FEBRUARY

WESTERN 26TH,

CAPE 2021

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Things move pretty fast when you join the RRD team, as new recruit but seasoned windsurf champion Gollito Estredo found out when he was drafted in for a wingfoil photoshoot with gear he’d not yet had a chance to use. Turns out Gollito is a man who can pick up anything with a sail and make it work for him…

This year a lot of new things happened. I joined the RRD team and just a few days after that I received an invite from them to take part in a photoshoot in South Africa.

It came around pretty quick, and I found myself at this shoot with the other team riders who were all avid foilers. Apart from a few sessions in El Yaque (Venezuela), it was the first real experience I’d had with the new wingfoil equipment. I remember this first session in Langebaan very well. I arrived the day before the shoot, and was pretty tired after three days of traveling from Venezuela to South Africa. I felt I definitely needed some fresh water to recharge my batteries a bit.

Langebaan is situated about a one-hour drive from Cape Town, and that day it looked like the only chance we were going to have to get some wind. When we first arrived there was only a little breeze, so I thought I had the time to slowly get myself into shooting mode, but as soon as I got out of the car the guys were already taking pictures.

They gave me the new Dynamic set, with five front wings from 900 to 1700. I looked at the equipment and didn't know which one to use as I was still a bit unfamiliar with this new sport. So I picked the 1500 Dynamic Pro and just went for it. The nicest thing I remember from this session is that from the moment I entered the water, I became completely lost in my enjoyment of what I was doing. I ended up spending hours in the water getting a feel for the equipment and trying new things. It felt just like when I started freestyle windsurfing. That same feeling of excitement, of starting something different, trying a new maneuver and not getting out of the water until I had nailed it. I think I closed my first Air 360 before the first jibe.

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B AP T I S M O F FI R E

That day it was Matteo Guazzoni, Bowien van der Linden and I in the water. There ended up being a nice, constant wind blowing at 15 knots, and we were lucky to have Adam Sims as our videographer and Samuel Tomè taking the photos. The perfect setup.

In the following days, the other guys from the team arrived (namely Francesco Cappuzzo and Julien and Camille Bouyer) and it was great to be part of such a big group of riders, pushing each other forward. Sometimes I stopped for a moment to see how they moved in the water and what equipment they used. The equipment was a real revelation to me, and in just a few days I got to try everything and became more knowledgeable about what wings to use to allow me to increase my speed and maneuverability. Then I started working on the fuselage and went from 76cm to 66cm. The great thing was that I was always having fun and every day I was improving more and more. My windsurfing background certainly helps the efficiency in understanding the movement, and this new sport intrigues me more and more every day. I’ve realized that wingfoiling can be pretty extreme too, even in lighter winds. I think it is one of the most intriguing things… being able to jump and surf at full speed, even in 12-15 knots of wind.

As watermen and women, we can see how quickly this sport is evolving and helping to revolutionize how far we can go with it. Every day you see different moves being laid down and equipment being improved to give us better and better experiences on the water. Since the shoot I have also attended the first stage of the Wingfoil World Championship in Leucate, together with 40 other riders from all over the world. This shows how this sport is becoming popular but also allows us as athletes to diversify ourselves. Although I have been practicing wingfoiling for only three months now, I know that I won't ever stop, and I’m definitely looking forward to improving and continuing to compete. The journey continues...

R ED L E T TE R DAY

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183

184

T HE KNOWL E DGE T E ST E D 186

Starboard x Airush FreeWing Air V2

186

KT Drifter S

187

RRD Dynamic SW ALU 1700

188

Flysurfer MOJO

188

Cloud IX F Series

189

AK Durable Supply Co. Phazer

190

AFS Flyer 1300

190

Olaian Foil 500

191

Vayu VVING

192

Gaastra Poison

192

Starboard Wingboard Lite Tech

193

Kold Viking T H E DO U B L E DI P

194

Lift 120 HA vs. 150 Surf v2 I N B O U ND

198

Levitaz 2021 Foil Range

202

Slingshot Wing Craft v1

204

Lift 2021 eFoil Range

206

Duotone Slick

208

Fliteboard Series 2

210

Olaian Foil

211

Vayu VVING

212

Hydroflyer

214

Flysurfer MOJO

215

Ride Engine Vinaka

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STARBOARD X AIRUSH FREEWING AIR V2 6M Wing design is moving along quickly, and Starboard x Airush have updated their FreeWing Air rapidly for the 2021 season. The larger sizes are a completely separate design this year, with the 6m and above a very different shape to the 5m and below.

We’re immediately presented with a truly capacious bag. This is to avoid having to fold the wing tightly and creasing the windows.

The windows are still large but slightly reduced on the V1, and run in an arc behind the leading edge tube and provide decent forward vision. The larger 6m we tested also has two cheeky rearview windows tucked into the tail either side of the strut. Leash wise, it’s a neoprene wrist cuff design with a buckle which constricts and feels reassuringly solid. The line itself is Dyneema with elastic shock cord running through it to give it a bounce, there’s a little stainless swivel hiding under a neoprene cover. Good news is it has been shortened from the V1 so there’s far less flapping going on. Inflation is handled by one screw-in valve, and there’s a high diameter pipe connecting the strut tube, which means deflation is not much of a chore.

The 6m we tested has seen some considerable design augmentation and tailoring for light wind use. It has a compact span for its sizing and turned-in wingtips. The strut appears to have been shortened from the last model and more canopy spread into the

squarer tips, meaning the aspect ratio remains on the smaller size and low end grunt is increased. The leading edge has a huge diameter, and this carries quite a way into the tips with a sharp taper at the end, maintaining high rigidity. The cross handles are super tight to the tubes and as you inflate, you can see they force tension into the strut to leading edge joint again, making the wing more rigid. The main strut handles are relatively narrow and have a large chunky loop to grab, which makes hand transitions easy. Anyone familiar with the Airush kite range will notice some similarities in the build immediately. The canopy is made from tried and tested Teijin D2 cloth, and the wingtips have a generous covering of Kevlar to avoid any scuffing on the Dacron as well as on every segment joint.

The compact span works great for surface work and smaller people, and avoids the dreaded tip hitting the water which so many beginners struggle with. For a capable winger in lighter winds the 6m gets going early and the stiffness means it feels beefy to pump against. Once cranking along, it’s an engaging wing through the arms and develops a fair amount of consistent power. Considering the larger diameter leading edge tube and relatively low aspect ratio, we achieved some decent angles upwind and forward speed is steady. In transitions, the relatively squat nature of the 6m means

KT DRIFTER S Keith Teboul’s name is synonymous with performance board designs across a spectrum of applications. Now several seasons into the surf foiling game, KT’s prone foilboard lineup spans from the 56L Drifter F down to the 25L Drifter S, which we’ll dive into here.

Let’s open the box and have a look at this 4’4 Drifter S. A sanded red carbon finish and set of premium MFC deck pads comes standard — quite a sharp combination indeed. If the dimensions didn’t already convince you, the Drifter’s pulled-in nose, double concave bottom, and sharply chined rails inform you of this shape’s intentions. The bottom rear is characterized by cutouts around the foil box, which serve hydrodynamic purposes in addition to reducing the board’s “hips” in steep turns. At 18.5” wide, she’s on the narrow end of the spectrum. Rocker is highly pronounced for a foilboard, extending thoroughly throughout the deck as well. These pronounced curves are immensely beneficial to toe and heel feel when riding. The Drifter S is constructed from EPS and wrapped in layers of glass and carbon. Board weight is good for this size class, but not exceedingly light. Strap inserts front and rear invite you to reach for the sky. Curiously, the Drifter S lacks a vent plug — leave her in the sun at your peril.

The board paddles nicely for its low volume, owing largely to the substantial rocker and scooped out deck that promote an ideal paddling position. Compared to even higher volume shapes, the Drifter S is an exceptionally comfortable daily paddler. For its size, the Drifter paddles in efficiently if you’re well placed on the board. A little too far back, and the rocker tends to get in your way and push water.

Take off is a smooth affair, with the board readily un-sticking thanks to that double concave and cut out tail. In a rolling takeoff, the board jumps into plane competently, a characteristic that would likely help any rider experimenting with lower volumes. In a steep drop, the deck’s subtle tail kick provides a helping hand by locking down foot positioning. The Drifter S tends to suit a backfoot-heavy riding style, which makes sense given its performance-oriented nature. Whether or not the Drifter S pumps well is a subjective matter, in my experience. Personally, I enjoy the locked in feel of a contoured deck. For others, they prefer a flatter deck with easier foot movement. Be conscious of this detail should you consider a Drifter S.

T EST E D

T E S T E D

After spending four months with my test unit, I’ve concluded that it’s a masterful jack of all trades. Whether cruising, seeking to demolish whitewater, or ripping into a wave face, the Drifter S hits the mark. Its fit and finish are second to none, and comes at a competitive price. It doesn’t hurt that Kai Lenny rides one, either. KVS KT DRIFTER S TAKE OFF

ROLL STABILITY

TOUCH DOWN

FORWARD/BACKWARD STABILITY

PUMPING

GENERAL PADDLING STABILITY

SURFACE TRACKING

DECK COMFORT

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it seems to pivot well from the middle and make changing direction a simple process. It’s a solid wing for a bump and jump windsurf-style riding and heavier guys. For budding strapped riders wanting to get their first jumps dialed, the stiffness and upward pull you can achieve is impressive for a wing of this size, and pulling the back handle provides some decent float. We found in a depowered state on a wave, whilst it will luff okay, the weight in the windows perhaps hampers its overall stability and you need to watch your board direction against the wind to keep it flying happily, but this is perhaps not in the design remit of a 6m.

The FreeWing Air V2 has a very complete feature set and some cunning design elements to get it to perform well for lighter winds and remain compact feeling in the hands. It heralds a wide range of applications from complete surface-based beginner to flat water freestyle and is perhaps the Swiss Army Knife of larger wings. RB

STARBOARD X AIRUSH FREEWING AIR V2 6M POWER DEVELOPMENT

OVERALL STABILITY

DEPOWER ABILITY

UPWIND PERFORMANCE

RESTING STATE STABILITY

SETUP SPEED

AGILITY

DURABILITY

RRD DYNAMIC SW ALU 1700 Italian wind sports megabrand RRD have released a mind-bogglingly large range of modular cross-discipline hydrofoils this year to cover every aspect of foil sports conceivable. The Dynamic SW 1700 sits as their more performant wing-focused foil with a cross application for paddle in. It comes in three sizes, with a 1400 and 2000 available either side of the middle of the range 1700cm2 we tested.

Fresh out of the box, all the fixings are super sturdy M8, and with absolutely zero movement in the joints. The aluminum top plate is bolted and bonded into the mast permanently. All the fixings are stainless helicoils and getting the foil together is a simple process with the M8 bolts clamping the front wing down tight. The fuselage has had some unique channels cut into its body, and has seen some cunning CNC work to remove material for weight saving without any compromise on strength. There is a range of sizes available, but we tested the longer Universal 76 fuselage.

It is a lean and almost completely flat mid to high aspect front wing with a tiny downward taper in the end of the wingtips. The trailing edge is honed to a fine point and is completely flat, and there is zero noise from the system in the majority of the speed range. It is silent and smooth. If you do manage to stall the front wing, it is a relatively graceful descent. The orange stabilizer has anhedral sweep downwards and is smoothed off and friendly. The lack of flex in the system means your body weight inputs translate well down to the foil and provide a solid feeling.

For its size the 1700 requires a little speed and power to lift, but once going is exceptionally stable and fast in a straight line. It runs very pitch neutral and isn’t the sort of foil that builds front foot pressure at the top of its speed range. It simply ceases to accelerate and provides no unwelcome surprises. Around the corners, the 1700 feels like it is on rails and is predictable and reassuring; the stabilizer does a good job of providing grip. It is great for fast, graceful wide arcing turns and is ideal for learner wingers to learn their foot switches on as the pitch stability is rock solid and forgiving. These characteristics transfer over well to SUP foiling where the solid nature of the system accommodates a big board well, and translates to cruisy longboard 1 87 1 87

style riding with decent speed and glide to link sections and a slow pump rhythm. We would be confident you could tweak this performance up if necessary, with a smaller fuselage and stabilizer which are all available on the modular system.

RRD have delivered a solid foil in the Dynamic SW ALU which has more scope and speed range than many entry-level foils on the market, yet remains very easy to ride, and there is a massive range of options in the RRD system to tweak it to your heart’s content. RB RRD DYNAMIC ALU 1700 GLIDE

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FLYSURFER MOJO 4.5M FLYSURFER are a German kite brand with a beautiful development center tucked in the foothills of Bavaria. They are responsible for a lot of innovation in terms of closed-cell soft kites for both snow and water use, which are highly technical to produce. We were eager to see how they could apply all this top-level aeronautical design to a handheld wing.

First of all, you are greeted with an excellent backpack – two straps, decent pockets, and roomy enough to get the wing into without being a black belt in origami. It comes bundled with both a waist and wrist leash to give you all options, which is a great touch. The MOJO has a twin chamber inflation system with an iSUP valve on both the strut and leading edge. This makes getting up to the hefty 10PSI on the strut as easy as possible. Once up to pressure, the chunky tube diameters and big pressures mean the wing is exceptionally stiff and there is little flex when pumping vigorously. The diameter is maintained into the wingtips. There are some small arrow-slit PVC windows that sit fairly well in your eye line when riding, which give you some awareness of what’s going on downwind of you. The almost ubiquitous profiled section of ripstop behind the strut builds shape into the canopy, which has a medium level of forced tension.

There are some nice luxury features on the wing, such as a silky layer of material sewn onto the strut behind the handles, which avoids any knuckle chaff from aggressive Dacron. There are some textured bumps sewn in the handles which take a little getting used to, and the level of grip is reassuring. The handles are long, with three in a row spanning a decent section of the strut, and they are easy to grab without having to look up at them post-tack or jibe. The length means you can slide your hands up and down to micro trim and find a comfortable shoulder width and upwind position; combine that with the incremental bumps and it is easy to find the sweet spot.

Weight-wise, the MOJO sits in the middle of the field for its size. In the hands it is powerful for a 4.5m with plenty of grunt on tap. Its power development is smooth when sheeting, and it retains a little background pull when depowered which is reassuring for learners to stabilize against. Tacking the MOJO is a simple procedure and it goes into wind well without much drag. Luffing the wing on a

CLOUD IX F SERIES Released at a time when most in the industry put on their horse blinders and dropped everything to bring high-aspect (HA) wings to market, the good folks at Cloud IX took an alternative route via an innovative mid-aspect outline. Seeking to circumnavigate the disadvantages of large HA shapes — wide turn radius, slow banking reactivity, high pitch sensitivity, and low speed limit — Cloud IX proposed a wing with a highly tapered outline and modest span (relative to the area). Such outside the box engineering sought to retain the best attributes of surf wings while tapping into the distinct pumping advantages of high aspect designs. In this way, the F Series was pitched as a best-of-both-worlds hydrofoil. The question is, does it live up to such a high standard?

Let’s begin with product presentation. Cloud IX has long since been a leader in this regard, offering customers a beefy, zipped gear bag and premium anodized M8 hardware. Complementary thread grease ads a nice touch. The hydrofoil itself is entirely carbon from top to bottom, unlike many at its price point that mix alloy bits with composite ones. Fit and finish are impressive, as is the generally beefy feel of each component. If you’re weary of fragile foils, the F

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wave, it is well behaved, and the stiffness in the front handle helps prevent too much rocking around and disturbance of your balance.

The MOJO has a great application for beginners as it is uncomplicated and powerful, and has great potential for flat-water blasting.

It achieves decent forward speed combined with the right hydrofoil.

The stiffness and power delivery means it is easy enough to load up and get airborne with, and is relatively agile in the hands.

As you would expect with Flysurfer’s background and design nouse, the MOJO is a refined first wing that slots seamlessly into the market and is extremely competitive. It is a classic Flysurfer mixture of an innovative build and high attention to detail. RB FLYSURFER MOJO 4.5M POWER DEVELOPMENT

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Series will soothe your anxieties.

As for technicalities, the F Series comes in five sizes from the smallest F24 (819 sq/cm) to the range-topping F42 (1619 sq/cm). Cloud IX offers two mast sizes, either in 30”/76cm or 26”/66cm lengths.

Fuselage options are either 27”/68cm, or 24”/60cm, with both offering three possible stabilizer mount points, varying a bit fore or aft — no shims to be found here. The F15 stabilizer is the only option currently available, but note that it comes with pre-marked guides for those inclined to “chop-shop” their setup to perfection.

Now for where the rubber meets the road: riding. Test unit specs included the 30” mast, 27” fuselage, and both the 24 and 28 front wing sizes. The stabilizer was primarily left in its most neutral position. Flex in the system is very nicely managed, I suspect due partly to the sizable overlaps in component fittings (the mast sits deep in the fuselage, for example) and the full-size M8 hardware. In a steep bank, this lack of flex and reflex adds a welcomed level of predictability to riding, encouraging you to smash that whitewater into the next decade. Down the line, both the 24 and 28 are confidence inspiring in their pitch stability, while maintaining a high degree of sensitivity for their aspect ratio. In a straight line, the F Series has a higher-than-average looseness in yaw, giving it a skatey feel. Long and away the most impressive characteristic is this rig’s desire to bank. In a drawn-out top to bottom turn, the “edge” is almost never

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AK DURABLE SUPPLY CO. PHAZER 5’8 AK do their product development in South Africa and have a wealth of kitesurfing knowledge stretching back with their sister brand Airush, so it was only a matter of time before they produced some wing gear with the heady mixture of wind and waves down in Cape Town.

It is fascinating testing wing boards at the moment, with such a rapidly advancing sport diverging out into quite defined genres already.

Some of the more wing-specific boards have started to homogenize into short stubby and relatively wide affairs, carrying their volume quite uniformly through the rear three quarters of the board. The Phazer does things slightly differently – the bulk of the volume is under where your front foot naturally rests, and it has a defined and more traditional surf nose to the front of the board, reminding us of a retro fish outline. Over its length it is actually not that wide, with its more flowing outline maxing out with gentle curves more or less where your front foot or chest naturally sits. Build wise, it is a lightweight yet robust brushed carbon with a durable matt finish, which takes abuse well and seems to hide the inevitable scratches. There is a light concave in the deck, and a relatively thin EVA pad which retains decent feedback from the board. A mini handle sits on the underside of the board which is essential for clearing shore break unscathed and gives a safe separation between the wing and foil.

The track box sits fairly far forward, but there is no issue burying the tail for take-off as there is not much volume there.

Even with 90 liters, the 5’8 Phazer feels extremely lively underfoot as it has such a low swing weight, which is noticeable when pumping and throwing it into tighter turns. With wing propulsion, it feels sleek and builds speed quickly. It also releases far more eagerly than you would expect, and this applies to both paddling and wing. For me, a 90l board matches my bodyweight almost perfectly and off the foil it is easy enough to limp around on the surface without much power in the wing. That volume under the front foot works its magic again. For the progressive freestyle winger there is a broad range of foot strap inserts, and the very low weight is going to make jumps and rotations as easy as possible. The volume under the front foot on a hard touch down bounces well.

In offshore scenarios the pointed nose heads into wind extremely well, and it doesn’t feel like it stalls in the top of the wave too much if you make a drop of consequence with a strong offshore. Couple this with a lean and efficient wing and you can achieve angles you didn’t think possible into clean waves.

Currently, the Phazer stands out from the rest of the wingfoil board brigade with its more traditional surf lines and is all the better for it. It is an exercise in elegant design in a boxy and wide market segment and AK have succeeded in creating an agile and very capable wing board with decent crossover prone potential. RB AK DURABLE SUPPLY PHAZER 5'8 TAKE OFF

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quite there, inspiring the rider to turn harder wave after wave. As expected, the 24 scales each of these effects up from the 28, but does so without ever becoming overwhelming or unmanageable.

The glide on both set ups is good, but not top-of-class and, while the 24 is noticeably faster than the 28, for its area, these are not ‘speed machines’. That said, there are many advantages to not going ballistic with speed: staying in the pocket, riding slower, crumbly waves (as is typical in Southern California), and generally ripping turns minus the risk to life and limb of ultra high-speed foiling. If that sounds like you, then the Cloud IX will cater to your needs perfectly. Oh, and it won’t break the bank, either, so the F Series is also a good value proposition. KVS CLOUD IX F SERIES GLIDE

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AFS FLYER 1300 AFS is part of the Foil&Co group, a French company from Brittany designing and manufacturing hydrofoils, wings, windsurf boards and SUP boards for AHD, Sealion, AFS and Nah Skwell. The foils are all produced in France.

The AFS Flyer range is composed of a large quiver of sizes, with all elements of the range being modular and covering a large range of sports, from surf foiling to SUP, wing foiling and downwind foiling.

The wings come with a beautiful yellow brushed-finish layer and the T-bar mast and top plate are made of pre-preg carbon. They come from two different molds and are then glued together and reinforced by three unidirectional carbon stringers. The baseplate is made out of compressed carbon fiber and is thicker than most of the baseplates on the market. The front wing is mounted on the bottom front square section of the fuselage using three M6 Torx screws and the stabilizer is mounted the same way using two M6 Torx screws. It is extremely rigid, stiff and light (3.2kg with the 1300) and looks great. One shim is provided in the pack to adjust the pitch of the front wing.

The Flyer series is dedicated to winging, downwind foiling and the smaller sizes are suitable for high-performance wing foiling. The tests were run by wingfoiling in various conditions from extremely light winds to 35+ knots, with two different boards (5'0 surf foil board and a 6'0 wingfoil board) and different sizes of wings in open ocean conditions as well as in 4ft waves surf foiling.

The Flyer provides really early lift with amazing glide and pumps impressively. It is a perfectly balanced freeride foil providing a lot of lift. The stabilizer counters the extra amount of lift and is well tuned. With the shim provided, you can adapt the AOA of the front wing depending on your riding expectations. I found that in stronger winds I liked it tuned slightly downwards because it provided more control at higher speeds. The Flyer offers an impressive pitch stability that could be taken as a lack of maneuverability but once you are dialed in this results in a very predictable and enjoyable ride and a wide range of speed and control at any wind strength, providing tons of lift and generating speed instantly, remaining stable and predictable when the wind gets stronger. The

OLAIAN FOIL 500 Olaian is a brand from the Decathlon group specializing in the R&D of nautical products designed to suit the broader public market.

They are designing and manufacturing surfboards, SUPs, kayaks, apparel and are now releasing a new range of foiling products with a pretty unique USP: a safety foil!

Out of the box, the foil has a unique design with soft rubber protecting the leading and trailing edges of the front wing, the stabilizer and the mast. The front wing and stabilizer are joined together in a closed frame to avoid injury when learning to foil. It is 100% designed for beginners who want to start their foiling journey.

The Olaian foil is super easy to assemble. The fuselage comes on top of the front wing and gets positioned with two M8 screws, while the stabilizer needs only one. Then the mast gets connected to the baseplate and fuselage with two M8 screws on each side. Altogether it is stiff and lighter than I expected, and the white matt and black anodized paint give it very nice finish.

The tests were conducted with a custom 5´0 board in 2-3ft waves.

I’m 86 kilos and 186cm tall. A few really good surfer friends had a go at it too, to have another few points of view from foiling beginners.

Paddling out on the foil is comfortable, but you do feel the extra drag under the board, which is to be expected. It is lively but nothing consequential. Pivoting and catching a wave is pretty easy. The Olaian foil has a really graduated, balanced lift. It feels really easy to pop up on it – without lifting too early – and is then easy to trim.

The flight is balanced and easy to manage, the foil responds slowly and provides exceptional stability. The small surface area combined with this extra thick profile gives the perfect combination between progressive lift and control. It will remain pretty slow and allows a beginner to enjoy their first rides more easily than anything we have tested to date. As soon as you push into turns you feel that little lag, but everything comes together in a wide turning range and extra pitch and yaw stability.

Due to its specific design the Olaian foil drags quite a fair amount of water. This feature makes it slow and ultra-predictable but doesn’t work for effective pumping. It needs to be kept in mind that this is a beginner’s foil, and it is fairly slow, but that's exactly what any

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beginner should really be asking for out of this foil.

The Olaian foil breaks some boundaries by entering the foiling world. It makes the sport extremely accessible to anyone who previously had foil anxiety, and will put any good surfer in flight mode within a few hours. The safety factor, the bulletproof construction and very reasonable price tag make this a really viable option for anyone looking to get into foiling. AB OLAIAN FOIL 500 GLIDE

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foil is really stiff, giving you a highly controlled amount of energy, building speed gradually and gliding comfortably with a really low stalling point (around 8 knots). The carving control is not the most responsive but that is not its design brief and it is a pumping machine. Perfect for training on dockstarts and when the wind shuts off. The extra lift and stability makes it a really comfortable pumping foil that will take you hundreds of meters without burning your legs. It has a comfortable speed range but is noticeably slower than other speed-dedicated wing hydrofoils.

We also rode the Carver 1700 front wing and we felt that this is a particularly great combination for anyone getting into wingfoiling.

The Carver will ease you into your firsts steps, while the Flyer will take things up a notch, and help you get through your transitions without any struggle. AB AFS FLYER 1300 GLIDE

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VAYU VVING VAYU is a new brand on the wing market and they’re jumping in with an interesting new feature on their wings: a foldable wishbone that they called Bridge Boom technology. I had the 4.4m on test, which is part of a range of sizes that also includes a 3.4m, 5.4m, and 6.4m Featuring a thick leading edge and profile combined with a Teijin D2 canopy (without battens) plus the Bridge Boom central strut (which is a strut with a boom mounted on it) the VAYU VVING has a slight dihedral shape combined with a clean panel assembly. The design is pure and effective and results in a very well-balanced wing.

Due to the boom, the VVING is a little bit heavier than other 4m wings but this is compensated by the extra precision added by the boom which makes the wing extremely reactive and easy to maneuver. This extra weight on the strut also makes a positive difference when waveriding. The wing is extremely stable when towed behind you, and will allow you to engage faster maneuvers without the wing tipping around. Providing a really stiff connection with the wing, the boom, combined with the really forward-centered profile, gives you a really comfortable extra amount of power for take-offs and pumping, and the overall balance of the wing will help you find your hand positions instantly. It really is fun to maneuver around, and will flip around your fingertips without any lag.

The overall balance and ultimate control are the prime features of this wing. It provides a very comfortable amount of lift and is suitable for freestyle, but we felt that where it really excelled was as a waveriding-oriented wing where it was stiff, maneuverable and powerful, with the Bridge Boom at the heart of this. The VVING gives you extra speed when attacking a bump or a wave, and downwind foiling is easy, smooth and intuitive. Opening the wing downwind will throw you down any kind of bump at maximum speed, while the extra precision provided by the boom will help you keep the wing in a single hand. I really enjoyed this particular feature. The VVING gives you a comfortable amount of glide to tack around but it is not designed for racing. It is not the fastest wing we’ve tested, but this is counterbalanced by the sheer amount of fun you’ll have when riding with it...

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Overall a very impressive entry into the wing market by VAYU and it is great to see some fresh thinking and an effective ‘new’ style of wing. AB VAYU VVING POWER DEVELOPMENT

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GAASTRA POISON 4.2M Gaastra are a brand with a long and respectable history in the wind sports market. They’ve now entered the wing market with their second generation of wings. The Gaastra Poison is their dedicated waveriding wing, that joins the progressive all-round freeride Cross wing to complete their 2021 wing range. Featuring a thick leading edge and profile, a very light and rigid triple ripstop construction and three perfectly positioned handles, it is a well-conceived and effectively designed wing.

Along the middle strut there are harness attachment points and a couple of Velcro patches allowing the rider to get creative and take accessories with him or her. While waveriding and flagging, the wing floats in the wind with a lot of stability and holds in the air by itself. It is really solid on the yaw and doesn’t flip easily when riding, which is confidence boosting in the waves. The handles are comfortable and rigid enough to provide instant power, especially in lighter winds.

and, with the extra power under the hood, it is also a solid choice for freestyle with plenty of lift. It is exciting to see how the world of wings is progressing and the Poison is a great example of a wellevolved wing that combines performance and usability and makes winging both easier and more performant… AB

We had the Poison 4.2 on test, and it provides a lot of power for a wing of this size. It is as powerful as other 5 meter wings that we have tested, so you can drop a size for waveriding which is a big plus... Pumping the Poison to get going and there is a very impressive amount of lift which makes tough water starts super easy and provides instant confidence that helps you get up on the foil as early as possible. The range of the Poison is very impressive and we rode it in everything from 15 to 35 knots and it remained extremely stable in any angle of the wing. In the higher wind range the trailing edge flaps a little, but the wing continues to perform well. The wing sits intuitively at a nice angle so you never feel like you are ‘fighting’ it, and transitions are straightforward as the wing spins around assertively.

GAASTRA POISON 4.2M

Overall, the Poison is a rigid, lightweight wing that will allow intermediate wingers to get into waveriding without any limitations

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STARBOARD WINGBOARD LITE TECH It’s telling that a sport is here to stay when an established brand like Starboard design their first truly wing foiling specific board.

The dimensions on the 6’7 are interesting, as it’s a comparatively long board for 115 liters and pitched as a positive buoyancy board for anyone up to 95 kilos. Its boxy rails spread the volume very evenly and squarely across the length. There’s quite a decent rocker in the front of the board to help prevent the friendly rounded nose diving on touch downs. Shape wise, the Wingboard definitely draws from the successful lineage of the Hyperfoil SUP foil range with deep twin channeling. The volume in the tail continues through the raised central section between the channels, and provides a step up pedestal for a pitch neutral foil track position. Footstrap inserts are present for both a parallel and ducked stance. The deck is an interesting design with a fairly deep inset concave and thin and comprehensive EVA pad providing a comfortable textured grip. The rear of the deck also has some scoops sculpted out of each side to drain water on take-off, so you are not

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holding extra weight on the deck, which is an issue a deep concave deck can suffer from. Two constructions are available with a highend brushed blue carbon option being ported across from the SUP range. We tested the white Lite Tech build which is well priced, strong, and not horribly heavy.

In the water you immediately feel that the extra length and square outline is geared very much for stability. It spreads its volume well.

This length, combined with the deep channeling, helps it track extremely well in a straight line on the surface, enabling you to build speed easily for take-off. The space age tail means it is all geared for as early a release as possible, and once you release the surface tension from the front it lifts in one clean motion. The foil box angle is now raised and flattened out rather than built into the natural tail rocker of the board and the angle has been adjusted to work with a wider range of foils and run more pitch neutral. Swing weight for such a well-priced board is not obnoxious, and the EVA pad provides a decent grip and is and not too thick, giving you

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KOLD VIKING 1680 KOLD is the brand of German kitesurfing legend Mario Rodwald.

At the core of the KOLD philosophy is sustainability and the brand strives to make gear with as small an environmental impact as possible. All of their boards and foils are produced in the EU, and they take steps to ensure that all carbon used in the production process is offset. This is 100% not ‘greenwashing’ and kudos to KOLD for placing environmental impact at the heart of the brand.

The Viking is KOLD’s first foray in to the foil world, and they have arrived at a good time with the benefit of a few years of evolution of designs and with the arrival of winging on the scene. With this in mind the Viking is a relatively high aspect wing in keeping with the direction the world of wing foils is heading, but with a profile which suggests that this is more than a straight line glide machine. On test I had the 1680 wing and the 82cm carbon mast. The wings are created from ‘recycled carbon’ and are molded, they are light and feel sturdy without the brittleness of a full carbon lay-up. The foil ships with two fuselages (58cm and 72cm) and has a nifty system whereby you can switch the position for the mast in the fuselage to tailor it for surf or wing riding. I was particularly impressed with the mast, which is full carbon and feels very stiff and high end (there is also a cheaper aluminum option). Everything screws together with Torx bolts and is super sturdy. There are three shims provided, I did tinker with this and – for winging – felt that the +.05 provided the most balanced set up. Also provided are quality covers (with a zippable front cover) and a bag to keep the whole set up in.

not a speed demon and you would need to move down through the wing sizes if you wanted to get some more juice from it.

The standout feature for me was the pump and gliding capabilities of the Viking. I had several sessions in gusty offshore conditions with the wind fluctuating between 10-30 knots! In the lulls, you can comfortably pump the Viking for 100 meters with minimal effort and it glides beautifully. If you are pumping the wing to get going then the Viking gives a very satisfying forward ‘spurt’ once you get it out of the water and can engage a couple of quick pumps and you are off. Overall an impressive entry and a great ‘all round’ foil that will suit 90% of wingers… AH KOLD VIKING 1680

On the water and I rode the Viking in a range of conditions from flatwater through to small waves and from 15-40 knots. With the 1680 wing you would expect the foil to lift early and it does, with a smooth and relatively leisurely lift. Once up, acceleration is swift and the foil feels stable as you generate speed and can find your balance and lock in. The Viking has a broad ‘sweet spot’ and feels comfortable cruising at lower or mid speeds, although as a 1680 it is

good feedback from the foil.

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STARBOARD WINGBOARD 6'7

The 6’7 naturally pairs with more novice riders using larger foils, or for a more advanced rider wanting to maximize their time on the water with lighter winds and generally more cruisy conditions, which at the moment, barely two years into the discipline, is of course the vast majority. There are plenty of advanced features sculpted subtly into the Wingboard, and in this size it’s going to give you both an excellent introduction to the sport, and the footstrap inserts provide longevity well into intermediate or even early advanced aerial maneuvers. RB

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LIFT 120 HA VS. 150 SURF V2 One might imagine that after upwards of a year spent in quarantine, hydrofoil designers would be out of ideas, but, happily, such is not the case. With the latest generation of foil designs has come an entirely new level of all-around performance that blows everything prior out of the water — literally.

Within Lift’s overhauled lineup, released this past February, lies the 120 High Aspect (HA). This piece of kit is a truly spectacular hydrofoil. At a glance, it’s not hard to see why this wing stirred a buzz that caused it to sell out in mere days. With an aspect ratio (AR) of 10.2 and an area of just 775 sq/cm, the 120 is more akin to a racing kitefoil than the standard fare we’ve seen in the surf sector. In spite of Lift’s reassurances, it’s fair to say the community was skeptical at best about if this wing was, well, rideable in average surf. I’d be lying if I said I was mightily confident in that myself once I opened the box. The verdict? I’ll come back to that soon enough. First, I want to convince you of why the 120’s lesser-known sister, the 150 Surf v2, should also be right up there on your radar.

On paper, the 120 and 150 aren’t much of a likely comparison. They come in at 775 sq/cm and 965 sq/cm, respectively. The 120 is ultra high aspect with a 10.2 AR, while the 150 is merely 6.5. The 120 is built from specialty carbon fiber, while the 150 is constructed from the “standard” fare (standard being high end to begin with). Both are quite thin, with subtle twists to their wingtips. While clearly from the same parents, these siblings seem to have little else in common.

It’s the overlap between their strengths which has drawn me to make this comparative review. For me, the 120HA and 150 Surf v2 are an epic two-punch quiver proposal. Think Jekyll and Hyde, Batman and Robin, or Han Solo and Chewbacca. Not sold yet? Hear me out.

Briefly, here are the test specs: I come in at 165lbs/75kg and am an advanced rider. My board for the test was a 20L 4’0. Over my three month test period, conditions varied between ankle high glass and choppy overhead surf, with everything between mushy sandbars and supersonic point breaks. Lift’s 28” (previous gen) mast and 25 Glide tail completed the setups. With that out of the way, let’s dive into the performance brief.

The 120 in particular is not beginner friendly. Even as an experienced rider coming directly from reviewing Lift’s 170HA, the 120 demands a substantial jump in attention to detail when flying. Looking down at its incredibly narrow chord (distance from leading edge to trailing edge), the wing screams pitch sensitive — and that’s exactly right.

This characteristic makes itself most apparent in critical drops, where letting the wing get ahead of you will almost certainly lead to a spectacular breach. Whether on the first wave or the thousandth, the 120 never ceases to amaze with its truly unmatched glide. Unhindered by area or thickness, speed and acceleration on this wing are on immediate tap whether on the wave, pumping, or on an open ocean lump.

Thanks to effortless glide and subsequent speed, the 120 covers tre-

LIFT 120 HA

mendous distance per pump, leading to an impressive number of multi-wave double ups. Unlike any other high aspect on the market, this wing surfs naturally and predictably — almost imperceptibly so from a full-blown surf wing. In spite of a slightly narrower span than the 170HA, the 120’s unique combination of foil section, chord, and aspect ratio (among other more subtle differences) make it a higher performer all around than the bigger wing. Now, I’d like to ground my perspective with a reality check: for all its superpowers, the 120 is a small wing, and I can hardly guarantee any intermediate or advanced rider above 80kg/175lbs will manage to initially fly it in surf less than chest high. This wing demands a quick and clean popup, and a rider able to rapidly trim to level flight. So know what you’re getting into and adjust your expectations accordingly...

The 150 Surf v2, then. Can this more “modest” surf wing compare favorably to its sibling? Most certainly, and I’d argue these wings complement each other to the degree that you should strongly consider buying one with the other. Against the 120, the 150’s pitch is less sensitive, but still more reactive than 95% of what’s on the market. Bank is telepathically smooth and more linear than the 120. Tracking is improved somewhat in the 150 over the 120 thanks to its curved profile.

On a wave, the 150 offers truly world-beating performance. Smashing whitewater? No problem. Banking so steeply your rails get wet? Of course. Snappy top turns akin to a shortboard? Bring it on. The 150 is a tremendously fun surf foil, and in my forty-odd sessions with it, I expanded my riding limits noticeably. As for pumping through the flats, this wing falls just short of its brother. Like the 120HA, the 150 is thin, fast, and carries superb glide for its outline, just to a less extreme degree. For a wing that surfs this well, such effortless pumping really is the cherry on the cake.

Why buy both? A foil quiver should provide two primary options: a setup for small surf and downwinding where glide and speed are what make things entertaining, and another rig that’s suited to punchy, sizable, or hollow conditions. At this stage in surf foil design, strong pumping qualities are a standard expectation for any design.

Anything beyond that is a bonus, and both the 120HA and 150 Surf v2 deliver class-leading glide, so that’s not a concern. Where the 120 is easy to surf but challenging to surf hard, the 150 rips right out of the gate and pushes you to progress. Where the 150 glides a bit less, the 120 goes for days and is a true rocket ship. Where the 120 can be intimidating on a hollow, punchy wave, its sibling is confidence-inspiring. As I’ve said before, everything is relative, and with enough time on either of these wings, the distinctions above are blurred.

So, if you’re an intermediate to advanced rider they’re an incredible pairing, or fantastic as singular additions to any quiver. For intermediate riders reaching for the next step, I might suggest keeping your 170HA or 200 Surf v2 until you feel like you’ve squeezed every last drop out of what it can offer before you move on to these guys: they’re pretty radical… KVS

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RECENT SHOTS OF OUR COMMITTED TEST TEAM RIDERS PUTTING IN THE WATER HOURS...

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INBOUND

LEVITAZ 2021 FOIL RANGE

Following on from the critically acclaimed Shaka Series, Levitaz return with the new and improved 2021 range… and now there are boards too. Levitaz Brand Executive Adrian Geislinger talked us through the new line up.

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Congratulations on a truly delicious looking new range. Can you give us an overview of what’s in it, and what are your key products?

Thank you, we worked very hard and it’s good to see the products ready for the customer. We are very proud of the new hydrofoils and boards for both wing foiling and surf foiling. In total there are four new foils, two new masts, a new fuselage and three new boards for wing and surf foil. Later this year we will release three more sizes for the wing board series, the Boom. On the hydrofoil side, we have added a 1200cm2 wing (the smallest in the Shaka Series) and it’s a great foil for strong winds and big waves. We love to go on big air sessions on the wing with it, and our kite foil riders really love it too! I would call it a true all-rounder.

Moreover, we have three high aspect foils in the sizes of 1100 cm2 and 1600 cm2 in the new range. I’m personally very happy about how they turned out and I love riding them... All the know-how from building our kite race and high aspect foils over the years flew into the design of these wings. It’s an area we have a lot of prior experience in – the first foil that we released eight years ago for kite foiling was called the Aspect, with an aspect ratio of 7. Therefore, our designers were quite excited to transfer their design into some bigger wings.

Not only have we been working on our boards and front wings though… We’re also bringing out a 75cm full carbon mast for wing, surf, and pumping. It will be a super stiff performance mast as a stepup to the hybrid sizes. Additionally, we will add a 90cm full carbon mast with the same characteristics but aimed to be a wing/kite mast.

Last but not least, we have a new titanium fuselage in 60cm that is ridiculously light. It feels great in the water and is our team’s favorite for all disciplines.

Have the Shaka foils had an upgrade for their latest iterations?

Yes, we changed the outline a bit to give it more stiffness in the base for better control and more direct feel on the wing. Additionally, we have experimented with new materials for the core and have now implemented new materials which reduce weight of the core by up to 70% – that is a real game changer for the Shaka Series, given that they are the biggest foils in our range.

Why have you chosen to make two different iterations of your new high aspect Shaka 1600 HA? How do they differ in feeling?

During prototyping of the high aspect wings, we had several designs that we really liked. The HA1600 PRO was the most agile of them all and was so much fun to ride. It feels like a way smaller wing and reminded us of riding a kite foil. However, this agility, which is created by the dihedral base, requires precise and fast maneuvers. The HA1600 is very similar in the design, but the big difference is that it is more pitched down towards the wingtips to give it more roll-stability.

This makes it slightly less agile. Some of us really liked more stability and were willing to sacrifice some agility. Thankfully tastes are different, and we had both designs ready. So, we decided to not withhold the designs and let the customer choose their preference.

Which of your stabilizers are the Shaka HA wings working best with?

Given the angle of attack that our foils have and the size of the front wings, the high aspect front wings work with the same rear wing as the normal Shaka Series. It was important for us to make this work. It means you have one rear wing that works great for all six front wings.

You’ve now moved into boards. Did a recognition of demand trigger your move here, or was it just a natural step forward?

For our kite foils we have been making boards for quite a while now and with Alex Schwab we have a great shaper in the team. So, it just felt natural to expand the range on the board side as we did on the hydrofoil side. The market’s demand confirmed this decision and gave us confidence to make a big move with several new boards in the new line-up.

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Levitaz has the R&D backing of parent company, Geislinger GmbH, who are experts in the field of carbon fiber tech. Can you tell us in what ways this has directly benefited the new range?

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It gives us access to several engineers that are experts in the composites field and a high-tech industry 4.0 production facility in Austria. This has always helped us to make high-performance products in the best possible quality. This is also reflected in all the new products.

The world of winging has taken the foil world by storm – how does the new range reflect that?

We have expanded our range immensely with winging in mind. On the R&D side we have turned our attention to the sport as all of us also just became addicted to the new sport. In our new range we used a lot of our know-how from kiting and let it flow into the new designs and constructions. We now have a total of seven different hydrofoils for the wing, starting from the Cruizer in 1000cm2 up to the Shaka L at 2000cm2. I’m actually very happy how good the small front wings work for either kiting or winging. On the board side we have three new wing boards from 108/94L to 48L with three more sizes ready for later this year.

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You began life as a kite foil brand – how do the stresses and demands of surf and wing foiling differ, and how do you use materials / weights differently according to the different sports?

Compared to kiting we have quickly realized that the material gets way more stressed in winging. The bigger boards and bigger foils that are needed to get going put more load on all materials. Moreover, you simply don’t get as much support from a wing when landing after a jump. Especially with the wing spans going up, the base connection needs to be very strong. We have chosen the carbon layup for the new foils to strengthen that area especially. This was also anticipated in the design of the new Shaka HA foils. The whole wing sits relatively close to the mast for a better power transmission and agility.

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You have a foil registered for kitesurfing in the Olympics, what did you learn here that you have applied to the rest of the line up?

We learned how important the feedback from our riders is to create the perfect product. The R5 race foil that is registered for the Olympics is setting the benchmark in the industry when it comes to race foils. In the process of creating this foil we have worked closely with our test riders and did several small iteration loops to get it to perfection. The know-how we created by doing that and the results we got from building several high aspect wings directly fed into our new high aspect foils for winging. Therefore, I’m very confident that our new foils will also perform as none other on the market and that we can take the success of the R5 Series into this new sport too.

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INBOUND

SLINGSHOT WING CRAFT V1

Wing Brand Manager Wyatt Miller lays out the reasoning behind Slingshot’s new pure wing board, and the evolution methods behind its construction…

Hi Wyatt. So first up, what sort of lay-up and weights are we looking at across the four sizes?

We had to design a fairly unique layup for the Wing Craft’s as they are some unique boards. First off, they are super thick, even the smallest 60L is 4” thick. This gives the boards a lot of structural strength and resistance against flexing and buckling right out of the gate. That being said, we saw right off the bat how high our riders were jumping these things and we wanted to reinforce them so they would stand up to the challenge. We are big fans of full bamboo construction on top and bottom to constitute the first layer around the foam... Bamboo is a stiff and strong technology and also happens to be quite sustainable. The top and bottom are laid up differently since you are

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standing on the top beating it up with your feet – the top deck has two carbon T-stringers running the length of the board under the bamboo, then above the bamboo is a 200g carbon layer 3/4 length over the whole deck and even wrapping the rails. Then there are lots of oval-shaped glass patches outside the bamboo and carbon in key areas like the nose, tail and rails. The bottom has a 175g UD carbon strip down centerline as you see in many of our kiteboards, with the 200g carbon oval 3/4 length of board. Again, there are glass patches of varying weights are applied in key stress areas.

One really important factor in wing boards is to reinforce the top deck rails in the middle of the board. Every time you crash, you have to climb onto the board over the rail. This puts repetitive pressure

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and stress on the top of the rail from knees, shins, elbows… and harness bars. With my constant crashing trying tricks and climbing onto the board 1000 times a session, we figured out from early prototypes that the top rails needed extra attention.

Can the board work for everyone, from newbie to GWA competitor?

And which boards would you want as your journey progressed?

We really designed these boards for everyone and there is a board in the line-up for all rider weights and skill levels. All our team guys are totally fired up about the 60L and 75L boards, the emails they send us after receiving one are hilarious! Completely over the top ecstatic. I have actually been testing the boards for a couple seasons at my wing/wind resort down in La Ventana. It really helps us study how the real consumer interacts with the product. I have seen a ton of early success from people starting off on the 120L after we have them practice on the beach and then sail an inflatable with a dagger board. All but the over 100kg find the 120L to offer plenty of stability.

The most interesting thing for me is watching how quickly people progress from the 120 down to the 90L. Once people are able to derive their balance from the pull of the wing, they have no problem riding the 90L. Going from knees to feet is the hard part at that skill level and the 90L at 27” wide offers just enough stability to make that transition easily. I really love the 60L, but I have had to come to terms that is it simply not big enough to use in light wind at 90KG. If the wind really drops, I am paddling back home. The 75L on the other hand is the biggest board I will ever need. It may sink about 20cm under the water with zero forward momentum, but even without enough wind to get on foil, I can still slog it back home off foil with a slight breeze. The big change people need to make when transitioning to a smaller board is the way they climb on the board as switching this technique while still on your big board will really help the transition. You want to lie across the board from rail to rail and get the wing flipped over and get your front hand on the handle you ultimately want to be holding before you even get to your knees. Then bend your front arm and place your front elbow on the centerline of the board with your head under the wing. Use your back hand on the downwind rail for stability as you get to your knees but stay super low under the wing. Then go right for the back handle and bring the wing up into the air with your hands already on your favorite handles before you rise up on your wing. That gives you immediate stability and helps you overcome the small board and choppy water.

The Moon Buddy from Seven Nation sister brand Ride Engine has been a super successful wing board. Has there been much crossover in the development process? Has much design input been inherited in the Wing Craft?

Interestingly enough there was not a lot of crossover in the development process. Though the Moon Buddy was released first we were actually developing them around the same time. I do like a lot of aspects of the Moon Buddy, even the 80L is really wide and easy for folks to transition to. I worked with one of our designers, Julien Fillion, on the Wing Crafts and wanted to move away from the concave rail shape seen in a lot of the Ride Engine boards. I think the Moon Buddy boards are also a bit shorter than the Wing Crafts. I feel like a touch of added length really helps the rider quickly attain the board speed necessary to get on foil without too much pumping skill. I think a lot of wing boards on the market have the same basic wing-specific DNA. Who has had the most input in the board’s design, and who have been the major players in testing it out?

It all starts with a design brief usually written by the Brand Manager, in this case me. We write about: the consumer need in the market, who the product will be for, what the perception of the board needs to be in the market, what are the necessary design and product features, and what features or constructions the board absolutely cannot have. Then I put in some guideline specs and pass it on to the designer. Julien and I then work in CAD and come up with a few sample prototypes. A round of prototypes shows up, and there it moves to the test team and guys like Fred Hope, Bryan Metcalf-Perez and Brandon Scheid. We spend a lot of days doing side-by-side comparison, being sure not to be too careful… we mistreat the boards like they would be in the real world. We quickly learn about the need to reinforce rails and what kind of radius of nose and tail hold up being dropped on the rocks! Then we do another couple rounds of prototypes and pick the overall winner. Having the test team is huge but putting the boards in the hands of normal consumers at my wing resort gives some of the best feedback.

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What skills have you learnt from all your years of producing kite and wake boards that you have been able to apply to the Wing Craft?

Over the years we have learned that we love our customer service team. They are some of the most helpful and nicest people you will ever meet, and their jobs can be brutal if we mess up on a product.

We try our best to give all the products rough, real world use before we release them to the consumer. Along the way we also experimented with a million different layups, from kite surf boards, to windsurf, to SUP. Each sport has its own layup demands and pressure points to deal with. It is always a tough line to walk between a board that is super lightweight and can snap vs. a board that is a bomber and causes customer service no headaches but doesn’t have that showroom sex appeal weight. The real key is to make your first prototypes nice and light and give them sufficient testing to find the faults. Once you know the areas that need reinforcement… carbon patches are your friend!

S L I NGS H OT W I N G C R A FT V 1

INBOUND

LIFT 2021 EFOIL RANGE

We covered Lift’s first generation eFoils all the way back in issue #1, with an interview with CEO, Nick Leason. A lot has changed in a relatively small amount of time in this sport, and that rings true for eFoil tech too. With the release of Lift’s next-gen range, we thought it was high time to catch up with Nick to find out what’s fresh…

You’ve now reached the next generation of eFoil products, including the Lift 3 and the Lift 3 Elite. Can you walk us through the new setups, and what do you think the most significant improvements have been?

Overall the aim with the LIFT3 is to create an enhanced ride with heightened performance. The boards were redesigned to be shorter in length with better release on the water. Making it easier to get going, but once in the air, the rider feels a more loose turning radius with increased control. We redesigned our entire wing line-up to match up with the different eFoil sizes. The wings are more of a “mid aspect”, meaning that we increased wing span from the previous year’s designs, giving the rider more glide with more control. We also improved construction and selected different carbon fibers across the whole build. Additionally, we upgraded our propeller shape and

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design as well as the hydrodynamics of the shroud. Increasing efficiency, performance and improved acoustics. Our new boards also come with a brand new carbon fiber hand controller which has new tech features with all the bells and whistles… it's simply a work of art.

We also reinvented the way to change out the propulsion components, making it a simple push of a button. I expect our new LIFT3 will gain some attention in the marine industry as a whole…

So a pretty full on rework?!

Yes! Overall, we’re using the most sophisticated materials and expect our new changes and modifications to provide our riders the ultimate “feel good” sensation when carving a turn on the water. That’s what it's all about; a perfect turn. We'll keep going and won't stop innovating.

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Developing an eFoil must be a daunting task with a lot of technical considerations and components. What industries do you draw from for the technology?

There are so many details that don’t meet the eye and it is not an easy product to design and build. We draw from all industries… from the latest in electric mobility, military projects/design, high end composites, to drones and of course the surf industry. There is a lot of cool stuff out there and it’s fun to be innovating and adding tons of tech into one easy-to-use super toy.

How light do you think the boards will get in the future? What’s the limiting factor on weight do you think?

The goal is to merge the eFoil with our surf foils. Every time I pick up my 4’0 Surf, I dream of it being battery powered. And that’s the limitation right there, batteries. Maybe one day we will have this crazy powerful and long-lasting battery pack that is the size of an iPhone and we can just snap it in and go. We’ll probably get there and as we do, the sport will become more radical. I’ll say this too… My 4’2 pro eFoil setup with my custom lighter battery pack and a folding prop is getting pretty fun out in the surf.

Safety is of course of utmost importance with an eFoil. Tell us about the safety features you’ve implemented and how they have evolved…

There’s a balance between safety and excitement. Sometimes they don’t always work together and you have to make the product modular to fit a variety of people. The best safety feature is proper instruction and our network of over 300 affiliates worldwide has been excellent in driving the sport in the right direction. Apart from that, proper design of the electronics and automatic shut-offs make it easy for the riders to control their vehicle and bring it to a quick stop when they fall off. I’m actually surprised to see that we’ve had such a good record so far. I’ve heard of some accidents, which are naturally going to happen, but it's been good so far. I think people know their limits and develop a respect for the foil.

What are your most popular wing choices for the system? How small have you gone for performance riding?

The 200 Surf V2 is probably the top choice because it does a little bit of everything. I love to step down onto the 150 SV2 for a little more speed and performance and if I’m feeling fast, I put on the 100 SV2 with a longer mast and go rip it up. If I want to break my distance record, I will put on a high aspect wing even down to the 120 HA. Everyone is different and it also depends on what you’re feeling on the day.

Have you dabbled with foldable props for use in waves?

Have we ever… We developed the folding prop for the eFoil and continue to improve it. When I cruise into a swell and let off the throttle, the blades throw back in an instant and the board actually starts to gain speed. I’ve had some exciting surf sessions with the folding prop and it's wave after wave after wave. Never-ending fun. Maybe a little bit of practice for most people, but when you get the timing right, it's pretty cool to say the least.

Does the water or air temperature impact performance at all?

I’m a tropical fish myself, so I like to ride nice and toasty. Honestly, I don’t spend too much time in cold water, but I would say that I’ve felt a difference when riding in areas like San Francisco where the water feels dense. In theory, the difference should be negligible, but maybe just the thought of it makes a difference in your mind.

You have a lot of high profile ambassadors, from Laird Hamilton to the recently joined Mala’e McElheny (@banzaigrom). Do ambassadors generally get much input into the design process?

Absolutely. I listen to our ambassadors and take down notes. For me the exciting part of the design process is to try to specify a feeling that they’re trying to achieve, identify the problem and build a tool that takes them to the next level. My personal foiling skills are not keeping up with the crowd, so now more than ever, I have to take a more analytical and imaginable approach to try to design what the audience likes as opposed to what I might want for myself. That being said, I always design something for myself and my crew, and other people seem to enjoy those too.

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INBOUND

DUOTONE SLICK

Duotone recently released the Slick, aka their line-up’s “one for all” wing. We went straight to the man behind the magic to get the info – Duotone’s Chief Product Designer, Ken Winner.

So Ken, the Slick is the fourth wing to enter the Duotone range, and now sits alongside the Unit and the Echo. What marks it apart from its stablemates?

Compared with the Echo, the Slick has a shorter, lighter, less costly boom that works on all Slick sizes without adjustment. The Echo has more adjustability than the Slick, but overall the Slick, as a newer design, has a bit more power but just as much wind range as the Echo.

The Slick also has a shorter wingspan than both Echos and Units of the same size. This is a huge issue for novices and shorter riders, and for all riders when they’re using big wings. A shorter wingspan means having less difficulty from dragging the wing tip. It also has a more stable center of power than most wings. This makes the Slick easy to ride in gusty strong wind.

Overall, the Slick is an upgrade to most performance qualities found in the Echo and Unit. That said, the Slick is an all-around wing, not I N B O U ND

specifically a wave/surf wing. We are upgrading the Unit to fill that niche more perfectly.

The Slick uses Duotone’s ‘Mini Boom’ concept. Can you tell us about this?

Winging is obviously in its early days still, and like windsurfing, kiting and other sports there will be a lot of variation and evolution as designers try all different wing geometries and configurations. The first of my foiling wings, from back in May of 2018, had struts and soft handles. I then went to strut-mounted rigid handles and strut-mounted minibooms. Thinking that the strut wasn’t adding much to the performance of the wing, I eliminated the strut – thus eliminating weight and cost – and started relying entirely on the boom. Of course, at this time I was the only person in the world who was doing this and I was mostly interested in doing downwinders with my downwind paddle foiling friends. I used only 2.5m wings with extremely light booms.

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It wasn’t until six or eight months after I started winging that other people became interested in the sport and we, Duotone, started prototyping bigger wings. By this time, we were exploring exclusively the potential offered by booms – adjustability, use across different sizes of wings, etc. – and had left the soft handle concept aside, except for a single 4-meter proto that I kept. Once we had the original Foil Wing on the market, however, we realized that a single wing concept doesn’t really serve the needs of all the people that want to wing, so we dusted off that 4-meter soft-handle proto and started developing both the Echo (our second generation boom wing) and the Unit (our handle wing) in parallel.

In November of 2019, while working on the Echo and Unit, I revisited the idea of integrating rigid handles and minibooms into the strut. This approach seemed to offer the best of both types of wing and from this the Slick was born. Unfortunately, COVID19 hit and all Slick-related plans were delayed by many months.

Where have been the key areas of development do you think, as the wing space-race heats up?

When I started there was only one user, me, and I only cared about what I wanted to care about. It’s different now. We need to understand which performance qualities are of value to thousands of riders, so we have to constantly check in with riders who are using various wings and find out what they like and dislike, what works for them and doesn’t work. Wing geometry – dihedral, sweep, tip shape, profile depth and other factors – is a big topic. The same geometry doesn’t work for all types of wings and riders. For example, the square tips and short wingspan of the Slick is a response to the need to minimize wing tip drag, particularly on big wings. It’s useful for all riders but is more important for some than others.

Working to get the right canopy tension is a big topic. We want wings that have the best possible combination of power, depower, longevity and low flutter, and canopy tension plays a big role there. We need high tension to get good performance, but too much tension can be bad for the durability of the lightweight ripstop that we’re using in the canopy. Getting the performance and handling benefits of the boom combined with the performance and handling benefits of the strut is a key development manifested in the Slick. We’re seeing big current benefits from this and we see the potential for future improvement in this area. Finding more robust ways to assemble wings from standard materials is also important. Wing leading edges put more load on materials and seams than kite leading edges, so we’re looking for ways to improve.

And I guess materials are becoming more of a variable in wing design?

Yes, finding better, more technologically advanced materials and learning how to use them well is equally important. Since wings use smaller quantities of materials than kites, we can use expensive materials in wings without as big a cost penalty. And the potential performance benefit of high-tech materials is huge. Windows are a big topic. From the point of view of weight it’s nice not to have them, but from the point of view of safety it’s kind of irresponsible not to have them. The standard PVC windows are heavy and stretchy, but higher-tech options are expensive and fragile.

Do you think the freestyle side of wing foiling is borrowing heavily from freestyle windsurfing or is it starting to develop its own identity?

Well, both. And kiting as well. I won the windsurfing world freestyle championships in 1977 and 1980, so I have some familiarity with the topic. I can make only two observations… One, freestyle riders today are massively better than I could ever have hoped to be! Two, owing in part to the internet, riders today are progressing at ten times the pace at which we progressed when I was 20. Freestylers don’t have to wait months to go to an event to see what others are doing.

They see the latest stuff every week online. All that said, I think limited-equipment racing has the potential to be a fun sport for a lot of wingers. It’s less demanding than wing freestyle, less demanding that windsurf or kite racing, and with the potential to offer a really close, accessible and competitive sport.

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You’ve released a comprehensive size range starting from 2.5 to 7m. What are the extremities of the wind range you’ve tested them in?

First, a word about the size of the range: we decided that offering a lot of sizes permits riders the best possible flexibility in building a wing quiver that suits their particular needs. A husband/wife duo might want every wing size because they share and the husband is always on a wing half a meter bigger (as with my wife and I), while an individual can easily skip sizes without leaving big a big hole in his or her quiver.

Of course we have tested our big wings in quite light wind conditions. Quick-planing boards like the Sky Wing 5’4 and our HA 2000 front hydrofoil wing make amazing light-wind performance with a 6 or 7-meter wing possible. A 7 or 8-knot gust can easily get you going and once you’re up you can ride through most lulls. At the other end, I’ve been massively overpowered on the original 2-meter Foil Wing in The Gorge. The wind was probably gusting to forty knots. One of the great things about winging is that riding in nuking conditions is very doable and relatively safe compared to some other sports.

DU OTO N E S LI C K

INBOUND

FLITEBOARD SERIES 2

The Australian-based,award-winning eFoil company just dropped their latest line-up, which has been looking particularly exciting under the feet of riders such as Keahi de Aboitiz. CEO David Trewern gave us the big highlights...

Series 2 looks exceedingly slick, and we’ve enjoyed seen Keahi de Aboitiz and Moona Whyte bombing around them. What are the main improvements since series 1?

We also launched a pocket-rocket performance board – the 4’2 ULTRA. This board is for advanced eFoilers and comes with footstraps so riders can really push the limits of the sport.

We’ve made over 100 changes in Series 2. One of the most noticeable differences across the range is that we removed all the data cables from the board, so it’s even simpler and more user-friendly, with less need for maintenance and servicing. With any marine product, the more electrical cables you have, the more likelihood there is of corrosion leading to product failure. We now only have two robust battery cables, so the reliability of the product is unsurpassed.

We brought out a range of eight new wings (and three stabilizer wings), suited to different riding conditions and styles, from highspeed carving to loose and maneuverable unpowered wave riding.

Since Series 1, all our wings have been purposefully designed for eFoiling by expert hydrodynamicists, as we found the kitefoil wings I originally re-purposed for the very first prototypes just didn’t perform as well for a powered eFoil.

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Our True Glide Propellor uses a Flite-designed marine grade one way bearing – allowing you to harness the natural power of the ocean for unpowered wave riding. We had tried folding prop concepts a few years ago and found the thrust, vibration, speed, noise and ride was compromised too much over our standard prop. The True Glide works exactly as our standard prop when the power is on and then on a wave it spins freely without any performance drawbacks.

There are many other changes from quicker and easier arming/pairing, integrated lightbar communication system, improved battery safety and performance, new fuselage design with reduced weight/ drag, better low power battery management, software/app improvements, a quick release prop duct, upgraded GPS module, optimized wireless communication, refined deckgrips/latches/handles/colours, new bags, improved charging mechanism, reduced swing weight of the AIR… the list goes on.

So, the big question: How close to a no-paddle-in surf foil experience are we getting?

The ULTRA and PRO boards are best suited for wave riding and as mentioned, the True Glide prop lets you ride waves unpowered, without sacrificing any of the torque when the motor is engaged. It’s really quite incredible as you can basically tow yourself into your own waves over and over – it’s like riding a heavy surf foil, so you need slightly larger swell to keep you going but you never have to pump your way back to the lineup again, so that’s pretty cool.

Initially I didn’t like the footstraps and would often ride the ULTRA without them but when riding waves, I really like the feeling of being connected to the board and the improved maneuverability and responsiveness it provides. You can pull as well as push on your feet, and when you fall you tend to stay connected to the board which I find to be safer (at least at lower speeds). I’m currently using the FLOW 1100 wing which offers great glide and a loose “surfy” feel in waves. We also have six shims which let you further customize your ride – I use a 0 shim allowing me to have more back-foot pressure.

Where are you finding your main market both in terms of demographic and location?

As an Australian born company we have a good local following but our biggest growth has been in Europe and the USA, so we’ve set up local offices, distribution and support/service centers in those regions to better support those markets. In terms of demographic, our customers tend to be ‘early adopter’ males, 40+, however the new ULTRA will have more appeal to a younger audience.

Tell us about the Virtual Gear System and what this means for the rider?

The 20 Virtual Gears make riding super smooth and intuitive for beginner and advanced riders. Speed can be easily adjusted by pushing the plus/minus button with your thumb, but riders still have the option to feather the trigger if they prefer (I tend to do this in waves).

The heart of the machine – the Flitebox – gives little away from the outside but we’re fairly certain it’s mightily complex inside?!

Yes, there’s two distinguishing parts of the Fliteboard design on either end of the eFoil that we’ve patented… The first is the unibody fuselage – integrating the foil and motor (instead of clamping it to the mast) results in a very balanced, responsive and efficient electric hydrofoil. A planetary gearbox quadruples the torque of the motor, which means we can use a higher pitch prop for greater efficiency and top speeds, and the longest run time we have had. This allows riders to turn harder, explore further, ride faster, or have the ultimate control on a wave face. On the other end of the mast we have the brains of the system: Flitebox. Our Flitebox system provides plug and play simplicity. Manufactured from hard anodized aluminum and complete with finned heatsink for optimized cooling it avoids the need for complex water-cooling tubes found on other systems. Also inside Flitebox is a powerful onboard computer that coordinates data from multiple sources for an optimized rider experience.

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OL AIAN SAFET Y FOIL Innovation remains a constant in foiling. Case in point, Olaian (Decathlon’s surf division) have just released a genuinely clever product… A safety/training foil, for those who want to learn without the risk of an unsolicited shave when they fall off. Foil Product Manager for Olaian Edouard du Doré walked us through it…

This looks like a great option for anyone starting out… Can you talk us through what safety features are built in?

Was it challenging to engineer a system based around safety and performance? Where do the compromises lie?

Indeed, this foil is dedicated to foiling’s first steps, as it is both secure and easy to start out with. Several points lead it to be more safe: soft edges at the front and the back of the hydrofoil itself, and soft edges at the front and the back of the mast. The soft leading edge acts like a bumper, absorbing shocks eight times more than a regular foil. The other soft parts prevent the rider from cutting themselves. In addition to that, you can’t catch the sharp edges of the front wing and stabilizer thanks to the protective side stringers.

What I see in the market is pushing performance towards speed. I love it as a rider, and it blows my mind, but I could not find anything for the beginner, as rider protection was not pushed enough. As I was targeting the beginner foilers, we focused on a foil being as safe and easy to ride as possible. So the priorities were given to the following functions: shock and cut protection, stability, and low speed take off. Therefore, the compromises I had to make were on the top speed and the pumping ability of this foil. If you already are an advanced foiler and if you want to ride big swells or get five waves in a row, I do not recommend this foil. But if you are an advanced surfer wanting to give foiling a go in a secure and easy way for the first time, this foil is the best choice you can make.

Can you talk us through the materials and construction techniques?

The fuselage, masts and plate are all built in aluminum. The soft parts are made from rubber and the foil wings and stringers are made with 90% carbon fiber. Having the front wing, stabilizer and the side stringers in a single construction was a challenge on its own, but what we really had to struggle with was to industrialize the integration of the soft parts into the composite process, with the right adjustments for the molds.

Are there any plans to have interchangeable parts, such as different wings or stabilizers?

My concern was to provide a ready-to-go setup so as to be as easy as possible for beginners. So the only interchangeable parts for this foil are the two masts that are included when you buy the foil. The regular mast is 55cm long – the best choice for a beginner – with a mast length that will still be safe and easy to ride. The short mast – 35cm long – is perfect for anyone who has never experienced foiling before. No need to be towed for the very first flights, the small mast will do the job, even in shallow water. It’s the ideal way to learn your prone starts.

The stringers joining the front wing and stabilizer look great from a safety and handling perspective. How do they affect the ride?

The stringers also make the foil easier because they bring stability, much more than you would have with a regular foil. Pitch stability makes the take-off gradual and smooth, which is so important when learning. Once you’re flying, the added roll stability brings more balance and helps you to control your direction.

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Do you see this foil being the ‘missing link’ as a safe foil that can be used around other water users, and would you like to see this?

My first concern when launching this product was safety. Safety for the foilers and safety for those surrounding them. I see foiling as an extraordinary way to escape from the crowd and extend the surfing “playground”. I still believe that foiling must be done in specific places though, where traditional surfing would not be possible but where foiling would be tremendous. Even if safety is being pushed as never before, the risk is still there and all safety measures must still be applied, such as wearing a leash and riding away from others. If this foil is a missing link, I see it as the link between the regular surfer, willing to foil but afraid of being injured, to the one mastering flying in a secure way. Once this step is complete, access is given to more fun, more places to surf, and more foiling disciplines.

What can you tell us about the foil board, and will there be any other foil offerings from Olaian?

A 6’0 prone foil board will be available by the end of June 2021, together with the foil. Its shape and volume (51L) mean the board is also dedicated to foiling beginners. Both products will only be sold in Europe this year, due to limited availability, focusing on France and Spain first. Besides this, more in-house designed products are on their way to widen the range to wing foiling, SUP foiling and kitefoiling, such as more sizes of the foil itself, but also more wings and boards.

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VAY U VVING When your brand name is that of a Hindu God, it’s clear you mean business. Vayu have entered the wing market with a strong contender from the get-go (see our test for more on that) and they’ve also introduced some new tech with it – the foldable boom. We spoke with Vayu’s CEO Philip Horn to find out more…

Hey Philip. So the VVING – firstly and importantly, how do we pronounce that?!

Well in the beginning we thought we’d use this name as our brand name. But in the end we chose VAYU, which has a story about the wind, and has much more to say. But we did use VVING as the name for our first wing. It’s pronounced just the same as ‘wing’, we just wanted to make the written version look a lot cooler!

What prompted you to embark on a new brand and how long has it taken from that ‘blank piece of paper’ to get to where you are now?

For the last eight years I was working for a big kite brand. I had the chance to look behind the scenes, and it was an interesting process to see. Last year I fell totally in love with this new sport and it pulled me away from the kite and windsurf market, as the potential for the sport is so huge. But there was nothing on the market then, so I started building boards with a friend of mine, and after some time we got in touch with Bill Hanson, who was working on wings for another brand. Soon enough we pulled him completely on board, and then the whole brand and process got started. As I’ve been in the industry for more then 12 years, I know all the manufacturers, and so with Eric Liedtke from Adidas, I felt in a comfortable position to start this journey.

Talk us through who is in the Vayu team and the skills they bring?

As you can see, we are a pretty international team based in different countries. Bill, our wing designer, is located in the USA (close to The Gorge, one of the country’s main wind spots). Our marketing partner (Panthalassa, with Sergio Penzo) is from Spain (San Sebastian – a great surf spot!), our test team are based in Australia and Germany, and last but not least the office and logistics are here in Germany. The design team is in the south of Germany, mainly working for Adidas and for us. Eric is now also living in the US. So we’re kicking off with a pretty solid team…

So tell us about this BRIDGE-BOOM foldable boom technology?

Yes, we worked hard to find a solution where you can hold the wing in the best position and in best case with one hand. We had all kinds of different paths we went down in creating the BRIDGE-BOOM and finally we ended up here. It’s the best option for freestyle, wave and freeride, all in one wing.

Your VVINGs pair with your FLYR wing foil board range. Could you give us a quick overview of these for anyone who’s looking to get the full setup?

In the board range we wanted to offer a set up from beginner to hero, so that everyone can find the right quiver. With the School board, you can learn in one hour how to glide and get your first experience of foiling. Then when you are able to foil you can use the FLY right up to jumping, and it is a brilliant all-round board – I use this one myself! When you are looking for an advanced board for waves and a new-school shape, you should choose the FLYR, which we offer in different technologies, including full carbon.

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HYDROFLYER

It’s quite easy for those of us who’ve come from a surf background to mentally bury those early slapstick days of trying to find our board balance, pitching ourselves into the sandy shallows of a busy beach.

But what if you come to foiling with no prior experience at all? Here’s where the team at HydroFlyer found a niche for those in the market for some eFoil fun, who might otherwise have shied away. Inventor and designer Jerry McArthur explains…

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Hi Jerry. So… handlebars! Is this the main distinguishing feature between the HydroFlyer and other eFoils? Or is there more than meets the eye?

The removable handlebars are definitely the first thing you notice when they are attached, but everything on the HydroFlyer has been designed from the ground up to serve a purpose. Starting from the bottom, we have a patent-pending duct that uses a negative angle of attack that removes the need for a rear stabilizer. Then, we have a streamlined fuselage that places the motor lower down without it sitting in the front wing's turbulence. Our longer mast is tapered to provide strength where needed and greater efficiency for reduced battery strain. The HydroFlyer features a recessed concave board for ergonomics and ideal rider positioning. We have perfected this over years of testing. Finally, the designers at Unifoil have created an optional flexible safety wing and mast with silicone edges that make learning and falling safer for beginners.

You claim you’ve reduced the time it takes to learn how to eFoil from days to minutes. Talk us through what your average foil novice can expect when picking up their HydroFlyer?

When a rider gets on a HydroFlyer, the first difference they will notice is they can simply step off the dock, stand upright on the board and get into riding position immediately while still stationary. From there, the bars provide stability – this helps the novice rider learn to keep the foil up, without falling off the board on touchdowns. When falls happen, you simply hold onto the bars and the foil stays far away from you. Having four points of contact and a front facing rider position helps with balancing, and stops the typical jack-knife fall onto the mast and wing you often see with beginner eFoilers.

What’s the range of the HydroFlyer on an average day on the water?

I can ride my HydroFlyer for two hours or around 40km cruising on a big Hyper 170 wing. Beginners getting up and falling will still be able to ride for over an hour. It's a lot of time on the water and I usually come back with charge to spare!

You’re working in conjunction with the Unifoil brand. How has this helped you in terms of bringing the product to a growing eFoil market?

We never wanted to release another copycat product, we wanted everything about the HydroFlyer to be unique and world-class, and unless the hydrofoils themselves are top-notch, nothing else matters.

Unifoils’ experience in hydrofoil design, carbon fiber manufacturing, and being a forward-thinking and innovative company made them a no-brainer to work with. One great feature of the Unifoil front wing is that it is modular, which means I can use the same front wing on my HydroFlyer as my prone foil. I still wing foil, wake foil, and downwind whenever I get the chance, although my traditional eFoil just sits collecting dust because now the HydroFlyer is way more fun to ride. I can ride forward facing with the bars attached, or detach the handlebars and ride surf style.

The hull shape looks unique in the eFoil market, how have you augmented it for the HydroFlyer, and where did you take inspiration from?

The hull shape was designed by a PHD level hydro and aerodynamics engineer and takes more inspiration from America's Cup boats than traditional eFoils. The ability of this hull to plane as well as touch down and come back up is vastly improved from others on the market.

What safety functions are built into the HydroFlyer?

The HydroFlyer is available with Unifoils’ Cloud Tech technology that uses a silicone leading edge to soften the most dangerous parts of the wing and mast. One of the scariest aspects of eFoiling is falling and landing on the foil wing, or falling forward and having a heavy sharp hydrofoil mast barreling towards you. A kill switch is triggered when the rider falls, and the flexible wing tips option and the handlebars make falling much safer. Getting tossed off the front or losing your balance as described above has never happened to me on the HydroFlyer due to the handlebars. This allows you to ride faster and carve harder with confidence.

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FLYSURFER MOJO Well-established as a kite brand, Flysurfer have now resolutely entered the wing domain with the recently released MOJO. Flysurfer’s International Marketing Manager Ines Rodlauer filled us in…

Ines, you’ve arrived at a very bustling wing market with what’s looking like a very solid entry with the MOJO. How much have you learnt from the first few rounds of ‘wing evolution’?

Not only does it look like a solid entry, but according to the first users, the MOJO truly lives up to its name! We are a very innovation driven company and known for thinking outside the box. Right after kicking off the wing development, we immediately recognized how fun and how much creative potential this project has. Within the process it has been astounding to see how much influence every small detail had on the characteristics of the MOJO. We ended up with a design concept that was absolutely tailored to outstanding performance. From this point onwards it was clear we found something special and went for it.

What technologies/construction techniques have you used from your kite range?

There are many similarities. It’s no surprise we used our design software and manufacturing know-how. Pretty much everything we use in a modern kites today, from the fabrics, sail tensioning, reinforcements, valves and so on, you can find on the MOJO. How did you decide on the handle configuration, and can you talk us through the benefits?

The obvious question was soft handles or boom. We know there are some advantages to a boom, but there are also many downsides to it. We choose handles because they are safer, lighter and you do not damage your board. The smaller packing size adds another benefit for the user. Our handles have segments to avoid slipping.

With some brands now deciding to offer ‘faster’ and ‘wavier’ options in their line ups, where would you say the MOJO sits and have there been any compromises here?

We are known for high performance kites. We simply love going fast and jumping high. The MOJO is a wing that covers a huge wind range.

Easily accessible power, generates a lot of propulsion and stabilizes itself when you ride down the line. Jumping is also a lot of fun, because you can carry a lot of speed until the take off.

So, any plans for wing related boards or foils any time soon, or any other news on the horizon?

We keep pushing in several directions and already have some great ideas. As usual we are trying to keep everything hidden for as long as possible... But the future is bright!

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RI DE ENGINE VINAKA Surely just a matter of time, and Ride Engine are the first out of the big brand block with a new wingfoil harness, the Vinaka. We got in touch with Ride Engine’s Marketing Director Gary Siskar to dig deeper…

So Gary, congratulations on the first wing harness! Was this something you took upon yourselves to design, or was the call of the market loud and clear?

Thanks for the good words! The sport of wingsurfing is moving so fast with innovation and product ideas it is mind altering. Right out of the gate we did embark on the idea of a wingsurfing harness in our own vacuum, but rapidly we saw the “want” and “need” from the market becoming more and more apparent as we started to see people in the water using harnesses, on the socials posting about harnesses, and on forums and groups talking and debating about what the perfect wingsurfing harness would be.

The debate of using a harness or not I think will be hotly discussed for a long time. I think one of the main attractions to wingsurfing / wingfoiling is that it can be less gear intensive than other windsports.

The participant does not need a kite bar and lines, no boom, no complex rigging. Just pump and go. Along with this is the fact that you can do it without a harness also fits in this mindset. BUT! using a harness has advantages that are hard to deny.

Give us an overview of how the Vinaka works...

In short, it takes pressure off the arms allowing you to relax for longer sessions on the water. Also, this relief of pressure allows for more efficient upwind pointing. This of course makes chasing swell or getting back up to the take-off spot easier. All this wrapped into a design that is ultra-light (450 grams / size L), minimal and unobtrusive. We wanted to keep the minimalist aspect that is attracting people to the sport, but provide the best possible performance enhancements. This includes a simple wrap harness belt that incorporates a sliding hook that provides very important benefits. One, you can rotate the hook out of the way when crawling up on the board, making it more comfortable and reducing dings in the board and hashed EVA that comes from a standard fixed hook. Two, the hook rotates when hooked in for easy, comfortable, toe-side riding.

Next is the support the Vinaka provides. We tested everything from a single webbing belt to a full Ride Engine Carbon Elite harness. We quickly found out that there was a need for some level of support in the middle to disperse pressure and eliminate point loading that leads to a sore back. This is how we came up with a shape that gives this support yet is not in the way or overkill. Last, we added two outboard D-rings that offer any sort of leash rigging that a rider would wish for. Connect directly to the D-ring or tie a piece of Dyneema between the two for an easy attachment of a leash.

What sort of riders should be thinking about harnessing up for their winging, and what situations and conditions does it suit?

Finally, Vinaka - it’s a nice name. What does it mean?

Of course, everyone! But only once you have spent some quality time winging. A harness comes into play when you already have all the basic skills mastered and know how to really manage the wing before hooking into a harness. Once you have this wired the harness will add benefits to many conditions, from light wind to heavy wind, by allowing for efficient pointing and taking pressure off the arms.

Ah, thank you! And that is exactly what Vinaka means in Fijian. I have been lucky to have ended up on a few surf / kite trips to Fiji and always the hospitality of the Fijians is amazing. Fijians always greet you with Bula Vinaka which means something else, but the stand alone Vinaka is “thank you”. Something that you will say to your harness for longer, better sessions.

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N I C C O LO PO RC ELL A The multi-sport athlete takes a moment out between his adrenalin-fuelled escapades in both the sea and the sky and drops us his thoughts on where he thinks the sport is at, and where it’s heading…

PHOTOS FISHBOWLDIARIES

There are no limits to this sport. The limits are only the ones we set for ourselves. I’ve been exploring more caves and secret taverns all the time! The amount of waves and spots that foiling is opening up are really endless. As far as tricks and maneuvers, same thing, we are just scratching the surface with what we are about to see what the new generation is gonna be coming up with, and the technology is only improving. The foils are constantly getting lighter, faster, stronger. They are getting more and more efficient, it will get easier to balance, to pump, to turn… I mean we are seeing big improvements every six months.

Foiling is so awesome because the silliest, smallest waves that everyone would normally pass on end up being some of the best and most fun ones to ride. There’s plenty to share and because of the range the foils have it’s fun to really share a wave with your friend, which is often the opposite of surfing, SUP or kiting, where you really don’t want any one on your wave. I’ve been hearing from more and more people and all they wanna do now is just foil. Of course it depends where you live and what conditions you have. For me it’s an extension of everything else I do, but I’ll be honest, I’m having more and more fun foiling than anything else.

I think we’re going to see the same as we’ve seen in surfing and snowboarding as maneuvers develop, except for the fact that you are able to do more stuff in smaller, mushier waves than you can in surfing, and still generate enough speed and pop to make mad things happen. I believe it’s just a matter of time before there’s a professional competitive circuit too, and I think there will be many disciplines as well: freestyle, short faster pump races and downwind long distance races. Straps, no straps… Being from Maui, I’m surrounded by pioneers of innovation, such as Zane Schweitzer, the Spencer brothers and of course Kai Lenny.

They’re the people who are pushing this forward and it’s mind blowing to see where it is all heading…

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AN N ECY FOIL T EA M Annecy, the so-called “Venice of the Alps” is home to a group of avid and creative foilers who spend much of their free summer hours out in the mountain-fed lake, using it as a training ground before the entire collective head to the coast. Steve Roberts does the introductions…

All the members of the Annecy Foil Team are from the ski community. Some are professional skiers and snowboarders, ski coaches or photographers, and they all spend their winter up in the mountains…

The team is composed of myself, Victor Daviet, Edgar Cheylus, Roy Hummel, Scott Cheminal and Lalo Rambaud. Here’s a little look at each of us…

Victor is from Gap. At 30-years-old he is the ‘dean’ of the group!

From snowboarding the steepest faces of Alaska to foiling the Annecy Lake, he is a passionate rider. Like most snowboarders, Victor spends the summertime on a surfboard. His passion takes him from south east France to Nicaragua and back to Annecy where he spends most of the summer riding on the lake with the team.

At 19-years-old, Edgar is a three time French champion and the 2019 European champion in freeride skiing. From Annecy, he spends his winters at his home resort of la Clusaz, training for competitions.

In the summer the waves of Hossegor are Edgar’s favorite playground. Whether on a surfboard, with a kite or on a foil he spends most of his days in the Atlantic Ocean or at the lake sharing his passion with his friends.

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Latest addition to the crew, Roy is a talented wakeboarder, kiteboarder and surfer. In the winter he is a ski coach in Les Deux Alpes and works as a water taxi pilot on the lake in the summer.

Born in Grenoble, he has always lived between the lake and the mountains. At 24-years-old, he is currently studying architecture in Lyon and spends most of his free time riding and working on projects with the team.

The youngest member of the group is Scott Cheminal. At 17-yearsold, he is graduating from high school in Annecy but like the others he likes to spend his winter on skis in La Clusaz. He is the best wing foiler of the team and he is pushing the others in this field. Skateboarding and surfing are Scott’s other favorite activities.

Lalo Rambaud is one of the pioneers of hydrofoiling on the lake. He mastered pump foiling a few years ago and is pushing the sport, learning new tricks. At 18-years-old he is part of the Salomon Freeski team and competes in freeride skiing competitions. Lalo spends his summers between Hossegor and Annecy, where he enjoys surf foiling and kiteboarding.

A B OV E The crew through the seasons.

A B OV E R I G H T The race is on...

RIGHT Strong levels of commitment required when you foil amidst mountains...

LO C AL ES

Then there’s me. Born in Lyon, I’m a professional photographer and videographer. I lived in Canada for six years, working and riding with professional skiers and mountain bikers. At 28 years old I’m now living in Annecy, still working with professional athletes and riding with the team all year round. When I’m not on a foil you’ll find me wakeboarding, surfing, mountain biking or climbing.

In the summer of 2019, Lalo, Edgar, Scott and I started to ride hydrofoils on the lake. Through the summer we’d meet up, and we started to work on projects and ride together. This was the beginning. By the end of the summer we were riding together as a team. Then in the spring of 2020, Victor and Roy joined the team and started to ride with us on a regular basis. All of us have a different background and different skills on a foil but together we are trying to push the sport a little further and share our passion.

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The team foils mostly behind the boat but each rider uses his skills to accomplish new challenges. From catching random waves from other boats to sending tricks, it is always fun to watch others ride.

Because the team is composed of three goofy and three regular, we enjoy riding together, each one in his wake and occasionally pumping to share someone elses wake.

In the summer, the lake is a busy place, but the rest of the year or early in the morning it becomes Annecy Foil Team’s favorite playground.

Surrounded by beautiful mountains, it is known to be the cleanest lake in Europe. From glassy water to stormy conditions and three foot waves, the team make the best of every condition like we did in our last video project “Steamed” that showcased foiling on the lake in the most perfect misty fall conditions.

The team’s favorite experience is to ride together as a group but sometimes we’ll meet just for a little “pump session” in the morning or at sunset to enjoy the perfect reflections on the water and occasionally see some fishes swim under the foil. When conditions are harsh, each member of the team picks his favorite sport and we’ll meet somewhere on the lake to wing foil or kite foil. When the waves are getting big, there’s the possibility to surf downwind using a small inflatable boat to do some tow-ins.

Hydrofoiling on the lake is fun, but for each member of the team riding in Annecy is training for the real experience: the ocean.

The team recently had a successful trip to the coast of southwest France. Scott, Roy and I managed to catch some nice waves in the Atlantic Ocean and used our pumping skills to make the ride a little longer, catching two to three waves in a row. On their side, Edgar and Lalo have been riding in the ocean for a couple years now and they mastered the art of surf foiling some time ago.

Other than surf foiling, the team often work on projects based on creativity and diversity. From foiling alpine lakes in the French Alps to riding in a snowstorm in the middle of winter, the team try to stay creative, and our ambition is to feature in more wing foiling and kite foiling projects.

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F O ILING: THE WORLD’S M O ST DIVERSE SPORT

We’re big fans of Brian Finch. Not only does the guy keep the good content flowing into our social media feeds via his @foiltheworld channels, he was also integral in hooking us up with the right people, right at the start. And here we are today – eight issues deep and doing better than we ever anticipated.

So for this issue’s State of Play Brian ruminates on the diversity of the disciplines in our sport, and how defining them sometimes doesn’t come that easy…

WORDS BRIAN FINCH PHOTOS JASON PHILIPS

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oiling. It has to be the most diverse water sport in the world. The numerous foil disciplines crosshatch and intertwine into a blur of immense options. I imagine you're familiar with this scenario: "Do I prone today or wing? Or how about a wing-downwinder? Nah, too easy, prone downwinder, that's the call, 100%!"

Five minutes later your boat-owning buddy calls you to wake foil, and you spend the day doing that quietly, agonizing in FOMO, wondering if the wind got good.

There are numerous riding applications to foiling and they're all related. I've attempted to break foiling disciplines into four main categories: wave assisted, wind assisted, unassisted, and eFoiling, but again it's messy, they all overlap.

Wave assisted, meaning you are relying on the energy of waves to carry you… I know you can sprinkle in a little leg assist to catch multiple waves in one go, but the focus is riding waves to define the category. Inside of wave riding you have different craft, mostly prone boards and SUP boards. Then you add straps and a new category is born in both prone and SUP. Our disciplines are compounding.

There's tow foilers, big-wave tow foilers, and even a few crazy bigwave prone foilers. You've got strapped riders doing technical airs and flips trying to mimic the WSL, there's pump frenzied foilers on HA's simply connecting the dots to multiply their takeoff-to-waveriding ratio. There's prone downwind foiling, there's race foiling, there's competitive foiling, wake foiling, so many varieties of wave assisted foiling.

Wind assisted foiling is basically all that stuff above but adding a wing, kite, or sail to either breaking waves, open ocean waves, or flat water. Adding wind, straps, and speed on tap naturally progresses foilers into the sky for aerials creating another dimension to the sport. You could argue prone downwinding is a wind assisted category, but it's definitely a separate discipline from downwinding with a wing. Again, the lines are blurry, but the endgame the same.

Wind assisted means the wind is doing all the work but you can already see where attempting to define the sport goes bad. What if you caught a wave using a hand-wing powered by the wind? Under which foiling discipline does this fall under? What if a jetski pulled you into a downwind run on your SUP which you rode for miles but connected into a surf break and proceeded to triple dip a wave while using your SUP paddle... how would you categorize that? You can't. Our sport is too diverse.

Unassisted I consider to be flat water pumping. Dockstarts, rockstarts, ladderstarts, beachstarts, all the unassisted starts. This is a small and novel category but it's still a thing.

And, finally, eFoiling, which is a completely different craft but can cross from flat water cruising into multiple styles of wave riding, creating multiple disciplines within eFoiling itself, like towing with the eFoil.

Our sport offers tow foil, downwinding, winging, kite foil, SUP foil, wing foil, wake foil, wake thieving, dockstarting, boosting, flipping, to being able to foil in almost any body of water including oceans, rivers, lakes and pools. I’ve even seen a video of a guy pumping through an aqueduct! We can cross island channels riding open ocean swells. We can tow in and ride giant waves before they even break, we can reach amazing speeds and freedoms, all of which exhaustingly reinforces the overall argument of foiling being the most diverse water sport in the world. And we are fortunate for this.

STAT E OF P L AY

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Fliteboard ULTRA is an adrenaline machine. At just 4 foot 2 inches, the reduced swing weight and factory-fitted footstraps let expert riders push limits on the world’s most advanced performance eFoil.

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