TESTED: AXIS + OCEAN RODEO + FLITEBOARD + CABRINHA + FREEDOM + ION + MORE
With the Quicklock Universal Alu Mast you can quickly fit the hydrofoil to the board with only one single screw and enter the water in seconds while always maintaining your ideal setup. The Quicklock plate is strong and reliable for all foil uses. We developed an incredibly solid system that avoids all lateral and axial movement and therefore provides maximum rigidity.
The Quicklock plate can also be sold separately from the mast to apply to your existing Universal Alu Mast Y27.
WKT’s high tech pressure moulded prepreg carbon construction delivers incredible stiff ness and durability while keeping volume and thickness to a minimum. The result is a highly responsive feel with sublime connectivity to the foil.
Learn more at armstrongfoils.com
Welcome to the Future. The Wing-Surfer MK4 is designed to “check all of the boxes” in terms of performance, features, and range. Our 4th-generation Wing-Surfer combines the perfect balance of low-end-power, rigidity, speed, and twist for optimum sheet-in-and-go power. The MK4 features smaller windows reducing the Wing-Surfer’s overall weight with zero compromises in visibility. Looking for a wing with the best combo of get-up-and-go power, a wide wind range, insane top speed, and unmatched jumping ability? The Wing-Surfer MK4 is the wing you can’t live without.
130
LITTLE RED
Team FFB gather together and head to Hood River for some team bonding and downwind and winging antics. We get to hear what went down from a few of the crew…
150
The Surf Lakes artificial wave setup in Australia needs to be seen to be believed. Jesse Faen becomes the first to foil its multiple peaks, powered by an enormous, Mad Max-style plunger.
138
3066
Certainly not going to struggle with crowds when you decide to go foil up an actual mountain. Steeve Fleury and Léonard Berner brave the glacial lakes.
156
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
It’s been a long time since Nathan van Vuuren returned to his birthplace of Maui, mainly due to the pandemic. Back on the island, he wastes no time getting back in the water with old friends.
144
COAST TO COAST
Keahi de Aboitiz rounds off his European promotional tour with Cabrinha in the UK, enjoying some rare near-perfect conditions on both its south and north coasts.
162
TO THE LIGHTHOUSE
Alina Kornelli and photographer Lukas Stiller load up their respective campervans and head south to deepest Sardinia, looking for the perfect shot. Not everything goes to plan…
60 EXPOSURE / 86 UPLOADED: NICK BAUMGARTNER IN FLITE / 88 RISING UP: KOA FABBIO /
92 EYEWITNESS: GWA TARIFA & SABFOIL WINGFOIL WORLD CUP / 98 SECRET SPOT / 100 DISPATCHES:
HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT / 104 THE OUTER BANKS: THE WILD WHISKY COAST + GONE WITH THE WING /
112 DYNAMICS: NORTH N-WEAVE + ION X WINGMAN VEST / 122 GOOD STUFF / 170 BACKSTORY: ELEVEIGHT /
174 THE 101: WING DEFLATE DOWNWINDERS / 176 WEAPON OF CHOICE: RUI MEIRA / 180 RED LETTER DAY:
DREAM WEAVER + SHORE BREAKOUT / 192 TESTED / 214 INBOUND / 238
FORESIGHT: JULIETA PEREYRA / 240 PROFILES: GOLLITO ESTREDO / 244 STATE OF PLAY: PERI ROBERTS
Each time I prepare to put the latest issue of the magazine together, I face a small and personal creative dilemma. It’s not a bad dilemma by any means, and it’s certainly not one that’s going to fundamentally affect you, or I, or even the magazine. It’s more borne out of personal choice, and a clashing indulgence of my own passions…
When choosing submitted content, be it writing or photography, do I opt for action, or adventure?
Now, this may sound frivolous. And it sort of is… To be fair, no matter what I select when my content options have become clear, it’s undoubtedly going to look good. That’s testament to the quality of the content that is provided (and I’m under no illusions as to how lucky I am to be blessed with a seemingly endless content stream, with relatively few of us magazines out there to hoover it up), and to the skills of a highly talented design team, quietly working their magic in the background. But none-the-less I still wrestle with exactly what to pick, and I have a finite number of pages to fill.
Personally, I love to read a good adventure story. It’s aspirational, sure – my time is predominantly spent in a slightly rickety office chair, in front of a computer screen, and although in my heart I feel I might be a frustrated Indiana Jones, I’ll still happily opt to live vicariously through the efforts of others. Go ahead and give me breath-taking scenery, triumph over adversity, and dispatches from corners of our planet that are challenging to get to, and you’ll have my attention for almost as long as you need it.
But I’m also aware of my editorial remit here. This is Foiling Magazine. The primary mission for this publication is to comprehensively cover the sport itself in the first instance, the innovation and achievements within it, be they technical, competitive, or even philosophical, highlight the constantly improving gear, focus on the action, and those riders who are pushing the foiling envelope daily. And these days, there sure are a lot of them.
Fortunately, when it comes to putting together an issue, and I look at the content options laid out before me (in reality, a sprawling collection of folders in my Dropbox, in no particular order), it’s often that the two – both action and adventure – come hand in hand. Whether the adventure itself is the driver or the by-product of a trip some place (for example, a brand’s photoshoot), I’m blessed to receive a lot of content that chimes with both my personal tastes and when pulled together makes for a varied and rich magazine.
And – conveniently bolstering my point – that’s what we have waiting for you here in issue #14, and plenty of it. Within these pages, we head up a mountain with Steeve Fleury and Léonard Berner, to pumpfoil in freezing alpine lakes (and subsist on fondue – dreamy). We carve empty lefthanders in Namotu, Fiji with Joshua Ku. We even go and foil the world’s most steampunk artificial wave with Jesse Faen, deep in the Australian bush.
I’m also aware that adventure is somewhat subjective. I live and get in the water in a craggy, storm-battered southwestern corner of the UK. To me, there’s nothing adventurous about that at all. To those first visiting the UK – those who may be more used to sun-drenched tropical beaches halfway around the world – a foil trip to this part of the UK, and its decidedly “changeable” weather may very well be classed as an adventure, and rightly so. Case in point, our friend Keahi de Aboitiz headed this way on a Cabrinha tour, and scored near-perfect conditions, riding alongside some of our own team in fact. You can read about that on page 142. This has parallels too to Nathan van Vuuren’s return to his birthplace of Maui from his native Cape Town, which you can read about from page 154. It might not seem like an overly adventurous trip to Nathan… but for many of us, especially those amongst us who’ve yet to visit the revered Hawaiian island, it’s riveting stuff.
Winging, of course, is also helping enable and assuage the adventure-addicted foilers amongst us. Last issue, winging helped get Yago Lange into hidden glacial Patagonian bays. In this issue, a wing gets Andrew Englisch across the notoriously dodgy Bass Strait (and into the record books), it allows Patrick Winterton to skirt isolated Hebridean islands, and it (almost) gets Alina Kornelli her dream lighthouse shot, following a road trip into southern Sardinia.
So, in reality, the dilemma that I think is going to present itself never really materializes, thanks to the broad spectrum of content landing in my inbox which incorporates both action and adventure. And so once again with this issue, as with all those previous, I get to live my best vicarious life, traveling alongside some of the greatest riders in the world to distant and dramatic locations… and you get all the action you could possibly need.
Enjoy the issue.
Editor: Cai Waggett
Editor-in-Chief: Alex Hapgood
Sub-editor: Sarah Sylvester
Art Director: Nikki Hall
Senior Photo Editor: Ydwer van der Heide
Digital Marketing: Tom Weyers
Technical Editor: Richard Boughton
Contributing Editor: Steve Sjuggerud
Abel Lago, Adrian Geislinger, Alby Rondina, Alina Kornelli, Andre Magarao, Andrew Englisch, Andrew Shield, Andy Corbe, Andy Rice, Anna Blanch, Armie Armstrong, Arthur Samzun, Austin Kalama, Balz Müller, Beau Pilgrim, Ben Strang, Bobo Gallagher, Brady Hurley, Brandon Scheid, Brian Finch, Brian Solano, Bruno Sroka, Cam Bloom, Chase Heavener, Chris Patane, Chris Sayer, Clement Colmas, Cole Cutter, Connor Lamoreaux, Craig Levers, Dane Wilson, Dany Taylor, David Mariot, Dominik Leitner, Dylan Wichmann, Eric Duran,Fabian Muhmenthaler, Florian Scharscher, Frankiebees, Georgia Schofield, Glyn Ovens, Gollito Estredo, GOTiT
Shooting, Helen Fischer, Ivan van Vuuren,Jaime
Martinez, James Boulding, James Casey, James Jenkins, James Robertson, Jason Breen, Jason Miller, Jason Phillips, Jeremy Wilmotte,Jesse Andrews, Jesse Faen, Jim Gaunt, Jo-anne Jones
Lütjens, Joel Pilgrim, Joshua Ku, Juan Ruma, Julieta Pereyra, Kaden Pritchard, Keahi de Aboitiz, Koa Fabbio, Kyle Maligro, Logan Newman, Lukas Stiller, Makani Andrews, Manel Arpa, Marie Charmasson, Marina Psychogyiou, Marion
Scharscher, Marley Franco, Matahi Drollet, Mateo Dudu, Mathis Ghio, Matt Elsasser, Michael Peters, Michi Schweiger, Migeul Reina-Campos, Miles
Taylor, Nathan van Vuuren, Nick Baumgartner, Olivia Piana, Patrick Israel, Patrick Winterton, Paula Novotná, Peri Roberts, Peter Wilson, Philipp Mohr, Philippe Echaroux, Philippe Martin, Rafael Soulart, Riccardo Zorzi, Richard Boudia, Richard Hallman, Rob Carney, Rod Owen, Ronny Kiaulehn,Rui Meira, Samuel Cárdenas,Saxon Chang, Siam Images, Simon Crowther, Sky Solbach, Stefan Spiessberger,Steffen Vollert, Steve Turner, Theo Demanez, Thomas Bevilacqua, Thomas Burblies,Urs Hungerbühler, Valentin Rey, Victor Hays, Vitor Estrelinha, Xavi Corr, Youp Schmit, Zac Kruyer
ADVERTISING
All advertising enquiries can be sent to advertising@thefoilingmagazine.com
SUBMISSIONS
We’re always on the hunt for foil adventurers who can write and/or take a good photo. Please send your pitch or previous examples of articles photography to hello@thefoilingmagazine.com
COPYRIGHT
All material in Foiling Magazine is subject to copyright. Reproduction without the express permission of the publishers will result in prosecution.
PUBLISHER
Foiling Magazine is published by Water Born Media Limited in 20-22 Wenlock Road, London N1 7GU
FIND US HERE
@foilingmagazine
foilingmagazine
thefoilingmagazine.com
HERE
We’re still riding the inverted air craze, and why not when you have shots as good as this one of Andrea Crociara. Turn the mag around… it looks as good upside down too.
Theo: The best thing about foil pumping, is that basically any spot with water becomes possible to ride. Nothing is wind or waves dependant. This day I took out the Cabrinha X-series MrkII 1600 with the lLogic 110, ran a few steps and pumped away from the beach. This is part of the freedom foiling offers. Going anywhere you want, whenever you want. Sometimes it's fun catching waves or simply pumping to do one of the most intense cardio workouts. To get this shot, timing is always the key… The water level with the dome, angle, positions... so many factors come into play. But when everything lines up, the result can be stunning.
Bobo : I was winging one afternoon at Kanaha and Ben, who was on-island for a photo shoot and also winging, approached my dad asking if I'd be up for a photo session. We shot this photo at sunset on Maui's North Shore a few days later, as the wind was starting to taper off but the lighting of the sun was awesome. I was riding a 4m Duotone Unit because the wind was lighter but the bigger wing was giving me good lift and I was having lots of fun. I remember I had just gotten my new Sky Wing TE and was having so much fun getting my new board dialed in. This was the first time Ben shot me and I remember loving all his pictures. Every photo from that day was like I was winging on clouds, the way he made the ocean around me look, or getting my facial expressions...
James: This was a fun session out at my local. It's rare to be able to wing here but on this day the waves were about as good as it gets. The wind was a little gusty, but that is the north side of Sydney for you.
Progress / verb / prə ʊˈɡ res /: to move toward an improved or more developed state.
Glyn: As equipment, knowledge and experience move forward, we are able to do things we were not able to do before. We are continuously finding new levels and types of fitness, diet, mental approach and team strategy. These in combination put us in places we were unsure were possible to reach. This is where we are so far: close to the limit. But this is what we always feel when we are in unchartered territory. How big is this wave, how fast is he going, is it the biggest we have seen… Progress is continuous.
Miguel: I am not a pro foiler, but sometimes stars align. A few weeks back I happened to score an epic session in Del Mar, which gifted us one of the craziest sunsets I have ever seen. A tropical storm approaching from the east created a full rainbow, while the sun set in the west, sending a palette of oranges and reds all over the sky. By sheer luck, local water photographer and foiler Saxon Chang appeared in the water ready to shoot. In the 10 minutes we had before the light disappeared, he managed to immortalize the light, textures and overall atmosphere of an epic SoCal summer night…
LOCATION San Onofre State Beach, California
PHOTOGRAPHER Dane Wilson
Brady: This was an early morning sunrise session, shooting on one of the new West Coast Foil Club boards by Freedom Foil Boards. I was riding the 4’2 Frequent Flyer with Freedom air straps. At Sano during this time of year, there is usually a bunch of sea grass that gets stuck on your foil and slows you down, and this whole session I kept dragging and getting stuck in the grass. This particular air ended up being really forced, going super slow with all the grass on my foil, but still made for a cool shot.
RIDER Youp Schmit LOCATION Lake Garda PHOTOGRAPHER Siam Images
Youp: This was an awesome session during the 2023 Gaastra and Tabou photoshoot at the famous Lake Garda in Italy. It’s an amazing experience to be in the deep blue water at this beautiful location surrounded by massive mountains. This was my first time on the new Tabou Pocket Air and 2023 Gaastra Cross and I absolutely loved the new gear right away. I picked the bigger 6.2 wing, as the wind still faltered, but it was so powerful as well as forgiving in gusts and provided control at all times. The result was a super fun session with the team in a lovely environment.
Jeremy: The best days are always when you get to finish work a bit early and the wind happens to turn offshore. With good waves comes insane crowds at these city beaches, and as the photo shows I literally had a part of the bank by myself, one that surfers could not access. The masses will catch on soon enough. Surely they can't live in denial forever…
Gollito: This was one of the first times I tried the RRD Gold Wing in lighter wind. I was pleasantly surprised how much power there was… I was in the Saint-François lagoon, that seemed to me like a beautiful natural pool with amazing colors. This was a relaxing afternoon session with some flatwater, and later on some waves off the reef.
Balz: This day at Lake Garda was awesome, we tested the first prototype of the SABfoil WL1550 front wing of the Leviathan series. It was great fun as there was no wind and the water was flat, the perfect condition for some pump foiling with the new series!
PHOTOGRAPHER Rafael Soulart
Stefan: El Medano is one of many spots that popped up on my travel list since I got hooked on wingfoiling. Strong winds and swells didn’t get me as excited as it does now and I was on the hunt for flatwater spots to learn new kiteboarding moves. This has changed with my involvement in wingfoiling and there is nothing better than left foot forward kicker waves to boost massive airs and rolling waves for endless turns on the foil. El Medano now is one of my favorite spots in Europe for a good week of action on the water!
Chase: There is nothing better than getting up early, catching the lake when the conditions are perfect, and getting some turns in with your friends. This was that kind of morning.
Brian: This was a nostalgic session for me. It was my first trip back to Kauai in over a year, and this was the last day of my trip. Kyle Maligro and I basically learned how to foil at this punchy reef. I remember a couple years ago Kyle losing his board when the waves were really solid, several feet overheard. He got sucked through a keyhole in the reef swimming after his board and I lost sight of him and thought he scrambled out onto shore. Turns out he swam for his board for like half an hour! He’s still salty I didn’t grab his board and reminds me from time to time! So this was a very nostalgic session for me, with a buddy and a reef I’ve spent many hours foiling with.
Dylan: This was the very first day of wind we got this spring. I had been waiting all winter to get enough wind for my 4.2m wing. We get the occasional day of wind over the wintertime, but it is only suited for 5 and 6m wings. Glencairn has become one of my favorite breaks to wing, it is the only spot where I can line up the waves on my heel side to use as a kicker, so I try go there when I need to work on some new maneuvers. Glencairn is also one of the best shooting locations in Cape Town, the water is always crystal blue and the mountains on either side of the bay make for some incredible backdrops. As we now move into summer in Cape Town, we have a long season ahead of us and the winds have started up much earlier this year than they did last year, which is a sign that the season will be long and incredibly windy…
RIDER Beau Pilgrim LOCATION Caves Beach, Australia
PHOTOGRAPHER Joel Pilgrim
Beau: It’s been a cold and wet winter in Australia thanks to La Niña, with warmth and sunshine for mid-winter a rarity. What better way to enjoy the stunning weather than cruising around home on the eFoil, sharing the stoke with your twin brother.
PHOTOGRAPHER
Samuel CardenasFabi: This day I went for a photo sesh with my good friend, Samu. It was a while since the last time we worked together and we both were really excited to be taking some shots together after summer. Levante was blowing around 22 knots that day and the direction was pretty good. We went to Bolonia in search of some waves, but weren’t lucky enough. We managed to get a few rolling swells but nothing like what I was expecting. The sun was going down pretty fast but I pushed Samu to go and try some last sunset shots with my beloved magic lights. We went in again, and it was totally worth it. I enjoyed a last half hour of sailing with my MODE 4.2, with the spot all to myself, and felt really in touch with nature. The sun was going down, water was crystal clear, the seagulls were flying around, I was landing all my tricks... it was like Mother Nature was telling me goodbye, it was a nice day, enjoying this final moment. Pretty magical.
Kaden: I remember this session because I was going out at Lower Kanaha with my friends Andrea and Liam. I was trying out the new GA Cross wing, 2.8m. The back handle on the wing had the perfect position to where I can hold it and grab the board at the same time and it wouldn't blow me over and send me into a front flip or something. Then I just got a couple of those nice rail grabs and the shots were of an amazing beautiful background of Iao Valley and a session I'll never forget.
James: This moment is etched in my memory. Such a perfect shot. I was going so fast through this A-frame., all I could think about was trying to keep the foil in the water. I had paddled into a bomb further out, flew through this peak, then scraped over the lip to hit another peak outside. Riding the 130 Vyper and the new G10 Shunt tail. Shimmed to the max…
PHOTOGRAPHER
Florian: The photo was taken on an early bird session with glassy water. A few sessions before I learned how to pump, and I loved the challenge and the joy I got out of it. I was out with a friend and both of us started playing around with slides and funky moves. In this shot it all came together to show how much fun it can be!
RIDER Florian Scharscher LOCATION Waging am See, Germany
Marion Scharscher
Makani: This was from a day on the North Shore last year when the waves were not quite big enough for Phantoms to break. There was just myself and three of my friends – Cameron Barra, Parker Sage and Mala'e Mcelheny, and we decided to surf the shallow reef break at Backyards. It was a fun left but with the wind blowing hard towards the inside dry reef we had to make sure not to fall on the inside or get caught inside the big sets. There were some fun overhead lefts that got pretty steep and were perfect for launching on the way out and riding back in.
Our new Performance Range is a clean-sheet mast design that takes the sublime Armstrong feeling further than ever. Combining the expert insight of America’s Cup foil engineers with top shelf Toray high modulus carbon has resulted in a unique level of efficiency, stiff ness and control at speed.
935mm available, 795mm and 1035mm coming soon.
Learn more at armstrongfoils.com
James: This season has been loaded with solid southern-hemi swell throughout Central America. As a guide and jet ski pilot at Foil-X (Global Foiling Expeditions), I have just as much, if not more fun towing other people into the best rides of their lives. On this day, our guests had gotten some amazing waves and during their lunch break, I was able to sneak into a fun one myself. It sure is hard to beat days like this.
Austin: This was a really transformative session for me. As you might have read in my last ‘State of Play’ piece in this mag, I’m a big fan of straps on my foil board, but seeing all the progression happening on the strapless side I felt I had some improvement to make. Smashing white water and lips strapless is probably one of the most nerve-wracking experiences foiling but so rewarding when you can pull a good one. I remember this session, I was out with Nathan van Vuuren and seeing what he was doing strapless really inspired me. It made me wanna foil more aggressively and hit white water as if I was on a shortboard. Coming from a more shortboard background, that’s what I think looks the sickest. But trying to integrate that seamless glide and side to side transition into my aggressive approach is tricky, but it’s style I’m looking for. Like dropping to the bottom of the wave carving a big cutback and then smashing straight into the foam as hard as I can, or coming vertical off the bottom and hitting a throwing lip are the kind of maneuvers I want to be doing. It just takes so much more concentration to keep your composure when you’re heading for a head-high white water, expecting to smack it as hard as you can, and the risks go way up. This session it all came together and was one of the best strapless sessions I’ve had in a long time.
Brandon: When heading into the unknown it’s always good to go into the adventure with mellow expectations and an open mind. That way you can be pleasantly surprised along the journey, not disappointed when the conditions don’t align. Such was the case heading into our ’23 shoot for Ride Engine in Chile. We didn’t really know what to expect when we boarded the plane south. Certainly a few things come to mind when you think of coastal Chile: big swell, strong wind, and cold water. What we ended up scoring, conditions wise, was some of the best kitesurfing and winging we’ve ever come across.
Days on end of strong winds allowed us to ride a plethora of locations up and down the coast. The large, long period swell helped make even the most sheltered spots reel down the line with perfection. And turns out the water wasn’t that cold after all. On this particular day we spent the afternoon trading off on long left walls under the gaze of the local fisherman unloading their days catch.
Kyle: Mr Finch came back to the rock, Kaua’i Hawaii, and he had a couple new Freedom prototype foils which I got to sample. Let’s just say that I’m amped and bummed at the same time. Why? Because I loved how both of them worked and I’m bummed ‘cause he left back to Florida with both of them! Here I am riding the big boy 1250. Good times.
Chris: Ever since Patrick established a relationship with the team at Unifoil, we’ve been amping to plan a day to shoot some content together. Our local break at Seal Beach is pretty well known in the foiling world and in typical fashion she was doing her thing. Gloomy skies almost deterred me from shooting, but the surf was too good to pass up. I figured I’d take the opportunity to dial in some settings on my 600mm lens that I recently purchased. With just a couple loggers out, Josh Thomson (owner of The Foil Shop) and Patrick Israel paddled out. With the spot mostly all to themselves, they had a blast of a session. Right as I was about to pack things up, Pat proceeded to link up a solid set of waves and I ended the shoot with this sweet capture.
RIDER Marley Franco LOCATION Portland, Oregon
PHOTOGRAPHER Richard
HallmanMarley: This was an amazing session; nobody was out, and we met up with Richard at Rooster Rock. The wind wasn’t that strong, but it was really good. We took some lifestyle shots initially, then I set up my gear and went out. I was on a 2.9m, doing forwards and back flips, then it got a little bit lighter, so I rigged up a 3.5 for some bigger jumps, and sharp foil turns. When I was out, fishing boats came up and down the river. I was dodging boats and doing jumps behind them. We got a cool shot where it looked like I jumped over the barge and the mountains. Overall, it was an awesome session and so much fun.
DISCOVER MAX_FLEX , OUR INNOVATIVE FABRIC OFFERING THE STRECHIEST WETSUIT WE EVER MADE.
Bruno: The Canary Islands in summer and winter are a great place to go winging. Although there are fewer waves, two people speeding through the turquoise water is just so good. This allows you to test and compare the speeds of the different front wings in the new Sroka foils. Simplicity, efficiency and performance are our three words for developing all our products.
RIDER Austin Tovey LOCATION Florida PHOTOGRAPHER Logan Newman
Logan: As a photographer I always strive to capture my subjects in their most natural state, in the most unique way possible. Foiling has allowed me to change my creative process coming from the industry standards presented in traditional surf photography. This sport is magical, it's something entirely new and different, I want to capture its unique 'light' as such. Working with Austin Tovey and Armstrong Foils has opened doors for me to be able to share my perspective of the world of foiling. Welcome to the air show!
PHOTOGRAPHER
Riccardo: A beautiful day during the Wingfoil World Cup competition in Campione del Garda. Between races we tested the new Leviathan series from Sabfoil. The new range is perfect for flat water and even with no wind we had a lot of fun!
Kai Lenny by Brian Solano, on a custom Ginxu and a stock Wing Air in fluo orange. ktsurfing.com
An innovative handle configuration provides maximum precision trimming options as well as increases overall wing rigidity.
The Wing Air’s leading edge and strut profile diameter varies dynamically through the size range, to deliver low-end power to get you going, stability to let you hammer up/ downwind and control through jumps.
Ultra light and ultra durable, the Wing Air is constructed with Dimension Polyant Biaxial Ripstop dacron with kevlar patch reinforcements in the leading edge and center strut, and triple Biaxial Ripstop canopy.
Victor: Tahiti wasn’t windy or wavey for once, so we decided to move to the island of Mo’orea with the ferry for three days, staying at my friend’s house. It’s hard to get conditions lining up in Mo’orea due to a lot of rain and changing wind directions that can affect the wave. After a few phones calls with some locals to make sure everything was gonna line up, my friend Fred Morin hooked me up with his ski to be able to get the most of that two-hour window. We dropped Andre right in the impact zone and Fred towed me on some fun ones. The waves weren’t that big, but don’t forget, this is Tahiti!
The power of each wave combined with a sharp and shallow reef makes every wave very powerful…
Olivia: The west coast of southern Portugal is not much famous for wingfoiling, with its capricious winds and difficult access. It taught me to sail in a different way to catch those beautiful swells that make Portugal a magical surfing country. I had to get used to sail with big gear in light wind and strong current. Wingfoiling here is always a challenge as mother nature gives its limits! When it works (quite rarely) you can only be amazed to sail in the middle of nothing, surrounded by everything... It's a unique feeling of humility and gratitude. Every time I think I'm so lucky to be able to ride this kind of spot.
Nathan: After just arriving to the island of Maui, I was absolutely frothing to be in the warm tropical waters again, out of the bulky 4mm wetsuits we use in Cape Town, in board shorts feeling free and loose! This particular session we were riding and testing the new Missile which definitely offered some extra speed. The conditions were pristine for foiling with perfect waist high waves, and glassy clear blue water which always makes for an incredible time! With my dad on the hot beach behind the lens and an empty wave face reeling towards me, I lined up a wave while pumping out to the back and we were able to capture an amazing upside-down sequence!
Philipp: Searching for a new backdrop for the Eleveight shoot in Sardinia, the yacht of the former CEO of Starbucks was the perfect find. At the end of an intense day in the bay of Porto Pollo, I picked up my wing one more time to follow photographer Helen Fischer's direction to foil as close to the yacht as possible. Easier said than done! The main issue was not the security system of the $144 billion luxury yacht, but the fact that the 77m long beast blocked the wind. Nonetheless, it was an amazing experience and another highlight of Team Eleveight's Kite2Sail trip.
Brian: There's never a dull moment shooting with Kai and the KT crew. This session at Kuau Cove on Maui was filled with strong wind, big waves and some of the islands (and the world's) best water sports athletes. Kai and Ridge Lenny, Annie Reickert, Ian Walsh, my son Lane Solano and others buzzed by me as I shot from the water for hours shooting the new KT wings and Ginxu boards, sometimes getting dangerously close like in this shot!
Manel: What could be better than an eFoil session during summer with friends? It is always a pleasure to try things out with buddies. An Ollie? Shouldn't that be very different from skateboarding? In reality, it's almost the same: you just have to anticipate a slight descent and go full throttle. The position is very similar to skateboarding: pull up the front and reposition yourself once in the air. Once landed, full throttle and it goes straight back. Of course, in theory it's easy but it's heavier than a skateboard, it requires training, and you have to be careful that there is no one around you…
RIDER Clement Colmas and Liam Dunkerbeck
LOCATION Gruissan, France
PHOTOGRAPHER Georgia Schofield
Clement: I was doing some speed runs with Liam Dunkerbeck in Gruissan, after the Défi Wind. It was so much fun riding and pushing our speed limits with my teammate Liam. We were so impressed on how powerful and fast these new FreeWing PRO racing models are!
Matahi: We spent six days on the paradisiacal archipelago in the Indian Ocean, spending all our time in the water foiling and shooting. It was my first time trying the new Morning Sun board from Takuma, and I completely fell in love with the 30L model. For me, it’s the ultimate prone surfing board, even more so if you pair it with the new Takuma Carbon Mast. This setup is super light and stiff, giving you full control and incredible maneuverability.
PHOTOGRAPHER Arthur Samzun
Mathis: Every year, when the temperature gets low in the south of France, there are always two or three days with a strong Mistral wind. This year, it was a different story. The wind wasn’t coming from the northwest as usual, but from the west. In Marseille, we call this kind of wind a bay blow, because it brings some massive waves and the wind is slightly side-on. Arthur took this shot while I was riding on my home spot of La Pointe Rouge, in Marseille, and it was definitely one of my best 2022 sessions. We can see on this picture the carve and the spray made by my foil on the lip, which led to a huge railey a few seconds later! A nice session…
TAKE OFF WITH THE POCKET AIR
NEXT LEVEL FOILING PERFORMANCE
THE POCKET AIR IS THE NEXT STEP IN THE EVOLUTION OF WINGFOILING BOARDS AND EQUALLY PROVIDES NEWCOMERS AND EXPERIENCED RIDERS WITH EXACTLY THE RIGHT BOARD FOR THEIR NEEDS.
A RANGE OF EIGHT SIZES INCLUDES EASY TO USE BOARDS FOR UPCOMING FOILING ENTHUSIASTS AS WELL AS HIGH-PERFORMANCE SHAPES FOR RACERS, FREESTYLERS AND WAVE RIDERS. THE TEAM CONSTRUCTION PROVIDES INIMITABLE LIGHTNESS AND STIFFNESS, WHILE THE MTE BOARDS OFFER EXTRA STABILITY.
ALL MODELS FEATURE AN EXTREMELY COMPACT OUTLINE FOR MAXIMUM CONTROLLABILITY AND MANEUVERABILITY AS WELL AS A SINGLE CONCAVE DECK FOR OUTSTANDING COMFORT IN EACH OF THE MANY FOOT STRAP POSITIONS OR WHEN RIDING STRAPLESS. EXTRA THICKNESS IN THE TOP NOSE SECTION OF THE 87 AND BIGGER ADDS STABILITY TO THE COMPACT SHAPE, WHICH MAKES THE BIG SIZES THE PERFECT CHOICE FOR LIGHTER WINDS. A SMOOTH CURVATURE ROCKER WITH A FLAT SECTION IN THE TAIL MAKES YOU TAKE OFF SUPER EARLY AND BUFFERS TOUCHDOWNS TOGETHER WITH THE CONCAVE RAIL DESIGN.
PREPARE FOR LIFT-OFF WITH ONE OF THE LIGHTEST AND MOST INNOVATIVE WINGFOILING BOARDS OUT THERE - THE POCKET AIR WILL FASCINATE RIDERS OF ALL SKILL LEVELS IN A HUGE RANGE OF CONDITIONS.
AVAILABLE SIZES: 57 | 67 | 77 | 87 | 97 | 107 | 117 | 137
AVAILABLE CONSTRUCTIONS: MTE / TEAM
Olympic gold medallist Nick Baumgartner is best known for his SBX (snowboard cross) achievements. However, he recently showed up on YouTube cruising atop his local lake on a Fliteboard and, frankly, loving life. We got a chance to catch up with Nick at the recent Flite Cup in Fort Lauderdale to discuss the film in a little more detail…
Hi Nick. Nice little film! First up, where was this filmed exactly?
This was filmed up in Lake Superior, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
What made you choose that location to film this?
I think you can tell by just the backdrop. Those beautiful sandstone cliffs, when the water runs through there and the minerals deposit on it. They call it Pictured Rocks. I can't think of a more amazing place to ride, and then the water is so blue so you get that contrast. That mixed with the sound of the prop of these boards is like… it's like therapy, man. It's unbelievable.
In the film, you talk about eFoiling as an escape from the grind of your Olympic training regimen. What does your training schedule look like, and how regularly do you get to go eFoiling?
So I'm doing my off seasons in the summer. I'm four days a week in the gym, which I commute an hour and a half to. The beautiful thing about that is that I'm commuting an hour and a half to the shores of Lake Superior. So every
Monday and Thursday, I leave my house at 9am. and I drive up to Marquette, I train and then I eat at the gym, then I go straight from there to the mountain bike trails and I put three and a half hours on the mountain bike and then I go to Lake Superior, and soak, and fly the foil and just have an amazing time.
As a board sport, it’s been floated that there are some similarities between eFoiling and snowboarding, what with the front foot pressure and laying into carves. Would you agree, and do you think there are any other parallels?
Yeah, absolutely. There's definitely some similarities at first. It's hard to explain because it's like nothing I've ever done. Everyone needs to experience it, to feel it. As you get better and you start making these turns, and you're attacking corners with your front foot, and you're shifting your weight, back to your back foot, it is very similar to what I do on my snowboard. When you go into a corner, you've got to initiate the turn with your front foot, shift your weight back so that you can stay and keep that pressure, and then the way you stand on the board, with your body, keeping your body up above the foil makes it very similar to how I do it, keeping my body and all my pressure above the edge.
Where have you taken your Fliteboard and what's been your favorite location so far?
So where I live in the upper peninsula of Michigan, every two miles is another lake. So I have so many places that I can go... I just get a different kind of scenery every time. When I go to the end of the lakes, where all the houses are, it's kind of special, because we all like to feel kind of cool, and when you can foil pass a party or something, people lose their mind! I'm from an older community, so when these people see me out there... the mast is silver and so is the water, they see the reflection of the board... they think I'm flying! It's a cool feeling when they're like, "what were you doing out there?" and then I have the opportunity to share with them the board and what we're doing and how cool it is.
What set up do you have? And have you had a chance to try others in the range?
I run the Fliteboard Pro with the Flyer and I started using the 245 stabilizer here and I like that, it changed it up a little bit for me, made it feel more like a snowboard, so I love that.
I believe you have a son, has he had a chance to try eFoiling yet?
Yeah, I was able to get my son out there. As he's been growing up, he's never been very brave about certain things, and the eFoil was very intimidating for him and once he got on it, and I talked him into getting on it and taking it for a ride and feeling it on your knees, it didn't scare him at all. It was crazy, because he was so terrified of it, but once people try it, it's so amazing. And the learning curve is so steep... In one battery life you know how to foil and you're all over the place. Seeing him ripping around, it was a proud dad moment to watch.
What would be your top tips for an enjoyable Fliteboard session?
Try to find beautiful scenery, obviously. Go out wherever you can, because the feeling is amazing. The sound of the foil is one of the coolest things I've ever heard, as you're ripping through the water. It's unbelievable. But you can pick your different sceneries, especially where I live. Again, I like to go on Lake Superior because I can make it to places that you just can't get to without a boat or someone to bring you out there, or paying someone, and I can go out there and be all alone. I get my moments to think and sit in nature and enjoy it all by myself. And it's cool to be able to do that and achieve that on something as cool as a Fliteboard.
Koa came to our attention with his popping and everpositive Instagram posts, which also indicate pretty clearly that the 10-yearold can shred alongside the best of them… One to watch, for sure.
Hey Koa, firstly can you please introduce yourself to everyonehow old are you, where do you live, and what foil discipline are you most into?!
Hello! My name is Koa Fabbio and I live in Maui, Hawaii. I spend most of my time in the water. My parents shared their passion for water sports with me since I was very little. My mom was a professional windsurfer and also sponsored by Naish, she is from Barcelona, and my dad is from Napoli and, along with my sisters Hana and Valentina, we all surf, wing, and windsurf together.
What’s your favorite foil discipline Koa?
The foil discipline I like the most is winging and especially jumping now that I am starting to land the tricks. One of my main goals was to land a backflip while I am 10 and I did it! I am very stoked and more motivated than ever.
Who are your current sponsors?
I am a team rider for Naish, and also Raw Elements sunscreen.
How often are you able to get in the water?
I go very often, usually three to four times a week if I can get a ride. It’s sometimes hard to get in the water with school and homework but I go in the water when I can, most times with Michi Schweiger from Naish, he’s the one who helps me with everything.
Can you tell us what your favourite setup is for riding in different conditions?
I pretty much always ride in similar conditions here in Maui and my favorite foil setup is the Naish MA 850 with the 75cm 35% carbon mast. It is very fast, very responsive, and easy to maneuver. For the wing I really like the 2.5 MK4… it is the perfect size for me and it is very powerful and great for jumping.
Is it hard to balance this with your schoolwork? And what tips would you give to others?
No, I’m pretty good at balancing both!
I get most my work done at school and if not then after I’m done winging. A tip I’d give is, try to finish your work in school so you have free time after school to do the things you love.
Who are the main guys that inspire you?
Kai Lenny, because he started young like me and he keeps pushing towards his goals and never gives up. I also look up to Robby Naish because he is a legend and he was able to create his own brand, one day I would love to have my own brand too and work with something that I love.
And who else do you look up to?
Riders like Robby Swift, Ricardo Campello, Louka Pitot, Austin Kalama and Ian Walsh I look up to because they are all passionate and I think it would be great to one day be able to travel around the world like them doing what you love the most. Last but not least, Michi Schweiger, I really look up to him because he is a great rider and I admire how well he understands all the technical parts of the gear. I really like to go testing gear with him.
I feel very lucky because I know all of them personally and I really like to ride with them, I am learning so much and it motivates me and pushes me to be better.
Tell us what your perfect day in the water looks like…
Sunny, the perfect amount of wind and I would land my backflips and start rotating the front loops. I really like to wing in Kuau and Kanaha on Maui. I also like to do downwinds because I get to ride so many different spots in one day… Starting at Ho’okipa with some waves, then jumping at Kuau, passing by Paia Bay, then Secrets which is also fun for jumping and surfing, and then finishing the session at Sugar Cove, and possibly seeing Kai Lenny.
What do you think you’ll be doing in 10 years’ time?
I hope I will be one of the best watermen and sponsored by Red Bull and Naish!
Novotná NAILS HER FIRST WORLD TITLE WHILE THE YOUTH TAKE CHARGE OF THE MEN'S GAME
The GWA Wingfoil World Cup Tarifa was the penultimate event in this five-stop season of the GWA Wingfoil World Tour. The final climax will run at Taiba in Brazil, 16 - 20th November.
There are two separate disciplines on the GWA Wingfoil World Tour, with World Championship titles awarded for both male and female riders in Surf-Freestyle and Surf-Slalom – a form of fast, downwind racing.
The event in Tarifa was a pure Surf-Freestyle event. At Surf-Freestyle events with wave conditions, competitors would also surf waves or swells, but Tarifa was a full-on trick throwdown with judges looking for height and amplitude in each maneuver and for riders to demonstrate good speed as they enter and exit their tricks. Clean landings were an extremely important part of the scoring.
48 men and 15 women registered to participate in the event that delivered a very promising 'Levante' wind forecast.
So far the first three Surf-Freestyle events on the GWA Wingfoil World Tour had produced three different winners in the men's competition, reflecting the very hotly contested nature of the sport at the moment. American 16-year-old Christopher MacDonald, Switzerland's Balz Muller (absent in Tarifa through injury) and Venezuelan (multiple windsurfing world champion) Gollito Estredo, were all looking to take an extra win in Tarifa to lead the overall standings.
In the women's competition, two riders have been neckand-neck all season, but having a narrow points advantage going in to the Tarifa event, Czech rider Paula Novotná had the opportunity of claiming her first World Championship at this penultimate event... if she won. 15-year-old Spaniard and Tarifa local, Nia Suardiaz, was hoping to take the win herself and force a final showdown in Brazil in November.
Riders competed against one or two other riders in heats averaging eight minutes. New for this event to improve judging and the flow of action, in heats that had more than two riders, competitors were allowed ten trick attempts and each rider was given up to 20 seconds to perform their trick. The top four trick scores for each made up their final heat score.
After two intense and long days of competition, the wind forecast was strong and set to remain so for all of day three – which was a huge day of competition that ran all the way to completion for both the men and women.
The top two all season fought it out once more, but this time with far more immediately on the line. The final was an outstanding demonstration of riding from both Nia and Paula, showing just how much this sport has progressed in such a short time. Paula has been competing in kiteboarding for over 15 years, having achieved top podium positions for many years. All of her experience really prevailed. She was fully focused, and put on one of the strongest performances we have seen from her.
The Czech rider pulled out a toeside frontside 3 and a frontside 3, gaining solid scores. Solid and safe, but not unbeatable.
Nia followed through with the same tricks, but fell slightly short, unable to replicate Paula’s consistency, which was key.
After so many years being on the edge of achieving a World Champion's title in kiteboarding, this win was a reward for all of the hard work and effort that the Czech rider has put into this new sport of wingfoiling. Paula has proven herself as a pioneer for women in wingfoiling, and we are excited to see the direction that the athletes are pushing it in.
“It was a really hard battle with Nia,” said Paula. “She is riding very well, and the level is increasing so much. At every event we have more women entering, it’s fantastic. I’m so stoked to get the World Title this year!”
MEN:
MEN'S SURF-FREESTYLE FINAL: MALO GUENOLE (FRA) V XAVI CORR (ESP)
The younger generation dominated this event from the start, and the two finalists, Xavi Corr aged 15, and Malo Guenole aged 17, are the perfect example of the new fleet of athletes who are blowing away the competition.
Both riders were clearly hungry for the win in Spain. Malo opened with his classic, massive backflip scoring 7.2 points. Xavi responded with a backflip of his own, scoring very slightly lower. They continued pushing trick-for-trick, each one alternatively taking the lead. As it came down to the final moments, Xavi took a slight lead, whilst Malo crashed three valuable trick attempts.
Malo went for a frontside 3 to secure 5.23 points, but it just was not enough as Xavi went all in with a massive frontside 7 to seal the deal scoring 8.37 points and making him the official winner for the GWA Wingfoil World Cup Tarifa Surf-Freestyle discipline at just 15 years of age.
Xavi: “I’m so stoked to win the GWA here at my home spot of Tarifa. Malo put up a really great fight, it was so close. Right at the end I got my 720 which I’m so stoked about. Honestly I’m so happy to win this competition here.”
PODIUM FOCUS / CAPTION INFO
Winner Women: PAULA NOVOTNÁ (CZE)
After over 15 years as a professional kiteboarder and now wingfoiling athlete, Czech Paula Novotná claimed her first world title at the GWA Wingfoil World Cup Tarifa on Friday morning in a final against season-long rival, 15 year-old Spandiard Nia Suardiaz. Having shown some nerves in the quarter finals on day two, Novotná straightened her head overnight and approached the semi-final and final with incredible consistency. Nothing too extreme, but focused on safety and pressurising her opponent into mistakes.
2nd Place Women: Nia Suardiaz (ESP)
Still just 15 years-of-age, Nia Suardiaz exploded onto the wingfoil scene this year, winning her first event in Leucate, France, at the start of the GWA Wingfoil World Tour season. In early October she also became the GWA U19 Youth Wingfoil World Champion in both the Surf-Freestyle and Surf-Slalom disciplines. Suardiaz is disappointed not to have been able to force a final showdown for the World Tour title with Paula Novotná at the final round in Brazil, but she is still lying in second position in the Surf-Slalom slalom discipline, so still has a world title chance when both disciplines will run at the final event in Brazil.
3rd Place Women: Bowien van der Linden (NED)
The 2021 Surf-Freestyle World Champion took a break from competition for most of this year, but made an impressive comeback in Tarifa to claim a podium position. Such is the short life of the sport, Bowien only entered her first wingfoil competitions for fun last year, and found herself as World Champion at the end of the year in 2021.
WOMEN'S FINAL RESULTS:
1 Paula Novotná (CZE)
2 Nia Suardiaz (ESP)
3 Bowien van der Linden (NED)
MEN
Winner Men: XAVI CORR (ESP)
Boosted by the support of his hometown, 15 year-old Spaniard Xavi Corr completed an incredible month. Earlier in October he was crowned GWA U16 Wingfoil Youth World Champion in both the Surf-Freestyle and Surf-Slalom disciplines, but this first full world tour event win is surely the sweetest for him. Although early season results on tour didn't go his way, and he's not in contention to claim the World Title at the end of the season, any event win in Tarifa, the windsports capital of Europe, is already a career highlight.
2nd Place Men: Malo Guenole (FRA)
The French 17-year-old took his first event win in round three in Lanzarote in this his rookie year on tour. Athletic and with incredible vision for progressing new manoeuvres, Guenole was already an Instagram sensation before stepping foot on tour. He's certainly proved his freeride credentials stand up to competition and is now within a chance of claiming the Men's Surf-Freestyle world title in Brazil – though he would need to win that event and for current tour leader, Gollito Estredo, to finish fourth.
3rd Place Men: Camille Bouyer (FRA)
A rising all-round watersports star in France alongside his twin brother, Julien, Camille Bouyer has been one of the most consistent performers on tour this year. While also currently lying in third overall in the Surf-Slalom discipline, the French rider remains in contention for a final podium place at the end of the Surf-Freestyle season, too.
MEN'S RESULTS:
1 Xavi Corr (ESP)
2 Malo Guenole (FRA)
3 Camille Bouyer (FRA)
The SABFOIL Wingfoil World Cup also served as the 2022 WingFoil Racing European Championship and attracted 52 pioneering riders from eight countries to the western shore of Lake Garda in the north of Italy. Riders Francesco Cappuzzo (ITA) and Paula Novotná (CZE) won the men’s and women’s fleets after a stormy finale.
Over four days, from 19 to 22 October, the riders competed in a variety of long-distance and short-course formats to see who emerges as the men’s and women’s champions of the SABFOIL Wingfoil World Cup. The event was hosted by Campione Univela on the western shore of Lake Garda.
IMAGE 1
There was space for everyone in Campione, and the likes of 18-year-old Margherita Barro (ITA) who only stepped on to a wingfoil board three months ago, were sailing alongside early adopters such as 45-year-old Gunnar Biniasch (GER) who has been a keen winger pretty much since the sport began. Some riders have come from as far afield as Puerto Rico and San Francisco, but the record for furthest distance traveled surely goes to the riders from New Caledonia in the South Pacific.
IMAGE 2
For the long-distance races, the whole fleet –male and female – surges out of the line behind the powerboat that opens the starting line gate. The upwind leg tests the skills and techniques of the riders to maintain a high lane and to judge the layline to the top mark. A year ago, upwind riding was barely achievable but the game has moved on quickly and upwind sailing was one of the defining skills of 2022.
IMAGE 3
In both long distance races, Francesco Cappuzzo from Sicily came from behind on the 10km course, saving his best for last on the final highspeed reach across the finish line, stealing the winner’s gun on both occasions from the 19-year-old Frenchman, Mathis Ghio.
IMAGE 4
The long distance races not only tested endurance skills, but served as an indication of a ranking in order to split the fleet in, as much as possible,
equal-level groups for the shorter slalom races. Mathis Ghio from France was the winner of the day, climbing to the top of the men’s leaderboard.
IMAGE 5
So close were the points after the last set of races that Cappuzzo didn’t know where he had finished as he stepped ashore. As soon as he was told the good news, the Sicilian burst into celebration: “I can’t believe it! I still don’t believe it. I am shaking. I didn’t really enjoy the start of the day as the guys went out with the colored bibs and I was way down, but I really like this upwind and downwind format, and I got faster with each race. This is an amazing feeling to have won this event.”
IMAGE 6
Ghio was disappointed to have come so close to winning and not quite keep hold of the title that looked set to go his way. Ever the gracious sportsman, the 19-year-old French rider said he would learn from his mistakes and come back stronger for the next World Cup event in Brazil in two months’ time.
IMAGE 7
Paula Novotná (CZE) is the Queen Of Wingfoiling. After being crowned overall winner of the 2022 GWA Wingfoil Surf-Freestyle World Tour the week before in Tarifa, Spain, the Czech rider scored five straight bullets and dominated the women’s competition despite a shaky start, and is looking like the most complete wingfoil athlete in the world.
IMAGE 8
Silver medalist Ellie Aldridge (GBR) had, only the week before, won the bronze medal at the Formula Kite World Championships in Sardinia. While the Olympic campaign on the high-speed kitefoil is Aldridge’s ‘day job’, she considers the wingfoil to be a useful form of cross-training.
IMAGE 9
Orane Ceris (FRA), who came all the way from New Caledonia, finished third in the women’s fleet although only a point in front of Maddalena Spanu (ITA) who nearly pipped her to the podium. “I made a lot of mistakes, I have a lot to learn,” said Ceris. “For Brazil I will keep my gear the same, no equipment changes. I just need to work on my starts and tactics and do the right training to be better for Brazil.”
IMAGE 10
Jimmy Mazzanti, the owner of SABFOIL, was excited to be sponsoring the event. “The level last year was nothing like what we are seeing today. There has been so much development to the wing and the foils, we are seeing the performance really coming on. I mean, a boat that does more than 30 knots and only costs about 5000 euros, that’s not so bad, is it?”
IMAGE 11
Wingfoil racing is attracting riders of all ages and generations. Martin Aldridge campaigned for the Olympics on conventional windsurfers back in the 90s and is now wingfoiling alongside his daughter, Ellie.
IMAGE 12
The next event on this circuit comes up in December, when the Wingfoil Racing World Cup moves to Jericoacoara, one of the most celebrated water sports venues on the coast of Brazil. It’s also the next qualifying event for the ANOC World Beach Games due to take place in Bali next August, so the wingfoil competition should be as hot as the Brazilian weather.
MEN
1. Francesco Cappuzzo (ITA), 12.6 points
points
WOMEN
“Always bring all your gear.”
Above is a mantra Sensi, my wife, and I have lived by for the better parts of our lives. Bouncing around the globe from session to session has trained us to always have all the toys. And to be ready at a moment’s notice, or the slightest sight of whitecaps. In this case, we were on an Alaskan boat trip, and thanks to the compact nature of the wing foiling gear, it was a no brainer to bring it along. Simply pump up off the back of the boat, and jump in! We ended up scoring a few wonderful winging sessions with not another soul in sight. Unfortunately, the fickle nature of the glacial fjords and unpredictable weather did result in some cold swims, and some hopeful long gear schlepps to no avail. It seems chasing adventure is never an easy pursuit, but one with immense returns. Such as in this particular case, surrounded by awe inspiring natural beauty, resulting in one of those “pinch me I’m dreaming” type of sessions.
We’re living through a pretty special time when it comes to foiling, where the eye-wateringly fast development of the equipment and the accessibility to the spectrum of wind and water states that foiling allows has created a gold rush of sorts, revealing prime spots around the world that might hitherto have remained off wave or wind riding radars. So we needed a new slot… something to celebrate these corners of the world where wind and waves might be in abundance, and where you probably need to go next. First up, it’s the glorious Maldives…
WORDS: ADRIAN GEISLINGER
The Maldives are definitely not a well-hidden secret anymore. Known for its luxurious islands, white beaches, and pristine diving spots. But also, the surfing world has taken these islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean by storm. Approximately 1192 islands offer plenty of surf spots, with several reef breaks, but there are also some lagoon-like spots with flat water. In the summer months you can have some good swells coming from the south or south-east, hitting these islands perfectly. But it’s also the monsoon season, which means rainy days and, luckily for us wingers, a lot of wind! The most popular spot is in the Male Atoll, with its famous names like Sultans, Cokes or Chickens, crowded at this time especially, but probably all year around. So, it’s not a spot where you are going to make friends with a foil under your board, and I strongly recommend you don’t try it because it’s just too sketchy with that number of surfers in the water.
However, the further south you go, the more options you have to find a wave that’s rideable with your wing foil. Given the sheer number of islands and reefs, there are still plenty of undiscovered spots for us hydrofoil addicts. Most of the discovered waves have been viewed without having the option of a hydrofoil in mind, until now…
The best way to discover them is definitely by boat, as we
"THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SPOTS YOU WILL EVER RIDE. MAYBE NOT THE BEST WAVES, AS MOST OF THE TIME YOU’RE AVOIDING THE SURFERS, BUT DEFINITELY IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LOCATIONS."
did on our trip, although on some bigger days it might be quite fun to cross the channels between the atolls on your foil. On a past trip, we had some big rollers accompanying us on one of the bigger channel crossings between the Huvadhoo and Laamu atolls. But the good thing about being on the boat is that you constantly have access to any remote spots, and it is so easy to just setup your gear and jump in the water. As a kitesurfer who has had to deal with all the lines, I’m so grateful that this is not an issue anymore.
These are some of the most beautiful spots you will ever ride. Maybe not the best waves, as most of the time you’re avoiding the surfers, but definitely in the most beautiful locations. In August we had such consistent winds, with 10 out of 14 days over 20 knots. I was surprised, as I know the Maldives as this very calm place with glassy waters from my trips I have done in the winter (mostly for diving). This time of the year it showed a different face, and I was often the only guy on the water.
In general you have to look out for the water depth on some of the spots as it tends to get quite shallow relatively quickly, given that its mainly reef breaks. But I truly believe that it offers plenty of great options to explore and find some optimal spots that have so far remained hidden by the sheer number of islands. I know for sure that I will definitely be back to explore more of them too..
Offering downwind wingfoiling tours of the wild west coast of Scotland would, you'd think, be challenging enough to most as a new business venture. Not for the team behind Scot Ocean Sports though… They wanted a tall ship involved too.
Besides the rain and the midges, the west coast of Scotland is famed for its dramatic scenery, castles and some of the world’s finest whisky. As far as water sports go, you will see the occasional glistening sail on the horizon and groups of hardy wild swimmers who enter the water white and come out pink. With the exception of Tiree, ‘the windy isle’, the sight of kites above the beaches has all but gone, replaced by the more versatile wing. Launching anywhere that allows them to take advantage of the wind and the swell that funnels up the sea lochs or between islands. Given wind over tide conditions, you can time your runs in minutes, not seconds. Wing foiling has found a new ‘doonwinda’ mecca.
Six is a crowd in these parts so it was an achievement to get twelve riders gathered on the pontoon in Oban, a town last in the news when some bright spark pressed ‘ignite all’ and got through a thirty-minute firework display in under thirty seconds. The attraction on this occasion was not the lingering smell of phosphorus but a Brigantine square rigger, the ‘Lady of Avenel’, and the prospect of a week’s downwind wing foiling around the Inner Hebrides. The ship was to be our mobile hub and home for the week, positioning itself somewhere close to the start of the following day's ride. All we needed was for sufficient wind to come from each angle of the compass in equal measure, so we ended up close to where we started. What could possibly go wrong?
A new venture means a steep learning curve, for everyone. Lesson one was that no one reads the joining instructions, not even the large print. “IT’S A BOAT, there’s limited space”. The first three to arrive had enough kit to sink the boat and certainly enough foils to make the cargo more valuable than the vessel. The skipper, Stefan Fritz, just smiled and calmly asked, “how many are coming?”. The second was that gauging someone's foiling ability from a form is impossible. What we did know is that we had men and women, a forty-year age gap, Irish, Dutch, English, Scottish, and two things in common: wide-eyed excitement and contagious enthusiasm.
Launching wing, board, and rider from any ship is tricky but a square rigger must top the difficulty list. One at a time and four helpers hoisting, holding, pumping, jumping. Stefan predicted a two-hour operation to launch nine riders. We beat that by a full hour but the process wasn’t helped by the fact that most eyes were on Rob Sayer slicing the waves up on his AXIS ART999. Strange how things slow down in the presence of greatness!
We had all but the beginners on the waters of Bloody Bay, myself out front as pace setter, Andy Corbe bringing up the rear on the jet ski and ‘The Lady’ straight lining it under bare poles. “It will be like herding cats” a friend had predicted. More like cats being chased by hounds. Here was lesson three: give everyone a radio. We’re all too wrapped up in our own riding for a buddy system to work. A couple of minutes going different directions on different waves and your buddy is now a long lost friend in the sea spray. After a six kilometer run down the coast of Mull to Ballemory’s Tobermory, we had the riders dialed. We still had everyone and hadn’t added any crimson to the waters of the bay. Some had already done enough damage to the knees and elbows of their wetsuits and were scooped up to recover in the luxury of the Lady’s lounge. The rest went north, across the sound of Mull to the skerries that guard the entrance to Loch Sunart and kick up steep, super clean lines. Mix in the autumn colors, imposing cliffs, rainbows, sun’s rays penetrating the storm clouds and you have a scene worthy of the opening shots of any feature film. To top it off, the run finished going through the narrows into the calm paradise of Loch na Droma Buidhe. An ideal venue for the beginners to strut their stuff. I couldn’t help thinking we should quit while we were ahead. The smiles and chat told us that ‘that’ was the perfect day.
On day two a select few rounded Ardnamurchan Point. Exposed to the SW winds, the Atlantic swell and a massive tide race, this is where the sea does a big, ugly, unpredictable dance. Survive the headland and the swell regains some sort of order to give a good ride up the north side of the peninsular. Most achieved this. One didn’t and the jet ski
with sled was called into action in testing conditions. Let’s just say we won’t be going anywhere in future without it and certainly won’t consider using a rib, of any size, in those conditions.
The following day we rounded the headland again after the wind had dropped. Everyone bar the skipper high up in the rigging as we passed the sun-bathed lighthouse on one side and a Norwegian submarine on the other. Even those of us lucky enough to live here were silenced by the sheer beauty of this coastline. We didn’t see much of it on the next downwinder. Twenty kilometers up Loch Linnhe with front after front changing wind and visibility as they came through. Ensis, CORE, Ozone wings all visible one minute, none the next. Again the radios were essential and the positioning of the ship to relay info is critical. Again the count ‘in’ matched the count ‘out’ and the chef had an easy job to please the riders, whose limits were being pushed pretty much daily.
Throughout the six-day trip we had four class downwinders, the same number of static sessions, all but one a first for wing foiling, and ended up riding north into Oban harbour, the wind deserting us a mere four hundred meters from our original point of departure.
What an adventure. The result of a chance meeting between a wing foiler and the owner of a square rigger who concluded their vessels were best when going downwind. Within 24 hours a plan had been hatched, a deal done, problems had become challenges and Scot Ocean Sports born. The power of like minds. Thanks Stefan. Your calmness, belief and enthusiasm is an example to us all.
STRONG LIGHT SUPERIOR
On March 3rd 2022, Andrew Englisch became the first person to attempt to wing foil across Bass Strait, the infamously hazardous body of water that lies between Australia and Tasmania. Spoiler alert – he did it, and in so doing successfully raised over $11,000 for a mental health charity. But it was hard won…
WORDS ANDREW ENGLISCH PHOTOS MICHAEL PETERS
Iwas shattered. Floating in the middle of the treacherous Bass Strait, my body was falling apart. My arms and legs were cramping and my heart was pounding out of my chest. I had lost sight of the support boat in the heaving swells and driving sheet rain. I was only a few hours into my world-first attempt to cross Bass Strait on wing foil, broken and defeated. The journey had barely begun and I felt like a complete failure.
My journey began six months earlier, during the COVID-19 pandemic. My hometown Melbourne was the world’s most locked down city, totaling 262 days, during which I was unable to work in my film-making business, depressed and without purpose. Lying on the couch searching for another show to binge, I stumbled across The Americas Cup racing in Auckland, and watching the 75-foot foiling boats fly above the water at 100km per hour instantly captured my imagination. The next day, after researching the technology, I discovered wing foiling, bought a new setup, watched a few YouTube videos and headed down the coast.
My mental state of mind improved every time I ventured out and my life took on a new focus. Then one day on a chilly winter southerly after being out for three hours and clocking over 60 kilometers, I gazed out at the horizon and thought, “Imagine if I could just keep going, imagine if I could get to Tasmania!”. It was such a crazy thought, because I had only been foiling for a few months, but I jumped in the car, raced home, burst in the door and announced to my family, “Guys, I’m going to be the world’s first person to wing foil across Bass Strait from Tasmania to Victoria”. They looked at me blankly for a few seconds, cracked up and said "Whateve”’… They thought I was being ridiculous.
Ridiculous? Possibly. But I was committed, and also thought a world-first adventure would be the perfect way to celebrate my 55th birthday and raise money for the mental health charity Waves of Wellness. The plan was to cross Bass Strait from Tasmania to Victoria, island hopping past Flinders Island, Deal Island and hopefully touching town in Wilsons Promontory four days and 240 kilometers later.
Six months later I was at the top of Tasmania drifting in the middle of Bass Strait, completely broken and struggling to see how I could finish the journey. My support crew (aboard our support boat, the suitably ominously named ocean research vessel ‘The Abyss’) and the skipper watched on helplessly as I flayed around in the surging three-meter swells. My whole body was in agony and despite hours of attempts, I couldn’t get moving in the 10-12 knot breeze. I felt like a complete failure and retreated to the boat. Tomorrow would hopefully bring better conditions…
I awoke to the sound of wind whistling through the rigging and jumped up on the deck to see a white-cap-filled harbor
and a steady 15-20 knot breeze. I quickly suited up, attached all my safety gear, pumped up the wing and jumped in the water. I put my head on the board, took a few deep breaths, steadied my nerves and lifted the wing out of the water. Instantly the wind picked me up, I gathered speed and started to foil. Yes! The next few hours were incredible as I blasted past remote deserted islands, surfed the 10-foot swells and only touched down once before we reached our destination for the day, 60kms later at the top of Flinders Island. Redemption.
Buoyed by the success of the previous day, I excitedly prepared myself for the next leg between Flinders and Deal Island. This would take us deep into Bass Strait where a broken wing or lost support boat could be fatal. I was also warned of ‘extremely aggressive wildlife’ which wasn’t ideal when I could be floating in the ocean for hours at a time and had already seen plenty of fins. Luckily the wind direction was ideal, and I flew across the waves following the gulls and flying fish, humbled by the beauty and ruggedness of this remote landscape. After three hours, Deal Island emerged out of the mist like Jurassic Park and I glided past the towering sea cliffs and magnificent coves, landing in our last anchorage before the final push to Victoria.
Day four and Victoria was only 80kms away and within reach. Just a five-hour blast and I would hopefully touch down in Wilsons Promontory. Unfortunately, the wind was light and my thoughts took me back to disastrous day one. I was so close but if the wind didn’t increase, I was going nowhere. Desperate to get going, I put up my biggest wing, jumped in the water and started pumping to catch the marginal breeze. I barely managed to get going and for the next few hours battled to stay up, using every muscle to fine tune the foil, wing and board. Every wave I would almost come to a stop, pump like crazy and get going onto the next wave. This continued for hours until the wind completely dropped and I flopped back into the water. Head down I waited. I was only a few kilometers from Victorian territorial waters but with no wind there was no way I could make it. As I sat in the water with my head on the board, my support crew saw a pack of fins circle me as I lay there unawares. They were relieved when the suspect creatures jumped out of the water to reveal themselves as a pod of friendly dolphins, rather than a great white.
After an hour of dangling in the strait and monitoring the weather radar, the skipper yelled out that a line of wind was coming in. I quickly jumped back on the board, caught the gust and continued the final leg. The wind kept building, swells increased, and I was in complete flow riding the waves all the way into Wilsons Prom to my welcoming family and mates. Despite a shaky start I felt so proud to have completed the journey. Not bad for an ‘old bugger’.
With wing development continuing apace amongst the top wind sport brands, the lightweight materials arms race is hotting up. North Foils recently unveiled their new “N-Weave” material to much fanfare. We got in touch to find out more about the tech involved…
Hey team. So you’ve now firmly planted North’s flag in the sand when it comes to innovative lightweight materials. Starting out, can you please give us an overview of what N-Weave is, and where we’re going to find it in the North foil range?
N-Weave is a new high modulus North Advanced Textile material, woven from a combination of UHMPWE and polyester fiber, then laminated with a recycled PET film. The UPE fibers that make up N-Weave are known for their resistance to water, moisture, most chemicals, UV and microorganisms. UPE is also known for its durability and toughness. For now, you’ll find it on the Mode High Speed performance wing strut and leading edge.
N-Weave is 3x stiffer than the Dacron we use in the Nova Freeride wing – this stiffness promotes greater power and transfers the energy of the wind into more speed. It’s also 40% lighter, for highly efficient power delivery.
Have you had many challenges in incorporating these materials into your designs – does manufacturing have to change significantly?
Yes, it has been a challenge to develop a system to accommodate the different elongation characteristics. Every step has had to be reviewed and many processes have changed to ensure consistency at almost every level, from nesting, to cutting, to assembly. The seam construction has also been challenging, we’ve been lucky to have such a strong team of sailmakers helping the wing designers.
Does the implementation of N-Weave into your products affect the cost significantly?
We're always chasing higher performance, chasing an even stiffer lighter rig that holds its shape when under load and is ultimately more efficient, with zero deformation. During our design process, we realized to create stiffer rigs without geometric compromise we needed to concentrate on developing new low-elongation materials – materials without a high-performance price tag.
With our design staff at North Advanced Textiles, we’ve been able to engineer this technology in house, have complete control over the quality and the finish, and keep the cost down. Compared to most of the other high-performance low stretch materials in the market, N-Weave is a lot more affordable. We have worked hard to keep our costs down for our consumers using N-Weave, and as a result the Mode is much better value-for-money compared to other high-performance textile products.
How do you go about durability testing a material like the N-Weave?
It’s no secret that we've blown up a lot of inflatable samples over the years, while testing on and off the water! With N-Weave, we were able to develop and experiment with the material before we put it to the test on the water.
In a tensile strength test, the force needed to stretch the N-Weave material is three and a half times more than the Dacron – but a wing or a kite is an inflated structure, so we created an inflation test by replicating a tube section with the same seam design as a leading edge. This meant that we could test the N-Weave at a given diameter and inflation pressure, and test the seaming techniques. All the tests were taken two times over what we'd recommend for a given diameter without fail.
We also carried out abrasion and UV experiments with the North Sails Advanced Textiles Lab in Nevada. In these tests, the N-Weave was almost indestructible. Segment seams and closing seam tests also proved how durable the N-Weave is – we now use a double-ply of the N-Weave material as reinforcement on all the seams.
Can you envisage the implementation of these new materials changing aspects of what’s possible with both wing design and performance?
We can, and we are testing. We can't tell you exactly what or how, but know we are working hard behind the scenes!
How do you see the new materials changing the long-term landscape of your product range? Will you still continue to offer traditional Dacron/ripstop models?
Current Dacron models are fantastic value, they still perform at a remarkably high standard for the more affordable price, and every rider must start somewhere. As riders progress and demand the ultimate performance, N-Weave offers them this opportunity to push the limits.
The new Mode wing has immediately become your flagship wing for the new material. Tell us about the Mode and what kind of rider it’s built for…
Our original design brief for the Mode was for a high-speed wing that wins races but testing soon showed this tremendously responsive wing performed on a racecourse, it also excelled in all conditions, across all disciplines.
The Mode has a fast, VMG-optimized design, which lets you sail closer to the wind, on higher upwind angles and reduces your need to tack or gybe. It has a balanced lower aspect ratio with rounded wingtips to reduce tip strike, and any rider will benefit from the wing's stability and tensioning. Compared to the Nova Light Wind wing, the Mode has a thinner profile and higher aspect ratio design. While the Nova Light Wind will pull riders onto the foil with ease, the Mode does not have the same bottom end capability as the Nova Light Wind or Nova Freeride, so riders need a reasonable level of skill and pump technique.
The Mode has incredible high-end stability and an impressive wind range. Accomplished wingers will be able to pull more high-speed performance from the 7m Mode in light winds, but will gain more speed, control, and performance in stronger winds. You can hold this wing down in more wind per square meter than other wings, thus increasing your wind range and reducing the need to change sizes.
What are the most tangible advantages of N-Weave for the Mode’s performance?
Firstly, the stiffness, which translates into greater forward speed, explosive boost and hangtime for freestyle tricks. And secondly, the weight. While UPE itself is 11x lighter than a polyester fiber of the same breaking strength, using N-Weave for the inflated structures reduces the overall weight of the wing by about 25%, which makes the wing easier to handle in all conditions. Third, durability; we all know how easy it is to tear the LE on the tip of your hydrofoil, the N-Weave was designed with this resistance to tearing in mind. Lastly, you can inflate the Mode with N-Weave to a higher pressure (9-10PSI) and this gives you the stiffness to go faster, jump higher and hang there for longer.
Finally, we understand this technology was created by the North Sails Advanced Textiles team. Are they busy conjuring up more magic that might also find its way into the North product range soon?
Hell yes, that is what we do. The chemists and designers have been frothing in the lab for a while now, cooking up some real magic. However, this takes time, and we do not want to release anything until we are 100% sure we can deliver something that is going to change the world forever. We wish we could tell you, but mum is very much the word…
THEN LET US HELP YOU.
SIZES: 2.8 / 3.5 / 4.5 / 5.2 / 6.2 / 7.0
Along with the evolution of everything wing these past couple of years, there’s also been some serious progress in the corresponding world of wing accessories. Step forward the new Wingman vest… a co-project between the Wingman brand and ION International. Combining an impact vest with a wing harness, the new vest has already proved its worth with the very best in the world. We spoke with Wingman’s designer and photographer Ronny Kiaulehn, and ION International’s Marketing Manager, David Mariot, on how this collaboration came about, and the technology and R&D that’s taken place behind the scenes…
Hey guys. So we’ve had impact vests, and we’ve had wing harnesses. Ronny, at Wingman you’ve managed to integrate the two… Please give us a quick overview of the Wingman vest before we go any further.
Ronny: The Wingman is a modular “hard shell” impact vest with a detachable harness module with the possibility to adjust the hook height. Go cruising, freeriding or racing with the harness module or you can take it off for your freestyle session.
Ronny, tell us a bit about your own background in wind sports first, and about your company, Wingman Products…
Ronny: In 1989 I became part of the A.R.T/Fanatic R&D team. In 1990 I started working on harness designs and we came out with something quite revolutionary: it was a mix between a seat and a chest harness. Called the “vertebra concept", it was the first hard shell harness on the market. In 1992 we got the patent on it.
In 1996 I stopped my windsurfing career to become a photographer and I am still one today. In late summer 2020, my son Pietro saw a wingfoiler flying around Lake Garda and he said: “I want to learn that!”. And I took the chance to start wingfoiling with him after being off the water for about 25 years. Pietro was getting pretty good and started jumping higher and higher. Sometimes crashing really hard. So, we bought an old sailmaker sewing machine and started to make our own foil-specific impact vests. That was the birth of Wingman Products and a new concept we developed over the last two years.
After a Fuerteventura wingfoil trip, I had a really bad tennis elbow. I realized I needed a harness to get back on the water again and as an impact vest was a “must”, combining it with a harness was the only solution.
Ultimately, Wingman Products is Pietro’s brand. I am only helping him with the design work and with creating media content. He is taking care of the prototyping and the small, tailor-made production.
And at what point in the journey did you start working with ION?
Ronny: ION Division Manager Jürgen May was the R&D manager of Fanatic/A.R.T in the years I worked for them. We’ve known each other for over 30 years. When we got together in spring 2021, I showed him our first wingfoil harness prototype. Jürgen believed in our idea from the beginning and also in the future of the Wingman concept.
David, ION obviously saw potential in what Ronny and Pietro were creating at Wingman. What was ION able to bring to the table for the partnership?
David: One thing to add beforehand is the comparably short distance between Wingman, based at Lake Garda, and ION based in Munich, Germany. This allows us to visit each other quite easily and frequently, to ship raw materials, exchange thoughts and discuss prototypes personally. Being landlocked in Bavaria, the Wingman team at Lake Garda can be considered ION’s wing-accessory R&D base at the water, which is very fast in changing small details and then testing these changes right away. To develop vests and harnesses also consists of exchanging experiences. This is where we come in. With almost twenty years of developing harnesses and protection vests, our product development contributes with profound knowledge about what works and, more im-
portantly, what won’t work from a material and engineering point of view. Transitioning from manufacturing prototypes or small batches to scaling it to a global marketable product is a long journey. This encompasses sourcing scarce materials, getting limited production capacities, patenting the vest and obviously being able to finance all these processes.
Moreover our team riders Paula, Stefan and Clément have been testing and using Pietro and Ronny’s various prototypes occasionally, giving valuable feedback on top-level usability. ION’s ability to offer this vest to the worldwide wingfoil audience will raise awareness of the tremendous value of such accessories, creating a positive momentum for smaller brands and eventually the whole sport. The harness vest won’t be the last accessory by Wingman X ION.
So taking a deeper look at the Wingman vest, where did the initial concept develop from? Was it something you felt was missing?
Ronny: When Pietro and I started wingfoiling, the impact vests on the market were designed for kiting and windsurfing, protecting you when falling on your board, mast or boom, but not from pointy sharp blades. Pietro comes from BMX/downhill racing, and he was used to wearing protectors since he was kid and knew what he was looking for: something that was a slim fit, like a wetsuit, maximum freedom of movement, and hard shell protectors like the bike stuff he was used to. When I showed him an old chest harness proto that I made 30 years ago, we realized a high hook position could also make sense for wingfoiling.
It was the revival of the chest harness! But we had to solve a few known problems first… If you want your hook to be stable, you need to keep the harness really tight. But then you have problems breathing. If you keep it loose, your hook will move all over the place and the harness will slide up. Our “Breathing Harness” system solves those problems and offers a super stable hook position and enough stretch for free breathing.
What do you see as the importance of having the vest as a modular product, where it can be both things at once?
Ronny: You just need less stuff. You can have just one vest that does it all. It’s not only about wingfoiling. If you take the harness off, you can use the Wingman vest for any other kind of foiling. We are already working on a few cool new modules: a hydration system, 360° camera mount, a backpack, and a speed booster for wingfoil racing.
What materials are integrated into the impact vest to make it an effective safety measure when riding?
Ronny: From our point of view, hard shell protection is the only way to go. It still needs to be flexible enough to shape to your body but resistant enough to distribute the forces of an impact. At a design meeting, Jürgen May gave me a sheet of material called CURV. ION has been using it for years to make the hard shells on their waist harnesses. Incredibly strong, super light, flexible but almost indestructible. That was the missing link to building the protection we were aiming for. Now we are using it for the chest shield and the back protection but also as flaps in our spreader bars, with really great results.
And with the harness, how do you go about testing the strength and durability of this? And does it have lineage from previous products?
Ronny: As David said, Wingman is based at Lake Garda, so
Pietro can be on the water testing all the time. We also have some riders that ride our stuff every day, and all year around to check the long-time durability. Like Stefano “Coki” Battistoni – he did over 8000km in the last 1.5 years on our protos. That’s the real-life testing. Now we also have the possibility to get results from the ION R&D lab to reach the necessary standards.
There is no lineage really. I think we created a completely new concept. It’s not only the harness vest design but also the combination with our smart hook, the mono harness line system and our vario wing leash that attaches directly to your spreader bar.
Talk to us about the high hook placement and how it works ergonomically? Is there adjustment in this axis and what helps anchor it in place?
Ronny: Yes, we are completely convinced about the high hook position. Like this the angle between your body and your harness lines is about 90°. So your wing is flying in a natural position, neither pulling up or down but distributing the forces evenly over your whole back. The high hook allows much shorter harness lines and less swinging and you can easily de-power the wing over your head without unhooking. When you climb on your board the hook is already over the rail and won’t damage it. And for paddling, you lay on your board and put the hook in between the front straps. It works great. The hook height is adjustable in a 15-20 cm range. We are using double-sided Velcro neoprene in the hook area and the spreader bar gets stabilized with a Velcro system on the vest.
What would you highlight as the main benefits for wingfoilers in using the harness vest?
David: At first sight, the benefits seem comparable to a traditional impact vest and wing harness combination. The vest protects you in wingfoil-specific areas. Add to that the harness functionality. Both result in increased safety, less injury risk in terms of tennis elbow, joint problems etc., higher average speeds and the ability to manage gusty winds with ease. Just effortless winging.
The outstanding points are the vest’s modularity and comfort. Feel like only wearing a vest today? Simply take off the harness part. Put aside the individual pads too if you don’t need them in the next session. What the vest offers you apart from a traditional impact vest plus wing harness combination is flexibility. Adapt it to your daily requirements. By integrating both components into each other, the wearing experience is way more seamless. No bulky feeling or vest slipping up to your chin anymore.
So, we have the harness vest from Wingman and the ION version coming soon… Any teasers as to what’s next up from ION x Wingman?
Ronny: We are working on a super slim impact vest. Perfect for pump foiling and easy freestyling. Another project is a super-light harness. Also a few different camera mounts and a (hopefully) game changing new harness line system is in the making.
David: It feels like the sport is in such an early stage that we will see not only innovation but true inventions every year. I am convinced that if we talk again in one year, there’ll even be accessories on our heads which we can’t even think about yet…
Hey Paula. When did you first met Ronny and Pietro, and tell us about using the vest in the recent contest at Lake Garda...
I met Ronny and Pietro from Wingman products two years ago in Fuerteventura, when I started with wingfoiling. In those times, we still didn’t know that wearing a harness would make such a difference. My biggest passion is wingfoiling in waves and freestyle, and I spent a lot of time training this year to become No.1, and all my hard work paid off when they crowned me Freestyle World Champion a few weeks back in Tarifa, Spain.
I always like challenges and when I saw that there was a World Championship in racing at Lake Garda, I decided to give it a try. Ronny and Pietro from Wingman were there to support me.
So that event, which you subsequently won, was the first time you’d used the Wingman vest competitively?
Yes, it was my first experience with the ION x Wingman vest. They gave me the vest to try out one day before our competition. I spent all morning on the water getting used to it and I was impressed how fast you can go. What’s also amazing is the ability to go upwind. You can hold a bigger size wing easily and your arms and back can relax as you have the wing attached to the harness.
Without much training, I was way ahead of all the other female competitors. I won 1st places across the board at that event. Then we have one more competition in Jeri in December where I can become Racing Wingfoil World champion. I have a few weeks now to get used to it more and try to be the fastest female wingfoiler on the planet!
As a pro rider, competing at the top of your game, what would you say are the competitive benefits to wearing the vest?
The Wingman vest is much needed for my racing competitions. Sometimes we compete all day and do long distance races, and without this I would not be able to hold the wing in my hands for so long. If I do well in my next competition I can qualify for the ANOC World Beach Games in Bali next year. The fact that I am winning everything is giving me so much motivation to improve and use the best equipment, to be the best in the world. When you are on the top, all you have to do is stay there. That is sometimes the most difficult part. I am very happy to be riding for ION and together with Wingman products, we’re going to try to win again and again.
And for regular Joes like us, do you think there’s value in wearing the vest for all levels of wingfoiler?
This is the future, believe me. Wingfoiling has been evolving very fast and this is just the next step in the development to be more comfortable on the water. My dad taught me to kite 15 years ago, and now he’s just learned to wingfoil and that is all he does now. I am looking forward to giving the harness to my dad as well, as I know he will love it. You can make long distance wingfoil trips in a very comfortable way, and the Wingman vest is also built to provide a lot of support for your back which is important when you are on the water a lot!
SABFOIL WL1550 FRONT WING
The Italian brand’s 1550 front wing has been built exclusively and fully optimized for the pumpfoilers amongst you. It promises an easy paddle, easy pump, and long, cruisy and infinite glide… even in low winds and flat water. It sounds positively dreamy. 02
FFB NUGGET
Straight outta California comes the FFB Nugget, a little chunk of gold packed with contemporary board tech. The board’s compact shape, full carbon construction and lower volume offerings reduce the swing weight and give the Nugget a dynamic feel underfoot. Available in 35, 40, 45 and 50L.
03
FLYMOUNT AERO-130
Become the star of your own wing movie with the UK designed and built Flymount Aero-130, made from glass reinforced Akulon®, optimized for extensive use in saltwater and high UV environments. The metal is all marine-grade, and the Aero-130 comes in at a featherlight 140g.
SECUMAR FURIO
The manually inflatable Furio lifejacket is approved at 100N (but with a real total buoyancy of 160N) and acts as both impact protection and a buoyancy aid. Designed specifically for wind sports, it’s the perfect on-the-water insurance policy for the more adventurous wingfoiler. 05
FANATIC 2023 SKY
Fanatic’s new Sky Solbach designed Sky SUP is a compact SUP foilboard built to love the surf, be it big or small. Paddlers, surfers and wingfoilers will enjoy the ease-of-use provided by its stability, volume and high-performance maneuverability. Comes in three sizes: 6'1, 6'5 and 6'9. 06
OCEAN RODEO GLIDE A-SERIES 7M
Ocean Rodeo have gone even bigger in their ALUULA framed 7m A-Series Glide. The inclusion of ALUULA means it’s not only super stiff but super light too… so expect to be getting out on those sub 8-knot days… Find out more in our test section this issue.
Naish recently dropped the second generation of their Matador LT wing, incorporating several tech and shaping upgrades. Built as a compact option for riding the waves, the Matador LT packs a lot of power into a small shape, is super light and is infused with plenty of Maui-based R&D. 08
RRD’s new QuickLock Plate is the perfect solution for getting yourself in and out of the water quickly when changing up your foil and wanting to retain your preferred settings. One single screw and you’re done… It’s also super strong, and it avoids any lateral and axial movement, therefore providing maximum rigidity on the water.
09
The Flying Fish V2 is your ticket to prone, wing, kite, wake, and tow-in foiling. For all intents and purposes, it’s a one-board quiver. Ample width makes getting up and going easy, while the durable EPS foam core can take a pounding on those landings. It’s also the perfect option for mastering your sink starts when winging.
Cabrinha’s inflatable Macro Air (which we’ve tested – find that online soon) features their exclusive Synthesis foil mount, which binds the top surface and the bottom surface, giving it excellent overall stiffness, and allowing the rider to have direct input from the back foot. And of course, it’s inflatable, which means it’s a great travel companion.
Handing over to North’s Brand Director Mike Raper for this one… “These wings are engineered using proven formulas – we’ve calculated the center of lift and center of buoyancy in relation to stance position for every size and every board, so there’s no need to adjust your mast or shim the stab. We’ve taken the guess work out”. Thanks Mike.
Are you looking for a wetty with epic stretch, uncompromising warmth, fully loaded with tech and in a on-trend tie-dye colorway? Well my friend, look no further! ION’s Seek AMP is LEGIT tie-dye, and is also a suit that’s gonna comfortably keep you where you want to be for hours. Available in 5/4, 4/3 and 3/2.
The name says it all! These models are designed to evolve your style – whether in the air or in the surf, pushing your wing game has never been so easy! Stable for starts and when landing tricks, improved in turns and more reactive for take-offs and jumps – you won’t believe the difference this board makes! Coming in our light and strong Carbon PVC Sandwich technology, designed and developed to withstand the demands of our team riders.
4'7" (55 l)
4'9" (65 l)
4'11" (75 l)
5'1" (85 l)
KT WING AIR
KT’s all-rounder Wing Air wing has featured in these pages before, but it makes a return purely because of this frankly superb dark olive colorway, which – and this is a direct quote from one of the KT team – is perfect for those of us who fancy a bit of a “villain look”. I’ll take two.
14
Levitaz’s slick new HA1300 is built for maximum glide, speed and performance, whether you’re out on a wing or pulling into some tricky slabs. It’s worth noting that Levitaz have 25+ years of building cool shizzle like this too… so there’s plenty to trust in everything they make.
15
AK DURABLE SUPPLY CO. TRACER V2 700 WING
AK Durable Supply Co.’s second generation medium aspect Tracer Series are built for ease of use, high maneuverability, and plenty of versatile performance. Their new 700 wing is the perfect choice for wingers in the surf, or those looking for speed or serious capability when towing into larger swells.
16
ELEVEIGHT EVOLVE
Eleveight’s dedicated wingfoil board features a light carbon CVC construction and comes in a compact shape for enhanced stability and volume distribution, with the newly available smaller sizes perfectly optimized for intermediate riders, for a more dynamic and playful ride.
17
SPG MISSILE
You can find out plenty more about Signature Performance Gear’s new Missile in our Inbound section this issue, but it makes it in here too because it looks like an absolute weapon. Go seek more knowledge in the latter pages.
18
MANTA5 HYDROFOILER SL3
So the Manta5 strays slightly from our foil remit but we want one none-the-less… The perfect, relaxing post-session-downtime option when you’re desper ate to continue foiling but just want a little sit down breather at the same time. Get one under the Christ mas tree.
19
PWRFOIL ART’EFOIL
Somewhat of an exclusive at the time of going to print so we’re sparse on the detail right now, but French eFoil manufacturers PWRfoil are set to release a unique option of hand-illustrated eFoil boards. We’ll show you more in the next issue…
Key players within the Freedom Foil Boards team recently made their way to Hood River for some gear testing, plenty of adventure, and some good old fashioned team bonding. Back home and after a little time to reflect, we got a few team members’ take-homes on their experience…
PHOTOS BO BRIDGES
"Hey there Little Red… Riding in the Hood sure was good… You’re everything a Big Bad Team Could Want… Ouwwww!"
Team Freedom recently returned from “The Hood” and to say we were blown away by all that she had to offer would be a massive understatement. It's not every day when you have the opportunity to bring some of the world’s best talent, mix in a load of new 2023 Freedom gear and sprinkle in some of the most epic conditions known to wind sports… but that’s exactly what happened as the best of the best landed on the shores of the Columbia River to test out the latest in FFB innovations and soon-to-be-released downwind weapons.
Our mission was simple… Show up, blow up, and make sure everyone in Hood River knows FFB is here to pave the path towards the future in foiling! With a load of new high-speed foils to fly, our new wing-specific boost board, the Nugget, a range of downwind SUP and prone boards, two Tom Carroll pro models and the release of the much-anticipated return of West Coast Foil Club’s Frequent Flyer and J.A.T.O models, the long summer days were barely long enough for us, as we flew our brains off, from sunrise to sunset.
With a whole week to spend together, there was definitely no shortage of adventures to be had. From scoring the epic beauty and waves of the Rufus section, to the nuking downwind days at The Hatch, everyone seemed to find their own unique pace and rhythm that was steadily provided by the seemingly endless Hood River wind machine. Sunrise tow sessions, Brady Hurley sunset shut down rescue missions, nearly running out of gas in a U-Haul truck full of Freedom gear at Lost Lake, late night Coors-Light-inspired gear and downwind discussions, along with meditation sessions and life stories with Tom Carroll. These were just a few of the highlights that made this trip so special.
Massive thanks to our amazing team riders who came from
all over the globe to inspire and as always lead the way. Team Captain and No.1 influencer, Mr. Brian Finch, the master off all things style, Jason Miller, the ultimate hero and Jedi Master, Tom Carroll, the future of foiling itself, Brady Hurley, the maestro of fun, Kyle Maligro, the Diagnostic Detailer, Cole Kawana, and last but by no means least, the Secret Weapon himself, Robert Carney.
BRADY HURLEY
It was my first day of learning to downwind SUP, and right before sunset, the bumps were firing. Cole Kawana and I decided to send a run from the hatchery to the event site, with Tom Carroll taking the jet ski alongside us. We started the run right as the sun was setting, and about a mile into the run I got stuck in some weeds. While I was clearing them off my foil, Cole passed me. As I got back on foil again, he and Tom were slowly disappearing from my view. After riding another three or four miles, I looked over to the Washington side to see how close I was getting to the event site. The second I turned my head, I ran into a huge log and fell. By this time, it was completely dark. Cole had fallen, so Tom drove him back to the event site. When they got back, they weren’t sure if there was enough fuel to go and look for me. After falling, I swam to grab my board. Once I grabbed my board, I realized that the bumps were almost completely dead. At this point, Chris (Sayer) took the ski from Tom to go and search for me. I knew that if I got up on foil, I had enough energy to pump back to the event site in the flat water (probably would’ve been about 15 minutes). I had never attempted to get up when there are no bumps before, but I knew my only option was to figure it out. It was pitch black and I could barely see. After about a minute of trying, I got back up on foil. I could see the endpoint getting closer and closer as I kept pumping. Chris had been driving around on the ski looking for me for almost 15 minutes (I was not aware of that at the time). Thankfully, without knowing it, after five minutes of pumping, I had pumped right past him. And in the corner of my eye, I could see him on the ski, so I stopped. A downwind run that should’ve only taken 30 minutes, ended up taking about 80!
The Gorge/Hood River is the business. It is the best place to try new equipment or a new way of riding on foil whether it be winging, SUP downwinding or prone. Prone is for the big boys though, ha! For me personally, after going there a few years now, it was all about figuring out the hardest thing ever… SUP downwinding. I was giving it a go in Hawaii before going to The Hood this year and was struggling real hard to the point of almost throwing in the towel. I had a feeling that The Hood would provide, and it did! Man, that place provides so many opportunities to try things out, work on techniques and without any sharks (I have had a few close calls!).
So stoked about the place and I feel it was there that I finally felt comfortable getting up on foil and going for miles and miles. The Hood provides once again. It's also an insane place to meet and fly with other frothers. Love it and can't wait to get back there!
BRIAN FINCH
Hood River had alluded me for the past few years. Plans fell through several times. I’ve enviously watched hours of footage and have grilled many friends for details about their experiences in The Hood. An obsession was built. So, this past July, to finally spend 10 days in The Gorge, and better yet with my teammates on Freedom Foil Boards, it was a dream come to fruition.
The Colombia River Gorge is a phenomenon and a wind sport enthusiast’s mecca. The prevailing winds oppose the river’s current, which in turn greatly amplifies the waves… think opposing forces. The stronger the wind and current, the greater the effect. Although it doesn’t feel like it, you are riding up the river against the current, and moving fast! It’s hard to picture but the swells can get a little overhead and there are moments when you feel like you’re riding below the surface level. It’s wild!
The current is dictated by snowmelt runoff, and dam release flows, I believe. In July, this current was moving around 10mph I’m guessing. It felt really fast. You could downwind a two-mile section and just lay on your board and get sucked back up to your starting point, at a shocking speed. This is a beautiful feature of the river when all is going well. If the wind dies or you’re having equipment issues, or some other problem, then the current can be a pain. You’re likely doing a walk of shame along the highway. Another thing about the river that surprised me is that all the different spots rely on their specific wind direction, just like the ocean. There are so many twists and turns along the river, a few degrees of wind angle can shut the swell off, and fire it up elsewhere. Local knowledge and forecasts were as important as on any ocean surf trip.
After spending 10 sunrises to sunset days on the river, sharing beers and laughs on the riverbank, I can say my initial obsession has only grown…
ROB CARNEY
When I think of Hood River, I think of 25 knot days on the Columbia River with waist-high river swells, lit up on small foils and small wings. Even with conditions as good as they get, there are still those days in the summer when the heat rolls into the corridor and the westerlies shut down. Fortunately enough for the Freedom team, we only had one of those days when the wind decided it had other plans than to show up in The Gorge.
To beat the heat and find a place to cool off, the team decided to load up the van and U-Haul and send it up to Lost Lake. Lost Lake is nestled in the Mt. Hood National Forest and at 3,200 feet above sea level it makes the perfect place to beat the Gorge heatwave. Before arriving at Lost Lake my expectations were low. I figured we may find a spot to do
some rock starts or just a cool place to relax after a few days of non-stop action on the river. To our surprise, some of the easterly winds that come along with the heat can sneak their way into the lake, making it the ultimate novelty wing spot. Coming from the boring flat terrain of Florida, it was surreal to be able to get a session on a lake right under the shadow of Mount Hood.
Super stoked on the light-wind performance of the Halcyon 1030 and it paired perfectly with the Freedom 6m wing. The low stall speed from the 1030 combined with the grunt of the Freedom wing allowed me to get up on foil when a gust would come through and stay on foil through the lightest of lulls. This session was a special one to share with the team in the water and those providing the good vibes and cold beers from the rowboat.
Blood is trickling from the top of Tom Carroll’s feet – it’s not pretty, but it’ll heal up, eventually. Tom is completely unphased. He’s grinning ear-to-ear with a childlike wonder. He’s just had an epic session and a major breakthrough on his quest learning to wing.
Viento State Park sets the stage and the steady 20+ mph winds provide all the necessary energy – the perfect spot to develop early skills and build confidence. It was here that I had my first winging experience nine months prior, and the struggle was still very much at the front of my cortex. I’ll proudly share my foot scars as if they were some kind of participation trophies. Tom checks his feet and acknowledges that it’ll likely leave a mark. But all this doesn’t matter. He is elated. It’s the first session he has been able to fully control the wing and navigate himself back to the starting point. For me, it was a major milestone. It meant the walk of shame would be (mostly) behind me. It’s an accomplishment worthy of a quiet celebration.
20 minutes later, with wounds tended to and the van packed to the brim, we made our way back towards town. Assuming the day was done, I started to exit towards our vacation rental. Tom looks over my shoulder, eyes fixated on the white caps and increasing winds. “Shall we go have a look?” Tom asks. Another 20 minutes later, we’re back out there – spirits high, seeking that next milestone.
"TOM IS COMPLETELY UNPHASED. HE’S GRINNING EAR-TO-EAR WITH A CHILDLIKE WONDER. HE’S JUST HAD AN EPIC SESSION AND A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH ON HIS QUEST LEARNING TO WING."
For three days, friends Steeve Fleury and Léonard Berner headed into the mountains to hike, sleep in a tent, eat fondue, and do all that great stuff you do in the mountains… but with one notable difference. They also took complete foil setups too.
WORDS & PHOTOS VALENTIN REY TRANSLATION JO-ANNE JONES LÜTJENS
It’s still dark. I don’t really know what time it is. The air is freezing, but I feel nice and warm in my sleeping bag. There’s a strange noise against my tent, like a crackle. It must be snowing. I think about Steeve, asleep under the stars on a few planks of wood and I wonder if he took refuge in Léonard’s tent. These thoughts cross my nightblurred mind and I fall straight back to sleep. A few minutes or hours later, I hear a zip. “Wake up! You can see the Grande Dent de Vesivi covered in snow!”. With my eyes still closed I open my tent and peak outside. I can’t see anything. The fog blurs my vision. Our shelter is covered in a thin layer of snow. I feel like I’m on the other side of the world, in a lunar atmosphere. Yesterday, a thousand meters below, we were in the sun, sharing the beautiful scenery with dozens of tourists.
Now, a thousand meters higher and one night later, we are alone. Silence, fog, rock, snow and the cold are our sole company. Jon Viey wakes up next to me with small sleepy eyes. He hardly slept. He wasn’t expecting such a cold night and he finds it difficult getting out of his sleeping bag, better adapted to a summer night than to a high-altitude camp. Foils, flippers, and neoprene wetsuits are scattered around and covered in snow. The weather should improve over the next few hours and during breakfast we wait for the sun to pierce the clouds and warm us.
Finally, after a coffee, cold gives way to heat. Peaks appear in the place of fog. We swap our polar jackets for our wetsuits. Some ten meters above us, inside a crater, our objective awaits us. The reason we carried our back packs and equipment for hours. Up there, the red mountain rock, broken by the melting ice, contrasts with the flat, emerald-green surface of the lake. It’s a perfect vision and our excitement resonates in the Swiss Alps.
We are thrilled to find water. But our biggest uncertainty is the water level of mountain lakes after the warmest and driest summer ever recorded. Our second fear is not being able to find a suitable launch spot for our first pump. However, a few rocks stick out of the water to allow Steeve and Léonard to push off and glide above the water. Léo goes first. Steeve follows, and the magic happens. They slide silently over a flat lake. All is still, serene, apart from two bodies surfing in the middle of the water. At an altitude of nearly 2880 meters, they prove the scale of the surrounding magnificence. The lake, the crater, Val d’Hérens, Dent Blanche, the Alps, and the peaceful glide of two foils.
On our first lake yesterday morning we didn’t have this intimacy. A dozen tourists and hikers were staring at us. Here we dance unobserved. We do one run after the other without limits. At this altitude you become short of breath and pumping is very demanding. One minute of foiling is equivalent to a 400-meter sprint. With every fall we are reminded of the freezing water temperature, adding just a bit more fatigue to our already tired muscles from our 1000 meter hike the previous day, bearing our twenty kilo backpacks.
An hour of pumping is enough. The cold seeps through, making our starts more and more difficult and our glides more and more unsteady. We return to base camp to gather our strength. We cannot quit here. Above the pass, above the ice, other lakes await us. This time we travel lightly. We start our ascension on the ridge of the moraine. The landscape becomes increasingly lunar. There is only basalt rock and ice. The Aiguilles Rouges rise above us at close to 3500 meters. Having climbed, we now overlook the surrounding valleys. Peaks and glaciers extend into the distance.
After walking for an hour, we reach a plateau, the old impoundment area of the glacier. A small murky lake stretches out above the valley. We are tempted to foil but decide to focus on the small lakes behind the Vouasson glacier. We continue to climb to the pass. The last part is particularly steep. The damp rocky ground explains the story of the glaciers and their retreat, for those who can read rocks.
A few meters higher we arrive at the pass and it’s majestic, almost mysterious. The back of the white glacier stretches out in front of us, immersed in a moving mist. We look to-
wards the north side of the pass. It’s late and the climb took longer than expected. Crevasses obstruct our access to the lakes. We decide to be reasonable and stop our ascent here, at an altitude of 3300 meters, foils on our backs, ice under our feet. We cannot reach our objective.
We’ll just have to surf the small lake that we passed below. Our new mission is to descend and reach the lake before the sun disappears behind the mountain. Without delay we get to the lake. First, we notice that its level seems low. Second, there’s nowhere to start from. We build a launch ourselves. We carry heavy stones to the lake shore and cover them with sand to stabilize them. We slip into our wetsuits and mount our foils. We only have a few minutes until the shadow of the mountain reaches across the lake.
Once again, Léonard goes first. The stack of stones seems solid, and the water level is sufficient. The lake is small, turns are sharp. There’s only enough room for the two of us. A few rough falls show the lack of water in the lake. Again, runs follow one after the other. It looks as if the foils are licking the tongue of the glacier. Everything happens in complete silence; however, the excitement is tangible. This lake was not part of our plan but we’re in the moment and it’s surreal, perfect. Never could we have imagined all this. The sun disappears slowly behind the mountains, the air cools down and the water is smoking. We are euphoric… the spirit of the lake is awake. The turns cut through the lake and water vapor. A few minutes later we are in the shade, within the freezing cold end of day in the mountains, and our last turns mark the end of our adventure.
We make a quick descent and arrive at our next basecamp by night. Julien Christe joins us along the way for our last night and brings with him fresh breakfast for the next morning. We turn the raclette machine on and this last meal marks the end of our expedition. We fall asleep and the spirit of the lake appears in our dreams. One more night in the frost and we’re back to civilisation, our heads full of the beauty of the place, our eyes packed with souvenirs to last us a lifetime. Pumping at 3066 metres, at the foot of the glacier, making camp with friends. Pumpfoil has opened a whole new field for us to explore. Will we return and attempt to reach those hidden lakes? We don’t know yet, but one thing is sure: they will continue to make us dream.
The UK was Keahi de Aboitiz’s final stop on his European summer tour with brand sponsor, Cabrinha. Against some fairly hefty odds, given the country’s long hot, dry and relatively windfree spell, things aligned for his visit and he scored good conditions at every stop, rounding it off in Kernow Foil Crew country…
WORDS KEAHI DE ABOITIZ PHOTOS JAMES BOULDING
After getting close just before Covid happened, it was great to finally make it over to the UK during the Cabrinha Streamer demo tour. Growing up on the east coast of Australia, there are actually some similarities with the spots and culture, so in a way it felt a little more like home after a few weeks in Europe. It was awesome meeting a lot of the local crews [Richard Boughton, pictured middle right] everywhere and see a solid group of people who are already seriously into winging and foiling. It’s been pretty interesting to see how the sport has developed over the years, but for me, I’ve found it’s opened up so many new spots, especially in places where you might not typically have the best surf most of the time.
We started the trip in Camber in the southeast, then headed to Poole, Hayling and Bigbury on the UK’S south coast, then to Daymer Bay on the north coast of Cornwall. All things considered, I think we were pretty lucky and got some really good conditions, as it sounds like it was a long hot summer in the UK without too much wind or waves.
In Bigbury we got in a great surf foil session on the first day when there was no wind. It’s a pretty cool setup there. Then on the second day an offshore wind came through so we had a wingfoiling session with some talented locals, including some of the Foiling Magazine crew. I love being able to do a variety of water sports as it means you can make the most of whatever conditions you get, whether there’s wind or not, and whether it’s onshore or offshore.
With the trip winding down for our last couple of days in Cornwall, I got some more interesting wing conditions in the strong tides to be found at Daymer Bay, across the estuary from Padstow, which for me had to be the standout and the perfect way to end the trip. Coinciding with some of the biggest tides of the year, which means about six meters of tide difference, you end up with a lot of water flowing out the rivermouth which makes for some unique wind against tide waves, reminiscent of what guys are winging in The Gorge these days.
Although the waves aren’t necessarily breaking enough for a normal surfboard, it was amazing conditions for a foil and the perfect way to connect all the lumps down the river. We only had a small swell, but with the amount of water moving out, it amplifies how much the waves stand up and meant I could still ride a small foil with a ton of speed. I spent the day on my H800, running laps at full speed with the local crew and scored some incredibly long glides down the river for a session to remember. The outgoing tide also makes for a super easy way back upwind but it’s worth noting that this can be a little dangerous when something goes wrong or you can’t get back up as there’s no easy exit and it will most likely mean a long paddle to the side of the current and a walk back around the bay, as a couple people found out. It’s just always a good idea to make sure you have an exit plan, as tidal
conditions like this are incredibly fun but things can turn quickly too.
We ended the trip with a night out at the local Bluntrock Brewery, drinking a limited edition ‘Drifter’ Coast to Coast lager, the product of a collaboration between Cabrinha and Estuary Brewing. The beer has been produced by Estuary Brewing in the US and Bluntrock Brewery in the UK, to help raise funds for an initiative aiming to bring people with physical and mental disabilities into the sports of wingsurfing and kiteboarding.
My trip in the UK came to an end all too soon. I am now back in Hawaii, and it’s back into wave time for us, so I’m looking forward to getting some more waves here before pushing on into a busy winter ahead.
In the worldwide battle of the wave pools, there’s one in particular that, frankly, looked like the figment of someone’s hyper-active imagination when it first went viral across global surf media channels. “Surely this can’t be real?” was the standard reaction. But it turns out it is, and when former Surfing Magazine Editor Jesse Faen found a (legitimate) way in, he was determined to be the first to foil it…
WORDS JESSE FAEN
PHOTOS ANDREW SHIELD (UNLESS SPECIFIED)
"SURF LAKES IS INCREDIBLY PICTURESQUE, WITH PANORAMIC MOUNTAIN RANGES SURROUNDING A CALM RESERVOIR OF WATER."
Man-made waves in Yeppoon sparked attention years ago. Nothing else had pulled me back to this small country town where my surfing life began.
Queensland’s central coast isn’t really on the radar of most surfers, given swells there are blocked by the Barrier Reef, but thanks to Surf Lakes establishing their business in the nearby bush, returning and participating became important, like some sort of birthright or salmon-swimming-upstream destiny.
I’m old, referencing Mad Max 3 in the title, but regardless if you know the movie or not (which, coincidently, I played an extra in), the images here will give you some idea – a massive central plunger device, welded together from rusty steel, juxtaposed against a vast Australian landscape. Similarly, the 1985 post-apocalyptic film starring Mel Gibson and Tina Turner, set in blazing Aussie desert heat, had its main metal structure, aka the Thunderdome, core to the drama.
Surf Lakes is incredibly picturesque, with panoramic mountain ranges surrounding a calm reservoir of water. So misleading is this serene environment, grazing cows, kangaroos and even emus are drawn to the watering hole for an occasional drink. Driving into the property past ‘security’ cattle gates, along a dusty dirt road, and up alongside a few caravans and tents – to what basically appears to be a modest campsite – hides the prospect of a prime surfing destination. Boards laying around the grass offering the only hint of what’s to come.
Circular swells created by the ‘CWD’ (central wave device) – or the afore-mentioned plunger going up and down – is what makes this place so special. Thanks to a variety of
‘reefs’ specifically designed around the bottom of the lake, a multitude of waves break simultaneously in all directions when activated. Meaning more options for more people. Or in my mind at least, the possibility of connecting multiple rides on a foil, if given the chance….
In the weeks leading up to this experience I’d traveled back home from Los Angeles, reached out numerous times to the founders, hoping for a sample of their goods, but never felt sure it would happen. Surf Lakes Yeppoon is their R&D site, established in 2018 to prove engineering concepts, develop programs and ultimately promote the possibilities they envisaged. Given it’s not open to the public though, or operational often – especially post COVID – gaining access really was going to be the golden ticket.
My best bet was Dean ‘Dingo’ Morrison, one of the most stylish surfers on the planet and an incredible foil enthusiast, plus, helpfully, an ambassador to Surf Lakes. We’d traveled together for years while he successfully competed on the ASP World Tour, and recently reconnected for some epic foil sessions around his home on the Gold Coast. He then announced a weekend trip was happening to Yeppoon, and got me on his guest list. Thankfully, my gracious girlfriend encouraged the nine-hour drive north. And just like that, we found ourselves among a small group gathered around this billabong-like oasis in the bush.
1999 world surfing champion Mark Occhilupo was on-site, together with three-time world bodyboard champ Ben Player, as well as Dingo, his mate and novelty wave enthusiast Dylan Graves, plus key staff, a few investors, some lucky kids, and my foil board hidden in the truck… I didn’t actually know
if this would be allowed at Surf Lakes, nor want to blow any chance of maybe being gifted a wave, so initially I just pulled out a surfboard and joined the crew on the shore.
Wearing full-suits, due to an unexpected winter chill, these legends paddled out towards the plunger and waited. Surreal sight, seeing them sitting in a lake with this bushland backdrop. Finally, the diesel air-compressor puffed out billows of smoke and simultaneously let out a grunt-like sound. Anticipation grew as seconds ticked by, with everyone’s eyes glued to the plunger anxiously eager to see some action. Then, magically on cue, swells begin to form and the smaller first one breaks smoothly and goes untouched. Beautiful torture in a way. Three consecutive ‘real’ waves then manifest, head-high sized, completely mesmerizing us all.
Picture perfect A-frame peaks explode in front, barreling in both directions with surfers slotted in-sync. A slabbing righthander is going unridden 90 degrees away, giving onlookers direct view into the pit. Meanwhile, on the opposite side, 180 degrees away, another mellower peak is being split by less experienced surfers, and those hoping to gain access to ‘Occy’s Peak’ later. The backside peak behind the plunger isn’t operational now, but still, it’s impossible to soak up all the surfing happening at once, or grasp how insane future production sites will be, with four full peaks in unison and even bigger waves promised.
They invite me in, and needless to say, I’m a happy camper. Pristine tubes all afternoon, and the kind of stoke which only comes from sharing this kind of experience with other grinning ‘groms’. We all soak up an incredible sunset together, warm our bodies by campfire, feast on great food, listen to some live acoustic music, and retire under a big sky starry night.
Early next morning I ask about my foiling prospects, and surprisingly get a positive green light. They were stoked at the idea, explaining no-one had tried yet, and offered up the first smaller swell in the sets. This breaks further inside, is a softer option, and wouldn’t hinder others getting their fix of main waves either.
The plan was to catch it, get up on foil and glide over to the far-right side, pump back out to the mellower peak and hopefully reconnect with another swell and ride this too.
First attempt was a complete failure, as I’d expected more energy comparable to the bigger waves I’d experienced surfing there, and fell over as soon as I tried to stand up on my 4’4 foil board. But next two rides were a dream. Number two allowed me to whip into an oncoming lefthander from the adjacent peak, and basically return to where I’d initially started. My third and final attempt had a faster take off, so helped encourage pumping all the way round the outer peak of the next section and snag the tail end of the fourth swell, then ride this righthander all the way until it faded. In essence, finishing on shore of the opposite side of the lake from where I had paddled into the first of the two waves I’d just ridden.
With more time to practice and less people in the lineup, especially if all four peaks were functioning, you could literally do circles connecting waves around this CWD technology. This was way beyond any initial impression of just another wave pool… This was a taste of a future I cannot wait to see play out, and hopefully I experience more of soon.
"PICTURE PERFECT A-FRAME PEAKS EXPLODE IN FRONT, BARRELING IN BOTH DIRECTIONS WITH SURFERS SLOTTED IN-SYNC."
Born and raised on the North Shore of Maui, but now residing in the family’s native South Africa, traveling back to the crucible of foiling itself is always going to be a particularly sentimental journey for Nathan van Vuuren, and especially so after a visit hiatus caused by you-know-what… Luckily, the island spirit remains exactly as he left it.
WORDS NATHAN VAN VUUREN WATER SHOTS MATEO DUDU LAND SHOTS @PREMIERHAWAII
For just a moment, imagine a place that could truly be called “Heaven on Earth”. A remote Pacific paradise island, palm trees by the beach, surrounded by a tropical warm ocean, fresh trade winds that work like clockwork, inhabited by a people that seem dedicated to preserving the lifestyle of authentic family and water sports activities. For most people on Planet Earth, a place like this will remain only but a dream, but as we buckle up and look out of an oval aircraft window in preparation for the seemingly endless journey back to the real world, the amazing memories of this place once called “Home” continue to be etched into our minds forever.
With the Covid pandemic causing endless travel restrictions from Cape Town, South Africa to the USA, it’s now been almost four years since we were last standing on the beautiful volcanic rock called Maui. A lot has changed in these four years since I was last here, competing in the Molokai 2 Oahu World Paddle Championships with only nine other invited SUP foilers. Those few months of training and leading up to the inaugural 32-mile foil race really felt more like a blur as the focus then was to paddle and prepare for an unchartered race against names that I had only read about. This trip was going to be totally different. Three weeks to play, test fresh gear, make new friends and, the most exciting part of all, to mix up the water sports with all the new wing and foil toys that have been developed over the past few years. The big question with only a few days to accomplish everything was where to start…
Being based on the west side of the island, near the iconic Honolua Bay and with a view over Māla Wharf, renowned for perfect waves, the timing of our arrival could not have been more fortuitous. Waking up the first day with the thundering sound of a new south swell with a perfect unobstructed direction, we knew the one and only spot that would have most of the local prone foil riders out would be a place that’s so often flying around within daily text messages, known as “GR”, or rather, Guard Rails. If you are fortunate enough to beat the early morning surf school traffic traveling to Laniopoko Beach Park, the only next feat before entering the tropical playground is to find a good parking spot under the Kiawe trees to help keep your gear in the car cool enough from the intense Maui heat.
As we arrive, the hype is real. The early dawn patrol crew are just finishing their session before starting their workday, while the second shift consisting of entrepreneurs, pros and visitors prepare for their daily flight on the water. If you look closely, you may notice a few camera operators documenting the action, but one local that is part of the scenery is Uncle Eddie (@QBSuped) who has been capturing the local foil scene since the beginning. Sitting against the guard rail, refreshed and relaxed after his earlier session, Eddie is the epitome of island style living.
Zooming in on the lineup, this is where it’s all going down. Zane and Austin have just paddled out, busting wild new moves that are yet to be named. Kai Lenny arrives in the water after coming back to Maui amped on his global travels and is pushing the boundaries like only Kai can. And just when you think Maui foiling is only for the pros, Jim “Bones”, who is now in his seventies, comes flying past followed by Skeeter, Buck, and the other local crew young and old pushing the envelope while proving that this sport has no age limits. Being out in the water with legends, the local foil community and visitors, sharing waves, trading gear, and celebrating the stoke that only foiling offers quickly makes my foiling dream a living reality. One thing you may notice when you are foiling, especially at a place like Guard Rails, is how quickly the time flies. If it weren’t for the hunger pains crying out, we could easily spend hours upon hours flying and trying new, exciting moves. But it’s almost midday and the trade winds are starting to trickle in, and this means one thing: time to wingsurf...
With a quick poke bowl and sushi snack to get the energy levels back, we began cruising across to the north side of the island, which became our daily routine. Messages are
coming in from the foil crew, “What’s on the menu today?”, “Wave riding at Hookipa!”, “Some all-round fun at Sugar Cove.” and, “Flat-water freestyle and speed wingsurfing at Kanaha Beach Park?”. To be honest, living on Maui, this often seems to be the most important decision of each given day. Where to foil next? The day is still somewhat early, and the north swell is head high, so it's the perfect time to stop in at Hookipa and share some wind and waves with the local windsurfers and wingsurfers. Hookipa is definitely deemed a higher-level riding spot with a small entry and exit beach, shallow reef, and an intense line-up of athletes. All of whom are flying down the line, ready to boost off the end section with what feels like cameras at every post, keeping awareness levels at red alert. After successfully surviving a session without any tears or breakages, it was time to mellow it down a notch and head down to the more relaxed Kanaha Beach Park.
Arriving in the parking lot, there’s sure lots to talk about with all the new gear being released by the top brands, with foil and wing designers walking around with their team riders, caressing and fine-tuning their new toys. Looking around, it can really feel like one is walking through the history books of modern-day water sports, with high-profile personalities on and off the water, living life as if there was no tomorrow. The wingsurf action is absolutely next level. Between the blur of images, I paused for a few minutes to reflect on how the North Shore scene seems somewhat surreal. Each given day feels similar while offering such a diverse mix of conditions, yet delivers totally different sessions than the one before! The day is flying by, and there’s time for one more stop before the sun sets and the hula dancers come out to entertain tourists at the luau feast. Maalaea mud flats are epic for offshore speed wingsurfing, but with the arms wasted from earlier wing sessions, it’s definitely time for a more relaxed, beautiful sunset session at 1000 Peaks. With Kane and Gabriella also out on the water, while local cameraman Mateo swims out, we were able to capture the last few tranquil moments on film. "Could it get any better than this?" is the big question we keep asking ourselves...
As the weekdays gradually start to blend into each other, things noticeably begin to slow down as the vibe in the air starts to change and Aloha Friday language draws near. The weekend is not just a time off work – it’s a time for celebration! It’s also a time to connect with riders from different islands. Rather than arrange an intense Saturday foil race event, Jason from FoilFever pulls the Hawaiian foil community together for a social downwinder. The pioneers arrive at Maliko Gulch ready to fly. Alex Aguera, Dave Kalama, and other legends looked more stoked than they did the day they first started to foil. What an experience it was to be on the water, flying down a 10-mile racetrack, with a bunch of amped-up foilers and wingsurfers who have one purpose: to have a blast!
Sunday arrives, and as much as it is a well-deserved day of rest, it definitely does not stop the planning for all the action for the week ahead. Zane is heading to a secret spot… Now, if you’ve had the privilege of being around Zane, you know anything involving the Schweitzer family is bound to be an adventure! Going behind the scenes, off the beaten track, and winging with no crowds and cameras around… it's moments like these that keep us coming back for more.
Time is running out, so we put together some last-minute product photoshoots with the Signature team. Stop in for some secret South Shore sessions. Travel to the East Side to get away from the crowds… We realize that we have not only heard but been fortunate enough to experience the slogan "Maui nō ka ‘oi" – Maui is the best. And in what feels like a blink of an eye, we are sitting back in the airplane, buckling up for a long trip back to the ice-cold Atlantic waters of our other home, Cape Town. The journey will continue with new stories and chapters waiting to be told, but the breath-taking times with friends and the memories of foil paradise, our “home away from home”, will definitely remain in our memories forever.
It was a pretty specific shot that Alina Kornelli and Lukas Stiller had in mind when they road-tripped down to southern Sardinia in their pimped campervans. However, despite the ambient tranquility of their surroundings, technology had other ideas about how smoothly their photoshoot would pan out…
WORDS ALINA KORNELLI PHOTOS LUKAS STILLER
In October, I’d just finished my participation in the Formula Kite World Championships at Poetto Beach in Cagliari, my last big competition in 2022. This new sailing discipline will be part of the Olympic Games scheduled for 2024 in Paris and Marseille, for the very first time in history. For now though, it was time to change up my gear and work on campaigns with my main sponsors, VW Nutzfahrzeuge and CORE – exciting, as I finally get a good excuse to go for some wingfoil sessions! No better place to do it than the beautiful Mediterranean island of Sardinia, and its 2000 kilometers of coastline, crystal clear waters, windy beaches, soft white sand, granite rocks framed by wild Italian flora and fauna.
On my road trip, I am accompanied by my companion, the photographer Lukas Stiller, who is well known in the kitesurfing world for some pretty insane shots. It’s not the first time that we’ve worked together. Two years ago, we arranged a winter snowkite trip to Switzerland and last year we traveled to Denmark with kites and camera gear. Now that CORE have launched a wingfoil range, I’m stoked to be able to get on the water with the new gear. I love having wingfoil sessions between training and competitions, to improve my skills and to bag content.
It took several days for Lukas to drive the long way down from Sylt (North Germany), where he had spent his summer, to the south of Sardinia. Lukas’ van has been perfectly designed and equipped for his job as a photographer, every single camera and battery pack has its own spot and could be charged anywhere. And not only was his camper perfectly furnished, but my van was also sort of a luxury home for the coming week, with a comfortable kitchen, hot shower, fridge, electricity, beds, and of course plenty of space for the wing gear. It was great to be so independent during that shoot… we could both just follow the wind along the coast, and that side of the island offers everything for wingfoilers: there’s an attractive wave spot called Chia, flat water spots like Punta Tretu or Porto Botte, a big bay at Porto Pino or a couple of spots around the peninsula of Sant’Antioco.
The biggest advantage of that trip to Sardinia was definitely the time of the year. I was surprised how calm, windy and empty the island was, despite the perfect air and water temperature, and still within the tourist season. I just fell in love with being able to explore everything by car on land and with the wing on the water. We checked the wind and weather forecast every day and decided spontaneously where to go the following day and slowly made our way from Cagliari to Sant’Antioco, the peninsula located more in the southwest. In general it says that the closer the winter comes, the stronger the northwest mistral wind gets. But the wind remained light throughout our trip.
Before starting the road trip, Lukas had a specific shot in his mind: a drone shot of me with my wing, next to a lighthouse, standing on a big rock in the middle of the sea, just north of Sant’Antioco. We arrived to catch the afternoon sun and the wind was blowing side offshore at 8 knots. After the wingfoil session, the plan was to get great drone shots of the camper standing next to the cliffs as the sun went down.
The launch spot for the lighthouse was full of rocks and had no beach at all, but getting out there isn’t impossible when you have a wing and a wingfoil board. I set up the wing gear in between the big rocks and made my way into the water. I turned the board upside down because it was super shallow with a lot of rocks underneath and paddled out on the bottom of the board with the foil up. Once it was deeper and I was feeling a bit of a breeze, I flipped the board around, pumped and got up. Lukas launched his drone and let it fly around the lighthouse and around the wing. After 20 minutes he flew back, changed the drone batteries, flew out to me again, took the exact shots we’d been talking about for a month and… bang. The drone crashed into my wing, cut the cloth and slowly sank into the deep, crystal-clear, blue waters of Sardinia. Ciao, SD card!
When you’re in the middle of nowhere, only surrounded by small Italian villages, with little to no tourism, few English-speakers, small Italian supermarkets and the cheapest good quality coffee, the ‘dolce vita’ is very nice. However, it does make it pretty hard to buy a new drone for the forthcoming days and all the planned shots we had to get. So the same night, Lukas decided to drive back to Cagliari… He got lucky, and bought the last drone available in the shop.
The next day we tried the same shot again with the foil and kite, which turned into an even bigger mission. I made it work after swimming with the kite to the wind, but unfortunately the wind was even lighter and we couldn’t get as close to the lighthouse as we had been on the wing. Sometimes you win and everything works out perfectly and sometimes you lose! That afternoon we lost, but fortunately we got some other great shots and spent a rare golden week of summer in October. And one thing is for sure: we will get back to Sant’Antioco one day, seeking that hard-won lighthouse photo…
HALF BIKE, HALF PLANE.
Introducing Manta5’s radical second generation Hydrofoil Bike - the Hydrofoil SL3. Discover, demo and order the SL3 via Manta5's global authorised reseller network.
As happened with many established kite brands, wing foiling came almost out of nowhere and offered a quick and easy transition in terms of materials, research and design knowledge, and the easily-piqued interest of the brands’ loyal customer base. Eleveight approached things slightly differently, preferring to keep their powder dry, watch and understand how the market was developing, before taking the plunge with a comprehensive and very well received wing foil range. We got in touch with founder Philippe Martin to hear how the Eleveight journey has played out to date…
So Phil, firstly let’s start off with a little about yourself – what’s your history in the industry, and what were you doing before Eleveight?
I’ve been really passionate about water sports since I was a child. I started surfing first, but was so young at the time that I can’t even remember my first time out! I then discovered kiteboarding back in 2002, when I was 18, and since then I have never stopped riding. I’ve traveled the world kiteboarding and also competed in some KPWT events, as well as the French championships. It’s now more than 20 years since I started kiting, and it’s coming up to three years of winging. After my studies, I worked for a leading kite brand at the time, where I was taking care of the French market for many years, as well as working on the sales management side.
Tell us how it all started for Eleveight. What led you to create the brand, and what was your main focus at the start?
It is not an easy decision to launch a brand, especially in such a competitive and complicated market. But for years we always had this feeling that we could do something better and different. The Eleveight team had a lot of experience and contacts and knew that at some point it would be the right time to launch our brand. When I look back, I realize how everything went so fast… Our biggest focus was simply to do our best, and most importantly to have a family-driven brand, made by kiters, for kiters, with no investor-driven goals behind the brand dictating what we have to do. Our whole network of shops, distributors and even customers felt our story, and I am convinced that this is one of the reasons for the success of our brand today. We are now a major player in both the kite and wing industry, privately owned, and we are very happy with our achievements and the relationships we formed!
Cool! Where did the name Eleveight come from?!
Well, when myself and my partners decided to create a brand, we had a big brainstorming session and wrote down quite a lot of names that might fit… At first, we all liked the name Elevate because the main essence of our sport is to “Elevate”. The “8” is also the sign of infinity, like the infinite love and passion we all have for the sport. If I remember correctly, our awesome friend and graphic designer Sam had the idea to incorporate the logo into the name of the brand and then call it Eleveight.
Where is the company based?
We all work from different locations, but they are all key spots for the industry. Marketing and R&D are very much linked to each other and are based in Guincho, Portugal, which is a fantastic place to develop and test products. There are so many options in terms of having waves or flat water, but also ride in different kinds of wind, from the strongest in Guincho, to lighter winds in Costa da Caparica or north of Lisbon.
For the sales department, we are based in Pérols, near Montpellier in France, which is also a key location for wind sports. Around Montpellier we also test a range of products with the help of a great crew of testers. All the logistics and administration work is handled in Xanten in Germany.
Other than yourself, who are the other key players behind the scenes?
We are all key players at Eleveight! We are a team, a family, and we rely and depend so much on each other. We trust each other in all that we do and make sure we are all on the same page. Our company was built on mutual confidence and trust, and I consider all of our people as key players. We have many people doing their best each day in every department and our priority is really to give our best and satisfy our customers overall… we are driven by this common goal.
How far into things did you start to focus on foiling as a growing market?
It is quite impressive how the sport of wingfoiling pushed all brands to develop foil products in a very short period of time. When winging appeared, we were fully expanding our product line in kitesurfing and growing a lot. When winging was starting to take off, we decided to spend more time and energy in what we knew how to do best: kitesurfing.
A few years on, and I can still say that this decision was the right one. In developing foils and wings we certainly took a bit more time than other competitors, but our new WFS, Evolve and HXS range are clearly making all our customers happy. Next year we will start expanding our range by making additional new and exciting wing products, as well as adding a lot of new board sizes and a brand new high performance foil range.
So you will be building your own foils?
Yes, we started slowly back then at the beginning by making wings in a few different sizes, but we externalized the foil production. For next year, all our foil designs will be developed internally with a much better and more sophisticated R&D process. It will be a big step forward in our hydrofoils, for sure.
Did you have a sense of how big the sport was going to get when you began?
To be frank, like many others, when I saw the first wing picture, I was really sceptical. But hey, who wasn’t back then?! I had no real opinion about which direction the sport would take, but after a while and trying it myself (and obviously getting addicted!), I understood all the doors and dimensions that winging would open… Basically, you feel safe on a wing, you are not hooked to any kite, so you feel free, it is also lighter than a windsurf sail in your arms, so less physical, you can simply go back and forth on an inflatable SUP if you don’t want to push the sport further and just get your first ride sensation. You can also ride any small beach or lake that was inaccessible with a kite, and the magic of using the wing to catch waves and do infinite downwinders in the swell is an incredible feeling…
Amen to that. So give us an overview of your foil range right now…
We have a very versatile, crossover wing named the WFS. It is a wing with a deep profile, made with a boom. We decided to keep using booms for this year and I would say that 90% of our users who have been riding the WFS are now hooked to the boom system. It gives so much comfort, especially for freeriding and freestyle, and you can place your hands wherever you want to for water starts, transitions and enjoy smoother passes. For next year we will keep this product in our line-up, and add a second wing model that's very light, and made with a new handle system. The new model will still remain a versatile wing, but will have more focus on wave riding and pure performance.
The Evolve board has a whole range of sizes, fat 55, 72, 90, 125 liters, in a PVC carbon sandwich construction. For next year we are extending our range with new sizes. We have chosen the most comprehensive construction methods using a PVC carbon sandwich with carbon reinforcements for each insert and are so happy about the feedback. It ensures our boards have a very direct feel and are extremely durable while still being lightweight. The high degree of customer satisfaction and zero warranty cases confirms it.
Good construction is very important. It is cool to have an extremely light board, but boards are suffering a lot when winging. I see many users hitting sand banks, hitting rocks, falling hard on their boards or weaknesses around the inserts… So being robust, stiff and direct and still light is key for a wing board.
We share the task of product development and testing between Portugal, France and also Brazil. We exchange a lot of information between us, including our own feedback and how we can improve the products. We also sometimes involve our dealer network in the testing of our products, and they give the most interesting feedback, fresh, from the market itself!
You have a growing team of ambassadors. How does your selection process work for anyone wanting to join your foil team?
We don’t look to have too many ambassadors; we just want to have the right people who fit the brand and our values. Our “army” of ambassadors are clearly doing an incredible job and have helped us since the very beginning to extend our vision, our products and the brand image. We always try to support them in the best possible way, and we are proud of what they do for us. They are the eyes and the ears in every single country and market, they are very loyal to the brand, and they help us by reporting issues as well as any new opportunities in each market.
So finally, who’s out there killing it on the Eleveight foil gear right now?
We have many local and national riders but don’t yet have any international riders. As we are extending and going deeper into our foil range now, we are looking for a young and talented rider to help and grow with our brand, like we did with kiting in the past. I personally think Titouan Galea and Hugo Marin are the best riders out there, but there is an army of young guns ready to rip and kill it on Eleveight gear in the near future…
Coach Casey returns with another essential how-to guide...
• Wing: Enough to easily get going but smaller is better. My choice would be the Vayu Aura.
• Board: Downwind SUP Foil Board. I’d recommend the Sunova x Casey Downwind Aviator Elite 6'3 x 21 x 90L.
• Foil: Match it to the conditions but a larger foil to be safe. I recommend the AXIS 1300, short fuse, 475 progressive tail, 75cm high modulus mast.
• Dry Bag: Big enough to fit your deflated wing inside it.
• Paddle: Stiff shaft, big blade. My choice – the VMG Orca 89.
• Paddle-to-boom tie downs/Velcro:. I use an inner tube but you can use tie downs or Velcro to attach.
• Firstly, practice deflating. As simple as it sounds maybe, but you need to re-enact it as if you are either sitting on your board or managing the wing while you are up on foil.
• Practice packing the wing up. Again, it sounds easy, but it is trickier in the water so you'll want practice with the dry bag to make sure your wing fits and the bag is snug on your back with the wing in it.
Start with a short upwind run, less than 500m from the beach, to do your first deflate downwinder.
• Start by winging upwind about 500m and ensure you have a straight downwind shot to where you started.
• Put your dry bag with the wing in it on your back and secure it across your chest or waist strap to prevent too much movement while paddling.
• Wait for the right bump and paddle up onto foil.
• It's easiest if you sit down on your board.
• Take your paddle off the boom.
• Deflate your wing, be mindful to keep the deflate and inflate valve above the water, this is why a higher volume board is preferred.
• Once deflated, fold your wing then close the inflate/deflate valve, then pack it into dry bag. If you get water in your dry bag drain as much as you can, as water is unnecessary weight.
After a few practice runs or if you are confident, you can start trying to deflate the wing while up on foil.
Advantages to this:
• The wing stays drier!
• You may not have to come down off foil at all which means no pack up required.
• The paddle and dry bag are there as a backup option.
Disadvantages to this:
• It’s tough to deflate whilst reading bumps…
• Potential for an awkward fall with someone filming from a distance…
My preferred size of the Appleslice V2 is the 4’9. The board comes in sizes ranging from 35L all the way up to 110L, so there are a lot to choose from. My preferred size is the 60L as it gives me the most all-round performance and I can ride it in almost all wind conditions. It’s just sinking below the surface at my weight, but not too much that it’s impossible to get up on foil in light wind. At the same time it’s small enough that the size and weight of the board is not holding you back in turns and jumps.
The ‘slice V2 is made in Appletree’s own vacuum construction. It’s based around a strong waterproof core, which is amazing when you travel a lot. No need to mess around with air vents, the foam is fully airtight as well. In the unlikely event of damage to the board, you can just go and ride it, there is no risk of the board taking up any water. The construction is 100% carbon fiber, with a recycled PET honeycomb around the foil box. This gives a super direct feel, you can really feel the foil more directly and it turns and pumps more efficiently. Lastly, the construction is super strong. I have not had or seen any Appletree board break, and also the foil box does not get loose over time. Even with heavy use!
My adventure with Appletree started with the testing of the Jazz model and we can say that some of the shape features translated to the Appleslice V2 but the two shapes are very different now. The Jazz is wider and flatter for catching you on tricks. The ‘slice V2 is longer and narrower, better suited for wave riding and speed. It's been close to two years since riding the initial prototype that led to the final product.
The Appletree factory is close to where I live in Portugal, so I visit them often. They make each board like a custom and you can order it the way you want it, which is very unique for a company of that size.
I’m looking for an easy take off in a board. When you fall in the impact zone, when you ride in lighter wind conditions or when the wind dies a bit and you are out there in the ocean, that’s all I really want, is for the board to be there for me on the take off.
The shape of the V2 took the best new features from the Jazz board that really make this new version very easy to manage during take-off, with a flat tail section giving that extra flotation and pressure point to pump the foil up and the nose is also completely new with a much more forgiving rocker for when you touch down, preventing you from nose diving.
Testing and putting input to any new design is a dream for anyone who likes solving problems and I just love it. Knowing that someone will ride and smile using something that you helped build is a great feeling as well.
I live at a light wind spot and it can be very gusty at times. For that reason, 60L is my choice and I try to use it in any other type of conditions because I already know that setup like the palm of my hand. But… if we are in a place with very strong winds, like Tarifa, a 35L or 40L will be easier to handle in the air due to its smaller size and less weight.
It’s tricky to pick the ultimate place to ride the Appleslice
V2. Too many amazing spots around the world. But if I had to choose, I’ll go with one closer to home here in Portugal, called Moledo. It’s right on the border between Portugal and Spain and it’s an unknown paradise with strong north winds all summer long and rolling swells from miles away providing endless rides and endless ramps to jump off.
PHOTOS ROD OWEN
LOCATION NAMOTU LEFTS, FIJI
DATE SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2022
RIDER & WORDS JOSHUA KU
We’re going to go out on a limb with this one… Joshua Ku’s day job as a surf guide on Namotu might just be as good as it gets. It turns out most days are Red Letter Days out here… so we asked to hear about two of them.
5.30am, the alarm goes off. This is moments before the sun rises. I walk out of my bure and to the main deck of the island and grab my cup of coffee. I sit down with the other staff of the island and watch out the front… Namotu Lefts reel off as pastel colors start to illuminate the horizon.
I’m a surf guide on this island and my job is to make sure all of the 26 guests get the most out of their week here on Namotu. So I check the tides, get a feel for where people wanna surf and direct them in the best way I can. As Namotu Lefts is generally a fat left hander, I'm letting all the longboarders and not-so-confident surfers know that it’s pretty much firing out there right now. Then I grab my foil, going with the Unifoil Vyper 130, short fuse, shiv G10 tail, 83cm mast and my Amos Raptor 4’5 x 27L board.
I get a long boat out to the surf zone which is a two-minute ride with the ever-so-happy Fijian boatman, Jone. I position myself at the end of the wave where it fattens up a bit as, even though this is considered a fat wave for Fiji, it’s still got a lot of grunt from the energy in the South Pacific. My game plan is to pump out the back and pretty much ride the swells until it turns into this beautiful left hander.
Even though I was potentially too powered up for the size of the waves I wanted, I was still able to connect two to three waves. It’s incredible how close to surfing the Vyper is, allowing you to get to the pocket of the wave. I was focusing really hard on drawing out my bottom turns to allow me to get real vertical on the face, although these are different, more exaggerated lines than surfing.
After forgetting to apply any sunscreen and getting torched by the sun, it was time to head into my ready-made breakfast of porridge and a side of açai. Life doesn’t get much better!
"I POSITION MYSELF AT THE END OF THE WAVE WHERE IT FATTENS UP A BIT AS, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS CONSIDERED A FAT WAVE FOR FIJI, IT’S STILL GOT A LOT OF GRUNT FROM THE ENERGY IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC."
RIDER & WORDS JOSHUA KU
PHOTOS PETER “JOLI” WILSON
LOCATION NAMOTU LEFTS, FIJI
DATE SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2022
For Fiji standards this was a pretty average day, conditions wise. We woke up to a mega full moon high tide and the swell was barely breaking. Back in the day you would have been spewing if you traveled the whole way to Fiji and this is what you woke up to. Fortunately for us foilers this just means it's a High Aspect day. Lucky enough to be involved in the new “Progression Project” / Unifoil collaboration, I whacked on the 170 Progression wing this time.
With no one else on the island who foils besides this Costa Rican frother Andrew, we hitched a ride out on one of the long boats with a tow rope tied to the awning of the boat. Usually the boat drops you off in the channel and you paddle to the take-off, however today it was unsurfable for the traditional surfer so the boat drove over the reef whipping us into these swell lines that sometimes would crumble a fraction.
Like the name suggests, this is a left-hander that breaks over very sharp live coral. The wave is generally 100-300m for your average surfer, however, for foiling, the wave at high tide then runs into a lagoon that keeps the swell energy alive enough to ride for another 500m, ripping wedges, left to right. We foiled our brains out, staying out there for the whole of the high tide, making the most of the boat towing us in. I’ve been working on trying to connect swells without pumping and making my foiling as effortless and flow-like as possible. I’m getting a lot of my inspiration from big mountain snowboard films.
Namotu Island is a dream. Expelling all your energy getting as much time up on foil, riding the whole way from out the back to the sand and getting picked up by the boat and getting towed back out to do it again... I was exhausted. Or buggered as us Aussies call it…
RIDER & WORDS ABEL LAGO
PHOTOS JAIME MARTINEZ
LOCATION LOURO, GALICIA
DATE TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2022
The sandbanks at his local spot have been favorable to Abel Lago in 2022, and this day in particular proved one of the best yet for his new favorite hobby…
This day started with a good surf on my short board, straight after the morning coffee. The forecast was fantastic, with head high waves, glassy conditions in the morning and thermal wind in the afternoon at our home spot, Area Maior beach. Area Maior is the beach where I have one of my centers, and it’s a pretty perfect surf spot that gets a lot of windy days, especially in spring and the summertime. The northwest wind blows every afternoon between 2pm and 8pm and can get up to 20 knots, and the wind blows sideoff from the right. With kitesurfing or windsurfing, it’s a bit difficult to ride because on the beach the wind is a bit gusty. But for wingfoiling, it’s just perfect for riding waves.
The swell came a bit late this day, and with a lot of power because of its westerly direction. We normally ride at low tide to get the good open-faced waves, but on that day we had open waves even at high tide… the perfect combination to be able to ride perfect waves with deep enough water to not catch the foil. Martin Tieles – fresh from coming 2nd in the waves discipline at the recent nationals – was pushing through the critical section of his first wave but ended up on the beach after being smashed by a strong shorebreak (young blood!). I was choosing better waves and riding some good ones, but I also got a few good lips to the head. It’s a whole new experience, getting caught by waves on a wingfoil… you have more to worry about than on a kite, but the adrenaline is higher and the experience is amazing.
We surfed for more than two hours, it was a fantastic day pushing each other to go deeper and faster on the sections. When we’d finally had enough lips on the head and the wind started to drop, we decided to do some surf foiling. The take-off on a surf foil with overhead waves is like dropping in on a barrel at Pipeline. Every wave is a mission and each single successful take off is a victory. Luckily for us, the waves this year have been perfect, so even the third session of the day was fantastic.
"IT’S A WHOLE NEW EXPERIENCE, GETTING CAUGHT BY WAVES ON A WINGFOIL… YOU HAVE MORE TO WORRY ABOUT THAN ON A KITE, BUT THE ADRENALINE IS HIGHER AND THE EXPERIENCE IS AMAZING."
THE RIGHT LIFEJACKET FOR EACH APPLICATION
A-SERIES 7M
FROTH V2 5’4 (AND AXIS ULTRASHORT ADVANCE FUSELAGE)
4M FREEDOM FOIL BOARDS HALCYON 1030
122 ION PROTECTION SUIT 3/2 SS FRONT ZIP
NORTH SONAR HA850 & HA1050 + SONAR CF85 EDITION MAST
CABRINHA X-SERIES MKII 930 & 1240
SIGNATURE
The MOJO has a particularly important place in my personal wingsurfing heritage. Back when I was just starting out with the sport, my first few sessions were pure frustration as I tried in vain to get going in offshore conditions – I reckon I must have swam 10k+ back to shore over a few weeks as time-after-time I couldn’t get any long runs in. Enter the MOJO. I got hold of the MOJO 6.2… Suddenly, on my first run, I had so much power that I was up and riding, staying upwind, and made it back to the beach first time. It was a wing with exceptional low-end usability and I’ve since handed it over to a few of my local crew who have been struggling with the power you need for those first few sessions and they have had similar experiences. So I was excited to see how a smaller MOJO would fare…
For those coming from a pure foiling or winging background, some backstory: Flysurfer have been around the kite scene for over 20 years. They build both inflatable kites and also insanely quick ‘foil’ kites – so quick in fact that a significant chunk of the Olympic kitefoilers in Marseille in 2024 are likely to be riding them. So when it comes to making things to capture the wind most effectively, Flysurfer have a good pedigree! Winging is a different ball game of course, so how have they approached the MOJO Pure? Well the first thing that you notice is the chunky LE and strut – larger than I think any other wing we have tested. Even on a 4.5m, pumping is a good warm up for the arms, and the end result is an exceptionally rigid structure. Flysurfer now offer two options for the MOJO, we had the Pure which is the stripped down lighter weight option, then there is also the Bright Edition which has windows and additional handles. The MOJO Pure, that said, is not the lightest of wings, but it is not trying to be, and this level of rigidity comes with some compromise in weight. For control there are three wide, well cushioned handles on the strut and a similarly proportioned handle on the LE. On the water and the 4.5m MOJO Pure shows similar characteristics to the 6.2m. The low end is immediately there and – even in lulls (and with a gusty offshore launch) – provides excellent traction. For pumping the stiffness of the MOJO Pure ensures that pumps are immediately transferred into power and we found that the 4.5m provided comfortably as much power as other 5-5.5m wings that we have tested in terms of ‘get up and go’.
The profile of the MOJO Pure is relatively compact ensuring that wingtips stay well clear and also enabling you to really spin the MOJO Pure round in transitions. The handles are comfortable to hold and there is enough space on the wide handles to make 10-15cm
adjustments to suit the conditions and, even after a long session, the padding ensures minimal hand-fatigue.
For a beginner rider the MOJO Pure would be an excellent choice with the predictable behavior and power development, and with the low-end getting you up and going nice and easily. For intermediate and above riders, you can easily ride the MOJO Pure a size smaller than other wings and the predictable behavior and well-balanced performance enable you to concentrate on what is going on under your feet rather than in your hands… AH
FLYSURFER MOJO PURE 4.5M
POWER DEVELOPMENT
DEPOWER ABILITY
RESTING STATE ABILITY
AGILITY
OVERALL STABILITY
UPWIND PERFORMANCE
SETUP SPEED
DURABILITY
WORLDWIDE DESTINATIONS
WORLDWIDE DESTINATIONS
FUERTEVENTURA I GOLF DE ROSES I TARIFA
ION CLUB KITESURF HOLIDAYS
MAURITIUS I ESSAOUIRA I DAKHLA I ALACATI I CABARETE I SAL
FUERTEVENTURA / GOLF DE ROSES / TARIFA
MAURITIUS / CABARETE / SAL / ESSAOUIRA
DAKHLA / SAFAGA
ION CLUB WINGFOIL HOLIDAYS
T +49 881 9096 010
travel@ion-club.de
T +49 881 9254 960
bookings@ion-club.net
BOOKING ONLINE AVAILABLE
A couple of issues back we tested the Big Mama of the Pocket Air range. Coming in at 117 liters, it proved itself an impressive board for starting out on, or for heavier riders. We were particularly impressed with the weight of the board and thought that it was one of the most impressive entries we had seen to the wing board market. It was, however, a big board – so we requested a small one to see how it performed at the more intermediate/advanced end of the spectrum! Enter the 67 liter… This comes in at 6.4kg so again a respectable weight and, paired with a full carbon foil set up, is super lightweight and easy to carry around.
The smaller Pocket Air is a ‘compact’ board, coming in at a 137cm in length, with the bulk of the volume tucked away in its generous thickness. Its relatively square nose provides more volume as well as more buoyancy upfront, while the tail has a distinctive step up through the end section. The board has a fish-style tail and the rocker is relatively continuous although flattens out completely through the back third of the board.
On the water and this 67l can be knee started – not by a beginner, but if you understand the movements, it provides more stability than you would expect for a sub 70l board. It is relatively short and stubby and this width provides a little extra space and enables a wider stance with your knees so you can lock in and get to your feet quite comfortably. Of course the more power you have, the easier this is… Once you are on your feet the Pocket Air immediately feels super solid and stiff and you feel nicely connected with the foil. With the pulled in tail there is less board in contact with the water once you start planing, and we then found that it popped up onto the foil quicker than other boards in this bracket.
Up on the foil and the supplied foot straps are comfortable and the strap placement is spot on. The board feels solid and lively and – if you’re moving down from an 85+ liter board then it feels small and responsive. For touch downs, the wide nose is forgiving if you land flat, and for jumps if you land square then it begins tracking again immediately and is an excellent platform for this… In the surf, the boxier shape is less forgiving and it is easier to catch the nose while riding a wave but the shorter length also makes this less likely…
Overall an excellent board for an aspiring intermediate who still wants to be able to knee start but wants the benefits of less board under their feet. The step in the tail ensures a super crisp take off and overall we found the Pocket Air 65l as impressive and suitable for its target audience as its bigger brother. AH
Okay, so I’m not going to deny that it’s a bit daunting when the board that Kai Lenny has been raving about lands in the hands of the test crew here at Foiling Magazine. On the plus side, you know that Kai has been absolutely shredding on it, so it definitely works! So you can treat that as a ‘real world’ appraisal of the board…
The Ginxu (if you are wondering how to pronounce that then check out the man-behind-the-board Keith Teboul talking us through it at the AWSI!) has certainly turned a lot of heads since it arrived on the scene. Why? Well take a look at the pictures. From the bottom it’s only really two thirds of a board… It was interesting hearing about how the KT crew went about testing prototypes in the tech-development crucible of Maui – boards hidden in board bags and then whisked away well offshore or to secret spots to be tested out. It truly is a completely different approach to foilboarding…
So, on to the board… The Step Bottom is the striking feature and is what sets it apart from everything else in the market. The intention of this is simple: to bring the mast of the foil closer to your back foot, thus ensuring a more responsive and connected riding experience. In doing this, the KT team also realized that this means that once you are up on the Ginxu, your mast is effectively always flying as those top couple of inches are always out of the water. We’ll come onto whether this works shortly, but the biggest challenge with this concept is the construction. Through stepping up the tail in such a pronounced way, you are effectively building-in a massive weak point on the board… After a lot of busted prototypes, with Keith’s heritage in building bombproof windsurf boards, and with some top-end materials they have arrived at a formula that they were happy with (and were happy to warranty!). The Ginxu is light too, the 62l we had on test weights in at 6.16kg.
In terms of the plan shape, the Ginxu is ‘compact’ but retains the surf-inspired outline that you find across the KT range – it’s wide in the middle but the nose and tail come in to ensure maximum forgiveness in the surf and in landing maneuvers in choppier conditions. The MFC deck grip is super comfortable to ride and not overly-cushioned, adding to the well-connected feel.
On the water and – back to the real world – we had the 62l on test which – in marginal conditions – required knee. This would not be the case in the larger sizes, but one obvious challenge with this smaller board is that without the surface area of the back 1/3 of the board, the Ginxu rides very ‘nose up’ when getting going on your knees and is pretty wobbly. This took some getting used to but was doable and, once you are on your feet and the board begins tracking, it is all good.
As soon as the board begins to generate some speed the benefits of this design are evident: it just wants to fly! The foil feels more engaged, and just as you are ready to give it a couple of little pumps to get it going, it takes off on its own. There is clearly an earlier lift than with other wingboards – it is a bit disconcerting at first but once you have attuned into it, it basically feels like you have a turbo that engages as soon as you get up to riding speed, and you are off with zero effort…
Cruising around on the board feels good – you are closer to the foil and more tuned in – but for regular riders it is not going to feel significantly different to a ‘standard’ board. The real difference is felt when you come back down onto the board – as the foil doesn’t ever completely touch down you have this strange sensation of being on the water, but still on the foil, and when it comes to coming back up on the foil this requires minimum effort – the board pops up with no stickiness and you are up and riding again. It’s a totally different sensation, and we liked it. For transitions, or for coming off a wave, you just have much more confidence that the board is not going to ‘bog down’ and that you can allow yourself a little touch down and the board will just take off again right away.
We tested the Ginxu from a complete ‘winging’ perspective (we’re looking to test a smaller size in the surf) and can say that – even though the sport is in its early years – this does feel like a true innovation that benefits the winging experience for all riders, not just the Kai Lennys of this world… AH
With the rapid growth and development of the sport, it’s easy to overlook developments in entry level foils. However, as more high-performance foils get developed you'd like to think that there are elements that trickle down to the entry level foils making them easier to use and better for progression and it's becoming clear that more brands are putting just as much effort into making the sport as accessible as possible. The Universal 2400 is RRD’s entry level model, aimed at getting you going in beginner-friendly conditions whilst also doubling as a great freeride and light wind foil for heavier riders. The Universal Alu comes in two sizes; 1600cm2 and the 2400cm2 that we tested. At 2400cm2 and with a span of 110cm (AR 5) this is not a small foil. The foil was tested with the 85cm aluminum mast, 76cm fuse and matching 373cm2 rear wing. For this test the foil was tested in both flat water and small waves using a 5’10 wing board as well as a 6’4 SUP foil board in combination with the 5m RRD Wind Wing (rider height 175cm / 5’9 and 78kg / 172lbs).
This foil really surprised us with how versatile it is. Given its large size it has the expected low end and stability that allows you to get going at very low speeds and is very easy to control. This is great for beginner wingfoilers and those looking to get started with SUP foiling. Its ease of use is partly due to the large span and medium aspect ratio and partly thanks to the long fuselage. The foil has a gentle takeoff, even at higher speeds in more powered conditions. However, where this foil really exceeded expectations was its high end. For its size, the profile isn't too thick, and the AR isn’t too low. This meant that it felt much less ‘draggy’ than expected and opened up the foil’s range allowing it to be used fairly powered and at relatively high speeds. The impressive range therefore also makes it suitable for heavier riders looking for a light wind freeride foil and even for those looking for a foil to start SUP foiling and SUP foil downwinding (especially those wanting to work on their flat-water paddle ups!).
In small mushy waves this foil keeps up and even allows for some small trim turns and wider turns. What stood out the most when testing this foil was not only how surprisingly well this foil turns but how little flex you experience when turning such a huge wing. This is a true testament to the rigidity of the RRD mast and fuselage system which is something we have noticed when testing the Spark and Blaze wings too.
As a beginner foil this foil ticks all the boxes and its performance makes it a great option for heavier riders looking for a light wind freeride foil to wing, SUP and even downwind SUP. RRD’s modular system and vast range also mean that it's easy to ‘grow’ within their foil range which is another appealing factor both for familiarity and financially, factors which are often overlooked by those who are new to the sport. JM
The Glide A-Series has been warmly received globally, with the stiffer ALUULA fabric, stiffer airframe and weight saving giving tangible advantages over standard Dacron wings. It makes a lot of sense for Ocean Rodeo to utilize their advanced materials, which have become well-established in pushing the lightwind boundaries of wingfoiling.
Inflation-wise, we’re packing 12 PSI into the strut, which is very low diameter and pretty much unbendable when pumped up. The leading edge carries a generous amount of diameter right into the tips, which are squared off to prevent dipping the wingtip in the water, and this 7m is roughly the same span as the 6m. The sail has the classic extension to the trailing edge that most of the larger wings across brands now feature, lowering the aspect ratio and increasing that all important grunt factor. It’s stripped down and lean, and just like the smaller sizes, all reinforcements are ALUULA, and there’s no neoprene covers on the one-pump cap. It’s all geared for lightness and efficiency from the get-go. There’s a light amount of dihedral, meaning there’s a decent amount of sail area presented to the wind when you’re flying – this makes a lot of sense for a lightwind-optimized wing.
Of course, the full ALUULA airframe means it’s extremely light, coming in at just under 2.4kg on our scales, which for a 7m is miraculously light, particularly when you consider it has some small windows integrated in the canopy. Handling the wing is as easy as it gets for a wing of this size. The minimization of fatigue is very noticeable when you’re in limp mode of having to physically hold the sail up in a lull.
When it comes to power development, the absence of flex in the airframe means you don’t really need to pump much, you can literally lower the wing into the wind and take off with a minimum of fuss. If you do need to pump a little, we’d recommend putting the Matrix handle system on the wider settings. This tightens up the response from that ultra-stiff strut and improves pumping efficiency. There’s a carbon boom system about to hit the market that could also be an excellent addition, particularly on a wing of this size and proposed usage.
It’s a wing completely geared for low end use and is going to suit heavier riders or spots with really light thermal conditions in the 6 to 12 knot zone. In some larger wings we’ve tested, there’s a fairly narrow window of usability in comparison to the benchmark 5m, but the inherent solidity of the ALUULA frame means that the wing holds its shape well when overpowered, and remains comfortable a little longer than a Dacron equivalent. In low speed or underpowered jibes, which are often a catch point of larger wings, the lightness
shines through again, and if you keep the wing high, it won’t tip out on you. Its lightness means it will luff onto a wave amiably if the angles are correct, though you need to manage expectations on the extremity of your carves. The stiff front handle also really helps grapple the beast back where it should be if it does start to misbehave.
To get the most out of these light air conditions the 7m pairs better with a larger board and a larger, more efficient foil, and needs to be considered as part of a lightwind setup, rather than perhaps the basis for one. For the average sized human, taking it out with a 40l board in light wind isn’t what it’s designed for.
The 7m A-Series is a wing that’s going to open up conditions you previously wouldn’t have bothered with; it allows you to ride in super marginal conditions confidently and with low fatigue, and it’s as user friendly and efficient as larger wings get. RB
OCEAN RODEO GLIDE A-SERIES 7M
POWER DEVELOPMENT
DEPOWER ABILITY
RESTING STATE ABILITY
AGILITY
OVERALL STABILITY
UPWIND PERFORMANCE
SETUP SPEED
DURABILITY
AXIS released the Froth V1 last year as their first wing and SUP foil crossover board in the larger sizes. Its squarer outline and high levels of stability per liter made it a popular choice amongst novice to intermediate wingfoilers. This year heralds not only a complete redesign to make it a little leaner and faster, but also a massive range of sizes, ranging from 45l to 160l, enabling you to tailor to pretty much any level of rider or situation. We were given the 105l to test, a comfortable 15l of positive buoyancy, which would suit beginners through to intermediates in lighter winds.
Shape-wise, there’s a clear evolution from the last Froth, bringing it in line with the more progressive shapes. A more pronounced rounded-off nose with a medium amount of rocker in its front section makes the board penetrate the chop far more effectively than the V1, and it gains speed rapidly, whilst remaining very stable. Volume placement contributes towards this stability and is very even throughout the board, with plenty hidden in the nose, and it packs some literage into a compact length. This helps tailor it for the latest swathe of high-aspect, skinnier profiled hydrofoils which need more board speed and persuasion to take off. The flat tail shape both elongates the planing surface and promotes a fuss-free and clean takeoff. The rail bevel on the underside fades out to a straight 90-degree bevel, again increasing the all-important planing surface. The foil box position accommodates the AXIS system perfectly. To line up with the footstrap placements, we found the HPS series wings sat well in the middle of the box, whereas the ART series would sit three quarters of the way forward. The footstrap configuration is a Y setup of self-tapping inserts with plenty of options to get yourself comfortable position-wise.
Construction-wise, it’s a carbon layup over EPS, and retains a light and lively feel to the board, even at 105l. A Gore-Tex vent plug lets the board breathe in the heat or on the plane, and the red gloss finish seems fairly hard-wearing. A luxurious deck pad has defined colored lines across it to let you glance down and gauge your foot position. A clever hump in the kick area allows water to drain out of
the slightly concave deck, which lets you feel secure and planted if strapless, striking a good balance between grip and comfort.
The Froth V2 is an exceptionally friendly board to ride in this size, giving adequate buoyancy by maintaining a generous level of volume in a short board, and therefore minimizing swing weight, making it feel sportive for its literage and more controllable in the higher wind ranges, where it seems to point upwind more aggressively than a flat-nosed board. RB
AXIS responded to prone consumer demand to enable extra turning mobility in their system by a small change to their existing B-Series fuse, which essentially brings the front wing 40mm closer to the mast. The B-Series fuse is compatible with their HPS and ART ranges, as well as some of the smaller BSC and PNG front wings. In the water, the pitch control feels a little different at first, and you may wish to shift your foil box position a little further forward to help balance your board out.
Turning-wise, it feels almost as if you’ve dropped a front wing size but not sacrificed any stability. The foil has a new eagerness to turn, particularly in the yaw axis, and it provides a more connected and ‘surfy’ feeling which opens up tighter radiuses and more aggressive turning, where it provided a more constant front foot pressure and feedback throughout a committed turn. To get the most out of it, we think it pairs best with the smaller P-Series progressive tails.
Pumping-wise, we found that the Ultrashort Advance fuse let you get ‘out of the hole’ a little easier if you do lose speed and feel like
you’re going to bog; getting back up to pace didn’t seem too stressful. There’s also perhaps a slightly slower cadence required to maintain speed.
Carrying the new fuse over into the ever-popular method of wing propulsion, the extra mobility on the wave is definitely apparent, and it felt a little more sure-footed at speed. You maybe sacrifice a tiny fragment of upwind ability, but on the smaller, faster foils the B-Series generally accommodates, it’s pretty negligible.
It’s truly amazing what significance a 40mm geometry change can do to a system, and kudos to AXIS for listening to consumer demand and opening the door to a bucket more performance in their already comprehensive foil ecosystem. You could compare it to ordering that ‘handling pack’ on your new BMW. RB
We designed the 950 S to give you the best gliding and speed sensation. With no doubt, you'll have the highest performance that you could imagined
Slingshot’s newest addition to the wing foil lineup is the all-new Javelin wing. Utilizing a full-length boom and innovative active sheeting system, the Javelin is ideal for riders looking for the ultimate control and flexibility in a wing. The first, most noticeable design choice is the boom in lieu of multiple soft, or rigid handles. The two-piece carbon boom has two sections, one long main section, and a smaller extension section. This means riders will not have to buy multiple booms, or deal with heavy windsurf style extensions. Just one boom will fit every wing size, where smaller wings (4m and smaller) use the one piece long main boom, and larger wings (4.5m and larger) will add the small extension. The 4m that was tested only used the long boom section, the smaller extension was not required. The boom was simple and easy to connect with two push pins on each end. Sand and salt did not seem to be a factor for this connection, however it seems like a good idea to rinse these parts off with freshwater after each session.
The next unique component to the Javelin is the active sheeting/ canopy tensioning strap. This allows for riders to adjust the wings power and shape on the fly. The tensioning strap wraps around the boom and connects back to itself with a plastic G hook. Assembly and rigging is quick, intuitive, and simple. Slingshot have done an outstanding job with the details of the construction and design of the Javelin, and overall the Javelin feels very well built and ready to withstand abuse from serious freestyle or wave riding. The Javelin 4m was tested in wind 25-30mph. Rider 6'4, 170lb.
Right away the control of the boom is the most noticeable ride characteristic of the Javelin. It is incredibly easy to pull the wing around into the window and backwind or let the leading edge flag out for maximum power. Riders should expect a brief adaptation period as the Javelin does have a different riding style than many other wings on the market. The Javelin will perform best riding a bit deeper in the window with maximum power.
For freestyling, the Javelin is a monster, and flips and rotations are significantly easier than with a less powerful wing. The power and control when it backwinds is unrivaled, the first 360 turned into an inadvertent 720 and, once that backwind power is anticipated, riders will take their freestyle game to a complete new level. The boom allows for comfortable one handed riding, and opens up a whole world of powered boosts with grabs.
The active sheeting/canopy tensioning system was interesting and took some experimentation to get right. When the sail is fully loaded, it can be difficult to adjust the strap on the fly. Additionally, the strut inflation pressure did change the amount of adjustability that could be achieved. It was, however, very fun to experiment with and fine tune throughout a session. There was a definite change in the
power delivery and ride profile when the tensioning strap was pulled in vs. let out. Most riders will find a spot that feels good for their style and discipline and probably not adjust too much on the fly. But experimenting with different strut pressures and canopy tensions will allow riders to customize the Javelin to their exact preferences, and this brings a whole new level of diversity to one wing… I found that after some adjustments, more slack in the tensioning strap provided extra power and backwind capability for freestyle, and pulling it in helped for wave riding balance.
Overall the Javelin is an outstanding wing for riders of all abilities and styles. The power delivery diversity that can be achieved from one platform is insane. This is a wing that can be set up to send massive boosts, multiple rotations, inverts, and grabs, and still be tuned to a finely balanced wave riding machine. This wide range combined with Slingshot’s first-class construction means the Javelin is a top contender. ST
Freedom Foil Boards have already built up a solid fanbase with their range of foil boards and so it only makes sense for them to want to expand their offerings to foils as well. Designed with FFB’s surf foil origins in mind, the Halcyon (available in 810, 1030 and 1230 sizes) has been designed with accessibility at its core and aims to bring a complete surf foil experience to users of all levels.
The Halcyon comes as a full carbon set up with a sleek fuselage that fits flush with the mast thanks to the internal mast and fuselage connection. The profile of the fuse eliminates any torsional twist from the wing which slides onto the fuse thanks to a tapered connection. A reduced footprint on the mast base plate widens the mounting range on your board and gives you more range within your foil box to dial in your setup. The set comes standard with 0 degree and -1 degrees shims which allow you to further tune your set up and, overall, the foil has a very high-quality finish with no play or alignment issues. FFB even supplies the foil with a well thought out carry bag for travel and transport.
From the range, we tested the Halcyon 1030 (which has an AR of 8.7 and span of 86cm) in small knee-high surf up to waist high waves both surf foiling and winging. Our testers preferred using the -1 shim for a looser and surfier feel and found that it gave the foil a slightly livelier feel (rider height 175cm / 5ft 9” and weight 78kg / 172lbs).
First impressions on the Halcyon when you take off are how ‘surfy’ it feels. There’s no sudden lift when paddling into a wave and a very balanced foot pressure and feel meant it almost felt like just popping up on a surfboard. The foil is extremely responsive thanks to the 60cm fuselage and excels when turning and carving on waves, with a distinct acceleration accompanying each turn incentivizing you not to pump on a wave and truly enjoy the ‘surf’ part of surf foiling. That does not mean it doesn’t pump well, on the contrary, despite surfing like a mid-aspect the Halcyon has pretty decent pump and glide characteristics meaning that connecting waves is no issue whatsoever (with a few of the FFB team riders even using it to downwind).
The Halcyon has been designed to cater to all levels of rider specifically in the surf. For its size it has a great low end, allowing you to correct and recover from any mistakes easily. This is complemented by the glide, which surprised us at times when we thought that the foil would stall. With the shims supplied you can change the foil from a slightly more stable set up perfect for those making their first forays into foiling to a looser, more dynamic foil perfect for those wanting to improve their turns and replicate their surfing on foil. On the
other end of the speed spectrum, whilst the high end may not break any speed records, the foil isn’t slow and never gets to a point where it feels uncomfortable, but instead stays stable and controllable giving you the confidence to push your limits. Winging with the Halcyon is also extremely fun thanks to the easy turning characteristics. The Halcyon is a great foil for those who really want to push the ‘surfiness’ of their foiling (be it prone or winging) and are looking to replicate that surf feeling on foil. It caters to all levels and abilities and the 1030 is perfect as an all arounder in knee to chest high conditions. JM
Armstrong are never a brand afraid to span into any of the foiling disciplines, and they’ve just released the WKT standing for Wake, Kite, Tow, which comes in three sizes – 109, 122 and 137cm – sliding neatly into the minimal pocket board sector. Board size should be selected on your desired discipline and weight, and Armstrong have a comprehensive guide to choosing the correct weapon. We’ve seen Austin Tovey popping double backflips with it behind the boat, so were quite eager to get our hands on it.
First off, each board comes complete with a beautifully tailored padded bag, which is essential for keeping it safe, be it in a vehicle or on a boat. This has capacity for foil-on storage with a Velcro aperture at the tail end. The closure is formed from zips and a little Velcro tab locks these off neatly. They provide M6 316L bolts and M6 T30 Torx head size, with matching deck inserts which can be configured in a Y or straight configuration. Large titanium hexagonal washers are included for orientating the footstraps securely without twisting. Armstrong footstraps are provided, located neatly in a zip pocket on the side of the bag. These are pressed memory foam, as well as being extremely comfortable, retain their shape after compression. A small toolkit is provided including a decent stainless Torx screwdriver and a spare Dyneema leash point which sits through the deck at the tail. The deck pad is relatively thin, giving you excellent grip and an extremely direct connection to the board, which is super noticeable when pumping. It strikes the balance between comfort and control well, and you gain an enormous amount of feedback from the foil through your feet, which is important when negotiating more tempestuous water states.
In terms of shape, the first thing to notice is the pronounced kick or rocker in the nose, which sits pleasantly in front of your leading foot placement giving you a sporting chance of salvaging aggressive touch downs, and the double concave with central spine displaces water well if it does slap the surface. It also has the added benefit of pulling the board to the surface well during a deep-water start where the angle of your board might not be quite right if your tow partner takes off a little eagerly. The double concave in the nose fades into a completely flat tail section where the foil box sits, promoting a clean and instant takeoff.
Although the deck is fairly concave, particularly around the front foot placement, the curvature is most prominent at the rails of the board, meaning standing area is flat which I found felt extremely reassuring. The foil box itself, rather than the usual plastic affair, is a proprietary pre-preg carbon design from Armstrong. It’s going to suit the Armstrong foil system perfectly obviously, but the elongated forward geometry boxes will allow the flexibility to accommodate pretty much any foil system you decide to throw at it.
Irrelevant of your propulsion method, the WKT’s most standout attributes are its strength and the telepathic level of feedback you gain from the foil due to the stiffness. It almost feels as if the board is part
of the foil rather than attached to it. The molded carbon construction is unapologetically tough, and the C beam construction eliminates flex. Aesthetically the attention to detail is clear, with the Armstrong logo present in the carbon top sheet. The underside sports a hard wearing faired back brushed finish.
You’d be forgiven for assuming the pocket board concept would be a generally simple one; the devil is in the detail when it comes to these, and subtle design changes make huge differences to how they ride. In this case, Armstrong have ticked all the boxes, and perhaps even created a few new ones with a board that effortlessly transcends disciplines with no compromise, feels minimal and efficient, and lets you glide around as freely as an unincumbered seabird. RB
ION now produce a staggering array of different wetsuits for all water-based action sports. Based on their Seek model, the Protection Suit feeds in for any situation where you might take some high impacts. With wingfoiling progressing both in big waves and freestyle at an alarming rate, and bigger risks being taken with regularity, it makes perfect sense to orientate a suit towards avoiding some bruises or windings.
In essence, we’re looking at a wetsuit with built-in impact protection. This primarily comes in the form of sewn-in 10mm protection foam padding which is sensibly placed on the shins, upper back, rear thighs, shoulders and triceps. On the all-important crotch area, ION have cunningly installed what can only be described as a removable ‘cricket box’, so you can bulk out this critical area at your own discretion. It’s a short-arm suit, which is a good call for tow sports, avoiding any forearm cramp. The sleeves have a band of slick skin which sits just below your bicep and seals well. Entry and exit is a 3/4 front zip affair from YKK, and the neoprene flexibility means that it’s fairly easy to get in and out of, even with my broad Anglo-Saxon shoulders. A key pocket and elastic retainer is located under the chest flap for enhanced vehicular security. There’s a final closure elastic tie on the zip flap which tightens up the entry system, and further slick skin to make a good seal and avoid any flushing, important for a suit that’s geared towards big crashes. Sturdy knee pads with a hardwearing protective layer are present, which a necessity for wingfoiling.
Internally there’s a surprising amount of fleece for a 3/2mm, with ION’s Hot Stuff lining covering your core. In the arms and lower legs, they’ve employed their complementary Silk Stuff lining for areas where you need to slide past for easy entry and exit. Key areas around the crotch and knees are taped for extra reinforcement. All seams are blind stitched externally giving a solid nod towards longevity.
For those, like me, that enjoy a minimal amount of kit to take to the beach, and don’t feel the need to accessorize with a separate impact
vest, the Protection Suit makes a lot of sense. Due to the intelligent placement of the pads, there seems to be almost no compromise in mobility, and when you do take a big fall, it takes the majority of the slap out. You aren’t conscious it’s got extra impact protection built in, until you crash, and then you’re simultaneously aware and glad of its presence immediately. When foiling, the shin padding makes a great job of protecting you from those annoying knocks that can occur from the foil underwater. I also noticed a little bit of extra buoyancy in the suit.
The range of application for this type of wetsuit spans across disciplines. Wing and tow foiling spring immediately to mind with highspeed impacts aplenty, but it’s not all about the high end. Beginners will benefit hugely when making those first steps as well taking the sting out of the inevitable crashes. This type of suit would definitely cross over into Big Air kitesurfing as well. RB
ION also slid a wingboard-specific coil leash in for test. It’s difficult to source coil leashes that are the right size for sub six-foot wingboards, and this is a market sector that needs attention. The 5’5 7mm cord has survived well in terms of stretch after three months of both wingfoil and SUP foil in some powerful wave scenarios; where other leashes are starting to get bandy and drag, it’s still coiling up and not dangling around being irritating. The ankle cuff has a textured layer that grips well to neoprene and skin alike, and makes sure the leash doesn’t rotate around your ankle and always points backwards, so you don’t trip over it. The Velcro tab on the end is large enough to grip and control your board when you’re getting washed. It’s great to see such an evolved coil leash, and is an essential to any wing foil aficionado, but certainly don’t discount it across other foiling sports. RB
For a brand who came to the wing game a little later than many other brands with a windsport heritage, it’s fair to say that Eleveight have been making up for lost time! They are onto version three of their WFS wing already, with tweaks and refinements being the order of the day rather than any ground up rebuilds. The wing’s philosophy is very much in the freeride realm with the aim being an accessible wing that will work well for you whether you are jumping, riding in the waves, or just cruising around freeride-style.
The WFS V3 makes use of x4 Ripstop which adds a little extra stiffness to the canopy, and also provides some extra strength if the worst should happen and ‘foil meets wing’. It’s never going to be pretty, but with x4 Ripstop to strengthen things, it shouldn’t be as bad... Beyond this, the construction of the WFS V3 is sturdy without being heavy. Eleveight have been working on their kite construction for many years and that’s evident here, with well-placed reinforcements, mid-sized LE and struts and an overall refined look and feel to the wing.
As the handles vs. bar system rumbles on, Eleveight have (as with the WFS V2) now gone all-in on the bar side of the debate. The bar is around ¾ length of the strut and is held securely in a webbed structure and then locked in using Velcro. After the bar ends, the center strut then bends slightly inward, which stiffens the leech of the wing and contributes to an overall super stiff feeling wing. If you want to take the bar out then this is easy, but the wing fits into its perfectly proportioned rectangular bag with zero hassle or re-rolling required. Other brands take note!
On the water and the WFS V3 provides a decent amount of lowend, but it is the rigidity of the wing that is immediately evident. For pumping, this equates to immediate power and feedback from the wing and you can quickly generate power without any significant flex in the struts and with the trailing edge remaining flutter free. It has a nicely refined feeling to it. For freeriding, the wing is well-balanced and intuitive to fly. It would be fine for a beginner but we would say that an intermediate+ rider would really appreciate the more subtle performance characteristics. If you want to turn on the speed then the WFS V3 is keen for that, and we made some great upwind angles and felt that you could squeeze an extra couple of knots out of it than most other ‘all round’ wings.
The bar is well placed and provides all the range of movement that you need. It has a comfortable EVA grip where your hands go, with a spongier section in the middle which you may grab onto during transitions or one-handed handling – we found this to be a nice feature as it gives you a tactile sense of where your hand is without having to look at the bar.
For wave riding, or just for flagging out the wing to put in a bit of pumping practice, the WFS V3 is super-stable and behaves very
well. It hasn’t got heaps of dihedral but this doesn’t seem to impact its stability. Overall, we felt that the WFS V3 is a great example of a brand finding a design they like and then working hard to improve it. A great option for riders who want an accessible wing, but one which also has some additional performance tucked away for when they need it… AH
ELEVEIGHT WFS V3
POWER DEVELOPMENT
DEPOWER ABILITY
RESTING STATE ABILITY
AGILITY
OVERALL STABILITY
UPWIND PERFORMANCE
SETUP SPEED
DURABILITY
The Italian foil manufacturer SABFOIL continues to expand in the foiling world by adding a new line of front wings purely designed for pump foiling – the Leviathan series. As its name suggests, it is a line of massive, high-aspect front wings characterized by extreme efficiency at low speed. Lately there’s been quite a bit of hype surrounding these foils: much of this hype can be attributed to Balz Müller’s endeavors in flat water pumping – the latest one being a flatwater start with a SUP board with no paddle, only leg pumping.
We had the chance to test the second biggest of these new front wings, the Leviathan 1350 (that, as its name suggests, has a 1350mm span) and we’ve been impressed by their efficiency and overall by the clever design of the whole foil set.
We paired with the M73K – a 73cm-long carbon mast optimized to have maximum capabilities across different disciplines from wingfoil, to surffoil and kitefoil without compromising performance. It is important to note that SABFOIL also recently introduced a specific version of the carbon mast, that has been made to have the maximum performance during pumping and downwinding, with a much higher stiffness compared to the standard version (M73K), which we haven’t tried yet but we’re curious to test soon.
We then completed the foil set with the fuselage F703K – a 703mm aluminum fuselage, with a T8 front wing connection type (big chord and M8 screws) and the carbon stabilizer 380, a stabilizer with a high level of control and stability.
The Leviathan 1350 front wing has been purely designed for pumpfoil and downwind: with its 1950cm2 area, 17cm chord and an aspect ratio of 9.35, it is capable of incredibly early takeoffs with an impressive efficiency both in flat water as well as when downwinding. Its dedicated profile and design make it perfect for infinite gliding, a level of efficiency that honestly impressed us a lot.
We were also impressed by the ingenious modularity of the whole foil set. When talking about SABFOIL, in fact, it is imperative to mention their clever Kraken Modular System: a completely renewed modular platform introduced earlier this year that allows for infinite compatibility for masts, fuselages, plates and tuttles.
The Kraken Modular System allows you to connect any mast to any fuselage but more importantly to quickly switch the connection of your mast from plate to tuttle and vice versa in no time. In my opinion, the most useful part of the Kraken Modular System is the Quick Release System patented by SABFOIL which gives you the possibility to remove and mount your hydrofoil with a single screw, and, more importantly, without losing your settings when positioning your foil on the board. For our tests, we used the full carbon base plate that, with its 200 grams less weight compared to the aluminum version, delivers a top performing component for flat water pump foiling, where weight makes a lot of difference.
On the water the SABFOIL Leviathan set felt not only extremely efficient in pumping but also quite fast. Combining early take off ca-
pabilities with good speed is never an easy design task, but this foil successfully brings together both a great platform to develop both beginner and more advanced pump skills into one product.
The ride experience is very smooth and precise: when well understood, this foil allows for a minimalistic approach to pumping, helping develop the perfect pump technique. The foil seemed to like deeper, more gradual and longer pumps than a quicker pace. In fact, for each pump it was able to go for several meters.
Due to the shape of the wing that combines early flight, speed and a decent ability to redirect (good for its big span), it’s ideal to learn how to develop one’s skills in downwind too. With a span of 1350mm, it features a combination of speed and glide that is not easy to match and that makes the feeling of this foil so special.
The Leviathan 1350 caters to all levels of foilers looking to get into pumpfoil and to the more advanced pumpfoiler looking for one of the most efficient foils currently on the market. All in all, the Leviathan 1350 is a must-have foil for those who are looking to expand their foiling experience to flat water and downwind. FO
It’s clear North are fully committed to foiling sports and are building a comprehensive range of front wing sizes to cater for every bodyweight across disciplines. Their HA range is aimed at ambitious intermediates and above who want to ride with speed and efficiency, and spans nine sizes from a tiny HA550 to a mighty albatross of a HA1450, designated by their projected area in cm2. North’s head designer, Uli Sommerlatt, designs from a very methodical perspective, monitoring the exploding marketplace for a while. With his history in performance boatbuilding, much thought and attention to detail has been placed on the composite layup and distribution of force to achieve a smooth and vibration-free ride across the system.
Once excitedly liberated from the cardboard, the attention to detail in the package is impressive, with Torx tools, fully tailored carry bags, and wing and mast covers provided. The foil system breaks down into what’s essentially a well-padded square box with a carry handle, which is practical and efficient for storage be it on a plane or the back of a vehicle. There’s also tabs and elastic tie downs internally to stop them rattling around in transit.
Assembly is quick and simple; all fixings are M8, including the tail. The bolts all have blue thread lock to ensure they don’t back out during use. Some marine grease is provided to help prevent any corrosion or seizing. Putting the mast into the fuselage you immediately see a novel design concept: the mast foot has a tapered wedge shape which is pulled into the recess in the fuselage by the bolt to form an exceptionally tight mechanical joint and drag-free fit. Even with enthusiastic bending, there’s no play here at all.
The mast itself is an impressive piece of pre-preg carbon sculpture, with its molded-on top plate and gentle taper. It’s among the stiffest 85cm offerings we’ve tested of late, which is very noticeable with the larger span HA front wings. The graphics are faired into the mast so there’s no disturbance of flow over the surface, which shows exceptional attention to detail. Considering how stiff the mast is, it also comes in at an extremely competitive weight. Countersunk apertures in the base plate accommodate the bolts into North’s unique foil track system, which enables you to leave the bolts and track nuts attached to the mast and pop four in at once and slide it forward to your desired mast position. In practice, this saves quite a bit of time when setting up. Underfoot the mast provides a very direct connection to the foil, which is amplified on smaller and stiffer boards, and highly important for higher span foils.
The HA1050 and HA850 wings sit more or less in the middle of the size range in their series. The larger wing has some interesting matching numbers, with a projected area of 1050cm2, a span of 1050mm and an aspect ratio of 10.5. The design of the HA wings is interesting with a profile geared for outright speed and low drag. There’s a gentle anhedral across its span with a little flick back in the tip section. Rather than the flat wingtips we see from other brands, there’s a gentle taper to a point, important for roll mobility which can be a sticking point for other higher span HA foils.
For a 90kg rider wingfoiling, we found the HA1050 a capable choice for lighter through to medium wind conditions, paired with a 78l board to help gain surface speed quickly. It took positive power in the wing or decent pumping technique to get the foil up to lifting speed, which when it initiates is smooth and gradual. Once cruising, the level of speed and glide potential on tap immediately hits you. It has a surprisingly wide speed range, and impressive mobility in the roll axis for its span. The subtle inflection in the tips allow for some impressive tip breach and recovery. The stabilizer is a top mounted design, and gives a helpful early warning breach indicator. If you hear it start to throw water, it lends you a split second to rectify the situation. The HA850 sits well underneath its big brother as a higher wind or larger wave option, and shifts up the thresholds in high-end speed as you’d expect. It falls into the magic span of 92cm where turning attributes start to really liven up. Its top end is phenomenally composed and it builds very little front foot pressure when it reaches its limit, if you can find it. Also there’s a uniformity in riding feel across the two sizes that means you don’t need to readjust technique to adapt to the smaller wing; you simply bolt it on and ride faster. Both of these front wings exhibit gentle lift characteristics and once flying like to be kept at a decent velocity. They pair well with fast planing boards and stiffer inflatable wings with faster forward speed.
We tested mainly with the 70cm fuselage and 270 tail, which for firsttime HA riders help to make these high-performance machines as accessible as possible. For the more experienced that want to spice up their ride, North are offering various upgrades in the form of a shorter 60cm fuselage and HA208 stabilizer that unlock increased performance potential in general mobility through the yaw, roll and pitch axis, as well as increasing glide, which will better match the smaller models in the range. Both foils feel frictionless and efficient though the water, and reduce fatigue through your arms on the wing relative to a thicker profiled mid-aspect wing. From a pure speed perspective, these foils are quick on paper, with GPS speeds sitting relative with the most rapid we’ve tested across brands.
So who do we think should be riding this HA range? It’s going to suit ambitious intermediates and above that have decent pumping ability and are maintaining foil flight on jibes and tacks. If you have aspirations of racing or simply riding faster, or dropping into bigger swell whether it’s winging or tow foiling, this is a system to seriously consider. The HA range definitely has a bias towards fast tow-in sports, which from a company with a strong wind sports background makes perfect sense.
North are the first to admit they are a little late to the party with their HA range, but they’ve arrived in a gold limousine, extremely well dressed and with a massive fanfare and probably some fireworks. It’s allowed them to sit back, observe market trends, and benchmark against the best available, and this more prudent approach has enabled them to release a comprehensive HA foil range that’s in line with the finest current offerings available. RB
Cabrinha’s latest foil is the mid aspect Fusion X-Series MKII, offering a variety of front wings ranging from the 700–2100cm2. The MKII front wings can be paired with the Fusion V-Series tails ranging in size from 180 to 285cm2 tail. As a fully modular system, the X-Series MKII foil system can be easily customized to match every rider’s personal preference and progression. The 1240 and 930 front wings were paired with the 180 and 230 tails for this review.
The X-Series MKII stems from the success of Cabrinha’s high aspect H-series foils but offers a lower aspect ratio that will be better suited for riders looking for a little better low-end performance and a surf style feeling. The MKII offers early lift, great top speed, and the most noticeable characteristic is the rail-to-rail performance and refined tip profile allowing for smooth, powered, controlled breaches.
Like other Cabrinha foils, the X series MKII uses the CAB Fusion modular system, with the front wing and fuselage front half integrated into one part. The back half of the fuselage has a large wedgeshaped mating surface providing a very stiff and solid connection. A top mount tail wing allows for easy tail adjustments, or custom aftermarket modifications. The entire lower assembly is very simple to put together and has a very locked-in, stiff feel with no flex or play in the connections.
There are two mast options for the MKII system, a fusion aluminum alloy mast, or the fusion carbon mast. An aluminum mast will typically be more cost effective, whereas the carbon mast will provide the utmost stiffness and performance at a higher price point. The mast/fuselage connection has a deep indexed connection with a lateral barrel nut providing outstanding torsional stiffness. Overall, when assembled there is next to no flex, everything is tight and very well fabricated.
This foil was tested using a 4'6x19.5, 33L board, 3m wing, wind 2535mph. Rider 6'4, 170lb. Both in small waves and downwind conditions
Riders will immediately notice the low end take off, early lift, and surflike performance from the new MKII foils. The 930 front paired with the smaller 180 tail provided a feeling reminiscent of a twin fin shortboard. There was a familiar controlled looseness that was very fun to ride. The MKII 930 really brought it home when the wing tips would breach, the refined tip profile does an outstanding job of releasing from the water and providing a consistently loose yet predictable catch upon re-entry. This gives the rider a huge boost of confidence to push turns a bit harder as the foil will be right there, ready to engage. The 930/180 combination had plenty of top speed to ride larger waves if conditions allow, however riders looking for the ultimate top end performance may find even more gains in the 700 front wing.
Stepping up to the 1240 with the 230 tail brought an expected level of increased low end and decreased top speed due to the larger overall wing sizes. For most beginner to intermediate riders the 1240 will be a go-to foil in the quiver, providing excellent lift and glide while maintaining a fun level of speed and control. Riders looking to open up the rail-to-rail surfing performance of the 1240 and gain a bit looser feel can pair it with the smaller 180 tail to allow for a bit more rider input.
Overall the new Fusion X-Series MKII foil system is a fantastic ecosystem for foilers of all experience and skill levels. With wings suited for complete beginners, to the most hard-core wave chargers, the MKII can be customized to match every rider’s expectations. ST
Fliteboard has created a comprehensive foiling experience through their attention to detail in all of their hardware and the creation of an interactive user app that allows you to look back at your session and see your stats. Their range of boards as well as a modular foil system allows you to tailor the foiling experience based on your needs and aspirations. Numerous boards allow you to size down based on skill level with those seeking the most responsive and surfy feel choosing to ride the Pro or the Ultra. Additionally, different battery packs allow you to tailor your setup for long sessions or maximum performance with minimal swing weight depending on the battery pack you install in your board, and multiple shims give you the option to specifically tailor how much front foot pressure you feel based on how you like to foil.
The Fliteboard modular foil range is made up of ten foil wings across four families ranging from easy cruising wings to race wings capable of going up to over 50km/hr and bombing down the massive waves of Nazaré. For this test we were lucky enough to test the Flow range with both the Pro and Ultra Boards (900,1100 and 1300). These wings have a higher aspect ratio (AR 7.44) aimed at providing a fast and maneuverable foiling experience and are the foils of choice for riders like Tom Court, Keahi de Aboitiz and Adam Bennetts for in the waves and cruising around.
The first foil that we tried was the 1300. Having never e-foiled before, it made sense to start big. The foil was incredibly stable in the roll axis and getting up was no issue at all. Getting the board on foil is then done by increasing the speed of the motor using the intuitive controller and despite the occasional user error in throttling up too fast, the lift on the Flow 1300 (and across the range) was smooth and never launched us off. E-foils are by nature front foot heavy, but after
a bit of playing with the rear wing shims, we found a level of front foot pressure that was comparable to our ‘conventional’ foil setups we were used to. The 1300 was really nice to cruise around on and we were surprised at how fast we could go on it. In fact, all three wings are capable of going relatively fast and we rode them between 15-40km/hr with the 900 naturally being the most comfortable at higher speeds. However, what stood out for us wasn’t the speed but the carving feel of these foils. Initiating a turn on the Fliteboard is a slightly different feel, most likely due to the mass of the motor at the bottom of the mast and the dihedral shape of the front wings, but it's possible to lock into carves in a way that almost lets you feel like you are carving on a wave whilst actually just on flat water. As you size down, the wings get more responsive and the turn radius gets smaller which allows you to lean over and carve harder. In fact, we found that as we sized down, we were able to run the motor at either the same or even lower speeds, despite being on a smaller foil, as when we were turning we were generating speed and lift, just like when foiling conventionally. The Flow wings also have outstanding breach characteristics too, allowing you to carve that little bit harder.
Fliteboard’s Flow series of foil wings really impressed us with their surfy feel and are a great way to get people into foiling with surf foiling in mind (especially with the 1300), or for those wanting to get their foil fix on flat days. Although we weren’t able to test these in waves, which is a shame as we understand the larger Flow wings are designed with unpowered wave-riding in mind, looking at Keahi’s clips in Hawaii or Mr Bennetts’ most recent trip to Bali, it looks like the flatwater feel translates over to the waves as well. JM
With names like ‘Bullet’ and ‘Mach 1’, there’s no points for guessing that Naish have been busy developing some comprehensively speedy kit. But it’s much more than that, as we found out from Naish Product Manager, Michi Schweiger…
Hey team, so two new products this issue. Let’s start with the Bullet board. Built for going fast, we assume?!
The initial concept certainly started off with a goal to develop a design that makes it easy to go fast as well as take off easily, to accommodate the use of smaller, faster foils. We then pretty quickly realized that the Hover Bullet board design is more than that, and in fact is a lot of fun, and not only on a race course...
The basic design idea comes from the shapes of modern kite raceboards and got adapted to the use as a wing board. It is generally more narrow, more parallel and longer than traditional wing foil boards. It carries a two stage rocker that is flat in the tail section and then lifts, starting at the front foot. It also carries large bevels that create a lot of clearance when angling upwind. The flat rocker sec-
tion gives it extremely early ‘get going’ performance, while the accelerated nose rocker combined with the bevels lets you touch down and recover effortlessly. This, together with the flat deck section also helps for foot switches where the board might touch down for an instant. The touch down is then so smooth that no speed is lost. You can also literally recover from mistakes at full speed easier, as the board will carry speed through, even if it touches the water.
Generally we are riding the Bullets with longer masts, at around 95cm and 105cm, which allow for more clearance and less body adjustment in choppy conditions, as well as more angle and clearance upwind.
What sort of construction have you chosen for the Bullet, and how important do you feel board weight is to the overall ride?
The Hover Bullet is made in a new prepreg construction which is a first. Prepreg is made from “pre-impregnated” fibers. In our case, carbon and glass. Due to the higher curing temperatures of the prepreg, the construction is manufactured in a shell technology. The EPS cores are cut via a CNC machine while the overlapping deck and bottom shells are laminated in high temperature molds. The laminate then gets applied to the cores via high precision molds. The results are light weight boards that show higher durability and skin tension.
Can you tell us what speeds you’ve managed on it so far on your smaller foils?
Between the test team and our riders all over the world, top speeds are starting to creep well above the 30-knot range in open water.
Impressive! So as the sport progresses, we’re seeing boards get more narrow, but retain volume. How does this help with early planing?
Essentially there are different scenarios that accommodate getting on a foil early. One of them is certainly rider technique. If done right, then a board barely has to catch much speed in order to get on the foil, depending on the foil size. On the other hand, there is the classic approach that requires the board to reach a certain base speed and, depending on the foil style and size, it will then start taking off once the rider initiates an angle change by putting a bit of weight on the back foot. For that technique, more waterline, and a more parallel outline (as with the Hover Bullet) will help. This is especially important when using small foils that also require a bit more speed to get going and do not allow lift at low speeds as much.
Talk to us about the Mach 1 – what’s the lineage here, and to whom is this range of foils pitched?
The Mach 1s evolved out of the popularity of our Wind Wing 914, which was originally developed as a windsurf performance foil but then gained a following in winging, kiting and surf foiling as well. We then started working on a range of fast medium to high aspect ratio foils that can handle speed while still having excellent take off characteristics, which led us to what the Mach1s are now.
The sport seems to be progressing almost daily. Now we see our riders, such as Austin Kalama, Louka Pitot, Liam Coralle, Pietro Kiaulehn and many others also using the Mach 1s for freestyle, as they allow them to reach higher speeds resulting in higher jumps. At the same token, they also deliver a great balance between turning ability and pump for skilled riders.
The name of the range clearly indicates speed, as does the Bullet. Do the two pair up nicely together?
They are in fact the perfect combination… When it comes to speed the Mach 1s, which are available in 550, 700, 900 and 1100 sizes, as well as the Wind Wing 914 are a great choice.
How soon do you think until wing racing is in the Olympics?!
Really hard to tell on that one... Olympic classes have been in a constant flux over the past few years, and of course sports politics play a big role...
Any other suitably named speedy gear dropping soon that you can tell us about?
Lots of things in the pipeline, but a bit early to mention anything just yet…
It’s not often we cover masts specifically in this section, but they’re as critical a component as any in a decent foil setup, and with Armstrong releasing a new mast range that has some serious genetics… well, we just needed to know more. So we dropped some lines to Armie himself.
Hey Armie. So with the Performance Mast range, what are the most notable improvements that your existing A+ users will feel?
Our new Performance Mast range is simply smoother, more efficient and with increased torsional stiffness for riders pushing harder and faster. The new foil sections (yes, masts have foil sections too!) were analyzed, tuned and tested by the world's top engineers who primarily design foils for America's Cup-winning boats. This extensive background work has given our new design a noticeably smoother, lower drag and more forgiving ride. At first, it really surprised me just how different these masts felt through the water. Because the theory behind the mast sections is sound, key details like ventilation have been improved at a wide range of riding angles. This all means that when combined with the optimized construction, our new shape gives you
more precise control with less drag at high speeds and when pushing hard in maneuvers.
Who are these new masts aimed at? Will everyone feel the difference?
Heavier riders on bigger boards and foils will certainly notice a difference, but the way the new shape flows beautifully through the water will benefit everyone seeking to grow their level in all foil sports. It sounds like there’s a mixture of high and intermediate modulus (HM/IM) composites integrated into the new mast system. How do you go about deciding the placement?
We’ve always used the best carbon fiber available in our foils. When it comes to layup, the devil is in the details both in design and execution. Thanks to engineering advice from the top boat foil experts who looked at our mast core structure and layups in detail, we have really achieved the next level with the Performance range. Looking at the mast sections from top to bottom in tandem with the layup options allowed us to choose the best material placement and construction across the mast vertical. We also conducted a ply-by-ply analysis to determine the best combinations of fiber type and orientation for optimal balance, strength, and so on. Systematic load testing (to destruction) of these layups, each with their small adjustments, helped us find the best combination for real world use. Finally, high end processes like vacuum pre-forming allows the layup to translate maximum strength and stiffness in every finished mast.
Can you tell us more about the theory behind your ‘designed flex’ philosophy, and how it improves your product over a mast that’s been entirely designed around stiffness?
The AC team helped us achieve what we believe is the optimal balance between strength, weight, torsional stiffness and flex. The mast top has the most load and needs to be very stiff and solid. Our tapered one-piece design, combined with our unique mast top hardware, definitely achieves this. With stiffness, there is always a trade off. If stiffness were the only driving factor, chord and thickness would be much greater, and the mast would probably be made from steel! Unfortunately, a longer chord makes the foil track straighter through the water, and a thicker section adds drag, not to mention that more material adds weight. Decisions must be made on balancing these numbers to determine how the mast ultimately feels underfoot. We believe that the lower part of the mast needs taper and some degree of reactive flex to help the setup flow freely, like when timing a bottom turn into an oncoming wave section. Our earlier masts were primarily designed to deliver this surfy feel; our top team riders historically have preferred masts with a lot of taper. As a result, these masts aren’t too wide or stiff and carry amazing flow through turns. As foil sports have evolved with greater speeds and bigger foil spans, the time was right to revisit this approach and offer another option to our customers. I know there are always improvements to be made with materials and construction techniques, and we will always carry on testing and developing our shapes and construction.
How do they weigh in against your existing mast range?
The Performance Masts are slightly heavier per size because of the dense high modulus carbon fiber in the layup. Because we streamlined and removed any excess material from the mast top, and also designed lighter M7 mast top hardware, this weight lives primarily in the strengthened vertical (middle) portion of the mast.
You’ve sourced materials from a composites specialist, Toray. Tell us about the company.
Toray are a top-shelf Japanese manufacturing company. They are one of the global leaders in carbon fiber technology and manufacturing, famous for quality and consistency in production as well as developing new fibers that have become industry benchmarks. We have our own lab and extensively test every batch of carbon we receive before production to ensure material consistency in every component.
What size masts will be available, and how did you settle on these for the ever-growing number of foiling disciplines?
For now, we will have three lengths in the range, starting with the 935mm. We’ll listen to customer feedback and decide if we need to develop more lengths in the future.
And who’ve been your main test riders for the new range?
Bevan Gooch, Austin Tovey, Jono Begg, Dave Edwards, Nathan Tuke, and myself.
Finally Armie, how many prototypes did you go through to get to the final version?!
Many! Over the last year, we torture tested over 120 separate prototypes with the goal of understanding the limitations in each shape and fiber combination. As I mentioned, the devil really is in the details – small things add up to make a big difference. I’m very happy with the results and can’t wait for people to enjoy these new masts.
From the highly respected shaping bay of Fanatic board designer Sky Solbach comes a whole new ‘Team Edition’ range of wing boards, optimized for the performance and durability expected by Fanatic’s enviable roster of team riders. Always happy to have a chat, we put some questions Sky’s way…
Sky, could you please take us through what’s in the range, and what exactly Team Edition means?
Yes, we are excited to launch what we feel is a really complete range of boards consisting of three different models in a brand new PVC/ carbon sandwich construction that we call Team Edition (TE). The range includes a surf foil/wing board called the Sky Surf, a brand-new high performance all rounder called the Sky Style and a lighter wind all-rounder called the Sky Free.
Tell us what the carbon PVC sandwich construction is all about, and what that means for the rider…
Our new TE construction is a PVC/carbon and glass fiber sandwich construction. This construction is similar to that of a windsurf board, which we felt was a perfect fit for our TE range because it is one of the strongest and stiffest constructions possible. This construction allows us to use a very lightweight EPS foam core with carbon, bamboo and glass fiber heel reinforcements, which is then wrapped in a 3mm skin of high-density PVC foam, creating a hard, lightweight shell around the foam core. Then we layer on additional carbon and glass fiber to create a super strong and long-lasting construction that is able to withstand the impacts of modern wingfoiling from surfing to all the latest aerial tricks and landings.
What is it that makes the Surf edition the perfect option for waves?
The Sky Surf was developed as a prone surf foil board that can also be used as a high performance “sinker” board for winging. It has a
beveled concave rail shape that offers excellent release that also creates a round rail shape that feels like a surfboard rail in your hand, which gives you a nice rail to grab when duck diving waves and handling the board on the beach. The outline of the Sky Surf gives you maximum maneuverability for maximum turning ability without catching a rail. The recessed deck shape of this board allowed me to distribute the volume in a way that makes the board feel very balanced when paddling and also when sinking the board underneath you to get started when you’re winging. The deck angle on this board has been optimized for take-offs when prone surfing and also for pumping, giving you maximum efficiency when pumping out to catch your next wave.
How do you feel developments in prone foil board shapes have carried across into the wing board market? Have they influenced your designs?
I developed the Sky Surf as a dedicated prone foil board and did 95% of my testing on this board paddling around catching waves, so this board is totally optimized for surfing. It just so happens that by adding foot strap inserts and a bomber construction this board is also a really nice high performance wing board for riders who are good enough to use a low volume sinker board.
Although they are “Team Edition” boards, what’s the accessibility like for someone just starting out in winging? Or would they be better off with something else?
Our new Team Edition boards really offer something for everybody.
So whether you’re looking for a high performance surf foil board like the Sky Surf or a more freestyle/surf-specific board like the Style or if you are looking for a board that offers the best possible light wind performance with excellent stability and ease of use like the Free, the Team Edition series offers performance and durability regardless of rider skill level.
How do you go about making a board more suitable for freestyle, talk us through the logic behind your design?
I developed our new Sky Style TE, together with input from our team riders, as a freestyle and wave high-performance all-rounder. There are some key points that make this board so good for freestyle and waves. First, it has a continuous rocker, similar to a surfboard, which makes the board ride in a more “nose-up” position compared to the other boards in our range. This, together with a purpose-designed deck angle, is what gives the Sky Style its agile maneuverability when surfing and also a lot of clearance in the pitch direction when loading up for jumps. Additionally, the recessed deck shape puts a lot of volume in front of the front foot which, together with the extra tail rocker, forces the nose up upon landings, allowing you to recover quickly after a touch down or a nose-first landing. All of these design features were taken into account when developing the Sky Style and the feedback from our riders is that this is their number one choice for freestyle and surfing.
How does the deck recess improve the feeling of the board and what EVA pads have you chosen for the final production?
The recessed deck has multiple functions depending on which model you’re looking at. For one, it allows me to distribute volume into the area it is most needed, whether it’s for optimizing balance for sinking the board like on the Sky Surf or for putting more volume in the nose for safer landings like on the Sky Style or for putting more volume into the rails like on the Sky Free to give you more balance when kneeling. Additionally, the recessed deck allows me to optimize the deck angle relative to the foil to optimize the board for maneuverability, early planing, pumping, etc. So, the recessed deck has a different purpose on each model and is a very useful design feature. Our 3mm thick EVA pads have a corduroy pattern which we have been using on our Duotone kiteboards for several years now and are great because they are soft and forgiving on your skin but also offer amazing grip when they get wet.
Can you give us a few examples of the weights per volume you are achieving with the PVC carbon sandwich construction across the board range?
Currently I think that our 75L to 85L boards weigh in at just under or around 6kg, which is not to say they are super light. However, they are super strong, which is really the key point for us and our customers. When I built the very first wing boards in 2018 it was hard to imagine that just a few years later we would be jumping and doing crazy airs, so we’ve had to quickly adapt our construction to meet this rapid progression in performance. Our new TE boards are built first and foremost to be very strong and lively feeling to withstand the rigors of all the latest freestyle jumps and tricks and give you the best possible riding experience. As the sport progresses, we will surely find new ways to optimize our TE construction to make the boards even lighter in the future.
So, tell us about a few members of your pro team and why they’re loving the new TE boards…
I’ve been getting a lot of good feedback from our team riders lately on the Surf and Style models as these are the two models our riders use the most. The Surf is the preferred board for surfing and pumping and the Style is clearly the winner when it comes to freestyle and surfing and the one board that really does it all. The extra volume of the Style is really helpful when landing airs and the board is still really well suited to riding waves so it’s a team favorite.
Does your pro team have direct input into how the Team Edition boards are built?
From initial shape concepts to testing prototypes and on to durability and performance testing of different constructions, our team riders are involved every step of the way. I feel very lucky to have such a well-rounded team of riders, engineers and designers that I get to work with on a daily basis.
Plenty going on over at the AK Durable Supply Co camp recently, with the brand dropping two updated foilboards and an updated foil series. We dropped them a line to find out what’s new…
Hey team, so we have two updated foilboards in the Phazer and Compact, plus an updated Tracer foil series. Let’s cover the boards first… what’s new on the Compact v2 and the Phazer v3?
The Compact v2 shapes are all a fair amount narrower than the v1. The larger sizes are 1.5” (3.8cm) narrower, and the smaller sizes are around 0.8” (2cm) narrower. This improves the glide and throw around factor, and although you do lose a bit of stability, they are still relatively wide. We have also pulled the nose in and rounded it slightly to help it release while riding or doing more progressive jumping. We have also added new sizes to the Compact in the 36L and 46L to appeal more to the high wind or lighter weight freestyle rider.
In the new Phazer v3, we have reduced the width on the 66L, 78L, and 90L between half an inch (12mm) and one inch (2.5cm) depending on the sizes. These are your more dedicated wing sizes, and this trend follows our push to increase maneuverability and overall performance. We have also increased the nose rocker and added the high apex rail which was originally developed in the Compact. This offers the feel of a smaller board when up and riding, and maintains stability when getting up and going.
The Compact is your dedicated wingfoil board, pitched at those who like to throw it down on the water. Who are we going to see out there doing just that?
Our key rider on the Compact is Xavi Corr, from Tarifa. He has been one of the standout young riders on the World Tour, having won his first senior World Tour event in Tarifa in October at just 15 years old, and is the U16 Junior World Champion for Slalom and Freestyle. He is generally riding the 46L and 58L Compact depending on the wind conditions.
The Phazer is your more versatile all-rounder foilboard. Exactly what disciplines does it cover between the size range?
We worked to develop a range that goes from kite and pump through to surf foil in the sizes from 4´0 to 5´0. The 5´3 to 5´6 are more dedicated wing sizes, while the larger sizes in the 5´10 and 6´2 are ideal for wing or SUP foil.
What was the reasoning behind adding the new Duratech construction to the 5’10 and 6’2 sizes of the new Phazer?
We added the Duratech to appeal to the rider looking for an extremely durable construction at a keen price. This makes it ideal for learning, while maintaining the performance shape to give you years of happiness.
How do the constructions of the Phazer and Compact differ, and why have you chosen those materials for each board respectively?
The key difference between the Phazer and the Compact is the top deck lamination. The Phazer has a Biaxial Carbon top deck, which is very lightweight, while the Biaxial lamination optimizes the reflex and response. The Compact has a Carbon Innegra top deck, which is oriented more towards impact resistance, typical of a board that is jumping oriented.
Have you needed to change your foil box positions to accommodate higher aspect foils?
We have found a happy medium with the box position to accommodate as many foils from as many different brands as possible. Our foil setups generally sit in the same position, regardless of the aspect ratio, but there is a lot of variation from brand to brand. This depends a fair amount on the positioning of their front wing relative to the mast.
And talk to us about the Tracer series, what upgrades has this had since it was first introduced?
The Tracer v2 has moved to a higher aspect shape, with an aspect ratio increase from 4.6 to 5.0, resulting in improved pump and glide. We have also increased the taper ratio to ensure that the foil remains relatively easy to use and highly maneuverable.
You’ve gone all the way down to a 700 as the smallest size. What sort of rider and conditions does this suit, and how user friendly is it for the average rider?
That would depend on the sport. For kiteboarding, the 700 would be ideal for the intermediate rider as an all-around freeride foil. In a wingboarding application, it’s ideal for larger surf, general higher speed riding and downwinders, and freestyle. For surf foiling, it would be more ideal for larger surf tow foiling, or the very lightweight advanced prone surfer.
Now, tell us about the stealthy looking Stealth fuselage…
The Stealth fuselage is focused on being as stiff and as low drag as possible. We have opted for an inverted teardrop shape trailing section to minimize drag, specifically when pumping, while the overall shape prevents oscillations at speed. The Taperlock front wing connection locks the wing onto the fuselage for maximum stability, while the tail wing connection can be easily trimmed without needing to use shims.
Finally, our usual attempt to sneak out any secret info… anything else new coming soon we should know about?
Having just dropped the new ranges, we are going to spend some time riding and pondering our next moves. Of course, there is always something cooking in the kitchen, but nothing imminent…
Slingshot have been at the forefront of wing design since day one. Consequently, they’re a brand who knows what works, what doesn’t, and what riders are really looking for in a contemporary wing. Step forward the Javelin V1…
Hey team, so a brand new wing! Talk to us about the Javelin...
The Javelin is our all-new boom wing. This wing platform was designed to give the rider ultimate control over the wing, via the fulllength carbon boom. This not only gives the rider a very direct feel, it also offers a stabilizing/anchor point for the rider to balance around. Finally, the boom takes away the need for handle hunting, or looking for where to grab the wing. Anywhere on the boom will provide forward traction, and each rider can adapt their hand position to their desired comfort level.
As far as the wing itself goes, the wing is built around a compact frame. This helps keep the wingtips out of the water while water starting, and provides an easy-to-maneuver wing even in the larger sizes.
Tell us a little more about the Javelin-specific boom...
Our Javelin Boom comes in two options. There is a 31mm diameter EVA wrapped full carbon 2-piece boom that snaps together using a v-pin. This allows one boom to fit all sized wings, from 2.5m to
6.5m, that is simple and easy to adjust with no clunky clamps under your hands. Additionally, we are offering a carbon pro fixed boom that comes at a 26mm diameter. This boom comes in two fixed sizes depending on what size wing you are using, and offers the least fatiguing performance for those looking for a more minimal diameter boom.
The push-pin tech… tell us more about that process for installing the boom.
Installing the boom is extremely easy. Simply push in the v-pin connection and slide the boom into the female end cap on the wing. Repeat on the TE side of the boom and inflate your wing. It’s a very simple and reliable system and we are really pleased to showcase it on the new Javelin wing.
What do you feel the full-length boom brings to the table in terms of performance and handling?
There are three main things we find the boom helps with. First is giving the rider direct and precision control over the angle of attack of
the wing. This control allows you to instantaneously adjust the power and trim of the wing. All of this comes in handy during tacks, jibes, carving 360’s, and other surface/ariel maneuvers.
Secondly, the handle allows the rider to adjust their hand placements and upper torso geometry. You can hold the boom in several different locations, reducing overall riding fatigue and allowing you to maximize my efficient upwind angles. This really comes in handy when helping you achieve efficient and comfortable toeside riding body positions. Additionally, you can fine tune your harness line perfectly to the CE of the wing, as the harness line can adjust anywhere along the length of the boom. Finally, the boom eliminates handle hunting. This makes swell riding, switching hands, tacking, and jibing effortless and easy. No more hoping you grab the right handle, in the right location. You can also grab the boom with one hand quickly for a bust of speed between swells.
How’s the feedback been from the team on the new boom?
As with all of our products, our team of pro riders work intimately with the design and test team to deliver the best possible product. This means that the team has had quite some time to fall in love with the Javelin and we have had great feedback. Wingers still early in their winging journey are loving the ease of use, stability, and compact frame. While our higher level riders are loving the precision control and exciting new maneuvers they can do with the rigid boom.
The canopy tensions strap serves a twofold purpose. It helps distribute the canopy wind load into the boom, keeping the wing from suffering from excess deformation. It also allows for user adjustment, when you pull the strap in tight it removes shape from the profile, flattening it. This takes some power away from the wing, effectively “de-powering” the wing. This makes a big difference in the top end of the wing, giving the rider more range per each given size.
While we’ve got you, maybe we can talk foils for a sec… You also just brought out the Phantasm G Series foil wing range. Are these backwards compatible with your existing modular system?
Of course our new wings are backwards compatible! We strive to honor our customers who have adopted our Phantasm system with continued performance progression in the platform and the confidence that we will not “design them out” of our foil platform.
While the full range of wings offers a variety of performance, there are a few common traits that run throughout the line. First is the G wings' easy, approachable speed range. We wanted the wings to be easy enough for the rider to get moving/foiling on, while not hitting a top end speed barrier too quickly. This makes the wing work well across several hydrofoil sport categories, and a variety of conditions.
Next, we designed the foil to have forgiving yet progressive turning characteristics. The larger sizes in the range, G900 and G1000, were made to be stable yet reactive. The roll reactiveness makes up for the some of the stiffness created by span. While the smaller sizes progressively ramp up in their reactive nature. This makes the smaller sizes extremely rippable, even at high speeds and higher power scenarios.
Finally, we wanted to find the right balance between glide and stability. During testing we found that while extremely high aspect foils have exceptional glide, they are not quite as stable and predictable as medium aspect foils. Especially at higher speeds or on juicy swells. Therefore, we worked extremely hard to keep the glide easy, smooth, and efficient without sacrificing stability at speed.
As the G series wing comes in four sizes, the line offers great performance for a wide variety of hydrofoilers. Wingers, surf foilers, towers, wakefoilers, etc. I would personally recommend the G900 to pair with the sport of winging and the Javelin. It offers the perfect range of speed that marries well with the demands of wingfoiling.
There’s updated wings on the way from GA Foils, with the new Cross landing first. We went and got the full briefing from GA Foils’ Head Designer, Urs Hungerbühler…
Hello Urs! Fist up, please give us an overview of the new Cross wing, and what’s been updated for 2023?
Well, we’ve completely reworked the 2023 GA Cross wings from scratch. The frame underwent significant changes and the leading edge is stiffened with some smart double-panels in the center area, and the critical seams are protected with light and durable Kevlar patches. We came up with a different shape for the strut, which is connected to the canopy differently for more stability in the profile and better ergonomics for the hands and arms.
On the wing itself we worked a lot to find the perfect tension for balanced performance and stability. The panel layout is optimized to reduce seams and align the panels perfectly along the tension. The shape of the Cross changed as well, with a more harmonic bending curve of the leading edge for a more compact feeling and handling. With the new profile we achieved increased performance. The lateral forces especially have been minimized a lot and the wing pulls more forward. We also updated the distribution of the profile volume over the wingspan with flatter tips.
The GA Cross is developed as a freeride wing and has a wide range of use. Newcomers will like its easy and compact handling with very good low-end power and little effort to start flying. The new profile creates a nice and fairly explosive pop for airs and freestyle as well. Its compact design makes sure that newcomers do not stumble into the water due to tip contact and it helps freestylers who are up for doing crazy moves and rotations. It also follows the rider in a very stable manner when flagged out, so you can head into waves as well. All in all the Cross is our true all-round wing with great performance throughout the whole spectrum.
It’s all about finding a balance between weight and durability. Reinforcements are placed carefully, in the necessary size and only at spots where needed. After studying the wear of our previous wings, we had plenty of information to optimize every reinforcement of each wing size.
In general we use only prime materials to achieve the perfect mix of durability and lightness. Kevlar reinforcements, the Kevlar TE-line, and the nano-surface PU film for bladders and fabrics come from renowned manufacturers in Taiwan and the US.
How does angling the strut in its mid-section improve the wing?
The angled strut helps optimize ergonomics a lot. By angling the strut, the stiff handles are slightly angled as well and that results in increased comfort, especially at the front hand. Additionally, the back hand is as close to the sail as the front hand and that helps prevent fatigue of the rear arm on upwind tacks. So ergonomics for both arms is improved and you’ll be able to enjoy your sessions with the Cross for a longer period of time.
We hear you have some new handle options on the Cross. Can you tell us about those?
Yes, we’ll introduce a new handle system for 2023. There are two options: two rigid handles or two soft handles, which are interchangeable. The rigid handle is solidly connected to the strut, then the soft handles have plastic end pieces, which can be installed to the same fittings as the rigid handles. The soft handle itself is a webbing handle with PE reinforcements inside for increased stiffness and with padding for comfort. All wings have two handles with either 30cm or 40cm depending on the size of the wing. The removable handle also allows you to pack the wing very small for air travel.
Tell us about the positioning of your windows. What thinking has gone into this?
The windows run along the strut and there is a front and a rear window. Essentially it’s a long window split in two. This way the wing can be folded and packed away without damaging and creasing the window. The front part of the window is placed there to see downwind and forward, while the rear part helps to see the space required for jibing, for example.
How hard was it to engineer the new seam position, and how does it improve aerodynamics?
It’s not rocket science to design different seams, the problem lies more in the production. Not all ideas that work in the design process can be implemented into the production process, which always needs to be kept in mind during development. The seams need to be in a position where it does not make work difficult for the sewers. That might sound a bit strange, but there will be a problem in the seam when the edges of all fabrics sewn together are not on the same side. They call it “blind sewing”. We changed some seams on the leading edge, which was no problem at all, but helped in stiffening the LE. The complicated seam was the one between the strut and the canopy. In the front part the strut has a profile panel and at the back it is stitched directly to the canopy. The complicated part is that the seam changes between a seam which connects the canopy and the profile panel, and a seam that connects canopy and the tube. So we implemented a “standing seam”, where there is seam allowance between the canopy and the strut. Pretty hard to describe! But when you have a look at it, you’ll see the difference. This way the seam is very clean and smooth, which brings aerodynamic advantages due to the cleanness and accuracy.
Most of our team riders prefer the Poison due to its increased performance potential, but many of them choose the Cross for cruising and easy-going sessions. With the new Poison not arriving for a few months yet, our team has the chance to test the performance boost of the updated Cross extensively. You’ll see Maddalena and Nicolò Spanu from Sardinia flying with the new wings. They’ve had a very successful year on the GWA Wingfoil World Tour and definitely are riders to watch for the future. Also Kaden Pritchard, the highly talented young gun from Hawaii will maintain his impressive progression and provide outstanding footage with our wings.
Yes! The Poison will also undergo big updates for 2023 and we are currently finalizing the new models. Several changes made to the Cross will also be implemented into the Poison wings, but other features will differ significantly to highlight the Poison’s wave characteristics and performance.
The first time the team was presented with the idea for the eTow, there was a quiet look of disbelief and astonishment going around the room. Creating a fully self-controlled electric towing watercraft seemed more fitting for a futuristic SciFi movie than a product presentation pitch. However, our CEO and head designer, Cyril Coste, doesn’t give up easily on ideas and overcomes any obstacles when it comes to the innovation and design of new and transcendent products. And so, at Takuma, we became the first in creating the eTow, a self-controlled electric towing watercraft that allows you to extend your playground, explore unknown spots and discover new sensations.
Well, it was definitely a challenging process to develop the eTow, however we gathered a lot of experience from our eFoils. On one side we worked very closely with our partners at BBtalkin, pioneers in water sports Bluetooth communications. On the other side, we developed a whole new engine system (patent pending): The V-Jet
propulsion. This is used in the eTow, and it changes everything. It is much safer and stronger and allows for easy steering. The proportions and weight are optimized to make the eTow fully capable in anything from flat water to windy, choppy conditions, and it’s also self-righting in case it capsizes.
You control the eTow through a remote you have in your hand. The eTow remote works very similarly to our eFoil remotes. All the Takuma remotes have a signature double safety feature. First of all, you have a trigger at the back of the remote, that you need to press down for the watercraft to start and accelerate. Once you let go of the trigger the eTow stops automatically. An additional safety measure of the eTow remote is that once it is submerged underwater, it stops the eTow automatically. So don’t worry, the eTow won’t leave you behind…
What’s the signal range on the eTow?
The eTow remote has a range of up to 600m. Which if you think
A brand who have consistently seemed to think outside the box when it comes to interesting new designs and tech, Takuma have done it again, and this time with an electric towing vehicle, the eTow, that might just be your new best friend when out foiling…
about it is quite something. You can get towed into waves, take the wave of your lifetime and still manage to navigate the eTow back to you. Also, if you are teaching someone and you are the one with the remote, you can be on a boat or even on the shore and control the eTow from quite a distance.
A great feature that we are really proud of is that it’s pairable with any compatible drone remote, which increases the eTow reach to up to 1.5km. This wide range is why a lot of lifeguards and coastguard teams are very interested in the eTow, as they could use it for rescue situations.
And what kind of battery life does it have? Is it dependent on the weight of whomever it’s towing? (asking for a friend!)
It depends what kind of board your “friend” is on! We designed the eTow for foiling. So if you are foiling behind the eTow, you can get an autonomy of up to 85 minutes. The remote also lets you know through a vibrating signal that you are low on battery so that you don’t run any risk of getting stuck out on the water.
Tell us how the controller works… and did you consider integrating the controller into the tow handle?
The remote control works on a very similar system as all our eFoil remotes. You steer the eTow with a joystick like button, that allows you to change directions smoothly. We did think about adding the controller into the handle, however once you let go of the eTow, you wouldn’t be able to navigate it back to you… so it’s not that practical because you would have to swim back each time. With the remote control in your hand it’s very intuitive to control and easy to navigate while foiling, going downwind or taking a wave.
How did you decide on the best propulsion system?
As you know a lot of research and development goes into all our products and the eTow was no exception. We considered a variety of propulsion options however in the end the jet propulsion was the clear winner. The eTow is equipped with a powerful twin jet propulsion system, each of the turbines having 5.5kw of power.
Well, yes and no. We worked on a home return button, however we decided not to go through with it due to safety reasons. It doesn’t have any sensors to drive back automatically, however, since the remote has a reach of up to 600m you navigate it back to you. Once the eTow tows you into a wave you let go of the trigger. As soon as you have finished riding the wave of a lifetime, you can navigate it back to you with the remote controller in your hand.
What are the main safety considerations when designing one of these?
Like in any water sport you need to be responsible when riding and using the eTow. You shouldn’t be using it in the wrong conditions or crowded spaces, however this is nothing new, it’s the same advice you should be sticking to if you kitesurf, wingfoil or windsurf.
We designed the product and especially the remote with safety in mind. We put a lot of research and development into the eTow remotes, to make sure that the users are as safe as possible when out on the water.
Do you have to be a proficient foiler to use the eTow? Or can newbies use it too?
The eTow is very intuitive to use. We designed it for foilers, of course, however it has such a wide range of applications and is so easy to maneuver, that anyone can use it. It’s definetly the easiest way to learn how to foil. The pull is very smooth and consistent and nothing like the pull of a jet ski or a boat, given that it’s a soft but powerful pull. Also, a big advantage is that you have the option of navigating it yourself or a coach navigating it for you, since you have that 600m reach.
Finally, is there any room to keep sandwiches in there?
Depends on the number of sandwiches you are bringing! But sure, get a drybag and you will find some room to store water, sandwiches, maybe a towel, and a first aid kit if you think you’re going to need it…
The shadowy AXIS Research Team (ART) are the team that just keep on giving… And they’re back, with the big wave speed machine ART699 front wing. We lined up some questions and got them wired over to the AXIS team…
A new ART wing, and it’s even smaller! Did you guys spot the market for this, or did this stem from customer demand?
A bit of both really and a large helping of what our team riders need to meet the demands of ever-increasing challenges, bigger waves, higher speeds and more precise carving.
How have you augmented the design from the 799 to handle even more speed?
It’s a very different wing from the 799, in fact much of the 699’s DNA has come from much larger wings that we have in development at the moment. The tips are not as fine, relatively it is narrower in the middle than the rest of the ART siblings, and its outline is quite parallel (proportionally it has very little taper) compared to the 799. Finally, it has less turn-down in the tips to aid in breaching situations. Also, less twist, since a wing of this size needs very little encouragement to turn. Our intent was stability and predictability, both crucial in the kind of extreme conditions this foil can be used in
What sort of speeds are you seeing them top out at?
We have guys doing way over 50kph on these wings, we don’t think its top speeds have been achieved yet. It's quite a quick wing!
How much smaller can you go without them becoming unusable?
Nobody knows… watch this space and we’ll see. We thought this wing would be getting close, but it’s turned out to be a ripper… the issue with going smaller is that it isn’t just a case of scaling down, there are a few more lessons to be learned before you’ll see our 399…
Do you have to change the layup or density of the carbon to handle these thinner profiles without flex and vibration?
We’ve been concentrating a lot of effort into this area, and we have amassed quite a toolbox of techniques, ranging from varying core materials, to high modulus layups and even solid cores and every combination in between… the 699 however has a pretty conventional layup.
Are these foils still accessible for the average rider, or are we starting to get to the fringes of usability?
We’ve been pleasantly surprised, these aren’t that hard to get up on, just very fast, very controllable… a great wing that opens up opportunities to tackle situations that would previously have ended in disaster.
We saw the Haumani twins from Tahiti enjoying the ART699 during the AWSI event in Hood River. Who else is out there busting moves on it that we should be keeping an eye on?
Jeremy Wilmotte, Matt Davies, James Casey, Larry Foiler, and more. We have some big wave surfers ready to make a splash with it in Hawaii and Europe, as well as some of our winging racers.
Anything else coming soon that we should know about?!
So much. The team is in full on R&D mode. Stay tuned.
If you’re a prolific enough user of the internet or of social media, and prone to foil-related algorithms, then it’s highly unlikely you missed the introduction of the very first Hydrofoiler bike from Manta5, the XE-1. Now, the next generation of the bike has arrived and, although not the traditional kind of thing we cover here in the mag, it had us so intrigued that we had to find out more…
Hey team. Firstly tell us some history about Manta5, and how you first came up with the initial concept for the first edition Hydrofoiler, the XE-1?
Manta5 exists because of our cycling mad, water loving Founder, Guy Howard-Willis who, prior to Manta5, co-founded New Zealand’s largest multi-sport retailer, Torpedo7. The hydrofoiling bike concept literally came to Guy’s mind in a dream – a dream where he pushed off from his holiday home jetty and rode a bicycle-type product that brought him the same feeling and freedom as his road bike. He cruised out into the bay before being greeted by a pod of dolphins which swam alongside him as he rode.
He woke up but the dream stuck with him. The original design brief presented no easy feat. Just like a high-performance bicycle, Guy envisioned a concept that was lightweight, fast, agile, easy to transport and assemble. On top of this, there was no settling for any bulky buoyancy or hulls.
In early 2018 we entered a NZ design award competition in the concept category. We won that award which was great but the video that accompanied the submission went absolutely crazy online. We had hundreds of millions of views and people piling through our inbox trying to distribute, invest and order one of these water bikes.
The reality was we were years off from being production ready – all we had was a prototype that lived on our Designer Roland’s kitchen table. It was a massive motivator and validation for us that a product like this should exist and could be huge. We commercialized at the peak of Covid and, like many others, battled with supply chains. Despite that we got through and now there’s a die-hard group of super users around the world who love the XE-1 and the ride experience. However, as you mentioned it’s a very unique, very niche product. You had to be physically fit to ride and coordinated to master deep water launching. We knew our second gen product had to expand the market size and it’s really done that…
So talk us through the main revisions for the new SL3 then… are we looking at a new pedal-powered PWC here?
Pedaling is optional on the SL3, so yes it could very well be positioned as a quiet, non-polluting alternative to more traditional PWCs. The step-up to a 2.5Kw motor and throttle is awesome, it’s super quick off the mark and has made getting started super easy, but also gives riders a chance to take a break and coast when they want to. Ease of use is the big headliner for this new bike. The vast majority of people, even those less athletic, become confident riders in minutes, compared to hours on the first gen bike.
We designed it with hire operators in mind, and we’ve rolled that through as the standard offering for recreational buyers. For a product to be in the hands of hire and tourism operators it has to be near bulletproof. We’ve got fully sealed gearboxes and a drive train that just keeps going with next to no maintenance, dual layer battery protection, prop shroud, tilt sensors that cut power when you fall, hard wearing chassis… All these new features will give riders peace of mind when out riding in the marine environment.
We’ve also added more quick connection points that means you can break down the whole bike quickly into manageable parts for in-car transport and transport to the waterside.
And what does the SL3 stand for?
Depends on who you ask…
Cryptic! So is it easy to mount and dismount? And what happens when you stop?
Yes, expect to go from novice to confident in minutes, not hours. The SL3 floats upright in the water when stationary. When you stop pedaling, the bike will lower until the chassis is floating on the surface. Riders can stay on the saddle semi-submerged when stationary.
How long does the electric battery last? And does it continue to work with no battery and just under pedal power?
Very few of us can maintain 400+ watts continuously. The SL3 variable electric assistance means foil biking is possible for the rest of us, making up the difference as and when you need it. For those willing to put in the work and go the distance they should reach a 4.5-hour ride time – the longest ride duration of any e-foiling product on the market today.
What type of conditions work best for a Hydrofoiler rider?
While normally seen riding on flat water, hydrofoil bikes have that added level of stability from the four points of contact (pedals and handlebars). The SL3’s different, in as much as its automatic surface following behavior is unlike most other foiling sports (where riders control the pitch). This has its advantages and makes the SL3 very stable even in rough conditions.
All SL3’s come with free-spinning propellors as standard for this type of riding. The best ride experiences can be found on the rolling swells out behind a break. It’s a relatively new territory for us and the team back in New Zealand are hooked. It’s an insane feeling to cycle over and down moving mountains. It’s right up there with the most amazing cycling experiences we’ve ever had on both land and water.
The first gen XE-1 was sold predominantly direct to consumers all over the world, however we’ve introduced a wholesale distribution model for all SL3 sales focused on Europe and the U.S. We’ve got growing range of great resale partners all over the world and we can get bikes shipped globally.
Yes! We said we want to have fully manual bikes racing in the Olympics in 20 years, so we’ve got a lot of work to do in this space. We’re working with a few key organizations to set out the foundations for new sporting disciplines for both the electric power range and the future manual models.
Lift just released details of their 2023 foil board line-up – and it’s their largest ever, with nine board sizes across two categories, and each board being offered in two colorways. We spoke with Lift’s Matt Elsasser to dicuss their two flagship board categories, the surf foil range and the wind foil range.
Hey team. So first, walk us through what’s available in the new 2023 board range….
We've got something for everyone in this range! From towing to winging to prone foiling, we've got your covered. Our surf range incudes 3'8 25L, 4'0 30L, 4'6 34L, and 5'0 42L. Our wind range includes 4'0 26L Kite, 4'4 44L Wing, 4'6 55L Wing, 4'10 75L Wing, and 5'2 105L Wing.
Awesome. So straight into the nitty gritty… can you tell us a bit about the layup of the boards, and any stand-out build features that we should know about?
Our boards feature an EPS foam core, robustly wrapped in carbon. We have used the same layup for the past three years, and we have seen no failures. We feel we’ve found the perfect blend of durability while still providing a lightweight performance board. When you buy a Lift board, you can expect it to last a lifetime.
You’ve made the decision to change the name of your “wing foil” range to wind foil. What’s the reasoning here?
The simple answer is, we haven’t forgotten about our roots in the kiteboarding world. We offer a 4’0 kite-specific foil deck. The rest of the boards in the “wind” range are wing-specific boards.
You’ve added some new sizes to the 2023 range. Did this come from customer feedback, or did you feel it was necessary to include more choice?
Truthfully, these new sizes are driven by the desires of our employees, family members, and team riders. Mike Leason (Nick’s father) had progressed off his 5’2 wing board and wanted something a little smaller, so Sean fine-tuned him a magic 4’10, 75 liter board. I loved my 4’8 55l wing board from years’ past but felt we could go a little shorter and the new 4’6 55l wing board was born (pictured to the right). As we get more of our friends and family into winging, we figured some more volume on the 5’2 would be nice, so we bumped it up from 95l to 105l and made it even easier to ride. In the end, we feel we’ve built a complete line-up of boards that covers all abilities and genres of foilers.
What are your most popular sizes in surf and wing?
The 4’0 Surf is our best-selling board overall as it works well for so many genres of foiling. It’s such a versatile board that works well for tow surfing, wake foiling, kite foiling, high wind winging, prone surfing, dock starting, etc. It’s a quiver killer!
For wing boards, the 5’2 has been our best seller, but as our customer base progresses, I expect to see many of them jump on the new 4’10, 75l board this year.
So ‘wind’ is as big a part of your business now as the surf/tow side of things?
Many of us at Lift come from a wind sports background, so we have dived headfirst into the sport of winging. Our family members have also gotten really into it. It’s such a fun and accessible new wind sport, we are loving it. I would certainly expect our wing board sales to be a big part of our business in 2023.
You’ve gone with two distinct colorways. Stealthy carbon black, and mint chocolate. What was the thinking behind this?
Many of the carbon boards you see on the market are painted and sanded due to necessity. Laminating boards with carbon is a tricky process and often small voids in the lamination are filled and then painted and sanded, giving the “brushed carbon” look you see so often with other brands. At Lift we strive to perfectly laminate our boards and we want to show that off. When you look at our black carbon board, it’s beautiful. There is no paint, you’re seeing the same raw carbon that is providing the immense strength in a premium carbon board. The Mint Chocolate Rip colorway is our same construction, but resin tinted for our customers that like a little more flavor in their life…
It’s clear there’s some real love that’s gone into these. How has Sean’s shaping experience helped to inform the design of them?
Our owner Nick Leason got a custom windsurf board shaped by Sean Ordonez 20+ years ago. It was the most magic board Nick had ever ridden. So, many years ago, when Nick started making foils and wanted a custom board shaped, he knew who to call. Sean is an incredibly humble yet accomplished shaper. It’s safe to say much of the surfing you see at Jaws these days would not have been possible without his innovative shapes. He re-defined what was possible out there. Sean is very into foiling these days, so being able to fine tune his shapes with Nick’s foil designs has created a complete foil and board setup that is unmatched in design, performance, and construction. When you buy a Lift board and foil you can be assured it’s perfectly tuned straight out of the box.
The shapes are ‘classic’ – have you been trying any different approaches to your board shapes or do you feel that clean-and-surfy is the future for foiling?
We aren’t tied to a “classic” look. We simply make the boards we think work the best. Meaning easy water release at take-off, smooth release on touch downs, and a balanced feel with our foils. At Lift we don’t have a release schedule where we need to come out with a new board or foil on a specific date on a yearly cycle like many brands. We aren’t here to sell you gimmicks, we’re here to provide you the same gear we like to go out and ride every day.
No strangers to bringing out widely respected new foil ranges, at the time of going to print the team at Signature are just about to drop a new collection with a particularly fast sounding moniker… It was time to speak to the boss, Ivan van Vuuren.
So, the new MISSILE High Efficient foil range. With the H:E collection, are we looking at the next wildfire trend in the foilsphere?
Would love to say that this is the next big thing in foil design, but to be honest as much as the initial response to these H:E designs has been super positive on all fronts, both in wingsurfing and regular prone foiling, this is possibly more of a big step towards progression and the future of the foilsphere in our particular class of foiling. The concept has been around for a number of years in other foil sailing sports, so it was just a matter of relooking at the conceptual design and adapting the pieces to apply to our foiling sports.
Tell us about the collection and what fomented the push to come up with such a range?
At Signature we were fortunate to get in on the early start up days of modern foiling. Developing low aspect foils, then leading the charge
with the Albatross high aspect range to the popular all-round medium aspect Game Changer series. Signature has had the privilege to work with designers that are willing to push the envelope in foil design. The big question was – “what’s next for our arena?” Rather than copy the trend, Geoff and Nathan, who head up the SPG foil division, put their heads together and over a period of around 11 months came up with a progressive range that was both different and functional, and at the same time incorporating high aspect glide with medium aspect turning ability. Two ingredients most every performance rider is looking for. So we couldn’t class the foil in high, medium or low aspect, so hence the term: H:E High Efficient, which says it all.
What are we looking at construction wise?
Being riders ourselves, directly pushing the limits in both height and performance, we realize that modern day athletes are demanding more from a foil than just pretty looks and clever marketing ideas.
They are wanting authentic performance gear that can be pushed higher, faster and harder. With that, construction needs to change relative to the parts being used. As much as the temptation is often there to compromise construction to capture a potential larger beginner market with lower quality, less expensive parts, we continuously strive to maintain the performance aspect and move in the opposite direction using more expensive, higher end carbon composite materials. With this and especially as the sport and demand evolves, either redesigning, reinforcing, or, as with the Missile range, producing wings in full carbon.
What is it like to ride, and what differences are going to be noticed by experienced riders?
FAST. That’s probably the first word that we have heard from most every rider using it for the first time. Then “efficient” is a widely used term in the foil market these days, but breaking it down, the efficiency relative to foil area/size of the Missile is noticeable, especially when gliding using an inflatable wing, flying on a downwinder or pumping out to your next wave.
Is this a collection that rookies can dip into, or is it purely for the ninjas?
As much as beginners can and have used it effectively, we would class it more in the advanced category, designed for riders that have been foiling for a while and that will appreciate the significant increase in all round performance, especially if they are wanting to push their own foiling limits.
The front wing has quite a pronounced nose, why have you decided to opt for this design?
This unique nose or beak design concept is based off the Shearwater bird known for cutting or “shearing” the tips of waves for effective flight; a combination of this and foils used in the Moth sailing class inspired the idea to adapt to our modern day wing and surf foil designs.
Have you had to adapt your mast system to accommodate HA foils or was the existing system stiff enough?
The masts are a continuous subject of discussion as we progressively tweak the layups to accommodate the demands, variables and performance required in both the mast flex and stiffness ratios. Original masts work with the Missile but for those riders wanting a stiffer option we have produced a stiffer, higher modulus full carbon Black Edition series in the longer sizes used especially for racing and the longer HA Glide wings.
We understand you’ve also built some pretty specific tail wings to work with the new Missile range?
Yeah as much as front wings are a crucial part of performance flying, often a part that is totally overlooked is the stabilizer, or tail wing. Having a tail wing that is designed to match the front wing can make the world of difference, so with that we have two new tail wings especially created for the Missile wings, called the Signature FUSION for more direct, locked in speed, and then the M!X which was created for slightly “looser” and more fluid riding.
The Fusion tail appears to have some bumps running fore to aft on the top surface. What’s the theory behind these and the results on ride feeling?
Nate adapted a popular concept and designed the Fusion adding diffusers to allow for better water flow and help eliminate unnecessary ventilation. The feel is that of a controlled flight, slightly more locked in and stable with the upturned wing tips, so great for higher speeds and also fast rail to rail turning.
So with a new range, is it time to put your feet up and relax for a bit at SPG HQ? Or not?
Not a chance! These newer wing and stab designs being released are definitely not the end but really the start of a whole new progressive foil journey as we strive towards creating the ultimate foil combo, so watch this space, the best of flight is still to come…
The all-new BlackBird board that’s appeared from French foil-specialists AFS is the first to come under from the new “Advanced” wing of the business. It all sounded pretty high tech and special to us, so we dug deeper to find out more, and spoke with AFS’ International Business Developer, Richard Boudia…
Firstly, the BlackBird is the first development from the newly formed ‘AFS Advanced’. What is the remit of this new branch of AFS, and why was it formed?
Foil and Co has been in existence for six years and we specialize in windsurf and wing foils, and in particular in the design and manufacture of prepreg carbon items with our four brands: AFS, AHD, NAHSKWELL and SEALION. Therefore, there’s a whole load of technology and expertise and know-how that exists here, all under one roof. A design office, shapers, specialists in composites. A highly skilled and experienced team. So we asked ourselves why not try to get the best out of our opportunity and skill base, to go even further in research and development and reach for some very specialized designs.
We decided to form this new branch of AFS in order to push the performance as far as possible, with the best materials, latest shapes and practice trends. AFS Advanced is a concentration of all this technology and experience that we have acquired over the years, pushed to the maximum. In fact, it's the icing on the cake, because
AFS Advanced is a top-of-the-range product, and above all it's made in France, in our factory in Pencran, like our foils, made from the best carbon with the expertise and know-how of AFS. AFS Advanced is the true essence of foiling.
The BlackBird was built for downwind SUP foil, but we understand it’s far more than that?
Yes, development was fully on SUP foil downwind, but we knew from the start the potential for regular SUP foiling and winging was there also. With a board that efficient, you can wing any size of foil in pretty much any condition. The goal was to design a board that would be ultra-efficient within the first 10 seconds it takes to start paddling to catch a wave. Downwind is practiced in the open sea, in waves that are a little less powerful than typical breaking waves. It does depend on the conditions, but generally you need to be super efficient to be able to start paddling in the open ocean and to be able to take off on the foil. Actually, thanks to the length of the board, it’s also the ultimate weapon for light wind conditions in wingfoiling.
You’ve used tri-axial carbon for your layup, talk to us about why you’ve chosen this over other options?
Tri-axial is much better than bi-axial carbon for overall flex and torsion control, general stiffness and flex control is so important for foiling in any sport.
One of the first ideas we had when we created Foil And Co was to re-localize all the production of our watersport products from Asia to France. It’s actually what we achieved with the foils. The company is based in Pencran, France. We now produce around 20 foils a day for our own AFS brand. The company HQ is 2700m2 with 34 employees. We wanted to do exactly the same for boards. The project began two years ago and we are now ready and able to produce boards in France with quite a competitive price compared to boards made in China.
Shape wise we’re seeing plenty of downwind specific SUP’s at the moment, what make’s yours stand out from the freshly formed crowd?
Well, to me, there are six main different aspects:
• It’s a high aspect board. A drawn-out board template that provides unmatched glide with an ultra-early, take-off capability. The wide edges provide preflight, lateral stability.
• We have a concave deck: precision, level and optimal foil control thanks to a hollow deck that brings you closer to the foil and lowering your center of gravity. Combined with a longitudinal and lateral concave, the feeling is direct and precise. The level of control and precision of the foil is therefore at its maximum.
• Full carbon sandwich construction, made in France, with optimized carbon placement making the board stiff, light and responsive.
• The softness of the rails and advanced hull shape brings forgiveness to touchdowns with a smooth, immediate rebound.
• Volume distribution and design have been optimized to help the rider gain speed for the earliest takeoff. The bulb at the front of the board maximizes aerodynamics whilst providing strong support on the front foot for easy take off. The optimized reduction of wetted surface brings more glide. The pin tail focuses efficient release and minimizes drag.
• The advanced housing brings early take off ability in ultra-light wind. This positioning reduces the inertia of the board with little leverage required to take off quickly. It also allows experienced riders to maintain lift in downwind, while reducing the surface of the front wing to have faster and more playful foils.
In which locations have you been testing the Blackbird?
We tried several downwind spots with varying winds, to make sure the board is working in any conditions. For that we went to different locations over this last year: the Med coast in the south of France where I’m based, the south west of France where the waves are quite big, in Brittany where the company is based, in the USA (Florida), in Germany too, and also just last week in Scotland, a trip that’ll soon be released in a short movie about downwinding there. We actually rode where nobody had ridden before…
Downwind SUP foil is an increasingly popular discipline. Was this an area that AFS specifically wanted to push further into, with creating the BlackBird?
Yes, I’ve been obsessed with downwind SUP foil since 2017, I’ve used all the tools to convince AFS to get into it. The BlackBird is the first step. In the coming months we’ll be releasing a special foil for downwinding… In the same way, we are also trying to democratize this discipline either with our AFS products but also by producing some content especially about downwinding. I really think it’s the main goal of all our riders to one day do a downwinder (with a paddle or a wing).
Argentinian kiteboarder turned huge wing fan Julieta Pereyra brings us her philosophy on where she sees foiling now and where it’s headed…
Entering the wing foiling world has been, and is to date, an absolutely amazing adventure. Coming from a windsurfing and kitesurfing background, foiling has added a spicy element to my relationship with water sports that makes the entire experience very unique.
Foiling itself I believe, is a force that is here to stay. It’s implemented already on so many existing water sports, and I feel this is just the beginning. One aspect that I like about wing foiling is that its limitations are already more extensive than those I experience with kitesurfing. This sport invites a broader amount of people thanks to its simplicity, safety and the positives of being able to do it in low wind conditions. It has opened up so many spots that, for example, wouldn’t work for kitesurfing.
As a relatively “new sport”, when it comes to the quiver, I’m very curious to see how much the equipment will improve over the next few years, from shapes to sizes, even to new features that are not in existence today. There is definitely space for improvement, and we will see that coming in the near future.
When I first tried wing foiling, I started with the idea of adding something new to my passion for water sports, but it didn’t take long before I found myself spending more time with the wing than with the kite. Over the last two years I’m positively surprised to see how many people are jumping on a wing board, even if it is just to try it out.
The kite spots that I normally visit are now hosting a big wing foil community that I believe will continue growing in the near future. I’m blown away when I take a look at how fast the sport is developing. The level keeps on growing and there is space for everyone to take to wing foiling and adapt it to your own personal style. Some love waves and purchase gear for a good, smooth, wave riding session; others prefer to go into Big Air and/or freestyle.
To me, wing foiling is like dancing, I enjoy the freedom, the smoothness, and the grace the sport has to offer. It’s new, it’s different, it’s exciting.
AGE:
HEIGHT:
WEIGHT:
SPONSORS:
COMPETITIVE FOIL DISCIPLINES:
33 180CM 85KG
WINGFOIL
Hello Gollito! Please let our readers know where you are at this moment and when was the last time you were in the water…
Right now I’m back in Italy after having spent two weeks training in Brazil. The last time I got in the water was four days ago, in Jericoacoara. I will spend a week in Lake Garda (Italy) and will go back to Brazil for the last Wingfoil World Cup event of the season.
You’ve been bagging podiums on the Wingfoil World Tour and most recently at the Freestyle Cup in France. But when was the first time you picked up a wingfoil rig? What did you initially think?
I tried it in Hawaii for the first time some years ago and found it a bit difficult and I didn’t feel all that comfortable on it. But in February 2022, I tried it with the footstraps for the first time it in my home spot in Venezuela and found it so different to the last time that it put me in a positive mindset to start learning moves. From that moment on I have absolutely loved wingfoiling.
Do you think your background in competitive windsurfing has been a huge factor in leaping forward in competitive winging?
Definitely yes! I think my windsurf background helped me lot in understanding the moves and being able to learn them quickly. At the end the day, the attitude when trying a new move is the same… I still find many similarities in moves like the forward and back loops, as I’m enjoying them with the wing as much as I do with the windsurf board.
What’s the most technical trick you’re working on right now?
I’m working on many moves all at the same time, but mostly I find the 720 rotation one of the toughest. Either way, the sport is growing so fast that we will have many more new moves coming.
RRD are one of the brands that have adopted the ALUULA material quite early on, which you’ve been riding and testing. Tell us about how this has changed the feel of the wing…
I think the ALUULA material has great advantages in lighter winds, as it is much more powerful, so it helps with pulling air moves, and getting higher in jumps is much easier. You can really upgrade the performance once you try it. For stronger winds, I also feel comfortable with the Wind Wing (made with a Dacron leading edge and strut) as it is a bit softer, and I can manage the strong gusts nicely and my hands don’t get too tired.
How do you see equipment developing to suit freestyle more?
Over the last few months I’ve seen huge improvements in the gear. The gear I’m using nowadays is completely different to what I was using last year and this makes the sport so much fun, when it’s developing fast. Every time something new comes out you are sure you can have more fun in the water and that makes the sport so exciting.
Where do you see the direction of freestyle wingfoiling going? Has it already topped out or are we just getting started?!
Freestyle is growing very fast and I’m sure we’re nowhere near the top yet… On the contrary, I think we are still just at the beginning of the sport, though there’s no question that this year we saw a big step up in the level of many riders. From my point of view, I think it’s going in a very good direction, as wingfoiling perfectly suits the freestyle discipline. I am quite curious as to what the level of riders will be in two-years’ time.
Do you think we’ll start to see aerial wing handlepasses as standard?
Of course! I already land handlepasses in competitions. I find it a key maneuver for me actually, as only few riders can do it.
You’re from Venezuela, how much time do you spend there, and tell us about the popular spots for wingfoiling?
This year I only spent five months in Venezuela and the rest of the time I was traveling. We have El Yaque, which is now a very good place for wingfoiling as we have wind every day from January to May. There are a few guys practicing and I think it will grow a lot because we have ideal conditions to learn with, with consistent sideshore winds from the left.
Former Kitesurf World Champion Peri Roberts probably wasn’t alone in fearing that wingfoiling might degrade the standing of her primary windsport passion… But, now that the dust is settling, it’s clear to Peri that they can go hand in hand…
I don’t think many people like to admit to being a self-proclaimed hypocrite, and as much as it hurts me to say so – I think I’m exactly that. I’m not totally embarrassed by this notion… I’ve been somewhat “proved wrong” on my initial assumptions of this weird and wonderful world of wing foiling.
I am fully open to the idea that my once sceptical opinion has been turned on its head. Why? It’s not because I’ve completely fallen in love with the sport, or because I’ve taken to it like a duck to water; I would probably reference myself to a flailing humpback whale instead. And I definitely wouldn’t call myself obsessed like a lot of you are. But I’m finally glad that I’ve moved past this hypocrisy because it’s forced me to redesign, reshape and rethink my life as a professional waterwoman.
Now before anyone reads that and has a giggle; I use the term “waterwoman” lightly. I’ve grown up to love the ocean. I’ve surfed since I was six, I’ve wakeboarded, long boarded, short boarded, stand-up paddle boarded, foil boarded – all the “boardeds” if you must. I’ve been a kitesurfer for 10 years now… four of those years professionally. It’s not just one sport that makes my cogs turn, it’s the allure of the ocean and what it has to offer. The ultimate success story for me is to be in the water as much as possible… that’s why I’m now led to believe that winging is just another vehicle to get me there.
Honestly, if you knew me four years ago when this random bat wing, windsurfing hybrid thing came out, you’d know I wouldn’t be caught dead using one of them. But sure enough, like most things in our world, it caught on and now this silly fusion of wind sports might just be the “future”.
I’m not totally sure why I was so against winging in the first place. Was I afraid that what kitesurfing did to windsurfing, winging was going to do to kitesurfing? Was it because I finally started to establish myself as a kitesurfer among the best, touring the globe and living the endless summer professional dream?
I was adamant I wasn’t interested in winging. Every time I got on the damn thing I couldn’t figure it out, it didn’t click and this new challenge was put in the ‘too hard’ basket. I spent hours sitting in the water, probably cursing, after my 200th attempt at getting moving. I would just hit a point and say, nope. Not today. Not for me. No thank you. The towel gets thrown in once again... What does that say about me?
Am I a quitter? Am I too scared of my ego getting hurt over the fact I wasn’t the best in the world straight off the bat?
But as the world changes and our sports evolve, I’m finding that determined, fight-all attitude towards everything, again. Now I’m finding myself reshaping my identity as a kitesurfer, reshaping my views on this new vessel and rethinking ways I pursue my passion: the ocean.
There’s a funny story behind these photos, because really, I should be writing an article on kitesurfing one of the best waves in the world, not pouring out my sob story in its place. But here we are…
If you’re accustomed to a wind sports addiction like I’m guessing the majority of you wingers reading this are, you’ll understand how difficult and frustrating it can be to line a trip up. There are so many things you have to take into account; wind, waves, weather… to name but a few. The harder the place is to line up, generally speaking, the more epic
those sessions will be. Forever memory kinda sessions. Fiji is one of those places… and even after forecasting and jumping on a plane with two photographers last minute, it just didn’t happen for us.
Only three weeks prior to jumping on that plane, I had my first successful wing session (and by successful, I mean I riding for more than 10 meters). I was going through a rough patch at home, and for me, when shit hits the fan, I get on the road to clear my head, turn the negative into motivation and drink it like a fine wine (plus a few real ones). Using that opportunity to channel simple frustrations into something special. So, I drove 27 hours north to Cairns, Queensland in Australia, to quite literally bootcamp myself to learn winging.
Learning something you’re not interested in is quite hard. But the time had come and I needed to hop aboard the ‘wing foil train’, become an unashamed kook again, and put my learner’s permit back on. To be honest, it really scared me. But somehow, I made it work well enough to get these beautiful shots in Fiji. I guess patience is a virtue, one I’m also still learning.
We had one full day of winging and bringing my foil quiver just meant that we could actually utilize the weather to its full potential. If I didn’t bootcamp myself beforehand… we would’ve been well and truly skunked. I guess that’s the reason my garage is full to the brim with water sport toys. My family has FOMO of missing out on any session. With this so called ‘addiction’ (call it a bad habit or not) we’ll always have a vehicle to take us there.
I’m finding myself reshaping my identity as not only a kitesurfer, but as a waterwoman, and realizing that winging was never going to compromise kitesurfing, it could never take away that passion and love I have for it. I’m understanding however that it is adding depth to my sessions on the water.
So, from this day forward, I’ve joined the club. I might not be the best, but hey, the egotistical, hypocritical Pez has taken a turn for the better. And maybe, just maybe, one day I’ll become as addicted to the world of wingfoiling as you guys probably are.
LEVIATHAN READYTODROPTHESAILSTOPUMP?
