Foiling Magazine #3

KAMCHATKA ADVENTURES

THE HISTORY OF THE WING

INDIAN AWAKENING

TESTED : NAISH + F-ONE + AMUNDSON + KT + SROKA + FANATIC

THE FUTURE OF FOILING WITH KAI LENNY

ISSUE #3 $8.90

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OTHER TERRITORIES PLEASE AFFIX BARCOD E

Hydrofoils provide a unique connection to the ocean.

OUR FEELINGS GOT STRONGER, OUR PLAYGROUND GOT BIGGER.

Join the #foilculture. f.onefoil

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PC: STEFFEN VOLLERT

IT’S

EITHER

EPIC

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IT’S

EPIC From 2ft and onshore to 6ft and glassy, conditions are always right for the Hover Glide FSurf foil.

Learn more at slingshotsports.com 5

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EVOLVE! INTRODUCING THE

S25 WING-SURFER

STIFFER | MORE POWER | ADDED VISIBILITY | NEW SIZES The Wing-Surfer MK2 takes the first generation Wing-Surfer’s basic design principle and carries it into the future. The new Wing-Surfer is now available in five sizes: 2.8, 3.6, 4.6, 5.3 and 6.0. The addition of large windows creates a safer and more engaging ride for both beginners and advanced. Leading edge diameters have increased substantially combined with an increase in canopy profile depth which means more on demand power in lighter winds with increased wing rigidity in stronger winds, improving performance in both underpowered and powered conditions.

JOIN THE FUTURE AT NAISH.COM

P O W E R E D BY N AT U R E

Europe: Kubus Sports BV S. Whitesell

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info@kubus-sports.nl

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+31 (0)35 695 4 695 North America: Pacific Boardsports LLC • (509) 493-0043 • pbs@naishsails.com

7 Robby Naish, Michi Schweiger, Bernd Roediger: Wing-Surfer MK2, Jet HA 1240 Foil Complete-Standard, Hover SUP Foil 95

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I NDI AN AWAKENI NG

T H E WING STORY

Having already visited India (twice), Antoine Auriol was

The meteoric rise of wing foiling took pretty much everyone

stoked to head back to somewhere he feels very much at

by surprise. Except perhaps those pioneers who have been

home, but this time packing a foil and a photographer, and

heralding this new aspect of the sport for possibly a lot

on the hunt for some prime pump foil stillwater spots. He

longer than you might at first think. Steve Palier from the

found himself in the majestical region of Rajasthan, and

Association of Wing Riders dug deep into the history and

enjoyed a journey unlike any other he’d taken before...

found out just where this new craze originated...

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RI DE ENGI NEER

B AC K STORY: S ROKA

If you passed Coleman Buckley in the surf, you’d be forgiven

Despite some pretty hardcore and dangerous adventure

for not realizing that this man has created one of the most

exploits, Bruno Sroka has managed to keep his spot here

stylish brands in the wider ocean sport industry. Ride Engine

on Planet Earth, and has built his company into a reputable

now produces wares for several surf-related sports, and not

outfit that puts foil quality front and center. We caught up

least foiling for which it has a very comprehensive line up,

with Bruno to find out where the transition from competitor

and does it with some real Californian panache. We caught

to French foil brand took place, and how the landscape is

up with Coleman to find out more about him and his brand.

looking now.

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18 E X POS UR E / 4 4 UP LOA D E D : H Y D R OF OI L S U R F HEAV EN / 4 8 R I S I N G U P : M A L A’ E M C EL HEN Y 52 S E C R E T S P OT / 5 4 T HE OU TER B A N KS : JA PA N A N D KA M CHATKA 68 DYNAMI C S : H I GH AS P E C T R AT I O W I N G S / 74 THE G OOD STU F F / 1 1 0 THE 1 01 : P U M P F OI L I N G 114 W I N G CO MMA N D E R : A D R I A N R OP ER / 1 2 0 TESTED / 1 2 6 I N B OU N D 130 F O R E S I GH T: KA I L EN N Y / 1 3 6 STATE OF P L AY: LOU I S F LOY D

LEFT Kody Kerbox swoops in and pulls some Gs on a new Keith Teboul creation...

Photo: Paul Karolis

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CONT E N TS

MODULAR SONAR F O I L

S Y S T E M

Feel at one.

Engineered. Refined. Intuitive.

NORTHKB.COM

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R I D E R : J A LO U LA N G E R E E / P H O TO G R A P H E R : S C O TT S I N TO N

E D I TO R IA L

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ED ITORIAL We all know that – with foil riding – we are engaging in a somewhat magical exploit. How many times have you been stopped on the way to the beach for a bemused dog walker to ask what that is you’re carrying? Or had surfers staring at you slack-jawed as you glide away on an impossibly fat shoulder? It’s pretty much a miracle.

base out there whose avid pursuit of excellence in the hydrofoil engineering field finally equates to even more fun on the water for us.

For this issue, to some extent, we wanted to celebrate them.

Give a few some time out of the workshops or the backyard sheds (or off the water), and get them amongst these pages, gleaning from them some stories, some knowledge, and some wisdom as to the next steps in the evolution of hydrofoiling.

I’ll admit to being no expert in foil history over the decades, but the fact is these beautiful engineering feats that we so enjoy did not just appear out of nowhere. They came about through experimentation, application of theory, varied levels of engineering talent and, in no small part I’m sure, blind optimism and no doubt plenty of obscenely-fun-to-watch wipeouts.

Of course, we’ve also got plenty of top-drawer content inside that comes from the practical application of their hard work too: adventures from Siberia to Japan, India to Florida, and plenty of places in between, as well as gear tests, opinions, riding tips and plenty of grade A photo content… It would certainly seem that all that tinkering has truly paid off.

From the initial concepts, there were iterations, flaws, appropriations, eureka moments and, whether by accident or design (literally), we’re now here, the future, as far advanced with hydrofoiling as we have ever been, and things aren’t slowing up just yet, that’s for sure.

Enjoy the issue.

So we must really doff our collective caps to those who’ve put in the long hours in getting us to this point. From the academically qualified engineers who live and breathe hydrodynamic mechanics, to the talented tinkerers and hobbyists (who play a far bigger part than we might at first realize), there’s a growing knowledge

Cai Waggett E DITOR

LEFT James Jenkins and friends loading up their kit after a long ride down a Namotu Island reef. Tough life...

Photo: Steve Morissette C OV E R Jeremie Tronet drinks in a pretty special Grenadines backdrop, before, we imagine, kicking out and going to take in yet another.

Photo: Aziwa Alexander

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E DITOR I A L

WIND WING WING BOARDING / FOILING

A new way to enjoy your time in the water, SIMPLE, FUNCTIONAL and FUN; the new WIND WING is the perfect tool to explore any water playground. From zero to hero, you can ride it with light wind until it gets stronger and always get an unforgettable time.

The RRD WIND WING is intuitive to use and quick to set up. It has a rigid frame when pumped up and can be packed in a small bag when deflated.

The large leading edge gives a better stiffness and power to get flying earlier than expected and keep control when the wind picks up. The wide middle strut profile allows a better power grip and more leverage over the center axis of the wing. Its design makes you ride with greater precision and less strain to maximise fun and performance.

You’ll be hooked and spend hours in the water. The WIND WING will make you explore new horizons which were unexpected until now.

SIZES: 3.0 / 4.0 / 5.0 / 6.0

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ONE FOIL DOES IT ALL The UNIVERSAL KSH ALU ensures the earliest take-off and stability in all transitions.

Now with the CONVERSION KIT KSH-WH ALU we provide an extra 100 cms fuselage, tuttle head insert and plastic adapter to make the KSH ALU (Sup/Surf/Kite hydrofoil) ready to be used for windfoiling.

This is a unique full convertibile set up that allows you to learn how to foil, jibe and ride any watersports from surfing, supping, kiting, wind and wing foiling.

R i d e r :

M a t h i e u

F o u l i a r d

UNIVERSAL KSH ALU + WH ALU CONVERSION KIT

S U P

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W I N G

PRODUCTION TEAM Editor: Cai Waggett Editor-in-Chief: Alex Hapgood Art Director: Nikki Hall Technical Editor: Richard Boughton Contributing Editor (US): Kjell Issey van Sice CONTRIBUTORS Adrian Geislinger, Adrian Roper, Alex Aguera, Alvaro Onieva, Annie Reickert, Antoine Auriol, Antoine Badin, Aziwa Alexander., Benjamin Geislinger, Bevan Gooch, Bobo Gallagher, Bruno Sroka, Catherine Yde, Christian Andersen, Coleman Buckley, Dan Gavere, Deimantina Juskeviciute, Erik Aeder, Evan Mavridoglou, Evan Netsch, Georgia Schofield, Ilham Aprilio, Ivan van Vuuren, James Jenkins, Jayde Stent, Jeremy Stephenson, John Bilderback, Jonathan Wilson, Justin Bruns, Kai Lenny, Keahi de Aboitiz, Keith Teboul, Louis Floyd, Mala’e McElheny, Mallory de la Villemarque, Mantis Pro Media, Martin Letourner, Matt Georges, Nathan van Vuuren, Paige Alms, Paul Karolis, Pedro Gomes, Pete May, Richard Hallman, Robby Naish, Rogio Hernandez Neches, Samuel Cardenas, Shannon Stent, Si Crowther, Sky Rama, Sky Solbach, Steve Palier, Steve Morissette, Zane Schweitzer

A DV E R T I S I N G All advertising enquiries can be sent to advertising@thefoilingmagazine.com SUBMISSIONS We’re always on the hunt for foil adventurers who can write and/or take a good photo. Please send your pitch or previous examples of articles/ photography to hello@thefoilingmagazine.com COPYRIGHT All material in Foiling Magazine is subject to copyright. Reproduction without the express permission of the publishers will result in prosecution.

PUBLISHER Foiling Magazine is published by Water Born Media Limited in Hayle, Cornwall.

United Kingdom E N V I R O N M E N TA L This magazine is printed on paper sourced from responsibly managed sources using vegetable based inks. Both the paper used in the production and the manufacturing process are FCS ® certified.

The printers are also accredited to ISO14001, the internationally recognized environmental standard.

FIND US HERE @foilingmagazine foilingmagazine thefoilingmagazine.com

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RI DER Evan Netsch P HOTO GR APHER Justin Bruns/Wavelength LOCATI ON Puerto Rico

Evan: The evening glass-offs in Puerto Rico are always the best sessions. The crowd would thin out as the sun set, and as the heat of the day dissipated it seemed to energize you to be able to push a bit harder to connect a few more waves. I always would think to myself, okay last one, but as you look back from the inside and see a set appearing out the back, it would give you enough motivation to pump back out, and just as you feel like you can’t go any longer you get a new wave and recover enough while riding to go again and again...

Here is one of those moments, on my last energy reserves, fighting to get to the peak to do another lap before the sun fell below the horizon.

E XP OSUR E

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E XPOS U R E

R IDE R Bevan Gooch PHOTOGRAP H E R Pete May LOCATI ON Coromandel coast, New Zealand Bevan: It can feel like we wait for years for these breaks to turn on. Dropping into a shallow reef break has its risks, but the rewards are high. My board setup was critical. I was riding my custom 3’2 tow board, bolted to an Armstrong 85cm mast, with an 800 front wing, 60cm fuselage, the ‘Chop Shop’ HS 212 tail and one TTF. This set up helped navigate the steep drops, accelerate through the critical sections of white water and deal with turbulent boilups from the rocks. Without doubt, it was the first time this break has been explored by foilers, and sharing the stoke and Coromandel’s natural splendour with the hoots and cheers from the boys was a session I won’t forget.

E XP OS UR E

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RIDE R Christian Andersen PH OTOGRAP H E R Catherine Yde LOC AT ION The Bay, Klitmøller

Christian: Foiling has given me so many awesome days on the water here in Denmark, we don’t really get good conditions that often, but often we do have smaller windy days that are perfect for the foil. The whole bay area in Klitmøller where I live is so much fun on the foil, you can catch waves far outside and ride them all the way down the coast, there are a lot of flat sections on the wave which the foil glides over easily.

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RIDE R Louis Floyd P H OTOGRAP H E R Mantis Pro Media LOC AT ION Windermere, Florida

Louis: So, I know from the photo that you guys are going to say that it probably wasn’t a bad day but for Florida it was! On this particular day the wind was a lot stronger than the norm which meant we had to get creative, we drove around the lake and found the calmest bit, bumped the speed up a few MPH and we worked on capturing the magic‌

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E XPOS U R E

RI DE R Nathan van Vuuren PHOTOGRAP H E R Ivan van Vuuren LOCATI ON Milnerton Aquatic Club, Cape Town

Nathan: So this was one of those last minute photos with my dad filming an evening wing session. I had just added footstraps on my 4’6 foil board and was super amped to try to boost some jumps on flat water with the wing.

The challenge is that the sun sets behind the highway and for this shot, we only had a few minutes to line everything up - gust, camera, sun, a vehicle on the road while trying to boost high enough on flat water to get enough light on me in the air, without over exposing while shooting directly into the sun.

Everything lined up and we eventually got a few cool moments, still wondering what the people in the cars were thinking as they drove past.

E XP OS U RE

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Since 2010

CREATORS OF THE ORIGINAL eFOIL 25

R I D E R Jonathan Wilson P HOTO GR A P HE R Ilham Aprilio LO C AT I ON Oka Point, Sanur, Bali

Jonathan: There is a handful of guys in Bali addicted to getting towed in at Oka Point. On a big day, a wide section links up to a racey middle section that often barrels, and if you make it around that you can ride all the way down the reef for more than a kilometer. I was lucky to be in the right spot at the right time to get this shot by the photographer sat in the channel. Grateful to the crew at the Rip Curl School of Surf run by Jonni Deaker for getting us out there.

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F LY O N T H E WAV E O F I N N OVAT I O N

D U OTO N E E CH O

S K Y W I N G 4'8" / 5'0" / 5'4"

Harness the power of the elements and take flight with our Fanatic Sky Wing. Bridging the gap between the SUP and Surf line, this Foil Wingfocused shape is ready to advance with you. The brand new Aero High Aspect Foil range is the perfect match.

A D D I CT E D TO R I D E – B OA R D R I D I N G SI N CE 81 F O L LOW U S P H OTO

M A X

FA N AT I C.C O M / F O I L I N G M AT ISS E K

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R I D E R

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D U OTO N E S P O R T S.C O M

H E R R A I Z

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The second edition of our Duotone Foil Wing answers all demands. Introducing the Echo, inspired and shaped by the visionaries, specialists and watermen/women of our brand, it’s dynamic and premium. Now, the power is in your hands.

E XP OSUR E

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RIDE R Robby Naish P H OTOGRAP H E R Erik Aeder LOC AT ION Lanes, Maui Robby: This was a fun day at Lanes with a 2-4 ft north swell and pretty gusty easterly winds‌ I was riding the Naish Wing-Surfer with the Hover 95 (with footstraps), an 85cm mast and our 1250 Jet Foil setup. It was a great session to showcase how great the wing can be in conditions that otherwise would have been not much fun to ride; too offshore to ride the left windsurfing or kiting, too windy to have fun surfing‌ But the wing and foil combo made the conditions a total blast because I could cruise out through the gusty winds (the wing and foil make gusty, crap winds feel like a steady breeze) then catch the swell way outside the peak, park the wing in neutral, and ride the left straight into the wind. The occasional boost on the way out is pretty fun as well.

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E XPOS U R E

R I D E R Bobo Gallagher P HOTO GR A P HE R Si Crowther LO C AT I ON Maui Bobo: Sometimes it takes a while to find the wind. After hunting around Maui’s North Shore and getting my favorite Jamba Juice (I live off that stuff), we finally found our spot in Keihi at Mai Poina Beach Park (Keihi Windsurf Beach). It was a new spot for me, and I was pretty excited to be in the water with the Fanatic team. I couldn’t get into the water fast enough. I love this new Fanatic board, the 4’8 Sky Wing. It seemed really fast and allowed me to do big jumps. The breeze picked up and I landed my first half 360… I call that a pretty great day!

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RIDE R Kai Lenny PH OTOGRAP H E R John Bilderback LOC AT ION Oahu

John: The world’s preeminent fun hog, Kai Lenny. Kai came to do backflips at Diamond Head and we decided to get a second session with the late light afterwards. Kai has a visible effect when he hits the water. Everyone knows him, everyone wants to watch him, and everyone gets to enjoy the stoke he has.

He’s stoked on the waves, he’s stoked on all the crew, he rips everything to shreds and lifts everyone in the water up. There have been plenty of rippers, chargers and style masters over the years, but I cannot remember anyone who is so universally admired. He crosses over from sport to sport and schools everyone in how to do it, and do it with nothing but aloha.

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R I D E R Dan Gavere P HOTO GR A P HE R Richard Hallman LO C AT I ON Columbia River

Dan: The term ‘Big Wednesday’ really came to life this day in the Gorge last summer. The swell was huge and the wind blowing 50+ mph! This was new territory for me to be out there on a Foil Wing riding a hydrofoil, let alone being on the water at all, as these conditions were serious. I felt nervous and excited, but I was having a blast catching huge swells and holding on for some of the best drops I have ever experienced. I was in my own little world but then suddenly heard something very loud, like small explosions in the distance. I looked up and scanned the horizon when I noticed a huge barge coming down the Columbia and the spray of water off the bow as the boat pushed into the swells looked like huge explosions completely engulfing the enormous vessel. I wanted a closer look, and although I kept my distance, it was at this moment that Richard Hallman captured this image.

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RI DE R Martin Letourneur PHOTOGRA P H E R Deimantina Juskeviciute LOC AT ION Lanzarote

Martin: We discovered this wave a year ago. It has no interest for surfers but for surf foiling, this wave is just magic. It breaks on a slab and then the wave continues into the entrance of a small harbor, that’s very easy to access, and it allows for quick progression on the foil. On this wave I was using the SROKA S-Foil 1250 with the new Fast Flyer 4’6. This set up is a real treat for surfing small to medium waves.

E XP OS UR E

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R I DE R Annie Reickert P HOTO GR A P HE R Erik Aeder LO C ATIO N Maui

Erik: This is Annie riding at Thousand Peaks here on Maui, and it is my favorite place to shoot water shots of foiling and longboarding. An easy 100 meter swim out with a sand channel turning into a coral reef where the waves are, and sometimes some sharp coral heads sticking up that you have to be careful not to kick, as it is only one to two meters deep. Depending on the tide, the coral heads are also a minefield for the riders. The beautiful background of the West Maui mountains makes looking towards the shore a great sight.

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E XPOS U R E

R I D E R Adrian Geislinger P HOTO GR A P HE R Benjamin Geislinger LO C AT I ON Costa da Caparica, Portugal

Adrian: Caparica can handle a certain size but on this day the inside was definitely impossible to surf, especially on a hydrofoil.

When we arrived at the spot we checked the waves for quite some time till we realized the outside might just be perfect for the foil.

After a heavy pounding in the shorebreak, we managed to get out and enjoy an insane session on some big rollers. The shot was taken by my brother Benjamin on a drone.

E XP OS UR E

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E XPOS U R E

R I D E R Jeremy Stephenson P HOTO G R A P HE R Georgia Schofield LO C AT I ON Gisborne, New Zealand

Jeremy: I’ve always admired this iconic spot in Gisborne over many years of traveling there. On this day we were shooting for Starboard with the new awesome Hyper Foil boards and Wave foils.

It was a great opportunity to test new gear which performed like a dream in an incredible spot which is pretty tight between the long pier and the cliffs. Combined with the loud explosions coming from the big blowhole close by, there was plenty of action going on. It was so much fun taking the drop… I’m glad we captured this shot. Soon after this I managed to foil in between the pier and onto another peak!

E XP OS UR E

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RIDE R Paige Alms P H OTOGRAP H E R Erik Aeder LOC AT ION West Side, Maui

Paige: This was one of the afternoon sessions that my fiancé Sean and I went over to the west side of Maui. We’ve spent quite a few sunsets over there with our dog and having a few beers and getting to foil. One of the best foil waves on Maui is on the other side, so it can be breaking and pumping or can be really small and just big enough to where you can get to your feet and get going and just do zig-zag turns all the way into the beach. It’s a pretty special place and I really love it there because when it’s small and really good for foiling there will only be a few people out, and I think that session in particular Sean and I were the only ones in the water. That’s why I love foiling so much, you get to go play in very average surf and have a lot of fun.

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RIDE R Shannon Stent P H OTOGRAP H E R Jayde Stent LOC AT ION Sunshine Coast, Australia

Shannon: Exploring the coastline of Queensland during a family surfing road trip, we scored sick waves with great friends on the Gold Coast, before finding perfect warm water foil waves away from the crowd near Noosa. Sharing endless glides with local foil legend Mark Hansen, this place has so many perfect foil setups!

We were able to ride a new spot each day. Riding the Sunova 4’0 foil board with AXIS 900 high aspect wing, super versatile combo when you need to travel light.

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HYDROFOIL SURF HEAVEN IN HAWAII KEAHI DE ABOITIZ

Granted, this video was first posted in late autumn, but it’s one we just the other day came across a second time and remembered how damn nice it is. Nothing other than some laid back riding to equally laid back music, long takes and long North Shore rollers. Perfect with that morning coffee. We caught up with Keahi to hear about the session‌

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Hey Keahi. So first up, let’s get a little background. How did you get into surf foiling and when?

I guess I was pretty lucky that I had a little bit of background from kite foiling in the beginning. I remember towing into some waves on a kite foil once about five years ago then never trying it again for some reason. It wasn’t until I saw the Kai downwind foil clip that I decided to really get back into it. I’ve been addicted ever since!

And what’s your preferred set up?

It depends a little bit on the type of waves but I’ve been really enjoying the Neilpryde medium slim wing lately as an all-rounder. It’s a little more technical than the glide surf wings but it’s still lifty in small waves and handles bigger waves surprisingly well too. I’m actually riding that in the video.

So tell us about this day... Where is this spot?

It’s just one of the outer reef big wave spots on the north shore of Oahu. There are a few amazing setups on Oahu if you know where to look when it’s glassy.

So you were towed into it and then how long did it run for?

That was my buddy Reo (Stevens). Generally, we get waves between 1-2 minutes long depending on how big and how far out it’s breaking on that day. There are a few other spots that are even longer too.

Solid leg burners.

Is it always like that?

It’s very consistent for swell in the winter so there’s a lot of days this size but it’s rare to get those kind of glassy days. That’s what we look for and it’s a perfect way to beat the surfing crowd, looking for different kinds of waves.

Who was running point on the camera and did they get a go?!

That was also Reo. We basically just took turns whipping each other in and filmed with a GoPro while driving the ski. It takes a little bit of practice but makes for some amazing shots. You can check out some shots of him on his Instagram too.

The long, drawn out carves are so reminiscent of snowboarding and damn steezy too. What’s your take on how surf foiling fits into the bigger picture... Unbroken swells and powerful carves? Or popping tricks in the shorebreak?

That’s what people keep telling me, about the similarities to snowboarding. I still have never been so can’t compare myself but hopefully that will change this year. I just love it as it’s the perfect way to turn an average fat wave into a whole new world of fun. In my opinion it’s bridged the gap that SUP surfing tried to fill. It allows you ride a small board and gives you the same feeling of speed as surfing on a wave where you would normally need a SUP. I think that’s why we’ve seen so many more surfers crossing over lately.

Was it as perfect as it looked? There must have been the occasional slip up…

It was pretty damn dreamy out there. Sure there were a couple falls out there but nothing too bad. Best thing is you just grab the rope and whip into another one!

Where are you at right now and what’s the foiling conditions looking like?

I’ve actually been in the Marshall Islands for the last month which has been epic. It’s generally pretty windy so more kiting lately over here but we’ve had a few epic glassy days for foiling with some perfect waves out front. Also I’ve been having a lot of fun with the wing, cruising around the island and downwinding back home from the surf.

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MALA’E MCELHENY A bona fide foil all-rounder, Mala’e McElheny is better known in the social media domain as @BanzaiGrom on Instagram and counts some pretty high-profile names as mentors and riding buddies. He’s another young gun you’ll no doubt get to know very well in the years to come. We got in touch…

So Mala’e, we know you from your Instagram, but tell us a little more about yourself… My name is Mala’e McElheny. I just turned 12 years old and live on the North Shore of Oahu, and I first tried foiling in October of 2017 with John Amundson when I was nine years old.

What’s your favorite discipline and set up? Right now I spend a lot of time wing foiling and also prone foiling. Luckily my 4’0 Amundson Customs Fire Bolt works great for both! For most conditions I will use the 29” Go Foil Mast (with a plate adapter) with the GL140 and a 12” flat tail wing.

For wing foiling I use the Duotone Foilwing, usually the 4m here on Oahu and even sometimes the 5m. I recently went SUP foiling for the first time in a while and was super stoked on it. The 4’10 “Uncle Nubby” or a 5’10 “John O” works great for me for SUP foil. Of course, it is super fun to surf and kiteboard without a foil as well! My dad is hoping that I might get into windsurf foiling since he grew up as a windsurfer at my age. We will see!

Where do you foil on Oahu? We go to Puaena Point pretty much every week, but nowadays depending on how big the waves are and where the wind might be we can foil at all sorts of spots on the North Shore. We are so lucky that this coastline has so many awesome opportunities. We may not have the wind that Maui has, but Oahu makes up for it with the quality and diversity of the surf spots. There are windy spots as well – just not ‘Maui Wind’!

Have you traveled anywhere to foil? I have been foiling on Maui twice and the Big Island once. On Maui I was able to foil with a lot of the Maui crew! Alex and Karla Aguera of Go Foil were so nice to spend a lot of time with me, as were Kai Lenny, Zane Schweitzer, Kane de Wilde, and Bobo Gallagher. On Maui I also met Ken Winner, Sky Solbach, and Jaime Herraiz of Duotone, and did the Maliko run for my first time wingfoiling with them as well! When we went to the Big Island we were lucky to meet Abraham Shouse of WeFoil. He took our whole family eFoiling and it was a blast.

One day we hope to get an eFoil for sure. I recently tried the WayDoo eFoil and that was great too. The foil wing and eFoils help make it so that people can get up on a foil just about anywhere in the world no matter what the conditions are.

Is there anywhere else in the world you’d like to foil? It would be great to be able to go to Maui more often and I also dream of going to the Gorge, maybe during this year’s AWSI board sports exposition.

John and Mala’e with his 4’0 Amundson Customs Fire Bolt

R I S I NG UP

So how did you start out? My parents and my grandpas helped me learn to surf with them before I was even really swimming. Also two great foilers, Matt and Heimana Reynolds, helped me learn to skateboard at Proper Ride Shop. Matt and Heimana always reminded us to be grateful to those who help and support us and that has stuck with me for sure. Of course, they also inspired me to always go for it!

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“WE MAY NOT HAVE THE WIND THAT MAUI HAS, BUT OAHU MAKES UP FOR IT WITH THE QUALITY AND DIVERSITY OF THE SURF SPOTS. ” LEFT Mala’e, living his best life.

B OT TOM L E F T Sharing the stoke with Zane Schweitzer.

RIGH T Where you’ll find Mala’e 99% of the time.

B OT TOM RIGH T Embracing every aspect of foil-riding...

At 12 years old, how do you balance water sports, family, school, and everything else a 12-year-old enjoys? I spend a lot of time with my two sisters and also with my three cousins that live right next door to us. I help my grandpa with yard work and our family is also involved in a wide variety of community activities including volunteering for AccessSurf Hawaii and also with the Wanana Paoa double-hulled sailing canoe that Kamaki Worthington is the Captain of.

My family works hard to help me balance all of these aspects of my life but it is a learning process for sure.

Of course, school is a huge priority after my family responsibilities. I started a new school this year in Honolulu called Punahou. We have a carpool and it takes about three hours round trip each day to get back and forth to school! Everyday we wake up at 5:30am and some days we don’t get home until 4:30pm. One awesome thing about Punahou though is that there is a long line of ocean lovers that attended, including foilers like Robby Naish and Gerry Lopez! I am hopeful I can eventually work on foil projects at school like Kane de Wilde did on Maui. It is sick that he has learned so much about what makes foils work at such an early age and that he likes to share his knowledge with others.

Who are some of your mentors? I have always been super inspired

by Kai Lenny and Zane Schweitzer. They are able to excel at all the disciplines of foiling in addition to all the other types of ocean activities that they are the world’s best at. Both of them have been so kind to me in making time to foil together both here and on Maui.

Uncle Kamaki and Uncle John are similar in that they excel in all of the water activities that they do and they also really help me out. My grandparents and my parents also offer me a lot of guidance.

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We hear you were possibly the youngest to start foiling on Oahu and possibly even in Hawaii? From what I understand I think I was, but right now there are some awesome younger foilers like Skai Suitt. She is 10 years old and I bet there are some even younger. I’m pretty sure I may be the youngest wing foiler on Oahu right now though. Although Bobo Gallagher on Maui is one year younger than me and he charges!

What advice would you give other young people wanting to get started? It is super helpful if you can find someone you already surf with to help you out, or maybe get a lesson if you need to. We have found that starting people off on a board that floats really well but is not too long (maybe about the same length as they are tall) works well too. Then wear a helmet and an impact vest, wear a leash, stay away from regular surfers and keep anyone else at least five feet away from you, even if you are just paddling out…

Smart tips. So who are your sponsors right now and how can people follow your foiling? I am really grateful for the support and encouragement from Amundson Customs, Go Foil, Duotone Foilwing and kiteboarding USA, Grom USA, and Xcel Wetsuits.

How do you see foiling panning out in the future? I hope more young people will watch Kai Lenny’s movie Paradigm Lost and get stoked on learning multiple ocean sports. The same way I have observed Kai and Zane being so positive and lifting other people up I hope I can do that one day as well. We definitely try to ‘pay it forward’ by helping our friends learn how to foil and by trying to find people the best boards to learn on, and I hope that the industry finds more ways to make these sports more affordable for young people to get involved with.

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MAL A’ E M C E LH E N Y

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P H OTOGRAP H E R :

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Matt Georges

Peyo Lizarazu is a local rider from the Basque Country and was by all accounts the first surfer to ride Belharra. He’s now a self-confessed surf foiling addict and spends a lot of time looking for the perfect foil spot. The wave in this particular shot has three main sections, and if you can connect everything together you might possibly get the longest wave of your life… It breaks all the way from the jetty to the beach and is perfectly adapted for foiling because the take-off zone has a little foam that gets you going, then the rolling swell doesn’t break but retains plenty of power, so you can cut those sweeping backside carves easily. So now you just have to find out where it is…

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JAPAN WO R D S PA I G E A L M S PHOTOS PEDRO GOMES

Paige Alms headed out to Japan to represent her country in the World Surfing Games, and ended her trip in Okinawa, scoring perfect foil conditions (and the odd typhoon swell) with fellow Patagonia ambassador, Hayato Maki.

Paige tells the story...

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was in Japan a while back for the ISA Games, competing with Team Canada because I was born there. We were there doing the contest and then I flew down to Miyazaki to meet up with Tomoko Okazaki who was putting on The Butterfly Effect event in Miyazaki again. I’d premiered my film The Wave I Ride at the very first Butterfly Effect, so she invited me to come along to join again, and it just so happened to be right after the contest.

So it was perfect timing.

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BOTTOM LEFT Paige is better known for her big wave conquering.

But she’s clearly just as happy in far smaller swells too...

TOP RI GHT Japan remains relatively low key in the foiling sphere, but certainly nor for the conditions it offers.

BOTTOM RI GHT Best practice for carrying your foil setup through encroaching foliage.

I flew down there, we did the event, and then I flew down to Okinawa to meet up with Hayato Maki who is a Patagonia Ambassador. I was in touch with him and Patagonia dialed it in to connect, so I flew down there and he picked me up and I stayed there a week or so. The surf was really small when we first got there, so I was actually pretty fired up to go foiling after not doing so well in the contest, and the surf just being a little bit average. Hayato was super keen on foiling at the time, it was kind of all he was doing and that was pretty much the same for me. I was just so in love with it, so it was really cool to travel to Japan with a foil and to link up with someone that was that passionate about it as Hayato was.

I stayed at his house and Tomoko flew down for a couple days and we all got to hang out. Hayato lives there and runs camps down there, and it was really good to have him as a kind of tour guide. He took us all to the best restaurants and we met all of his friends, who would come over for barbecues and hang out.

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JA PA N

A B OV E Paige enjoys some Okinawan perfection before the typhoon lands...

R I G HT All kinds of Japanese treasures....

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JA PA N

“IT WAS DEFINITELY A REALLY UNIQUE TRIP, UNLIKE ANY OTHER TRIP THAT I HAD BEEN ON” We ended up foiling pretty much every day. I think we only surfed maybe once or twice when the surf picked up towards the end of the trip. It was kind of crazy, a category 4 typhoon was coming, so Tomoko got out of there and I’d never experienced any type of storm like that before. I asked, “Should I get out of here?” and she’s like “No, you’ll be fine.” In Okinawa all of the buildings are designed to withstand storms like that, they get those kind of heavy storms multiple times a year, so I stayed but it was pretty crazy to be there for that.

The good thing about it was that there wasn’t too much damage considering how strong it was. We actually got to walk outside in the middle of the eye, which was a pretty crazy experience. Everything was calm and we walked down to the beach to check the surf and it was really wild, then an hour or two later it got really stormy again.

That in itself was quite an experience, but just the overall experience of being in Okinawa was really special. It was definitely a really unique trip, unlike any other trip that I had been on, and super cool to be somewhere in Japan that was really warm and tropical, and with the potential for some amazing surf - the waves there get so good.

You just need the perfect storms that don’t come too close, unlike the one I experienced. So yeah, it became a foil trip, and it was really fun. We scored a lot of really good days.

T H IS PAGE Paige and Hayato Maki enjoy some of the over and underwater treats that Japan offers.

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KAMCHATKA Four years in the planning, Mallory de la Villemarque’s epic trip to a formerly off-limits military zone in Kamchatka, deep in grumpy bear territory, is as far out as our Outer Banks section has gone yet. It was never going to be warm… but Russia delivered.

P H O T O S M AT T G E O R G E S WORDS MALLORY DE LA VILLEMARQUE

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e didn’t score the most perfect swells on our trip to Kamchatka, but with the little swell we had we could see the potential of the place. The only problem is how big the peninsula is and the complicated, sometimes impossible, accessibility to many spots. Luckily, we had a very comfortable boat that could take us anywhere we wanted.

Still, we only visited a tiny little piece of this gigantic peninsula. There are probably hundreds of waves never surfed with so much untouched coastline. Just thinking about it excites me!

I remember that early morning sunrise session, the location was so beautiful with two massive snowy volcanoes in the backdrop and the smoke coming out of their calderas. We were camping on a huge black sand beach relatively well known for surfing in Kamchatka, not too far from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the main city.

That morning the air and water were very cold, it was definitely one of the coldest sessions of our trip. We had scored a nice kitesurfing T HE O UTE R B A N KS

session the previous day and had to leave our wetsuits to “dry” on the bushes outside of the tents. Fair to say they were completely wet and cold, and with the strong offshore winds coming from the volcanoes, it felt like -10ºC. Nowhere to hide from the wind, just the humid ponchos to keep us a little warmer… every surfer knows and loves that feeling! But you never say no to a dawn patrol with your buddies and with no one else out, especially in the middle of such a beautiful landscape with nice little waves to play with. The waves were quick and steep on that spot, which didn’t make it easy to catch but we still had a few good golden runs!

We had another good session in this huge bay which was only accessible by boat. The swell was tiny but the bay was well oriented to the SW. As we arrived we could see a bit of a foam, there was no wind for a few days for kiting, and we needed to get wet. That’s what I love with foiling and the reason I never travel without it anymore, as it can really save your trip. You can find yourself going from doing nothing to having a blast surfing waves you’d never even have considered before.

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So the dinghy took us to the shore and dropped us on the first breaking foam. Everyone jumped to catch the first one but it happened to be a close out with some long seaweed that would stop you completely if you went too deep. I had spotted a little left a few hundred meters away so decided to walk to take a closer look. We’d been making jokes about the bears during the whole trip and were obsessed with seeing one. Our local guides kept telling us we did not want to see one as they can be quite aggressive. So I was not super confident while walking as the bushes were not too far from the shore. I had a pretty good weapon: my foil, but I’m sure a big bear could smash it and then go for me easily!

After walking for a while looking between the ocean and the land every five seconds, I finally got to that little lefty and it was nice and clean, opening up far more than where the boys were. I could see them going for a close out on every wave. I paddled out, scored a few good runs and then they all followed, and we had a three-hour session of pure fun between friends. Those sessions are worth the world to me. They stay in your mind forever and you just enjoy the landscape, nature, and a good relaxing time with friends. No crowds to fight for waves, just pure peace.

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KA M C H AT KA

“EVEN IN ONE OF THE MOST REMOTE PLACES IN THE WORLD, WITH AMAZING SCENERY AND ALMOST NOBODY AROUND, YOU CAN SEE THE IMPACT THAT OUR LIVES ARE HAVING ON NATURE.” A little note. As we finished our session, we decided to take a closer look at the beach. We were really saddened to see that it was actually trashed with plastic. We could see so many bottles of all kinds, toothpaste tubes and other plastics. Even in one of the most remote places in the world, with amazing scenery and almost nobody around, you can see the impact that our lives are having on nature. It is really sad to see the harm we’re doing to our planet. We decided to do a little beach clean-up, and as our dinghy driver came to pick us up the look on his face was probably saying “look at those dumb guys”, but we didn’t care, and took it all to the boat.

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DYNAMICS B Y D R . G E O R G E H R A D I L , D E LTA H Y D R O F O I L S

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HIG H ASP ECT R ATI O WI NGS THE G O O D, T H E B AD, AN D T H E U G LY

Dr George and his workshop.

High aspect ratio wings have become popular in the foil surfing world. These long narrow wings have extremely good pumping performance and great glide.

The surf foiling world is getting more diverse, and now includes SUP foiling, prone foiling, hand-held wing foiling, wake foiling, downwind SUP foiling, and kite foiling. Which of these disciplines are high AR wings suitable for?

What are the advantages and disadvantages, and are they right for you?

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The Good

There is good and there is a lot of it. The Aspect Ratio or AR of a wing is the ratio of its span divided by its chord. Increasing a wing’s AR is a sure-fire way of increasing its efficiency, which is important when limited power is available. Airplane gliders are a prime example, and they always feature long, thin wings. With the exception of e-foils and wind powered foils, surf hydrofoils are essentially “water” gliders. You move forward by gliding down the slope of the water in the wave. It therefore makes sense that a high AR wing is desirable.

A wing creates lift by deflecting water downward as it passes through the water. There’s high pressure on the bottom of the wing and low pressure on the top. The difference between these pressures multiplied by the wing surface area is equal to the lift the wing generates.

At the wing tip, the high and low pressures are in close proximity and water circulates from the high pressure bottom of the wing to the low pressure top, creating a vortex. This flow around the tip reduces the pressure difference, reducing the lift of the wing. A short, low aspect ratio wing has a larger percentage efficiency loss due to the tip circulation than a long, high aspect ratio wing. Another way of thinking about it is that a short wing has much more of its surface area near the tip than a long wing.

DYN A M I C S

WINGS OF EQUAL AREA

AR 4.3

A R 5. 3

A high AR wing is more efficient at all flight conditions but has its greatest advantage at high lift coefficients. The lift coefficient is a measure of how much lift the wing generates per unit surface area of the wing divided by the speed squared. What that means for us is that the efficiency advantage of high AR wings is greatest when they are going slow. Prime examples of this would be when pumping or when trying to get up on foil with a hand-held wing. For e-foil, tow in, or kite foiling, a high AR wing does not offer as much of an advantage. In summary, high AR wings will produce lift with substantially less drag at low speeds. At higher speeds, the advantage will still be there, but will not be as great.

The Bad AR 6.5

A R 7. 9

If high AR wings are so great, why don’t we use them all the time?

The same could be asked of beer drinking – if it makes me feel good, shouldn’t I stay drunk all the time? In both cases the answer is no, since there are disadvantages to high AR wings and staying drunk all the time. In the case of high AR wings, the disadvantages are the large physical size of the wing and also the very large structural loads a high AR wing is subjected to. A high AR wing will have a greater span than a low AR wing of equal area. The bending deflection of a wing is a function of the half span of the wing raised to the third power (cubed). Furthermore, high AR wings are thinner as well as longer, and the deflection of the wing is also an inverse function of the wing thickness cubed. So, as the AR goes up, the wing gets longer and thinner and at some point the wing will become very bendy. This is

INDUCED DRAG COEFFICIENT

INDUCED DRAG VS LIFT COEFFICIENT

LIFT COEFFICIENT

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a limiting factor in designing airplane wings, since they must also be lightweight. Hydrofoil wings do not need to be particularly light, but they must be very stiff. A flexible wing or foil will not feel stable.

The long lever arm of a high AR wing will also stress the wing/fuselage connection, the fuselage/strut connection, as well as the strut.

Therefore, high AR wings should be made of carbon fiber, either solid carbon, or using a very strong core material. Moreover, the other components of the foil must be sufficiently stiff and strong to bear the increased loads of the longer wing.

The other issue with long wings is that tips will breach the surface of the water or hit bottom as the foil is banked in a turn. If the wing is heavily loaded, a wing tip breach can ventilate the wing. If you hit the bottom, you will fall, but the large lever arm of the wing may also break the foil. So if you are kite foiling or carving a wave face, a long wing will present a challenge. If, on the other hand, you are downwind SUP foiling, you are practically vertical and in deep water, so the large span of a high AR wing will not be a problem.

The Ugly

The final consideration is the wing’s effect on stability and handling.

We mostly think of stability as a positive attribute: a stable foil is easier to ride. However, if a foil is over-stabilized, it will become difficult to control. The foil will be so locked that it will not be maneuverable. This is a problem with high AR wings with large spans. The foil becomes very stable in roll and it becomes difficult to turn. Riding a hydrofoil is similar to skateboarding. If you get slightly off balance you turn to get your weight back over the center of the board. If you cannot turn, you fall. A long span wing is like a skateboard with very tight trucks; it is hard to ride because it is overly stable in roll. An 80cm wing will turn fine but over 100cm in span and the foil will be difficult to turn.

Conclusions

• High AR wings have a clear performance advantage, particularly when the wing is heavily loaded, such as when pumping or going slow and when power is limited. Wings with spans around 90cm and about 1200 sq cm areas offer a good compromise between performance and maneuverability for prone surf foiling. In fact, some riders claim that wings of this size are more maneuverable than the lower AR foils they were previously riding.

• Wings with spans of 100cm or more are more difficult to turn and to balance. For hand-held wing foiling, wings of this size can be acceptable and even desirable, because the hand-held wing becomes a balancing element and the rider will not rely as much on the maneuverability of the foil for balance. Moreover, heavier wing foilers usually prefer very large wings to help in getting on foil; therefore, large wing spans are unavoidable. Additionally, hand-held wing foil boards are wide and offer more leverage to turn larger span wings.

• High AR wings will dominate in downwind SUP racing, since they offer lower resistance and therefore higher speeds than the lower AR designs. For racing, that is what is required.

TOP Yep, we chuckled too.

B OT TOM A high AR Delta set up. Not in its natural habitat...

• Be sure that any foil you are considering is sufficiently stiff to handle the greater loads imparted by a longer span high AR wing. A flexible hydrofoil is a poor foil.

• It is best to try a foil before buying it. Every hydrofoil is a compromise and different people want different things from their foils. The only way to know for sure if a foil is right for you is to try it in the conditions you usually ride in.

• The AR of a foil is only one facet of its design. If the airfoil section is not properly optimized or the surface finish is poor, even a high AR design can have poor performance. Conversely, a very well designed and manufactured moderate AR design may have performance capabilities close to or better than a high AR design. Some beers are better than others too.

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DYN A M I C S

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p h oto : P e t e r K i n g t e a m r i d e r : m y l e s Pa dac a

Better By design.

Built strong.

Built to last.

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NORTH CHASE FOILBOARD

FANATIC SKY WING

AXIS FOILS S-SERIES 660 WING

The ultimate single board quiver for those with a varied range of watery penchants.

Perfect for prone foilsurfing but will also happily work for kitefoiling and kitesurfing.

Features a reinforced built-in foil connection with FCSII thruster fin boxes, and North’s own Carbon Innegra Futurelite system to maximize strength without losing flex. Pairs perfectly with North’s Sonar Surf edition foil setup.

The Sky Wing (reviewed in a lot more depth in our Inbound section this issue) is Fanatic’s wholly dedicated wing foiling board, perfectly bridging the gap between their Sky SUP and Sky Surf ranges. The board is available in three sizes, with the smaller two focused on freeride to waves, and the larger allowing for early take-offs and maximum efficiency in light winds. The color also makes us very happy indeed.

The AXIS ‘Surf’ Series 660 wing – the smaller of the wings in the S-Series – is pitched fully toward the more experienced surf foilers amongst us, and for those who like to ratchet things up a notch in terms of swell size and/or get towed in. The 660 handles plenty of speed, with a nice loose play and very little effort required for the very sweetest of carves.

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FLY OVER WATER

INNOVATION EFFICIENCY DESIGN LEVITAZ.COM Made in Austria

SUP

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KITE 75

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SLINGSHOT SLINGWING CLASSIC V1

RIDE ENGINE APOC & ELARA

LEVITAZ SHAKA COMBO

Slingshot’s flagship wing is their versatile and lightweight entry into the booming wing market, but comes with the added badge of honor of being a Tony Logosz product – one of the pioneers in this field. The easily-inflated rigid frame offers stability and confidence on the water, and packs back down into a tiny little bag when you’ve had your fill of fun. The future is wings, and Slingshot are on it…

Santa Cruz based Ride Engine know a thing or two about spending time in the water and are no shirkers when it comes to making wetsuits that will keep you in there for a good deal of time. There new APOC (mens’) and ELARA (womens’) wetsuits are the results of plenty of technical and “in-the-field” research, and have a string of environmentally conscious facets in their material, including limestone-based neoprene, an ingredient that’s “pyrolyzed” from rubber tires, water-based lamination glue, as well as being free of any toxic waterproofing chemicals. These are happy wetsuits.

Who doesn’t love a good package deal?

Levitaz’s new Shaka Combo package comes with an adjustable rear wing, their carbon/aluminum hybrid mast, and two front wings – the 2000cm² Shaka L which is ideal for smaller swells, calm waters, low speed wake and learning, and the 1500cm² Shaka M, for bigger swells and faster riding.

Do you need anything else in life?

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1 FOIL FOR EVERYTHING : SURF FOIL - WIND FOIL - WAKE FOIL - KITE FOIL - SUP FOIL - WING FOIL 1750

1500

759€

1250

From

2000

Carbon wings Aluminium mast

380€

380€

350€

350€

Shipping worldwide

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SIGNATURE STEALTH 175

ARMSTRONG WING SUP BOARDS AND HS1050 FOIL

RRD UNIVERSAL KSH-ALU SET

Put the word ‘Stealth’ in your product name and you know it means business.

Signature Performance Gear’s new 175 Full Carbon Foil is designed for moderate to advanced foilers with a good amount of wave riding experience, and comes complete with front wing, fuselage, TWIN-TIP rear wing, hardware, and Signature sleeves.

Ideal for both surf and SUP foiling, its full carbon construction makes this the most lightweight and effective pieces of kit…

T HE G O O D STUF F

Armstrong’s new Wing SUP boards arrive after plenty of evolution and testing at Armstrong HQ and on the water. Refined volume distribution offers excellent stability on the water and make them easy to paddle, while their unique triple concave bottom makes take-offs a breeze. The boards come in three sizes: 5’5 (80L), 5’11 (99L) and 6’6 (132L). Their HS 1050 foil has also just dropped, which is ideal for lightweight surf riders who enjoy their steep and late drop-ins, or for slightly more relaxing sessions out on the SUP, wing, kite or riding wake.

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The RRD Universal foil set is a veritable Swiss Army Knife in terms of foil versatility, allowing surf, SUP, kite and pumping capabilities without any switching up. The set comes with a 1500cm2 front wing, 75cm mast, 76cm fuselage and a 52cm wide negative dihedral rear wing to help pumping and turning. This is an ideal, low-effort setup for those looking for quick improvements in their riding.

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WORDS AND PHOTOS ANTOINE AURIOL FOILING PHOTOS ROGIO HERNANDEZ NECHES

Antoine Auriol was on the hunt for an adventure, but one with some specifications: flat bodies of water were a must. A simmering love for India sent him back that way, and this time he journeyed the country with a foil and found exactly what he’d been searching for…

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hen cruising the internet without any real objective, it’s easy to be drowned in a tsunami of information, so I try to exercise control as I glide through the websites, trying to find inspiration for new dreams. Surfing, for example, is a sport that fascinates me. Many freesurfer videos are truly amazing. Sometimes I tell myself that I would have liked to have been a pro-surfer rather than a kitesurfer.

But I don’t regret this, on the contrary, I honestly believe that the quest for the perfect wind conditions is just as much of an ambition.

A few years ago, the foil appeared in the world of surfing, and quickly spread out through all the disciplines, kite foil, surf foil, wind foil, more recently wing foil, and of course the ultimate spectacle, the ocean racing foil yachts. A new world was born, a new way of gliding was invented. I quickly became addicted to this discipline. Since then, my playground has changed. With a foil, you can have fun in all conditions. A downwind choppy sea, a long undulating swell, small or big waves, everything became ‘foilable’. Even flat and glassy waters turned into superb conditions! This has changed me from just being a kitesurfer to a surfer as well. My childhood dream to be a surfer has finally come true after my diversion via kiting. I am now a complete surfer. I can foil everywhere I go, yet I can still always catch the wind if it blows.

Recently I went to India. I started on the internet, looking for unusual spots. The incredible thing is that for once I didn’t have to check the wind forecasts as well. I always have a kite with me in case there’s wind, so I’m ready to inflate my kite and take off. However, this was the first time I was able to just focus on choosing a great place without worrying about the wind strength. This allowed me to pick the most beautiful lakes in Rajasthan. My goal was to surf the sacred waters of this beautiful region. My DNA was formed in the Ardennes region of France, where I grew up around a lake because my father was the director of the nautical base there, and we did all types of water sports. This is why I am inexplicably drawn towards any pond or lake, in fact anything bigger than a puddle. From the Trocadéro fountains in Paris, the Retiro lake of Madrid, the Hudson river in New York, right up to the ochre pools of the Luberon... I will ride anything (although maybe not the puddle). These smaller bodies of water are always more beautiful and cinematic than the ocean, because there are visual limits; landmarks, vegetation, buildings, animals and peo-

“I WAS INFUSED WITH A NEW ENERGY AND MY THOUGHTS IN TURMOIL, RACING WITH EXCITING NEW IDEAS, NEW ADVENTURES, NEW DREAMS. ” ple too, that all lend scale and interest from the foreground to the background. It has a beginning and an end unlike the ocean, which is limitless. The horizon blends into the sky, the sky into the universe.

I still love the feeling of infinite freedom that this gives me. I feel at one with everything, incredibly serene. We are all stardust, it’s where every single atom in our bodies came from billions of years ago and where they will eventually return, to be recycled for eternity.

I love India, I’ve been there twice before. This country, so rich in culture, so vibrantly colorful, so noisy, so full of life… it amazes me. This is where I made my first solo trip over 10 years ago. I came back with incredible photos. I was infused with a new energy and my thoughts in turmoil, racing with exciting new ideas, new adventures, new dreams.

I absorb everything I can from all the places I travel to, and I am very lucky today to consider myself a citizen of the world, and therefore a little bit Indian! My objectives are above all gliding, sharing my experiences, trying to enrich myself and the lives of my fellow human beings and hoping it will inspire them to do something positive and rewarding in their lives. This is what drove me to go to India, on this, the first ‘flat water surf trip’ ever made there...

RIG H T TO P Antoine making the absolute most of a desert oasis...

RIGHT Ancient structures loom from the water in Jaisalmer.

I N D I A N AWA K E N IN G

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ANTOI N E AU R I O L

BIKANER STAGE 1

After two days in the chaos of New Delhi, crossing the city in a tuk tuk and breathing in highly contaminated air, I decided to go west, towards Bikaner, a city at the gates of the Thar desert. To get there, I took a night train: its rhythm made me sleep like a baby…

The city of Bikaner is vibrant and very animated. Its old town drew us in, taking us back into the days of camel caravans and colorful markets. As soon as I got there, I asked the locals if they knew of a lake in the region where I could surf foil... Everyone pointed me in the direction of what turned out to be the best spot: the famous Gajner lake, with a magnificent palace standing on the shore. The next day, I awoke at 5am so that I could get there before sunrise. The morning freshness and the first gleaming rays of golden sunlight always enchant me. The place is incredible, almost unreal. A magnificent pink building embraces the lake. The site is a nature reserve where thousands of birds live. Their song made my heart soar. Time to surf... A session that will forever remain in my memory. Some hotel workers spent a few hours with me, asking me questions about how the foil worked. My explanation and demonstration left them goggle eyed and astounded. Their smiles and kindness assuaged my fears that I might be causing offence by foiling in places that were maybe prohibited or perhaps could upset their sensibilities. But I learned that as long as I showed respect, I could do most anything.

MIDDL E Antoine buzzes the famous Taj Lake Palace.

TOP RIGH T A colorful child on the streets of Udaipur...

MIDDL E RIGH T Antoine’s tourist mode switched to ‘on’ in front of the Taj Mahal.

B OT TOM RIGH T A shepherd stands in front of a kama sutra temple in Khajuraho.

JAISALMER STAGE 2

After another night on the train heading 100km west towards Pakistan, we found ourselves immersed in a golden city in the heart of the Thar Desert. Jaisalmer appeared floating above the desert plains, a mirage of an immense sandcastle, golden ochre crenulated walls loomed out of the dawn. After touring this splendid city, I decided to check out a lake which was close to the historic center. The photos I had seen of it on the internet were crazy. The spot looked so beautiful. Arriving at sunset, the place was absolutely charming, and merited its reputation. Some temples are placed in the lake. Their reflections in the mirror-like water illuminated by the setting sun invite people to sit and contemplate. Life is beautiful. Everything seems perfect, except that the water supply is stagnant, and a lot of the local residents pour their wastewater into the lake... I asked if you can bathe here, and everyone told me “no way José, are you nuts?! The water is completely unsanitary. If you jump in, your skin will turn red and you will die!” (or at least get very sick).

My disappointment with their response forced me to look for an alternative place. On the way back to my hotel, I chatted with my host who told me that about 40km away there was an oasis in the middle of the desert, with clean water where the camels go to drink. With hardly a moment’s thought, I organized a small road trip for early the next morning. I was about to embark on another adventure…The sun rose, the lagoon was pure, and a beautiful tree stood just where I could take off. Suddenly I felt really far from home, intense emotions overwhelmed me. I realized how lucky I am to be able to fly over this lake in the middle of the desert... For me, surf foiling is a mixture of all the gliding that I have ever learned whilst kiting or paragliding, combined with the balance and concentration of the slackline. It’s a great way to connect to the here and now.

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“I LEARNED THAT AS LONG AS I SHOWED RESPECT, I COULD DO MOST ANYTHING. ”

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UDAIPUR

STAGE 3

“The city of lakes”, one of my favorite places on Earth. Above all this is where I really wanted to go to foil. Everywhere I went on route, “Udaipur” was always the answer to the question: “Where’s the most beautiful place to go to find mirror-like lakes?”

It didn’t disappoint. The water is so pure because it comes from the surrounding mountains even though it’s situated in the middle of the city. It is highly valued by the Hindus that live there for this reason.

Again, early in the morning, I find myself on the shores of Lake Pichola, just before sunrise, my foil under my arm. I approach a temple and see that I am not alone. Every day, the morning ritual consist of the Hindus coming here to wash and saying their prayers.

I was rather shy on interrupting their daily ablutions and traditions, so I just quietly observed them from afar. Then a man in his fifties came up to me and asked me what I was carrying under my arm.

I explained that I was here to surf foil the lake and described the

equipment and the techniques to him. He looked at me a little disbelievingly with a big smile on his face and said that once his prayers were over, he would like to see me “fly” over the lake because he’d seen an elephant fly, but that was Dumbo in the Disney cartoon, so he didn’t believe a human really could.

So I waited there, drinking in the beauty of the place, while they carried out their routine. The sun caressed my face and I was enjoying the moment. When he finished, the man came over to see me and asked me if he could be of help. I said “Yes, please hold the board up above the water so I can get started.” I ran and leapt onto it just as he let go (actually I think it was the 20th attempt that he finally got the timing right). I rode the board around the lake in front of my small audience who became connected and shared in the experience with me, and in an inexplicable way it transformed into a powerful emotive communication between very different cultures and people. Not just a surf foil session any longer… something deeper with the magic supplied by the setting of this beautiful lake.

TOP L E F T Antoine clearly making the most of the morning stillness in Udaipur.

B OTTO M LE F T One of the more memorable morning ablutions this guy probably had...

R I GHT Antoine gets his start from the front of the Gajner Palace in Bikaner.

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KHAJURAHO STAGE 4

I really wanted to finish my quest in Varanasi, the capital of spiritual India but, unfortunately, even though it’s an untouched spot as regards surf foiling, it’s been subjected to so much use because it is their holy place where they all dream to have their funerals. The Ganges river that flows through there is consequently very polluted because some bodies are not always burned before they are put in the river.

So instead of my first choice, I went to the capital of Indian eroticism to end my trip, the ancient city of Khajuraho, full of temples that were built over a period of a 1000 years. The artists were free to use their imagination to sculpt their wildest sexual fantasies onto the walls. The Kama Sutra, a hymn to love and sensuality. With a wry smile on my face, I go foiling. The foil at Khajuraho is for me a hymn to gliding and freedom. Having the privilege of flying over the region’s largest water reservoir, which will soon supply this great city with drinking water, regenerates me for my homeward journey.

I thanked Khan, the kind-hearted tuk tuk driver who brought me to this place that I had sought so hard. The lake had just been filled thanks to heavy rains of the previous months, so it was now completely pure, reflecting the light of the heavens above whilst the darkness of its depths hid all its mystery. This is how my trip to India appeared to me.

“THE FOIL AT KHAJURAHO IS FOR ME A HYMN TO GLIDING AND FREEDOM” LEFT Nothing better than a dawny all to yourself...

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Wing THE

STORY…

THE TRUE ORIGINS OF WINGSURFING

WO R D S S T E V E PA L I E R

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the whole wing surfing explosion kind of came out of nowhere. But, truth is, it’s been in the offing for some time thanks to pioneering riders and designers, whose creations (as is often the way with these clever bods) are often realized before their time has truly come. But where did wingsurfing originate? Writer (and avid wing rider himself) Steve Palier, President of the recently formed Association of Wing Riders, did the deep digging to try to figure it out…

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W

ith a foilboard, a surfboard, a SUP, a skateboard or a mountain board under your feet, the practice of wing riding has found plenty of different niches in a remarkably short amount of time… Wingsurfing has landed at spots around the world and a whole bunch of images have already invaded social networks and specialized websites.

Whether through clips and photos from brands that invest in

this business, or riders who start this new sport, wingsurfing now integrates into and touches pretty much all the board sports on the water and on land. Everyone is talking about it and wanting to try this sport which seems incredibly easy, especially with a board mounted on a foil, and now even those who were initially most sceptical can’t seem to resist... This sport really is exploding. But before we find out how far this new discipline can go, we should really know its origins.

THE IMAGES THAT MADE THE BUZZ The first video images of wing foil appeared in March 2018. That first clip showed a guy flying above the water, towed by a handmade wing made of fabric pieces assembled onto pieces of tube, which he held at arm’s length. The board, a SUP mounted on a foil, appeared voluminous and quite maneuverable considering the ease with which the rider looped jibes jibes without losing too much speed. Who wasn’t amazed by these images quickly relayed onto the web? This guy is Flash Austin, world kitesurfing star in the early years of the sport.

One month later, he drops a new video clip, filmed by a kitesurfing friend who was following him. This time, if the board remains the same, the wing – then called “Wind Weapon” in the title of the video – has evolved and is more similar to what is done today: more compact, more profiled and more stable, and made of flexible tubes. “I had already planed on water with a skimboard and the soft door of my Jeep in 1989,” explains Flash. “Later, in 1995, I combined a small traction kite and a skimboard on the water. I slid down the embankment and into the water and was able to keep going. Sometimes I would kite down the coast for miles and just walk all the way back.

From that moment, kiteboarding was all I wanted to do. Mid 2015, I woke up from having a really vivid dream where I was flying like a bird in the air on the crest of a wave, with a handheld type of wing and foil. I remembered that I had an old kite that had been in the closet for years. This kite was flat with a frame made of carbon fiber tubes. I took it out and put it on the living room floor. It seemed perfect for building the wing. But it was too big to fit in your hands. So, with a razor blade and glue, I cut everything down to get something workable in my hands. The surface area was small, about 3m2. The whole thing was a little flimsy, but it looked like what I was aspiring to create.”

TO P A N D M I D D L E L E F T Flash Austin’s first wing. Photos: Alex Aguera B OT TO M L E F T From Flash Austin’s YouTube film which helped to reignite the wing buzz.

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THE DISTANT ORIGINS So are Flash Austin’s exploits at the origin of this new sport?

In my research I went back a long way into the past. Because whoever had already invented windsurfing had also had the idea of a kind of wing to use on a board. Jim Drake was certainly a pioneer in this field when he landed in Kailua in 1982 during the Pan Am Cup, with a huge wing that he then had windsurf champion Peter Cabrinha try out.

If you look a little further, you might even find French origins in wingsurfing… In 1982, Roland Le Bail had also invented the “Bird Sail”. In video images found on the web, we see him sailing on a windsurf board, with rollerblades on the beach, and up to the ski slopes! But this wing, more elongated than Drake’s, was certainly still too technical, too cumbersome and especially too heavy to be able to develop as a water sport.

Our investigations then led us to the famous “Wind Weapon”. The generation of 80’s windsurfers certainly remember this incredible wing. At the time, around 1987, the images came from the Hood River spots in the Gorge. Invented by Tom Magruder, it was nothing more or less than a fabric wing with an aluminum frame, mounted and connected to a windsurf board by a mast end. This setup made it possible to nail some great jumps while flying over a long distance, but this version was not ultimately successful either.

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Then, we came across a video found on YouTube from 2007. We see guys testing what is then called a “KiteWing”. At the time, this rigid aluminum tube wing was used on frozen lakes by riders equipped with skis and ice skates. But in the video, we see those guys try this wing (4.8m) first on land on a mountainboard, then in strong wind on the water with a windsurf board, a SUP, then a directional kitesurf board under the feet, on the very same spot as in the Flash video!

Although the guys go relatively fast without being able to go upwind, they struggle to get the wing out of the water after each fall. It seems that there are no other traces of this type of wing in the years that followed…

F I R S T R OW Bird Sail 1982 & Wing by Jim Drake 1982 S E C O N D R OW Wind Weapon, 1987 T H I R D R OW KiteWing, Hawaii 2007

T H E T RU E ORIGINS OF WIN G S U R FI N G

THE RECENT ORIGINS In April 2019, Tony Logosz, co-founder of the kitesurfing and foil brand Slingshot, claimed to have created the first modern wing in 2011. In archive photos on the brand’s website, we discover a small compact wing that looks like the Flash one, except that it’s an inflatable structure, similar to kitesurfing - so very light! But in this size (about 4m), the “Slingwing” seems to lack the power to tow a man on the water and go upwind. The brand explains that, “The disadvantage at the time was just a problem of friction of the board on the water.

That is why we put aside the Slingwing in our R&D department until recently. It was only with the evolution of the foil – and more specifically the development of large, low-performance foil wings with a lot of lift and speed – that we saw that there was something to work on because there was no more friction.”

Logosz is testing his inflatable prototype again on a windsurfing board on a foil in 2015. And it works! However, the project will not go into production. No videos, just pictures… “I think that at the time, the Slingshot version had not caught on because the foils were not yet ready for use with this type of wing,” says Alex Aguera, designer for the Go Foil brand. Kai Lenny confirms: “The foil was really the conduit to make it work on a higher level. Before that, the inflatable wings couldn’t get you on a plane with a normal board unless it was nuking!”

AB OV E Tony Logosz and the early iteration of the Slingwing.

But this part of the story is interesting because without the evolution of kitesurfing wings and their inflatable structure in the 2000s, it is certain that modern wingsurfing would not exist today. Then it is mainly thanks to the evolution of the foil, with larger front wings, that handheld wings reappear in 2019.

What interested us was how this support has developed since the Flash Austin videos in 2018, and how this new toy has been able to reach the market so quickly.

To find out more, we contacted Christian “Pacifico” Barcellos, who I had been following on Instagram since the summer. A Brazilian waterman living in Hawaii, he appeared to be already very involved in the sport. He regularly posted short videos on his account where he could be seen testing many types of wings from different brands on Kanaha beach in Maui, the same spot where the first images were shot with Flash. Once again, it all starts from Hawaii.

AB OV E The Slingwing today.

We thought that Pacifico must have closely followed the development and evolution of the very first modern wings. So we asked him...

“Wingsurfing as we know it didn’t become possible until after Alex Aguera made those very wide foil wings adapted to downwind runs in SUP. Inspired after testing, Flash Austin then cut up an old kite wing and assembled it with a few tent poles to test on a SUP board equipped with a foil, and everything started from there.” At the same time, on the same spot, Ken Winner was testing kitesurfing wings.

“When he saw this, he thought he could refine an old prototype wing that he had already designed based on a kite that was out there in his garage,” says the Brazilian.

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AB OV E The brand new SROKA Wing Foil

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T H E T RU E ORIGINS OF W I N G S U R FI N G

Ken Winner with the Duotone Foil Wing.

P H OTO Toby Bromwich

DEVELOPMENT Ken Winner is a former windsurfing champion of the 80s. Today, as chief designer of kites and foils for the Duotone brand, he is probably the one who made the first appearance on the market of an inflatable wing. A wing he developed with the help of the former pro kitesurfer, Sky Solbach…

For him, it all started with two types of inflatable wings already designed and tested in October 2010. “Sky Solbach and I had tried them on SUP boards and finally found that they weren’t very well developed.” In May 2018, when he saw Flash on his SUP foil board powered by his handcrafted wing, Winner got back on his computer, reopened his old files and designed a wing that was not too different from what the brands’ currently offer: fully inflatable, about 2.5m, with handles on the central strut. “When I started using this type of wing, I was just looking for a way to fly over the water when I was on a downwinder on a foil,” says Ken. “Immediately, I realized that I was able to fly with it, thanks to the foil.” With Solbach, they then tested 20 or 30 prototypes by fine-tuning the details of the first wings which had no windows, a flexible inflatable strut, a too-narrow leading edge and no battens! “We quickly changed and improved everything before adding a PVC tube instead of the central strut to stiffen the whole thing,” says Ken. At that time, Alan Cadiz (co-owner of a windsurf school in Maui/Hawaii) became interested in the project and tested Winner’s wing. “He then helped me by connecting a rigid handle on the leading edge extended by a boom tube and giving me valuable feedback on what he liked and what he didn’t like,” explains Winner.

“I knew about the inflatable wings that I had tried in 2010 and 2011. I didn’t learn that Tony had done something similar until later.” A true waterman skilled in windsurfing, surfing, SUP, kitesurfing and a new adept of the foil discipline, Kai Lenny was attentively observing this new toy in full development. “When I saw the guys doing wing foiling on Maui at that time, I realized the full potential of the sport. I instantly wanted to do it and see where I could take it.”

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LEFT Ken Winner prototypes from 2010 & 2011

THE LAUNCH Summer 2018. Witnessing all this on the beach, Pacifico says: “I was about to try Ken’s prototypes when he then sent me a text message saying I should wait a few months, because he didn’t want anyone to see or measure the wing.” The project was already in production.

The first images of Duotone’s “Foil Wing” are released on the web in spring 2019 – one year after the first Flash Austin videos – and the wing is announced on the world market with a major boost in marketing, videos, demos and tests during dealer meetings. The rush to production is then launched between all the brands. Naish quickly reacts and follows with its own wing design, followed by Slingshot then Ozone, Takuma, Gong and F-ONE. Everything moves very fast.

“I have to say it’s impressive how quickly other brands jumped in,” says Winner.

Today, almost two years after the blast launched by Flash flying above the water on a foilboard with a piece of handcrafted cloth in his hands, there are already nearly 30 brands offering inflatable handheld wings on the market.

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THE FUTURE In six months, the sport has already evolved to be enjoyed on various devices, from the simple SUP board to start with, to the very short foil surfboard to surf the swell or waves, to the longboard, the skateboard, the mountainboard and the snowboard. Several disciplines are also emerging. While we have already seen the first wing races on foilboards in Hawaii this summer, some riders like Austin Kalama, Kai Lenny, Nathan van Vuuren, Titouan Galea, Balz Müller or Philippe Caneri are already launching freestyle tricks and insane jumps while the early pioneers such as Alex Aguera and Robby Naish are doing long surf rides – still on a foil – on Hawaiian waves with super compact boards. Now addicted and already pushing the limits of this sport, this is how Kai Lenny sees its future: “If wingsurfing hadn’t quite found its place in between both kitesurfing and windsurfing, it has now and it’s a sport that’s here to stay because it offers the potential to both surf and fly in a completely different way than what a windsurfer or a kitesurfer can do. I am now looking forward to seeing how the equipment will evolve because that is currently the limiting factor. In two years’ time, I am convinced that we will make wing foils with very high performance wings.”

“THE FOIL IS WHAT TAKES THIS SPORT TO THE NEXT LEVEL & THAT’S WHAT MAKES IT SO INTERESTING”

According to Flash, this sport will really take off. “Its potential is boundless. Like a storm that is coming and you can’t stop it, the evolution of foils converging on a collision course with the revolution of handheld wings. That’s why I called it the ‘Handheld Wind Weapon’.”

people will use this new toy. “The learning progression is relatively easy, I also think this sport will progress to very high levels of speed, jumping and freestyle performance.” For Pacifico, “The foil is what takes this sport to the next level and that’s what makes it so interesting right now: there are many other ways to enjoy a wingsurf wing.”

“The sport will probably grow with a new group of wind addicts, as it is another form of being able to sail and foil,” says Aguera. “The new wings are an easier way to teach someone how to sail and foil. It is easier than learning to windsurf or kite for someone who has no experience at either sport.” Ken Winner thinks it is difficult to say how

If all this is only the beginning, it is likely that wingsurfing will very quickly become as popular... In any case, the future of this sport is already on the way, and as Flash Austin says, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.”

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T H E T RU E ORIGINS OF WIN G S U R FI N G

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RIDE ENGINEER:

THE COL E M A N BUCK LE Y INTERVIEW One of the most intriguing brand figures in the industry, Ride Engine founder Coleman Buckley started developing kitesurf gear in 2011 and, a few years in, saw the potential that was developing in the world of hydrofoils, so turned his engineering nous in that direction too, developing a comprehensive and very well-received foil lineup that exudes the California surf vibe, just like he does.

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HEY CO L EM AN. In high school, my final project for physics was on hydrofoils but the one we built totally didn’t work! That was kinda in the stainless steel, Laird Hamilton foil days. Later though, Tony Logosz became a mentor and is who really turned me on to foils. He’s way deeper in the scene than most people realize (for example, he builds the high-speed wings Kai Lenny tows in at Jaws on). I honestly had no idea how anything worked but he really took the time to explain everything and build some foils with me. He also builds insane carbon fiber airplanes and all kinds of stuff that make foils look like child’s play!

First up, can you give us an overview of Coleman Buckley, how you got into engineering amazing kit, and where you’re based right now?

Hello! I’m 32 years old and am based out of Santa Cruz, California.

I was planning on becoming an orthopedic surgeon after college but in the summer before med school got really into making water sports gear and that eventually led to the creation of the Ride Engine brand. I was lucky enough to have access to hydrodynamic wizards like Stan Pleskünas and Tony Logosz (lead designer at Slingshot) and they really helped me understand what I was trying to build.

Foils have come a long way in a short space of time. Are they nearly ‘done’ in terms of major evolutions?

I don’t think so… I think foils are still in their infancy. There’s so many ideas getting passed around that still have yet to be tested thoroughly.

Tell us when and where the very first concept of Ride Engine emerged?

The original Ride Engine product was a custom molded carbon fiber kitesurfing harness that I started developing in 2011. Those were a big deal in that sport and got the company off the ground, but once we were rolling I was lucky enough to focus on whatever sports and products captured my interest in the moment.

Where do you see foiling development sitting in 10 years’ time?

In general, I think the trend is gonna be towards designing for more speed with less focus on giant high drag wings. I think there’s a chance someone might come up with a good mono-foil (think stealth fighter outline instead of separate main and stabilizer wings). Also, the way foils attach together and mount to the board is gonna get

At what point did your attention turn to hydrofoils?

Since 2015 the potential of hydrofoils has been really intriguing.

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way slicker, and as proper application of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) makes it into the design process, that will reveal a lot.

We interviewed Tony Logosz for the previous issue and he said you’re so far ahead of him with your CAD knowledge. How much of the design process is computer-based, and how much is plain old hands-on magic?

Haha! That’s not true at all... Tony is way better on the computer than I am. It is mostly computer though. It takes a lot of artistry and skill to accurately produce the thing on the computer but in terms of getting the perfect curve a computer is always gonna be more accurate than a human. Also, so much of the design research has been done by the navy/Boeing/etc. It’s way more about understanding what’s already out there and applying it than having the audacity to think you can make up a foil shape that’s superior to what has already been researched by the big boys.

Slingshot has a proud history of innovation – is this why you are a good fit in the 7 Nation family?

Yes, their history of innovation and being disruptive was a big appeal. They also just have a good vibe and seem to be in the business for the right reasons.

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How does the test process work for you?

Usually I bother Tony first, since whatever I am thinking of he probably has already tried. From there I’ll come up with a prototype or he’ll send me what he has and then I’ll start tinkering with it on my own. Eventually we circle back, compare notes, and then figure out what to produce.

Which riders give the best feedback, and who are you most excited to work with?

Fred Hope and Reed Brady. They both rip and ride so much that they can give really specific feedback. They also both have no attitude and are down to figure out what’s wrong and make things work instead of just throwing it back and saying they don’t like it (which riders with more ego often do).

Ride Engine has a very well-rounded and comprehensive foil lineup, is there more to come?

There’s more to come, we are gonna be doing boards, wing surfers, and more accessories. In general though I like keeping the lineup tight and only putting forward the very best gear for what we do – not a million options that get confusing to the customer.

Have you had a go at wing surfing yet?

I have. I suck at it but am really stoked on the potential and am gonna get more into it.

How important is your location and environment to your development process?

Super important. Every condition imaginable shows up in Cruz and that really keeps our product top notch because it gets tested in so many different conditions and with such frequency.

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Has it been difficult marrying the independent ‘garage-based’ philosophy of the early days with incorporating yourself into a bigger brand?

A bit. I forget to call into meetings a lot and get frustrated with appealing to mass markets, but at the end of the day I think our product is better and gets more people in the water and that’s the whole point. Also my life is lower stress with all the support I get, and that counts for a lot.

Yeah, you seem like a very busy guy. How do you relax?

Gardening and cooking are pretty big for me. I also really like surfing, I spend a lot of time hiking out to obscure waves by myself and appreciate the time that offers to just be in the moment.

Why the name Goon Bunny for your foil boards?

My stuffed animal as a child was a rabbit and I always liked the ear aesthetic and the playful vibe. The original Ride Engine pro team was “The Goon Squad” so I merged those into something that was fun and approachable but also maybe a bit lawless. It was meant to be a working title but everyone seemed to remember the name immediately, and recognition is really important for a brand so I went with it.

And just because we have you here, please tell us about your van.

Huge van envy... it looks awesome...

I live in a very remote part of the coast (because I like wild places and it has the best surf) but found that it made being sociable more difficult.

I got the van so that I could have a home away from home when I went to go see friends in the city. Regarding work, it allows me to carry all my toys at once and be way more efficient when it comes to testing different configurations. I also have a desk in there so I can easily take notes and adjust files while I’m at the beach. My favorite feature in it is a couple of giant skylights I cut into the roof and fabricated with greenhouse plastic. The natural light is a total game changer.

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SROKA Bruno Sroka, the founder of SROKA Company, has plenty of ‘real world’ qualifications when it comes to credibility in the water sports field. Having completed some superhuman open water crossings, been a world champion kitesurfer, and a pioneer in several aspects of that, he was well placed to embrace hydrofoiling as it began blazing its way onto the water sport scene. We sat down with Bruno to find out how it all came to be…

Hi Bruno. We know you have a history full of water sports, including a very successful stint as French, European and World Champion in kitesurfing. Tell us all a little about your background, and how you came to hydrofoiling?

Yes, I am one of the pioneers of kitesurfing in France. I’ve participated in different French and worldwide competitions since 1999, and during my kitesurfing career I became World Champion three times and European Champion several times. Outside of the competitions, I was also a competition kite and board gear tester for the biggest watersport brands. This helped me to develop my knowledge and skills, but I’ve never limited myself to just kitesurfing, and from a very young age I’ve also enjoyed windsurfing, surfing, SUP, and then hydrofoiling since 2004, when I started kitefoiling, and at that time it was a real tough discipline! We were foiling with ski boots fixed to the board, which made the foiling sessions ultra-physical. I can say now that at that time we did not really see the potential of the foil just yet.

In 2013, during one of my crossings from France to Ireland (sailing 250 nautical miles in one day) I used the hydrofoil for about 20% of the journey. The foil basically saved my record because in these extremely light conditions it wasn’t possible with the regular kitesurfing board. Then for the last few years, I’ve also been using the foil for surfing and SUP sessions and now for wing sessions too. It’s a real revolution in board sports and it’s a real pleasure to be involved with it!

How did the SROKA Company originate, and what gave you the motivation to start creating your own foils?

In 2013 I stopped competing and created the SROKA brand. I started with inflatable stand up paddles, and very quickly I moved onto the kite foil and then came the wind foil, and then the surf foil. Foiling has become so accessible that you don’t have to have magical conditions to foil, almost everywhere where there is an ocean you can go foil, which opens up huge potential to discover new spots.

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The first motivation for me was to create gear that is accessible to everyone. As I came from a competition background, it was very important to develop gear that any rider could enjoy, and not just as an elite sport. Secondly, I wanted to share my passion for the water with other people, and thirdly, just to get the thrill and excitement in creating something.

You originally worked closely with your designer Paola Rista in developing your first hydrofoils. What was the dynamic in creating a foil with you guys?

Paolo and I started sharing our thoughts and passion for the competition aspect around 2009. Together with Paolo, we created the first racing board for kiteboarding, and with this revolutionary new board we won almost all the competitions in the world. Paolo was a professional ex-windsurfer and loved creating the new things, so with him I learnt a lot about how to test and develop the gear. Paolo’s mind was 10 years in advance of any another designer. If I showed you some of his product pictures that he drew in 2009, you’d see that the foil then is an actual foil of today.

Our paths got separated because Paolo pursued another line of work and now I work with another designer, Jean Baptist Marchand from France. He’s a great designer and we’re forming many great ideas together. He also hydrofoils a lot, which makes collaborating super easy. He’s a great shaper too.

Can you talk us through your current foil and foil board line up?

Currently we have a full range of foils for all disciplines: surf, SUP, downwind, wing, kite and wind foil. The main idea of the brand is to create the very high performing foils for a great price. Our product might not the cheapest on the market, but it guarantees excellent performance. Here in France, some of our riders have been winning competitions and taking podium spots with SROKA foils. The key to this is taking time in developing a good product which is strong and fast.

So we have four different wing sizes: 1250, 1500, 1750, and 2000cm2.

Then for boards, we have three new boards that will complete our board range in 2020. The SKY RIDE 6’3 (120L) is the board for SUP foil, downwind beginners, and wing foilers; the SKY RIDER 5’5 (90L) is the board for SUP and downwind, as well as for advanced wing foil riders, then there’s the FastFlyer 4’6 (40L) for surfing.

You recently released the Wing Foil. Coming from a windsurfing background, did you ever conceive that things would evolve the way they have?

Honestly, no, I could not have imagined how fast the sport would evolve. To me, the Wing Foil is really the mix of all the other sports combined. It’s a new way of sailing and having fun while limiting the equipment. What I like about this sport is that you don’t have to look for the perfect conditions to sail or find great waves to surf. With just the wind, you can surf without having to travel miles to find the perfect spot. Wing foiling gives me an autonomy that I don’t find in other pursuits; not very cumbersome, easy to prepare, super fun… it’s really a magical new discipline and very progressive.

A B OV E From starting out as a kitesurfer, Bruno now enjoys a range of foilbased pursuits.

R I G HT Martin Letourner on the SROKA S-Foil.

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Where are you based, and what’s the hardware testing environment like around there?

We are based at the western part of France, in Brittany. We also make all our boards here in France, where we work, test and live, and we develop them with different local shapers, like JB Marchand or the owner of Surfactory, and it’s this mix of experience that makes SROKA products perfectly adapted for the best possible use. We have many different spots around us to test in, with or without waves.

In spite of rather rainy weather, we can go out and test regularly. It just lacks a little bit of heat and sun!

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Where do you think we’ll be in 10 years’ time?

There’s still so much to do! We’re just at the beginning of this sport evolution. We’re still going to improve the efficiency and performance by reducing physical effort. And why not one day get off the beach and go pumping big waves? If we look at the evolution of the foil over the last 10 years, it was a very physical and technical discipline and now – because of the progress in hydrodynamics and the different evolutions – it has become very accessible. This trend is going to increase and at the same time we are going to become more extreme in practice.

What’s your vision for SROKA in the long term?

The drive is the passion. If you work with passion, you can move mountains. My goal is to continue to make a great product offering, accessibly priced, and give anyone a chance to play like a pro. You don’t need to pay $2000 on the foil to see your foil perform well. The SROKA company continues to grow every year, and the quality of our products, the performance and design speak for themselves. Growing internationally is our next step!

We love the colorful aesthetic that SROKA has on its kit. It marks you out amongst the pack for sure. Was it a conscious decision to give your boards and foils a decent amount of color?

Life is an everyday adventure, pushing the limits of the possibilities and trying to achieve these goals. At SROKA, we’ve always been different from everyone else, and my goal is to not try to copy what others do and that’s why I surround myself with a very creative and very hard-working team that believes in what we create, 100%. When you want to be first,

you have to make your own choices and choose different paths. With Paolo, when we revolutionized the Kite Race in 2009, we imagined another way of sailing, another way of getting upwind, and it is this difference that made us successful in being World Champion and winning all the competitions. Whatever the product, we are looking for our own identity to stand out, but also to be recognized visually.

Finally, we understand you’re also big on adventure, having completed several long-distance achievements. You rounded 100 miles of Cape Horn (the wild straits between South America and Antarctica) kitesurfing, right? That can’t have been easy…

Yes in 2008, I crossed Cape Horn by kitesurfing 100 nautical miles in very rough conditions. I’m still the only one in the world to have done so and it was the beginning of a long series of my adventures. When I was in the water, the ocean was 4 degrees centigrade, the air zero degrees, wind strength of over 40 knots, and in a 6m swell. At one point I had two hours of hail hitting me in the face and hurting horribly! In this kind of moment, you have to concentrate on the present and try to have a little optimism. The sky finally lightened and a bunch of dolphins came along and followed me. Those are the little moments of pleasure that give you the strength to move forward. I still think about this crossing experience almost every day.

I have a lot of ideas for foil projects, I just need to find the time to do it.

There are people who dream their whole life and others who live their dreams. I try to be in the second bunch! Let’s be the people who live their dreams…

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PUMP FOILING WORDS ZANE SCHWEITZER PHOTOS SAMUEL CARDENAS R I D E R A LVA R O O N I E VA

Pumping, whether in flat water off a jetty or after a wave ride, is specific to prone foiling without a paddle. It is easiest to practice pumping as you kick out of a wave whilst you have got some momentum going. If you don’t have waves in your area, you can apply the same basic movement, but will require a much quicker start to your pump. Either way, these are the basic principles of learning how to pump foil...

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THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING HOW TO PUMP FOIL

Once you have kicked out the back of the wave, you need to carry the momentum you have picked up, keeping the foil high to the surface of the water, without it ventilating as you speed away from the wave and around to the line-up again.

THE MOTION Start to initiate a smooth full body swing, throwing momentum up. I like to use both hands swinging from the back to the front, bringing your hands up just above shoulder height, and as I do that, I stand up tall and bounce up high. Use the momentum from throwing your hands up high to lift you up, extending your back knee fully, bringing the foil to a high altitude.

THE POSITION It’s important that you keep your body position, and your center of gravity over the center of your board. Your stance should be a comfortable position, slightly wider than your shoulder length apart, in the middle between nose and tail, minimizing your center of gravity and weight from going off from side to side over the water.

This is essential with foil pumping, as there is a lot of swinging and full-body dynamic motion along with the pumping of your legs, so we want to make sure that your dynamic motion is through throwing momentum back and forth over the center of gravity and the foil, and not side to side, throwing the foil off balance.

From there you want to bring your front knee up to your chest and drive down. Using the downward motion and your hands to help as you drive down, you’re going to throw your chest forward over the front of the board, for a forward motion and to retain balance. You then continue swinging your hands carrying the momentum, this time back behind you.

Your hands are either helping you or hurting you in this situation – allow your hands and your full body motion to work for you.

When your hands get down to your hips, the foil should be down at a low altitude. And then as you swing your hands back behind you, you’re now using that momentum to throw that momentum up.

To continue the strong swing motion and really build momentum with the hands, we will throw the hands from up in front of our face over the nose of the board, to down towards the hips bringing the board to low altitude and then throwing the hands back and up behind you as you extend your back leg once more and bring your weightless front knee up to your chest, getting that high altitude.

From there, as you drive down, you’re going to bring your hands from up behind you, back down, swinging to your hips. By the time your hands get to your hips you should be low altitude on the foil, and you’re springing with your back leg extending, throwing your hands forward again.

When you throw your hands forward and up, it is a strong and smooth momentum building swing motion. Throw your hands up in front of your face over the nose of the board.

Essentially you are doing this full body motion, swinging your hands from front to back, and with each front swing you’re throwing your hands from low to high, pumping from low altitude to high altitude.

The same thing when you swing back – you’re driving down low altitude, as your hands go low by your hips, and then throwing your hands up behind you, you’re extending off your back foot and bringing your front knee up to your chest, bringing in that weightlessness.

RIGH T Alvaro Onieva gets his pump on in Taiba.

Depending on the foil you have, the momentum, the motion, and the cadence of your pump may change. I have noticed on the AK 1300 or 1600 surf wing (or any other foil with that traditional wing with that single scoop in them) that you want to have more of a long and really powerful ‘drivey’ pump. Whereas on a more high aspect foil wing that is more flat, you need to do more of a quick, high cadence bounce off the back foot, with maybe not as much power and not as much full body swing.

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P U M P FO I LI N G

ADRIAN ROPER

Adrian Roper, co-founder and head of product development at AXIS Foils has lived and breathed water based technology for nearly four decades.

From the early days of windsurfing until the lightning fast foiling evolutions of today, Adrian has always been at the forefront of putting premium kit under the feet of riders...

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You have been making boards since 1998. Can you briefly take us through then to now?

I actually built my first board in 1981, it was a windsurf board built from a translation that I made from a French windsurf magazine. It was polystyrene and plywood. I built all the parts for the rig as well.

I have been building boards ever since: windsurfing boards, surfboards, kiteboards, wake boards and foiling boards. I moved to Maui in 1984 and worked for Jimmy Lewis at Sailboards Maui, building wave boards for Mike Waltz and speed boards for Fred Haywood and Pascal Maka. I later worked for Peter Thommen and F2 building world cup raceboards for Björn Dunkerbeck and most of the top world cup riders. I also competed in windsurfing in speed sailing, course racing, slalom racing and waves. I don’t think I was ever the most competitive but I was always good at making boards feel balanced and easy to ride, and I did have the New Zealand speed record for many years! I then started building kiteboards in the very early days of kiteboarding with my company Underground Kiteboards and more recently with AXIS; a company formed by myself and Evan Mavridoglou. I feel that we have always designed and built original equipment that works really well.

How has the company developed over the years and when did you make the decision to move into the foiling sphere?

We started building boards for some of the original French foil makers, I asked them how they wanted to attach the foil to the board and they gave me a rough drawing, drilling holes in the board and pouring resin into cavities and drilling and tapping holes! I didn’t like the look of that and suggested putting two finboxes into the boards and using windsurf hardware to attach the foil. They said it would not work but because I am a little stubborn I did it anyway.

It turned out to be a good idea. We then approached a few of the European and American companies and tried to get them to agree to a 90mm spacing between the boxes. A spacing we felt would give the strength necessary for foiling. Convincing them seemed to be an impossible task, so we just did 90mm anyway which has now become the standard. We first built foilboards in 2013, followed by a freeride kitesurf foil after learning to kitefoil and breaking a rib and a bone in my foot. We decided it should not be so hard to learn, it should be easier and more fun.

Our first SUP and Surf foil we used the same OEM aluminum mast that we had for the kite foil and quickly decided that was completely unsuitable for SUP foil as it was too floppy. We worked out that the original 15mm mast was tolerable for kite foil at 750mm length but too floppy at 900mm long. We calculated that it needed to be 224% stiffer to have the same feel at 900mm long. We used this as a baseline to design our setup and although it took some time when others were building SUP foils on mass, I think it helped us to develop a strong modular setup from which to continue our development of the foil.

How does your R&D process work and how do you build protos before moving into production?

Our setup allows us to build new wings to fit onto our setup relatively easily so we can design and build new wings in paulownia wood and G10 with carbon laminates so that we can test new ideas.

We have a global network of team riders that we can rely on for accurate feedback. Once we have a clear idea of what we want, it is relatively easy to put these into production, with building molds and following our pre-production and production release process.

TO P R I G H T Adrian at work. His eye for the detail is what has marked out AXIS as a solid and reliable brand since its inception.

B OT TO M R I G H T Adrian with co-founder Evan Mavridoglou.

FA R R I G H T Shannon Stent testing out the goods...

Photo: Jayde Stent

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You seem to have been ahead of the curve with your kite and then surf and SUP foils – how are you fixed for the new world of wing foiling?

Well, wing foiling, especially when learning, is pretty wobbly, you need to balance on a board and deal with a handheld rig. Our super stiff 19mm thick mast with the solid connection framework and the 1020 carbon front wing is the easiest setup to learn on. Then more advanced riders love the 1000 and 900 high aspect carbon wings, for their faster speeds and handling. And the new 1010 carbon front wing bridges the gap of early lift, good pumping, and fast riding.

You have a unique and super stiff assembly for your foils – can you talk us through how they slot together and how this ensures they are stiff?

Well when you foil you are essentially riding the front wing, and the rear wing provides the stability. This means that you need to be very well attached to the front wing to have control over it. The aluminum fuselage is 62mm wide at the front and has four M8 bolts to attach the front wing which provides an unparalleled solid wing attachment.

The fuselage itself is 6061 T6 aluminum which is solid and strong and easy to have reliable strong threads. For 2020 we have made the spigot join that goes 60mm up into the mast which is a removable ‘Doodad design’ which allows the use of our 19mm aluminum mast, our 16mm aluminum mast or our carbon mast, all with the same fuselage – a first on the foiling market. The 19mm aluminum mast is the stiffest setup and is stiffer than every aluminum or carbon mast that we have tested, it really works well on the wider span wings. The 16mm mast is still pretty solid and has less drag in the water. It works fine up to around 760mm span wings. The carbon masts are a composite shape so they can be thinner and lower drag down by the fuselage but still rock solid up at the baseplate end. We offer a truly modular system with six different fuselages and three mast types of various lengths (sixteen total options) with currently eleven different front wings and seven different rear wings. This allows you to build and fine tune your perfect foil. Everyone seems to find a slightly different setup that works perfectly for them.

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“THEY SAID IT WOULD NOT WORK BUT BECAUSE I AM A LITTLE STUBBORN I DID IT ANYWAY. IT TURNED OUT TO BE A GOOD IDEA.” 117

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Tell us about your development team and their roles.

The main design of the foils is based in New Zealand, with a core of two engineers (myself and one of my best windsurfing and boat designer friends from back in the day). I build quite a few prototype wings myself for testing, but we also shape prototypes in Australia and in Maui. From there we work daily with our factories in Asia, both in person and remotely, to fine tune the production process and finishing of our products.

Where do you test and develop your products?

I am based in New Zealand and spend the winter months in Indonesia, Evan is based in California, and we have our core R&D team members based in Australia, Maui, Indo and Europe that help with feedback to give us a direction that works.

There seems to be a clear difference between the foil-specific brands who perhaps produce lower volumes but are able to innovate and the bigger brands who have to commit to a line up for a year – is it difficult to be innovative and ‘big’ and how do you manage it?

Foiling is growing and evolving daily. Each week we hear from our R&D network of yet another foiling discipline or direction. While we follow production releases, we want to be at the forefront of the development of our foiling sport. And this is why we follow a continuous R&D cycle through the year. We have a base framework with the aluminum masts, carbon masts and fuselage that allows us to continue developing and adding wings to our current setups as new ideas evolve. We don’t really design to a release date, more add a relevant product as it is ready. Our current wings (even the original wings) are still really great setups for learning and advancing, there is nothing in the range that I consider should be dropped from production and demand seems to back that up. As we have new products getting ready for production, we instruct our worldwide network of a coming release and we add it to our product line-up.

We have seen some new profiles in your recent wing release and some different approaches to the foil - can you talk us through this?

Our first wings were all based on a simple stable profile built at 15%.

That is to say a chord of 200mm is 30mm thick. This section is easy to ride with predictable feel. We have been using a newer section that is a thinner but higher lift section. This gives a wider range of operation. For example, the new 660 front wing seems to have lift when flying that extends way slower than a similar sized 680 and also has a faster ride, so a lot more range.

“EACH WEEK WE HEAR FROM OUR R&D NETWORK OF YET ANOTHER FOILING DISCIPLINE OR DIRECTION.” T H I S PAG E Shannon Stent’s recommended setup - 75cm mast, Ultrashort fuselage, 400 rear wing, 660 front wing

And... What can we expect next?!

There is so much going on with foiling, and it’s tough to summarize the future within just one paragraph. We want AXIS to be associated with building the best foils in the world, for all foiling disciplines. And as foiling evolves we will be right there on the forefront of design and innovation.

For starters we have a new board collection coming up in 2020. We feel that with boards we need to act more as a niche production shaper who releases small batches of unique sizes and designs, and much less of a full production brand. The sport is changing so fast, and in order to stay relevant, you need to keep on changing and evolving the shapes and sizes. So stay tuned on eight new shapes for SUP / wing / surf / wake / tow foiling, as well as three sizes of pocket carbon boards for kite, pumping, wake and tow.

With our wings and the AXIS foils direction, we are having great fun with the newer higher aspect wings, and this is where we feel that there is great potential to develop a lot further. Currently we have the 900, 1000 and 1010 wings that are high aspect. The 900 and 1000 are the same series, with our original foil section, and have done really well. In fact the 900 is our biggest selling wing and is great for surfing, linking many waves and carves pretty good, while the 1000 has a bit more lift and seems to be well suited to hand wing foiling. The new 1010 has the newer foil section. It can fly very slow and also has good speed potential. I think it surfs better than the 1000 although the 1000 is probably a bit faster. We are working on some higher aspect, smaller surf-style wings and the early prototypes are very exciting. Then we have been experimenting with fairly specialized foil sections for different foiling disciplines which are showing great results. The 660 from our dedicated Surf Series is an example of a different foil section, and it’s performing incredibly well for surfing and kiting.

And our aim is always to continue to build a truly modular system that is flawless, strong, affordable and can evolve as your riding evolves…

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NAME : K JE L L VAN S IC E SANTA B ARB ARA, C AL I FORNI A

@ K J E LLI SS E Y

Born in Belgium and raised between Hawaii and the African island of Mauritius, Kjell van Sice’s life and career have been transglobal and shaped by the ocean which he clearly loves. An internationally published ocean photographer, university professor in design, and competitive water athlete (and now a Contributing Editor for us), Kjell added surf foiling to his pretty loaded repertoire in 2018. Although Kjell foils daily in the kelp-filled, rocky waters of the central California coast, he lives for towing into fast, open-faced lines of energy south of the Equator. Where the waves end, Kjell finds foiling potential too, and he loves exploring California’s alpine lakes and rivers on leg power alone.

THE TEST TEAM

NAME : S KY RAMA MAU I , H AWAI

@ S KY. R A M A

Maui born and bred, and with 20 years in Bali under his belt, Sky has been foiling for over 14 months now and loves every second of it. Having borrowed a foil in Bali, on his second wave ever he managed to ride it all the way to the beach, and from that point on he was hooked. After buying himself a cheap aluminum foil from China, he then graduated to better gear and has never looked back.

His favorite conditions for foiling are sheet glass waters with a nice mix of soft and vertical waves, and he loves to push the limits of both himself and the foil he’s riding, and his favorite spots are all contained within West Maui… The undoubted king of foiling social media thanks to his Soloshot set up, he’s guaranteed to ruin any afternoon in the office when he drops another dreamy clip.

NAME : ANTOINE MALOLO B ADIN AL J E ZU R, P ORT U GAL

@ TONI OOV E RT H E R E

Antoine is a 33-year-old Frenchman living in Portugal. The day job as a surf coach means he has the chance to be at the beach every day, with plenty of opportunity to go foiling on the Algarve’s west coast. He’s been foiling for four years with experience in all disciplines (kite, SUP, surf, wing, tow-in) and his favorite test spot is a small bay on a rivermouth that offers long, reforming waves with plenty of sections and works with all kind of swells and gets zero crowds (hence he’s keeping it hush!). Antoine conducts his tests both in the surf and open ocean swells, but when the north winds kick in and the Algarve coast becomes a foiling paradise, he can be found at the end of rope enjoying some tow-in sessions…

NAME : KANE DE WIL DE MAU I , H AWAI I

@ K D M AU I

Born and raised on Maui, Kane has been in and around the water from a very young age, doing everything from skimboarding to sailing, and most recently of course, foiling. Kane enjoys riding weird and unusual surfcraft and is constantly tinkering with his gear and striving to improve it. On any day with solid north swell he is usually found testing at Kahului Harbor, with the smooth water and consistent wave shape making it the perfect spot to test and compare new gear. Kane has experience in designing, testing, and giving detailed feedback on foils and foil, SUP, and finless boards. This experience helps him look at a foil from a more technical and theoretical perspective and we’re stoked to have him on the team.

NAME : RIC H ARD B OU GH TON B ANT H AM, U K

@ RI C H _B O U G H TO N

Richard, our Technical Editor here at Foiling Magazine, has been in and around the water sports industry for the best part of 18 years. He’s traveled internationally for many years coaching kitesurfing, runs his own sail loft in the UK, and is an avid paddle boarder. Rich fell in love with foiling in 2015, initially shaping his own boards and foils before equipment was commercially available. He’s a genuine multi-sport foil user… Be it propelled by a wing or kite, paddling or prone, he’s very adaptive, and gets out in all conditions, whenever possible. Now permanently based in the wild southwest of the UK, Rich has perfect ‘real world’ conditions for testing prone and SUP foils on his doorstep. His favorite spot is a bit of a secret apparently, but involves an empty reef break which requires a lengthy paddle and nerves of steel, but rewards with minute-plus rides...

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NAISH 1800 HA WING The Naish HA foils bring two extra wings in both 1400 and 1800cm2 to the already comprehensive selection of foils in the modular Jet range. HA stands for high aspect ratio, so expect a thinner wing with a larger span than a standard surf foil. The Naish system has been considerably lightened and updated this year across the range with a slender fuselage and seamless wing connection. The Abracadabra system means that the entire assembled foil slides into a nifty plate mounted on any standard 90mm track system. This means you can remove your foil from your board with a simple thumb screw when you want to transport it, there’s no fumbling with torx screwdrivers on the beach or dropping your track nuts in the sand. Production has been carried out really accurately, and the joint remains remarkably stiff with no discernible wobble between the plate and mast. It’s a convenience that once you’ve had, you wonder how you lived without it. The front wing integrates well into the fuselage minimizing drag and the whole system breaks down into a neat travel case for the folier on the road.

The HA front wing is quite flat with a little downward curvature across the span, noticeably lean in profile. Its appearance is tuned and fast, and that’s exactly how it performs. The high aspect wings also have their own dedicated high aspect stabilizer which, as you would expect, is smaller and leaner than the standard Jet Foil with some gull wing built in for good measure.

Wingsurfing with the HA wing in high wind is focused around pure velocity. It takes a little more speed on the surface to release and fly than a lower aspect, thicker profiled wing in an equivalent size, but once it lifts it really feels locked in and very efficient, with the limiting speed factor perhaps your windage and your surf wing rather than your hydrofoil. Once you adapt to its speed range, and learn to maintain speed through your

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jibes and tacks, you can make large radius fast turns all day. It’s an aquatic NASCAR racer and very playful to ride.

Translating this into a surf and SUP perspective, what you notice most is the wing’s extreme efficiency, as long as you can generate that initial power to get it in its speed zone it will maintain this effortlessly, without vigorous pumping. The foil glides very well when wave-powered and the pitch stability remains quite high as long as it’s running fast. In a situation when a lower aspect wing would start to get twitchy, the Naish HA locks in and soldiers on. It’s an ideal setup for making huge fast arcing turns, making it perfect for powerful fast riders and quicker, deep ocean waves. - RB

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SROKA S-FOIL XXL 2000 Bruno Sroka has a strong history in the world of kitesurfing and is an experienced waterman – as soon as foiling technology improved and the sport became more popular he was quick to begin developing a comprehensive range of kite foils (the K-Foil) and has now evolved the line-up to include a complete range of surf foils (the S-Foils).

There are four front wing sizes available – 2000, 1750, 1500 and 1250.

For this test we are examining the daddy of the line-up – the XXL 2000 – with a view to SUP foiling and wing foiling. The front wing and the back wing are full carbon molded sandwich construction and the mast is a heavy duty aluminum profile, with a 13cm section, which is wider than some aluminum masts, and it is mounted with M6 screws on the baseplate and the one we had on test was 80cm long. The fuselage has a rectangular mounting section for the front wing with two screws tightening the system. Fuselage and mast are attached with 3xM6 screws and a hexagonal headset, and the back wing is mounted directly on the fuselage with two hexagonal headset M6 screws without shim. Mounted together, the foil feels quite rigid and there is no play in the foil connections which is good for an aluminum foil. The pedestal mounting on the board is easy and fast, the open drills of the baseplate allows you to quickly slide in the screws and be riding in no time. Rigging the foil is fast and easy with a single hexagonal M6 tool, although I do prefer torx screws instead of hexagonal for the foil assembly.

Compared to other high-ratio hydros, the S-Foil has a very thick front wing profile. The back wing is shaped with a Reflex profile with a positive pitch off the trailing edge. For surf/SUP paddling, the S-Foil doesn´t feel like it’s dragging too much and the ratio of the wing is a plus in paddling stability. Getting on to a wave and the lift is huge. As soon as the wave pushes you and you pick up a small amount of speed, the board is in the air, but the overall stability is really balanced. It is stable in tracking and easy to ride straight but feels heavy as soon as you try to turn in the surf – which is not the main purpose of this larger wing, for that there are smaller wings which we will test in future issues. This larger wing is designed for riding ocean swells in downwind conditions and – of course – for T E ST ED

wingsurfing. In this environment the thick wing and high aspect ratio show their true colors. The take off and riding straight is really easy and balanced, and the foil accelerates gradually and provides a smooth, slow drive which is perfect for a beginner to intermediate level on a downwind run, and for longer distance runs this is a comfortable and highly predictable set up. The glide is reasonably smooth and you can connect flat sections with light pumps. The drag is perceptible and relates to the thickness of the profile but remains acceptable and I would say is a price worth paying for the early lift and accessible behavior of the foil. Pumping is effective and easy but you need to slow things right down if you have come off a faster ‘surf’ foil. The S-Foil will not accelerate by pumping harder, meaning it will stay in flight at really low speeds. You can relax and give it light pumps, taking your time to connect with the next section. The wing gives a lot of power and feels like it will never stall. With a wind wing the foil is very well suited to beginners, with the stability and the early lift giving plenty of time and predictable behavior to enable you to develop momentum and find the sweet spot. Turning is not super quick for riding with a wing in the surf, so once your skills improve, the S-Foil 1750 would be a good option for this. Overall I felt this was a well-balanced and engineered setup, very well suited to downwind and wing foiling. - AB

SROKA S-FOIL XXL 2000 GLID E

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F-ONE ROCKET SUP PRO CARBON 7’6 F-ONE are a Montpellier-based multi sports brand and have been at the foil game for several years now. Designer Charles Bertrand, who trained as a naval architect, has been key in producing all things boardbased for the French company as we’ve witnessed the expansion of the hydrofoil discipline.

The Rocket SUP Pro Carbon is their high-end construction paddle-in foil board with refreshingly smooth and elegant lines for a SUP foil board which currently have a trend in getting progressively more squat and wide with aggressive channelling and boxy rails and outlines. This has the more traditional lines that you would find on a surfboard. A smooth single channel throughout the rear two thirds of the hull aims for slick hydrodynamics and a clean release, this meets a spoon-shaped rounded nose coupled with a relatively slender tail.

Overall, the Rocket SUP Pro is relatively narrow for its length and volume and clearly a well thought out product. The grab handle is well placed, and balances for comfortable carrying with the foil attached.

For the traveling foil addict, a breather vent is installed for safe air travel and a neat little plastic screwdriver to install it slots into the carry handle, as a clever reminder to make sure it’s installed as the screwdriver blocks the handle. A good example of the attention to detail put into the product.

A generous little kick in the nose digs you out well if you nose dive after a breach. A FCS GoPro mount tucks in the nose for capturing your glorious creamy carves. The deck has a convex curve across it, like a traditional surfboard, but is relatively flat where you stand, and the EVA pad includes a nifty hump in the front which carries over from their kiteboard range to aid foot placement. There’s also an intelligently positioned blue line which spans across to help you place the most comfortable paddling position. A standard 90mm track box is present as well as a deep tuttle to maximize cross compatibility. The rear of the board where the track is located is relatively flat, so a minimum of shimming and adjustment was required to get the variety of hydrofoils we tested with the board working at comfortable angles. Front and rear strap inserts are installed with plenty of flexibility on position, enhancing its crossover for wing surfing, where it performs excellently 123

as a full displacement learner to intermediate level board.

On the water the Rocket SUP Pro feels light under the feet and minimal. For general paddling on the surface, stability is quite forgiving considering its width, the volume placement under your feet meant at 90kgs we didn’t need to constantly paddle and it would comfortably float us. You need to be a little wary with its roll axis but you forgive it. As for taking off, relatively parallel bevelled rails and the narrow nature of the board mean it builds speed rapidly and with little effort to match the wave, and takes off cleanly with little fuss.

Once flying all that carbon means the swing weight is low for a SUP, and meaning your turns and pumping are easily achievable. The narrowness means it catches less wind under the nose than some boards when you make the drop if it’s a strong offshore.

As usual F-ONE have produced an elegant, unfussy and well-designed product, and the four sizes from 6’0 up to the 7’6 means there’s something for most bodyweights. It feels sleek through the water and easy to get up to speed, it wears all 120L exceptionally well, paddling much like a traditional wave SUP. – RB

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AMUNDSON CUSTOMS NUBBY John Amundson is a third-generation waterman who grew up in Southern California. At age 15, John learned to shape boards, and after he graduated high school he moved to Hawaii and never looked back. John has since shaped just about every kind of board a waterman could wish for, including the first foil board.

I tested the 4’2 Amundson Nubby in fun conditions at Kahului harbor, with the slight onshore breeze and the waves lending optimum conditions for hydrofoiling. The first thing I noticed when I picked up the board was how incredibly light it was, the black and grey finishing gave it a stealthy look and feel, like some secret project leaked out of Area 51. Every detail has been meticulously designed, from the deck pad to the high-quality polyurethane paint job. On the inside, there is an EPS core that’s CNC machined, the Future fin boxes are fitted with high density PVC foam plate, and it’s all carbon deck and full S-cloth wrap. Put this all together and you’re gliding into the future with the Tesla of foilboards.

This board packs a well-balanced volume in a small package, thus the name Nubby. In the water, and the first thing I noticed when I started to paddle is how comfortable the deck is to paddle on – I like that it’s not extreme concave but nice and subtle. I am 6’3 and 185lbs, and having 31 liters made it very easy to paddle (my usual board is a meager 25 liters.) The Nubby glides in to waves easily and picks up speed as soon as you hit the gas paddle. The second wave I caught I realized how well balanced it felt under my feet and proceeded to draw my lines. It cut through the air like an arrow and felt as nimble as a ninja on my Armstrong set up. I put it through its paces, hitting plenty of white water rebounds and surviving all of them. It handles breaching decently as it’s only a 4’2, but that being said this light aircraft pumps excellently, and given the length to weight ratio you can’t go wrong for your pump game. This board

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would be fine to kite on as well no doubt.

To summarize the 4’2 Nubby is made for riders who don’t want to cut themselves short on high performance, it paddles well, it’s comfortable to lie on, the deck pad is more rash resistant and easy on your belly, it’s well balanced in flight and the rails cut the wind without much resistance, it pumps well and is very light to turn while pumping. The stealthy paint job and lines on this board make it highly desirable. I wanted to test the Nubby as I like high performance foil boards, and it totally fits the bill, it did everything I needed it to do with some surprise perks, and I can’t find any cons to this standout board. - SR

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KT DRIFTER Based in Hawaii, Keith Teboul, a former windsurf and surf legend, and renowned board and fin shaper for Quattro and MFC Hawaii, launched KT surfing in 2012 with the goal of designing and manufacturing the most advanced surfboards on the market. He then applied the technology to kite and now foilboards. With Kai Lenny generally seen riding his boards, they clearly come with plenty of kudos too. The Drifter is a compact foilboard, designed to provide loads of speed for paddling, and the earliest take off ability with a highly responsive compact shape. It is available in three sizes, 4’8, 4’10 and 5’0. We had the 4’10 on test. This has 35 liters of volume and I am 186cm and 86 kilos. The tests were conducted in 2-5ft waves paired with the MFC hydrofoil, 1250 and 1400.

The Drifter is built in an ultralight, super rigid EPS/epoxy construction with integrated double stringer system and reinforced with a carbon exoskeleton. The board feels amazingly light and balanced in your hands. The volume distribution, outline, deep-bevel rails, concaves and recessed deck leaves no doubt: you have in your hands a state-of-theart, computer designed piece of foiling artwork.The shape is relatively rounded and designed to be comfortable and fast at paddling with a recessed deck and a lot of volume on the tail to push the board on the earliest take off in the smallest wave possible. The ultra-lightweight construction gives the board an impressive response and acceleration at paddling. It builds speeds instantly and allows you to catch any wave, even if you change your mind last minute to turn and go.

The handling in the water is easy, it is super easy to duckdive, and the volume distribution and rocker allows you to press the board down to build speed without nosediving. The board is light, responsive and feels solid in your hands and you can hold it with maximum finger pressure without feeling like you are going to pressure ding it.

The board glides really well through the water and feels like you are paddling a much bigger board. The recessed deck allows you to naturally position yourself in the sweet spot of the board and the deep-beveled rails help the board to drift sideways and be ultra-forgiving in the take-off. You feel like you control the foil instinctively and the board never locks in tracking. As soon as it bounces on a wave the take-off is ultra-smooth. You can take your time and adjust your trajectory with 125

the board still on the water before the flight. You decide if you want to jump early or either stay down to adjust and take your time, the board will fly through the water really efficiently. It feels really comfortable and as soon as your feet are on the board, the recessed concave deck helps to find the perfect stance.

When touching the water in a carve the board bounces and brings you back in flight without any disturbance. On a stall/breach nosedive, the board will bounce off the water in a second without losing any speed and will allow you to recover from many mistakes that any other board wouldn’t allow. Once you have kicked out of a wave, pumping comes naturally and board inertia is nonexistent, you don´t have to adjust your foot position and feel in total control at any speed.

For non-prone foiling applications – on a tow or when kitesurfing the board for example – it is really easy to turn on the rail in the water and helps you with a quick and natural waterstart. The 4’10 is definitively a weapon of choice for an all condition surf foil board, but also as a kitefoil board and tow-in for an intermediate to expert foil rider between 75 to 90 kilos and an expert wing-foiling rider who knows how to sink-in waterstart. The easy paddling features makes it perfect to charge any type of waves relating to your skill level. Overall, the KT Drifter fits exactly in its designed purpose and description: it is an ultra-responsive, easy-paddling, ultra-stiff piece of high-performance foilboarding perfection. – AB KT DRIFTER TAKEOFF

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FANATIC SKY WING This spring sees Fanatic release a dedicated board range for wing foiling, neatly filling the gap between their Sky Surf and Sky SUP line up. Loaded with plenty of volume for easy starts and optimum maneuverability, they’re also very pleasing on the eye. We caught up with shaper Sky Solbach for the full lowdown…

Hey Sky, first up, we hear you’ve recently become a dad, congratulations! How’s that treating you and are you getting any sleep?

Thanks a lot. Being a dad has been really amazing. Luckily our boy is a good sleeper and has been taking it pretty easy on us so far, so we really hope it stays that way!

So the Sky Wing... Exactly what design attributes make the Sky Wing wingsurf-specific?

After riding Ken Winner’s early foil wing prototypes a couple of years ago on big SUP foil boards, we knew right away that we needed a more compact and purpose-built board for wing foiling. As Ken improved his wing designs, I made boards to match our riding progression. The main goal throughout many generations of prototypes was to ride as small a board as possible, but at a certain point it became apparent there was a fine line between just right and too small. There

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are the obvious benefits of riding a small board: easy to transport, light, easier to pump, easier to turn without catching edges in the chop, etc. But there are also drawbacks, especially for light wind: less flotation and glide to get going, less stability to get to your feet.

Of course you can water start even a really tiny sinker board in 25+ knots of wind, but those boards already exist – they’re called surf foil boards. For these reasons, we decided to focus on making a range of boards that are as compact as possible but still pack enough volume to be knee-started.

How does the design change throughout the range of sizes?

The design features of the two smaller boards – the 4’8 and the 5’0 – are focused more on medium to high wind performance and wave riding. The kick tail, steep rail bevels and radical bottom contours are all about preventing any catching during touchdowns and carves.

The biggest board, the 5’4, is aimed at light wind performance and ease of use. It has a very simple bottom shape, hard rails and a very fast, lean rocker line that is aimed at getting maximum glide and clean release in light wind to get you up and going.

What rider weight do you center your range around?

All three boards are designed to be knee started. They just have too much volume to sink them enough to do a water start. At 94kg I am even able to knee start the 4’8, but the target weight for the 4’8 is any rider up to 70kg and the 5’0 any rider up to 90kg. The 5’4 covers everything light wind oriented.

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Tell us about that pronounced double concave channel and how this helps release?

The double concave bottom shape on the 4’8 and 5’0 accomplishes two things. Firstly, since the boards are so short, it creates a flat section in the entry rocker to give the board glide while still maintaining ample nose scoop to prevent catching. An additional benefit is that the center spine splits the water upon touchdown to soften the landing. I’ve found it to be a really simple yet effective bottom shape for really short foil boards of all kinds.

It’s an extremely good-looking board. Who chose the purple aesthetic?

I get bored doing plain white prototypes all the time, so I like to play around with resin tints and colors. Out of my resin tint experiments, we found a look that we liked and thought would be cool for the production model.

A recessed deck is something we are seeing a lot on wing-specific boards. How do you feel it adds to the user experience?

I’ve gone from domed to flat to gradually more and more dish on the decks of all my foil crafts as I’ve found that it gives the rider the maximum amount of leverage and degree of control over the foil. Of course, it also reduces volume, so it’s a trade-off of sorts.

Can the board be paired with hydrofoils from different brands?

Absolutely. It was developed to work with our Fanatic and Duotone foils, but you can easily ride any foil from just about any brand out there.

Is it true you have your own CNC shaping machine that you handbuilt, and is the Sky Wing an iteration from that very machine?

Yes. I do all my prototypes in my own self-built workshop in Maui. I build kiteboards, surfboards, SUPs, wingboards, windsurf boards, foils, foil boards – you name it. It’s the only way to be able to bring ideas to life in a timely way to keep up with the progression of all these sports we do.

Fanatic boards have a distinctive vector net on the rails, but the Sky Wing doesn’t. How come?

We use the vector net on the rails of our SUP wave boards to help combat the impact the boards regularly take from the paddle. With the wings, this is not a concern.

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KT DRIFTER

From his Maui base, KT Boards founder Keith Teboul has been creating very well-regarded watercraft for a number of years. We got in touch with Keith to discuss the new Drifter Pro foilboard.

When we fired these questions off, we heard back: “I’m in Micronesia surfing and foiling at the moment!” We tried not to begrudge him too much for this…

Which was tough.

A B OV E The Drifter in action.

RIGHT Keith Teboul clearly having a lot of fun on his own product.

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First up, for those who might have heard of KT boards but don’t know much more than that, can you give us a little bit of background to the KT brand?

KT has been around for at least 10 years now, mostly doing surfboards locally here in Maui. I’ve always had a passion for surfing so it was a natural evolution to shape surfboards as well. Going to foiling with KT really started when Kai Lenny came to me and wanted to make some light and durable foilboards. We had the technology and he had the skills and knowledge of what he was looking for so it was a perfect match.

Which foil do you usually pair your boards with for testing?

We have paired ourselves with MFC Hawaii. They make an excellent wing that is light, fast, and progressive. We also developed a wing together this year that will be a more entry level wing for more surf/ windsurf/wing and SUP. How do your boards cross over between foil disciplines?

At the moment our line is prone-oriented. We have developed a completely new line that on the small sizes is kite and wake and crosses over into prone, then crosses over into wing that then crosses over into SUP and windsurf. So it really is quite well thought out.

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“I THINK AS KAI PUSHES THE LIMITS IT WILL DEVELOP VERY SYSTEMATICALLY, WITH SMALL CHANGES ON EACH BOARD. “

As a guide, what rider weight vs volume vs skill level do you recommend for the various sizes of Drifter Pro? In general, if you are just beginning a longer and higher volume board is the way to go. This will help control the foil and make it easier to learn. As you get better volumes can come down as well as length.

Shorter lengths I think are better for not having to paddle too far or behind the boat. A little more length is nice to have for those longer paddles. Volume is a personal thing really. When I’m feeling energetic, I ride the same volume I would surfing… So I weigh 74 kilos or 160 pounds and I ride a 27 to 28 liter board. When the waves are super soft or the paddle is longer or I’m just really feeling like cruising, I go to 38.

We understand you’ve created some Jaws-specific boards… How do you envisage big wave surf foiling developing?

Yes I’ve been working with Kai Lenny on big wave foil boards. In general we’ve been simplifying and getting rocker and volume right as well as strap placement related to foil placement. I think as Kai pushes the limits it will develop very systematically, with small changes on each board. It’s hard to say really where the boards will go. You are going faster and the board needs to be stable to be able to touch down and bounce off at high speeds, and have some of their own momentum through their weight.

Tell us about your ISS stringer system.

For me the ISS stringer system brings the energy of the foil into the whole board from tip to tail. So the transfer of energy is quicker and more direct leading to a more sensitive ride. Plus they look pretty cool and this is important!

Where is your manufacturing done?

We do all of our R&D in Hawaii with the team here and the main production is done in Thailand at Cobra. They do an incredible job for us.

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Obviously your brand is proudly Hawaiian and your testing and development takes place there, which of your boards transfer over to sub-par European conditions?

I think any of the boards transfer over to Europe. That’s the beauty of foiling is that it’s something you can do in sub-par conditions anywhere and still have a blast.

We heard that you’ve been shaping boards since high school.

What in your view have been the most significant and fundamental changes in board design since then?

I think there have been a few things. Materials have been a major change to board building, especially the Epoxy EPS carbons. Design wise I’d say generally shorter and more efficient shapes that are working more harmoniously as one.

A lot of your shaping career has involved windsurf boards. Are there any distinct crossovers from those shapes to foil boards?

I would say the number one crossover is the technology to build windsurf. Vacuum lamination sandwiching, HD materials and just using different materials in general… Then the footstrap technology also came from windsurfing. There are some shape elements from concaves to volume flow and outlines, but these are general things that are then adapted to foil boards Foil board design in ten years’ time… how does it look?

Very difficult to answer as things are evolving pretty quickly. But materials and strength are major areas of growth. Shapes will be as efficient and aerodynamic as possible as speeds get faster. So I guess mainly the same stuff we’re working on now but at a different level.

I think what’s interesting about foiling is that it attracts all sorts of people. This in turn brings a vast knowledge to the field. It’s very technical building boards and foils, and this diversity of people getting into it and the bug or fever people get once they get bit will lead to innovation in design and technology.

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FORESIGHT KAI LENNY The Waterman of the Year and all-round foil ninja pitches his thoughts on the future of the sport…

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Foiling is going to continue to open up new places to ride. What I’m most excited about is the type of waves that will be discovered in the process. I can imagine fickle outer reef breaks in random places will have consistent eyes on them, and one day when a proper swell arrives they might just be firing.

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It’s also very possible in some areas that foiling will be limited at certain spots. Hopefully with advancements in the equipment it will be easier to use and safer, leading to more interest outside the current crew of foilers worldwide. If it becomes a common toy for lakes, I think that’s where we will see the largest growth.

It’s in its infancy so I’m curious as to how it will all evolve.

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Technology is going to have the biggest impact on the way we experience the sport, with materials that are becoming stiffer and lighter and new simulations that allow the designers and athletes to really dial in the performance, and in the process also make them safer and more user friendly. I believe racing will be the split in the discipline of the sport. I think it’ll really push the designs to become more efficient and comfortable.

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Maneuvers will get more technical and the eye candy will be how high someone can go. But on a competitive side I think style and seamless flow should be the base line of judging. We’re flying like pelicans… why not have it be as graceful as possible intertwined with radical moments? I watch the Air Chair videos and seeing what those guys are capable of is mind blowing. That on waves would be insane. Ten foot double back flips on two foot waves should be possible one day.

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Every day I ride I’m finding things to change. That’s what I love about this sport. There’s so much innovation left to explore, and we haven’t reached a point yet where we no longer can’t make huge gains…

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Florida-based Louis Floyd, pro wakeboarder and now fully-fledged wake foiler, takes on the State of Play slot this issue, explaining why acceptance is the key to having a good time on the water, and the part that social media has played in making that happen...

I can only speak about my own experiences within the sport that we have all fallen in love with – and I know that there are many disciplines within the sport – but as a whole I feel like us as riders have had a hard time fitting in, especially in the beginning. There is nothing wrong with not fitting in, personally I’ve always preferred doing my own thing and creating my own path, especially when it comes to foiling and being out there in the water.

I was introduced to the sport a few years ago when Slingshot introduced their foil to the market, just after Surf Expo. I remember we spent an afternoon trying to figure it out behind the boat. I was curious as to how we were going to do it, getting up and surfing the wake for more than just a couple seconds without falling. The first time I got up I knew that I was hooked… it gave me an adrenaline hit and it gave me back the feeling of why I got into water sports to begin with. It was so different from what I had experienced before, and what I was used to doing out on the water. It brought a big smile to my face, the joy of being a beginner all over again.

I asked if they could leave the foil with me so I could figure it out even more, and so that’s what I did. I rode it every single chance I got, starting with the basics and slowly progressing to surfing behind the boat to then mixing my wakeboarding background along with my new-found passion and knowledge for foiling and merging the two together. I guess having a never-being-content attitude allows you to push yourself, your capabilities and your progress to new limits. Being allowed to put my focus on myself with foiling led me to become pretty good fairly quickly, while most people hadn’t even seen a foil yet!

With most new things people always give it a hard time because they are afraid of change and something completely different. I’m not saying foiling was ever going to replace the sport it was developed from because it was never intended to do that, it was really just another outlet for people to get out on the water and enjoy themselves, like most sports. I know that foiling a few years ago was laughed at pretty much across the board, and we were told that it was never going to work, it was a gimmick, and not many people gave it a chance and brushed it off. In a way, it was nice because it gave the handful of us that chose to give it a chance the time to really enjoy it for what it is, learn from trial and error and from each other

AB OV E Louis giving the laws of physics a solid poke in the eye...

LEFT Safe to say the UK ex-pat had his reasons for up and moving to Florida. Can’t think why...

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through the seasons, nurturing the drive and passion to continue to grow with it and have a really fun time in doing so.

Now, as time has gone on and people have realized that, ‘This might not be going anywhere and it actually looks pretty fun, I might actually give it a go!’, and now they’ve gotten the bug like I have. So it feels like people are looking back now and thinking that if they weren’t so hard-headed back then and had an open mind they could’ve been getting more water time for the last couple of years. I’m not saying that everyone is going to or should give up everything they’ve ever known and become a foiler, but it will 100% give them the opportunity to jump from one sport to another, and really enjoy doing it in the process…

Over the last few years I have witnessed foiling across every discipline grow from a handful of riders who embraced it, to it slowly becoming a worldwide phenomenon. As the seasons have gone on, I have found big, unrelated social media accounts in awe over some crazy surf clip of Kai foiling a wave, or maybe a young kid pumping himself off a dock around the lake and back to the dock again. I started going to boat shows in the winter, and in the beginning people were so confused, watching the content reel in the background and trying to figure out what and how it was even happening. Then some of those same people came back to me the following year having taken it up and asking for tips on how to get better.

Thanks to social media, I get to talk and interact with a load of new riders and give them tips on their riding but I might never get the chance to meet them because we live on opposite sides of the world. However, it allows us to really spread the word and grow the sport as most of us live hectic lives and can’t be everywhere at once.

Sometimes all it takes is a photo or a 10-second video to answer someone’s questions or spark a new idea for them to try. I scroll my feed nearly every day trying to see what else can be done or what else I can take from someone else’s point of view, not only in the wake world but in the surf world too. The sport is still so small and young but it’s going to be so exciting to see it continue to grow and where it finally ends up…

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“I SCROLL MY FEED NEARLY EVERY DAY TRYING TO SEE WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE ” AB OV E Louis working hard on the day job.

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660MM CARBON

PURE SURFING SENSATION

RIDER: @LARRYFOILER

INSTAGRAM.COM/AXISFOILS

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FACEBOOK.COM/AXISFOILS

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