Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 24 i Foiling Magazine

WATCH NOW Hey Guy, good to speak to you. Well from the film it certainly looks like you had the dream summer down under… Hey, great to hear from you! Yes, we were pretty lucky to escape the worst of the harsh British winter. What an incredible trip it was – traveling up and down the west coast, riding almost every day on all kinds of different gear, it was so epic! Where did you travel exactly then, and tell us about some of the highlight spots! We were based in West Australia the entire time, camping our way along the coast. It’s a massive state, we realized that pretty quickly! We traveled nearly the entire coastline, heading all the way up to Exmouth in the northwest, with a wild…

watch here Cash Berzolla TEAM RIDER There’s something surreal about the northern tip of New Zealand. It’s raw, rugged, and packed with a sort of mana you can’t just find anywhere. Our recent team trip brought us deep into that energy; an unforgettable blend of epic waves, unfiltered stoke, and a crew that made every mission worth it. From the moment we landed, the mission was clear: chase new waves, enjoy the magic carpet ride, and soak up every bit of beauty Aotearoa had to offer. We spent our days driving for miles on remote beaches, scanning the horizon for anything that looked worthwhile. There was a unique feeling of freedom while driving along the untouched coastline, gear packed in each truck like Tetris and the only difficult thought on…

BILL HANSEN // VAYU DESIGNER So Bill, let’s get an idea of where that initial spark came from that led to you developing a double-surface wing like the X-Race. It was a convergence of feedback and ambition. We’d already pushed hard with the Aura X II, but it became clear from the race circuit that riders needed more. More speed, better VMG and more control. The next step was obvious: a full 100% double-surface wing. It wasn’t about tweaking; it was about a complete redesign to chase the edge of performance. It’s a full 100% double-surface canopy – what performance advantages does that give you over single-surface wings? Aerodynamically, it’s night and day. Single-surface wings suffer from turbulent flow and increased drag from the leading edge. With the X-Race’s double-surface…

LOCATION MISTY CLIFFS, SOUTH AFRICA DATE SATURDAY MARCH 15TH, 2025 CAMILLE BOUYER I arrived in Cape Town with all the gear, ready to shoot, and it was super exciting to be back. The forecast looked good: some wind, some waves. We decided to go to Misty Cliffs where I think I’ve had some of my best ever wingfoil sessions with my brother over the last few years. That day we got on the road and headed to the spot. After a long drive, the spot suddenly came into view. It’s always special when you arrive here, the landscape is crazy. White sands, blue waters and the mountains. It’s one of the most magical places I have ever seen. At first the wind was not there, but the waves were. But…

The season opener of the GWA Wingfoil World Tour marked a return to Cape Verde for the third straight year in the Wave discipline. The Cape Verde stop at Ponta Preta would crown the Wave world champions, with just one stop on the calendar this year. New rules recently introduced in the Wave format allow athletes to use the power of their wings on a wave face, promising new and exciting moves. The reigning Wave world champions were the US’s Cash Berzolla and Spain’s Elena Moreno. Unfortunately, Moreno was unable to make it to Cape Verde to defend her title. But the US’s Moona Whyte returned to Ponta Preta, hoping to reclaim the crown. The Spanish teenager Nia Suardiaz had other ideas after getting her first Wave event win last…

AXIS has teamed up with Maui based shaper, Francesco Maffei, better knows as “Frank Foilboards” to bring his custom MAKO downwind design to a production market. What started as a smaller local operation, Frank Foilboards has exploded into the scene as one of the premier downwind board designs. The MAKO is a design rooted in the demands of the infamous Maliko downwind run on the north shore of Maui. Requiring boards to paddle fast, pop up quickly, and handle intense conditions, the Maliko run is a true test of both rider and equipment performance. The MAKO provides top end performance for experienced foilers, while simultaneously providing a stable and efficient platform for beginner or intermediate riders to start or progress their downwind journey. This collaboration between AXIS and Frank Foilboards…

Hi Ronny. First up, I know your harness line range has grown recently, so could you please give us a brief overview of the range now, and what sets each harness line apart? The Wingman Loop System has expanded from simple fixed-length lines to fully adjustable and spinning models, giving riders a full range of setup options. It started with the Loop – a simple, fixed-length solution for riders who want minimal setup and a direct connection to the wing. Then came the Spinner, developed with Balz Müller, featuring a spinning harness line that keeps riders hooked in during tacks and jibes. It makes transitions faster and smoother, and opens up new possibilities for creative hands-free maneuvers. Thanks to the Spinner, Balz landed his first no-handed backflip, which he named…

Tanguy, it’s great to see the AFS BlackBird back, now as a named mid-lengther. What makes this board stand out? AFS was a pioneer in developing mid-length foil boards, with the first being that now-iconic BlackBird V1. This new BlackBird Mid-Length series stands out thanks to its unique deck design, a hull specifically optimized for displacement and early planing phases, and a premium full-carbon construction made entirely in our factory in France. These boards are true game changers for new styles of foil riding. We’re seeing a lot of different interpretations of the mid-length concept across brands. What’s your take now, and how did you bring it to life with this model? Many mid-lengths on the market are essentially resized downwind boards. The larger the length-to-width ratio, the better the…

RIDER Sam Loader LOCATION Omaha, New Zealand PHOTOGRAPHER Joshua McCormack Sam: The PPC Foiling crew shot up to Omaha Bay for a last-minute product shoot. Dealing with seasonal weather changes, this was the only day out of two weeks with the right combo of sun and wind. The Zen Mid-Length proved itself in 8-25 knot gusty conditions. All that was missing was waves! The Zen Mid-Length is my favorite board… RIDER Jouke van der Meer LOCATION Haarlem, Netherlands  PHOTOGRAPHER Danny Houwaart Jouke: Since foiling began to be developed for kiting and wind-foiling, I watched my friend Kevin Langeree dockstart and pumpfoil through the canals in Amsterdam, as one of the first ever dockstarters. Lots of training made it work for me in 2020 as well, and the reward is flying…

Hey Jack, it’s great to speak to you. Firstly, tell us a little about yourself - how old are you, where are you based, and how are the conditions looking today? My name is Jack Paterson, I’m 18 years old and I live in Lake Macquarie, Australia. I come from a strong sailing background. From a young age, I was introduced to boats, the ocean, and the lifestyle that comes with it. Sailing has always been part of my DNA. I kind of accidentally found foiling. One of my family friends said, “Have a go of this hoverboard, I think you’ll enjoy it.” It was a 140-liter Naish board with a foil the size of an Airbus A380. At the time, I was 14 years old and about 50kg dripping…

"Hey, are you coming to Outside Reef? It’s about two kilometers from the coast – let’s meet at 5:00pm!" Wesley Brito grins at us. Of course, we wouldn’t miss the chance to capture the big swell and Wesley’s world-class wingfoil performance in a photoshoot. These sessions only happen a handful of times in winter, maybe five times between November and March, and each phase with these waves lasts only a few days. A small motorboat takes us out onto the open Atlantic. The journey lasts about 15 minutes. At first, it’s quite pleasant, but it soon becomes clear that today is a big day. Water spray flies over the side of the boat, and we start wondering if joining Sunny – our skipper and Wesley’s best buddy – was the…

LIQUID FORCE NEBULA LF’s new Nebula board epitomizes the brand’s approach to performant, durable designs built to be worked hard! It comes in their “Dura-Surf” construction, which is gonna ensure that this board can take hits, plus – although it’s optimized for Liquid Force foil setups – this board is also happy to roll with other brand systems. NP FLY SL Light winds are little issue if you’re entering the water with NP’s new Fly SL wing. Evolving from its previous incarnation, the Fly SL has reupped into a more refined weapon with the latest wing technology, such as their “Refined High Lift Concept” with flatter entry sections and increased canopy tension, the “Hybrid Transverse Paneling”, and, for fans of a good handle, they also have their “Carbon Ergo Handles”…

Hi Teiva. Silence are a relatively new brand but you have pretty established roots in the foil world right? Please tell us how the brand came about initially… Yes, absolutely – Silence Foiling is a young brand, but it’s built on solid foundations. The idea came after more than ten years of designing windsurfing sails, sailing equipment, and other water sports gear. When wingfoiling emerged, I saw it as an incredible playground – a young discipline, full of potential, with everything still to invent. In just five years, we’ve already seen several distinct practices appear and a fast specialization of the gear. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing – but with too much fragmentation, we risk losing the original simplicity of the sport, that pure feeling of glide and…

LOCATION SECRET REEF, ISLE OF WIGHT DATE SATURDAY JANUARY 11TH, 2025 The past winter was a patchwork of crazy forecasts, it feels like the days of the prevailing and reliable southwester storms that used to barrel into the UK’s south coast are gone. When I look at this change through windsport glasses, it is hard to have less reliable, more short-term forecasts. However, as bad as it can be, it has also lined up some rare wind directions alongside the longrange ground swells that have marched across the Atlantic from the rolling hurricanes that were hitting the Eastern Seaboard. This was one of those forecasts, a super long-range ground swell, combined with a rare wind direction that lined up for the perfect foiling reef on the south side of the…

Liquid Force has arrived back on the foil scene with their sleek new line up of medium aspect carbon Stratus wings, targeted at boat rippers and tow enthusiasts as well as wingers and the prone crew. These foils also feature their new FuseLock connection, built to reduce pivot and weak points in the system. The brand has been playing in the foil sandbox for some time now, and their experience in foil manufacturing is the first thing to notice when unboxing the new line of foils. The foils are clearly very well manufactured, and it’s obvious at first glance that they have taken a lot of time and energy to put something high-end into the foiling market. The gear came in a nice bag, that housed two Stratus front wings…

In the evolving world of foiling, you always need to come up with new products and always think of a way to improve. The RRD Narwhal LTE stands out as board that blends precision engineering with an intuitive design, optimized for SUP foiling, downwinding, and even lightwind wing foiling. The Narwhal showcases the brand’s commitment to always improve and release products that will give you a smile and provide fun on the water. This board strikes a perfect balance between glide, stability, and responsiveness. Its rounded displacement hull and pulled-in tail contribute to remarkably early take-offs and efficient paddle-ups, while smoothing out touchdowns for a confident ride. Volume is strategically distributed slightly forward, which not only improves recovery during touchdowns but also aids in paddling efficiency, key in downwind scenarios.…

Starboard were there at the genesis of SUP foiling, and in the short seven years or so production equipment has been commercially available, they’ve seen it fall in and out of fashion. With the DW age well and truly upon us, and their massive knowledge base across paddling disciplines, it’s great to see them produce some cutting edge DW shapes with the Ace Foil range. The shapes are clearly progressive, and draw from highend race SUP boards as well as canoe and kayak design. The Ace Lightning sits as the narrower of the two boards in the Ace range, and the 122L 8’4 test board was a little intimidating (for me) at 19” wide. Out of the box, the board is presented in a handy protective sock. Immediately the Blue…

Known for their commitment to quality and innovation, Indiana continues to impress in the foil market with their Marlin line, made specifically for riders looking to push performance in both wing and surf foiling. The Marlin XS and S Front Wings are designed with versatility and agility in mind, delivering a ride that mixes responsiveness, control, and speed. Both wings feature a 7.5 aspect ratio, striking a solid balance between glide efficiency and maneuverability. The sleek silhouette and moderate span give these wings a dynamic, surf-oriented feel while still offering great performance for wingfoiling or surf foiling in every conditions. With a surface area of 690cm² and a wingspan of 780mm, the XS is built for riders chasing tight, surf-style turns and quick acceleration. It shines in fast beach breaks…

So tell us, what were the key design goals behind the Jet and Pure wings, and how do they differ in performance? The Jet and Pure share a lot of features and both aim at highest performance, but they completely differ in their shape and purposes. The Jet was engineered only with racing performance in mind. Its primary goals are maximum upwind efficiency, high-speed downwind control and overall aerodynamic superiority. It caters to competitive riders looking for top-tier performance on the racing course. The Pure, on the other hand, was designed mainly for freestyle, but also provides impressive wave riding and freeride capabilities. Its compact, highly agile design and fast response make it ideal for dynamic maneuvers and radical conditions. The key goals here are control, balance and precision handling…

Hey team – tell us first, what was the main goal behind the development of the TAO²? Our TAO stands for all-around performance, which is genuinely the one wing that does it all. We avoided using super-expensive materials, so it remains an affordable product. We know a great design doesn’t need fancy materials to be competitive, and this is a wing designed for the recreational rider, in two versions – one with a BOOM and the other with Rigid Handles. We loved testing the previous version, how has it evolved over its predecessor? We improved the Dacron layers to increase stiffness in the critical section of the leading edge but kept the wing tips flexible to absorb dynamic loads in gusty conditions. After implementing the new frame, we have been…

Hey team, we recall the original MA foils being quite a hit when they came out two seasons ago, right? Ideally, you try to create a foil that’s ahead of the curve and inspires new ways of riding. When they first came out, the original MAs had this special combination of speed, carving feel, and a really unique ability to seamlessly recover from breaching the water’s surface. That combination made for an amazing winging and tow surfing foil where riders could take more critical lines than ever before and develop new maneuvers. The MA gave you a lot of freedom to play and experiment. For anyone who’s been watching Cash Berzolla in the last couple years, the MA has been his go-to foil. In light of the recent popularity of…

SUPER K 2 PRO CARBON SUPER K 2 CARBON GINXU DRAGONFLY 3 CARBON GINXU DRAGONFLY CROSSING 2 HOLLOW PRO CARBON GINXU DRAGONFLY CROSSING 2 PRO CARBON Well, lots to cover here. Your latest downwind offering spans from the full-glide Dragonfly downwinders to the compact Super K2s. Can you give our readers a bit of an overview of each? Sure thing! The Dragonfly 3 is the most versatile board, excelling in downwind, lightwind winging, surf, and even inland foiling. Balanced in glide and stability, it’s the go-to for all-around use. The Crossing 2 is built for speed and distance – longer, narrower, and tuned for quick lift and flatwater release. It handles chop well and covers ground efficiently. The Dragonfly Surf 2 is compact, surfy, and responsive – ideal for tight…

✚ I find it unbelievable how in all industries things are more quickly evolving and are becoming ultra-specialized these days. Just to make a brief comparison, SUP was here for a very long time, and we've seen people paddling on big boards for dozens of years, but it only started to explode around 2010. It’s the same with foiling, which has been around for quite a long time – I tried one of the first Carafino kite foils myself, around 2005! ✚ As a brand you now have to develop foils for kiting, winging, surfing, windsurfing, downwind… and even each of these sports have different needs within them! A few years ago one or two foils were enough to cover everything, but now you need to have such a huge…

Over the past few years, I’ve received a fair share of criticism from the surf community. Nothing new there, the first thing people usually say is that foiling is dangerous. And I get it, I respect that point of view, especially because I’ve injured myself several times, sometimes seriously, while riding at a high level. The risk is real. But that’s not what drives me to write these words. What bothers me more is the second critique I often hear: “Foiling doesn’t look good, and it’s not connected to nature.” I grew up surfing. Foiling came later. And yet, I’m convinced that foiling connects me even more deeply to the ocean. Those who claim otherwise, in my opinion, simply haven’t really tried it. It’s a perception you might have from…

WATCH NOW Hugh, that’s a great film. How’s it looking for the premiere? Thanks, Cai! It was an incredible project to work on. The premiere is happening here in Perth, the first screening sold out, and the second is filling up fast. I’m excited (and nervous) to see it on the big screen. We’re also planning screenings across Australia, including the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Sydney, and at Foil Fest in Northern NSW. More will be posted to The Foil Project YouTube, would love for you to follow along with the journey! Tell us about the Ningaloo Reef – it looks wild. Ningaloo Reef is West Australia’s version of the Great Barrier Reef. I grew up visiting Exmouth on family camping trips – surfing, snorkelling or both, every single day.…

I received a phone call from the President of Pan American Sailing a few months ago. Fred is an old friend and during our conversation he emphasized that within my role at US Sailing I need to figure out how we can get into and ahead of this emerging community of sailors: wingfoilers. I decided quickly that this was too important a mission and too big of a country to try and do it all on my own. If anyone is going to learn this sport, we need to bring them together. We need the tribe. US Sailing hosted the first ever Wing Foil Coach Camp, supported by Armstrong Foils, which brought together sailing coaches and program directors from around the country to learn to wingfoil and learn to teach…

At Slingshot, we’ve always believed foiling should be fun – not frustrating. When we launched our first modular foil system, it made the magic of flight above water accessible to more riders than ever. It was simple, affordable, and inviting. In 2015, foiling finally clicked for wind and kite athletes, and that moment sparked a movement. Ten years later, we’ve seen and felt it all. We’ve logged countless hours on the water. We’ve chased perfect sessions – and also limped back to the car after ones that never happened. We’ve celebrated breakthroughs. And we’ve been humbled by setbacks. Especially the small, annoying ones. Like leaving your tool bag at home. Or dropping a screw in the sand. Or realizing your mast is frozen into your fuse because of saltwater corrosion.…

RIDER THÉO DE RAMECOURT WEAPON FLYSURFER POW RIDER HEIGHT 183CM RIDER WEIGHT 88KG I was the project manager on the POW. Working alongside the FLYSURFER R&D team. I’ve been involved in its development since the very beginning, testing and riding the first prototypes from as early as October 2024. The first challenge was understanding how far this new tool could go, and what it could bring to the table for water sports enthusiasts. Once I realized the benefits of this tool for downwind packing, and the advantage of having a wing you can control with only one hand, I was hooked. The POW started as a modified singleskin kite, and it’s matured into a refined and intuitive parawing. Every iteration brought new insights – from improving overall shape stability to…

LOCATION WITSANDS, CAPE TOWN DATE THURSDAY MAY 8TH, 2025 Some days might begin like any other, but some end up etching themselves into memory. This was one of those days. It started with a typical morning routine: I woke up at 7:30am and made my way to the AK Durable Supply Co. headquarters in Muizenberg shortly after 8:30. With a hot coffee in hand and a bit of a chill still in the air, I got into a few hours of admin work that needed to be taken care of before I could check out for the day. Just after 1pm, I had wrapped things up at the office and was free to shift gears. I left Muizenberg and headed towards Kommetjie to meet Mitchell at Witsands, one of my…

With their own factory in Portugal, Appletree can be agile when it comes to responding to market trends. Mid-length fever hit us last year, and whilst the Appleslice V3 was certainly 80% of the way, a more extreme and slender shape was already in development. Balancing a mid-length’s attributes to make it as versatile as possible is a challenge, and we’ve seen some brands perhaps bias one discipline more than others, but Appletree’s massive size range caters for everyone, with seven sizes from 37l to 97l in 10 liter increments. Customs are of course available in terms of both color and sizing. Lengths range from 5’0” to 6’8” in the bigger sizes. Our test board was an 87l 6’4 which has been perfect for lightwind frolicking in the UK. Due…

Armstrong is updating their existing board line with two new SUP/DW shapes for 2025, the MKIII and the DW ocean. Both are built with the same ultra stiff dual carbon stringer construction from the prior generation and feature custom carbon fin boxes for an ultra-stiff connection. These boards come as a complete kit, ready to bolt on the foil and ride. The attention to detail and quality is evident right out of the box. Each board comes with a high-quality premium board bag that has all the features you would expect, including a Velcro split opening for the mast, large oversize zippers, and a Velcro strap on the tail to close the bag without having to zip. Both sizes fit perfectly in their bag, however there is not a huge…

The Firefly Pro LTD was one of our favorite wings of 2024, so when the email to test the new Firefly and Firefly Pro landed in our inbox, we couldn’t wait to get our hands on them! Both wings come in practical windsurf-style bags, a perfect match for their setup, as they each include a single carbon handle. The Firefly is built around a Dacron frame, and one standout feature is its smart material selection. The main sections of the leading edge and strut use standard high-quality Dacron, but the wing tips are built with a slightly more flexible Dacron, softening the feel and delivering a smooth, responsive ride. The canopy construction marks a major upgrade over last year’s model: the bulk of it is now made from a robust…

Let’s start with the LIFT5, which is your next-generation eFoil model. Tell us about the advancements made within this model compared to its predecessor. LIFT5 is a new architecture. Not just new parts, but a full rethink of how the system comes together. The goal was clear: reduce the friction from garage to water. We kept hearing it from riders, setup was taking too much mental space. So we simplified everything. No cables, no latch systems, no second guessing if things are lined up. You drop the battery in, plug in the mast, turn it on. You’re riding. There’s still a tool in the mix for the back wing screws, but 99% of your setup is tool-free. It’s cleaner. Faster. Just makes sense. The board shapes are tighter and more…

Jeffrey, congratulations on the Stash, and being the first parawing we’ve covered in the tech pages of Foiling Magazine. Do we think it’s a discipline that’s here to stay? Absolutely! We are already seeing a lot of people having fun parawinging and it is just the beginning. The designs will continue to improve quickly which will open up even more possibilities. This is definitely a discipline here to stay and I am excited to see what advancements are made in the sport. For me the coolest part of parawinging is having the ability to pack it away and relaunch it while you are riding. Downwinding and wave riding with a normal wing is fun but when you are able to have nothing in your hands or in the way of…

Hi Wieger. Firstly, what inspired you to add a midlength option to the lineup, and how does it compare with the OG Skipper boards in terms of ride feel and performance? Technically, we already had a midlength in the lineup – the Skipper DW Prone. It’s a scaleddown version of our downwind board and performs great for prone in small, weak waves. We even made the DW shape down to 75L, so the gap was small – we just never really marketed it that way. Originally, we didn’t feel the need for a wider size range since the Slice V3 is already quite narrow. But after some rider feedback and testing different sizes ourselves, we realized our lineup had become a bit too complicated. It made sense to simplify things…

So the big news here is your 2025 range, specifically targeted at the downwind market. Could you please give us an overview of the range, and tell us a little about the design philosophy behind it? Absolutely. We’re thrilled to introduce the Hurricane range, which represents the next chapter in Phantom’s evolution. This collection is the perfect balance of performance, innovation, and accessibility. At its core, it embodies the Phantom DNA: pure performance, engineered specifically for the unique demands of downwind foiling. We’ve developed five high-aspect front wings ranging from 550 to 1100 cm², along with multiple tail wings and a dedicated board line to form a fully integrated system. Every element was designed to glide effortlessly, accelerate smoothly, and stay stable and efficient across variable downwind conditions. Whether you’re…

RIDER STATS AGE 20 HEIGHT 179CM WEIGHT 73KG SPONSORS CORE WINGFOIL, SOÖRUZ COMPETITIVE FOIL DISCIPLINES WINGFOIL (FREESTYLE, WAVE, RACE), PUMPFOILING, KITEFOILING What’s up Lucas! First up - have you been in the water today? Unfortunately not, because I’m in the mountains right now for some skiing, which isn’t too bad either! We noticed on your social media that you're big into kiting too. Was it quite a natural progression from that and into wingfoiling? Yes, I started with kitefoiling as I was already into kiting. And then when wingfoiling came along, I wasn’t that interested at first. But the kite school where I was working at the time wanted me to learn wingfoiling so that I could teach it. And that’s how I got hooked because I loved the feeling so much. I would…

Hey Phil. So tell us first how you discovered foiling, where did that journey start and when? Foiling is the latest chapter in my lifelong love affair with board sports. I was lucky enough to grow up on the shores of Lake Tahoe in the ’90s. What began with skateboarding, evolved into snowboarding, wakeboarding, wakeskating, kiteboarding, wakesurfing, and most recently, foiling. Like many of us, I was converted the very first time I sipped the Kool Aid - on the good ol’ aluminum Slingshot circa 2017 – and I haven’t looked back since! Being landlocked here in Colorado, I spent those first few years wake foiling behind the boat. And we understand this just escalated when you paid a visit to Nicaragua, right? Indeed! After years of drooling over all…