Innehållsförteckning för Issue 23 från Foiling Magazine

Flying out of the UK for the third annual Dubai eFoil race felt surreal. eFoil racing is a fresh, dynamic addition to the hydrofoiling world, and this year’s Dubai eFoil Festival promised to be the most significant event in this sport’s young history. I was defending my world title from the 2023 season, so the stakes were high for me. Dubai, with its breathtaking skyline and futuristic vibe, provided the perfect backdrop for this burgeoning sport. Dubai never fails to impress. This glittering metropolis has evolved into one of the world’s most iconic cities. We were based at the luxurious Th8 Hotel on The Palm Jumeirah, an extraordinary venue perched on a man-made island that epitomizes Dubai’s audacious innovations. The hotel’s pristine beachfront set the stage for our event, with…

Hi Jörgen. Firstly then, what initially spurred you to start the SFT World Tour? I had the idea two years ago, and three main reasons were driving me to it. Firstly, bringing board sports and water sport entertainment closer to places where a good number of people and consumers are – in other words, to cities. Secondly, making surf competitions more plannable for athletes, event organizers, and sponsors, meaning less dependence on weather conditions. Most of the SFT disciplines are not dependent on wind, for example. Thirdly, I see big potential in all foil sport disciplines. I do all the foil sports myself. Two years ago, I was not sure if I was contemplating the idea of running a foil world tour only from my own water sport bubble. Since…

Hi Dave. Please start us off from the beginning… How did ALUULA originate and what initially inspired its development? In 2017, Richard Myerscough, Founder of ALUULA and Ocean Rodeo, saw an opportunity to develop a new fabric that would supersede everything else on the market. At the time there wasn’t a lot of change in the materials being used. Everyone was using Dacron, PU bladder materials and polyester canopy materials. ALUULA was born from a vision to create a new leading-edge fabric that was lighter and stronger than anything else. The original inventors of ALUULA started playing around with the idea, and there was lots of trial and error. The fabric went through several iterations until it got to the fabric that you see on the beach today. Others have…

So, Fred, for those unfamiliar with the One-Lock system, can you explain how it works? The beauty of the One-Lock system is its simplicity. To assemble, you slide the front wing into the collar at the bottom of the mast, then slide the tail (stabilizer) into the other side. Finally, you insert the latch into the tail’s cavity and click it down flush. That’s it – you're ready to go. What’s not so simple is the engineering behind it. This system took us three years to perfect. If you saw the original 3D-printed prototypes, you wouldn’t even recognize them – except for one key feature: the Dyneema line. From day one, we knew we wanted to use Dyneema for its high-load capacity, zero stretch, and corrosion resistance. We set out…

The GWA Wingfoil World Tour closed out the 2024 season in Brazil. First came the third and final Wave stop of the year, when the tour debuted in the "lefts" of Ibiraquera, in southern Brazil. The men’s and women’s Wave world champions, the US’s Cash Berzolla and Spain’s Elena Moreno, were crowned in Ibiraquera. But Berzolla, who had been a sensation all season, with a second in Cape Verde and the win in Dakhla, Morocco, was surprisingly out in the quarter-final. Still, it was enough to give him the title thanks to his earlier performances. Elena Moreno also took the title, though she was out in the semi-final. The GWA Wingfoil World Tour ended the season in another new location in Brazil, Jericoacoara. The iconic Brazilian spot hosted final stops…

No messing with this one. Surf is as Surf does, right? Certainly. Ripping turns, smashing the foam ball, pumping back out for your Nth wave; everything in this new board design is dedicated to the pursuit of next level foil surfing both prone and tow. Now, we never said you couldn’t take it behind a boat or under a wing… Liking the sound of it! So what features make this board particularly surf-focused? Starting with the big picture, this shape balances user friendliness with high performance in ways that matter in the surf. It’s an aggregation of subtle choices that add up to make a big impact on the water. The nose is something of a hybrid between a traditional shortboard and a fish; full enough to hold volume and…

So guys, please tell us first what are the clear benefits from an integrated system, over buying a Foil Drive unit separately? Uli: There are multiple benefits to an integrated system. For example, there’s a massive 15% reduction in drag from the mast, creating extended battery life and ride time. The trailing edge thickness is approximately 0.5-1.0mm. When taping a 9mm cable along the trailing edge, this will massively reduce the efficiency of the foils system. With an integrated mast you keep the impact of the foil assist to a minimum and gain approximately 15% in additional battery life due to the reduction of drag compared to a mast with a thick cable taped to the trailing edge which is a bit like watching a plane land, when it pushes…

Two new Belugas then! Please firstly tell us what the difference is between the LTD and the LTE models… The RRD Beluga LTD and Beluga LTE are two distinct models tailored to different rider preferences and conditions, sharing a foundation of high performance but differentiated by materials and construction. The Beluga LTD is built using RRD’s exclusive LTD technology, which incorporates a full carbon sandwich construction. This model prioritizes lightweight performance, stiffness, and responsiveness, making it ideal for advanced riders seeking maximum control and power transfer. The LTD’s design ensures optimal rigidity, crucial for high-level wing foiling maneuvers and precise feedback during transitions or jumps. This board is particularly well-suited for those who prioritize agility and efficiency in a variety of conditions. The Beluga LTE, on the other hand, uses…

First up, please give us an overview of the Quick Mount system, and what immediate benefits this offers a SiFly eFoiler? The Sifly Quick Mount system is the first modular system in the eFoiling industry that lets you detach both the hydrofoil’s mast profile from the board, fuselage and motor propulsion system from the mast without any tools in seconds. It is a breakthrough innovation that changes the user experience massively. Previously, eFoilers would have to spend around 10 minutes rigging up their gear, looking for the correct screw and hex key while cooking in their wetsuit under the scorching sun or rocking on the back of the yacht in the rolling sea. With the new Quick Mount system, they can assemble the set in seconds. What’s more, the ability…

RIDER Jouke van der Meer LOCATION Chicama, Peru PHOTOGRAPHER Rayner Escajadillo Jouke: From when I was a young surfer I was always dreaming of Chicama. Appearing often in surf mags, this remote and long left always left a big impression on me. This year I was lucky enough to get there and it truly was the longest left indeed, offshore with a light breeze in the morning, with rides over eight minutes long! Four kilometers of non-stop foiling feels incredible. And in the afternoon I was wingfoiling solo. The drops at the peak were quite challenging, but once in control and high on speed, I was left with an endless smile on my face. RIDER Paula Novotna LOCATION Taiba, Brazil PHOTOGRAPHER Svetlana Romantsova Paula: Taiba has always been one of…

Winter in Brittany can be rough, with 2730km of coastline, huge tides, and the ocean surrounding you from the north to the south and out to the west. The possibilities are infinite. Sometimes we don't see much sunlight, the water temperature gets cold and each session becomes a mission, but in the end, you’ll always find a window and manage to get some world class action. It’s really a battle against the elements here, but if you're patient, with some time to get out searching with different craft, there’s always a way to spend some quality time on the water, or above it. This is the place I was born and the place I will call home for the rest of my life, as the search here is so exciting.…

LIQUID FORCE CARBON STRATUS 950 FUSELOCK A good first entry foil for those jumping into LF’s Stratus range, the addition of their new FuseLock system will no doubt be a huge draw, with its inherent stiffness and strength, translating into maximum control. This high-performance wing will enhance your foil swagger in multiple realms, from behind a boat to your local beach break. The set also features the 74cm HM mast and the GLIDE tail wing. NORTH MODE PRO The 2025 Mode Pro is packed with fresh tech, and features North’s unique ShiftLock modular track mounting system for custom positioning of any size ShiftLock carbon handle or boom, as well as its anti-deflection Carbon UDi Technology inside the leading edge for a faster, more direct response. Meanwhile, the super-stiff N-Weave45 airframe…

RIDER VINNICIUS MARTINS WEAPON M-WINGER PRO SIZES 105L, 120L, 135L RIDER HEIGHT 173CM RIDER WEIGHT 70KG I’ve been riding JP Wing/Foil boards since the brand first released their foil boards. We started with the Prone Foil board, then the first X-Winger, and more recently I’ve been riding mostly the S-Winger for waves and the F-Winger for freestyle. I’ve been riding the M-Winger for two months now. The M-Winger is the first version of this kind of mid-length board that JP have launched. We already had the R-Winger, which itself is a very good board for light winds and getting flying early, but the M-Winger has a very different DNA. Even though it’s a longer board than the “R”, it allows you to fly with even less effort, and the shape of the…

LOCATION OʻAHU, HAWAII DATE SUNDAY DECEMBER 22ND, 2024 In late December 2024, a massive North Pacific storm roared to life, unleashing its energy across thousands of miles. Surfers and ocean enthusiasts around the globe held their breath as forecasts confirmed their hopes: conditions were shaping up to trigger the prestigious Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational in Hawaii. On Friday, December 20, the announcement was made – the Eddie was officially a go for Sunday. Waimea Bay on O'ahu’s North Shore was set to host the world’s elite big wave surfers, with waves worthy of the legendary Eddie Aikau’s name. While thousands of spectators planned their journey to witness history, our small group of foilers saw an opportunity of a different kind. On Saturday night, we made a choice some might…

CORE HALO PRO LW The world of winging is a rapidly evolving one… CORE have mastered the art of keeping an eye on the direction-of-travel of the market and then producing products which are well-refined and in keeping with the way the wind is blowing, so to speak. The Halo Pro LW is a fantastic example of this. Super light wind wings are nothing new, but wings that are actually responsive and fun to ride within the sub 12 knot world are an entirely different beast. As an extension of the Halo series, CORE’s Aluula infused offerings (3m-6m), the building blocks for the Light Wind edition are there – but rather than just extend out the size and call it a LW edition, CORE have revisited the design and engineered…

The 1099 marks the fifth family member into the ART v2 range. Was this one always on the cards, or were you responding to requests from existing ART v2 fans? At the beginning of the ART v2 planning and design phases, we were not planning to release a bigger size than the 999. We felt that the 999 ART v2 covered so much range and use that a bigger one wouldn’t be necessary. But the user community made it very clear that the original 1099, possibly one of the most successful AXIS foils to date and Guinness Record holder, also needs a successor. After the first couple prototypes of the ART v2 1099, we knew that we were onto something special. What are the main performance enhancements from the original…

First up, tell us the concept of this new wing and which discipline it’s focused on… Our most popular wing, the Unit, started as a wave and downwind wing but evolved into an all-around wing. Freestylers, racers, jumpers, surfers, downwind riders and cruisers used it equally and it had fallen away from a pure focus on wave riding. We decided to refocus a new wing, the Float, very narrowly on wave and downwind surfing, gliding performance. A huge part of this process was to rely extensively on the skill, judgement and experience of Jeffrey and Finn Spencer, two of the world’s earliest and best wing surfers; riders who have placed highly in international competition in the sports of wing foiling and SUP foiling. Obviously, a good wave wing needs to…

So firstly, what materials did you use in the REVO Air, and how do you ensure a balance of strength and light weight? We use a hybrid technology that combines a rigid compartment, identical to that of our classic models, ensuring strength and rigidity, with an inflatable section made from the best dropstitch materials on the market. PWR Foil has over 15 years of experience in manufacturing both rigid and inflatable stand-up paddles, allowing us to offer a product that is reliable, lightweight, and high-performing. What would you say are the key advantages of an inflatable e-foil compared to a rigid board, and is there a vast difference in flight sensation? One of the main advantages of an inflatable e-foil is its ease of storage and transport. Unlike a rigid…

Hey team. So let’s start with your two new mid length lineups, the Early Bird and the Super Fly. Can you tell us where they both sit in terms of disciplines, and what the differences are between the ranges? The key difference between these boards lies in their length-to-width ratio. On average, the Early Bird is about a foot longer and three inches narrower than the Super Fly. However, their unique DNA sets them apart even more. The Early Bird is an evolution of our previous Lightwind and SUP/PaddleUp designs. These boards are inspired by long, narrow SUP shapes with minimal drag when paddling, enabling their high starting speed. They feature a narrow pintail bottom with low rocker for optimal acceleration, while concave rails reduce friction, making pumping easier and…

The brand/athlete relationship is often one of mutual benefits. The brand can raise its own profile and image by supporting a pro-active rider, while the athlete gets the support of equipment, mentoring and, occasionally, cold hard cash. However, the investment both put into this partnership can also pay dividends in the longer term too, as Florian Gruber lays out here, having transitioned from top level team rider for Levitaz, into their new Sales & Marketing Manager… Every professional sports career has an endpoint, and for me, it was essential not to extend mine just for the sake of staying in the game. I could have continued competing for another season, but I felt it was the right time to transition to something new. While it wasn’t a given that my…

WATCH NOW So Juan, firstly, kudos on a great looking board in that film. Can you tell us a little about that pelican design, and how that opportunity to design it first came about? Thank you! I’m glad you like it. The inspiration for this design came from the pelican, a bird whose graceful movements over the water reminded me of how the board glides when you reach that “flying” moment on a Lift board. Nick also shared with me that the logo for Lift Foils was inspired by the way pelicans fly. I felt it was the perfect symbol to honor both the natural elegance of the pelican and the mechanics of foiling. The design is meant to reflect the connection between nature and the exhilarating experience of riding…

Each year during October, Duotone set up a Wingfoil Young Blood Camp in my hometown, Tarifa, which (and this is no coincidence) is usually a month of strong Levante winds. I always make sure to join in, because this camp is how I first got into being a professional athlete. My first camp was when I was 13, before foiling became super popular, and within it were kiteboarding legends such as Liam Whaley and Noé Font. That camp was a clear before-and-after moment in my life. It was where I first realized what it takes to be a professional athlete. I made friends who shared the same goals, and I gained mentors to guide me along the way. I always say we underestimate how important these Youngblood Camps are. To…

So, if we understand this right, as part of a group of High Power upgrades, you’ve just made the MAX battery even more max, right? The MAX High Power Battery is purely designed to give the user the maximum possible battery capacity that can fit in the Gen2 architecture. Runtime is something that is important to a lot of riders and, as battery tech improves, higher capacity battery cells become available. Battery technology is always improving, so it’s about trying to find a good medium between improved capacity, availability and performance and obtaining a reasonable price point to make the end product cost effective. You can think of the new MAX High Power Battery as a MAX Power, plus 19% more capacity, no additional weight or size! Add the new…

LOCATION EL MÉDANO, TENERIFE DATE THURSDAY DECEMBER 12TH, 2024 The day began unusually quiet for El Médano. As I sipped my morning coffee on the terrace, I gazed at the normally bustling bay, which lay eerily calm and mirror-like. No waves, no wind, no action – a far cry from the typical high-wind playground buzzing with windsurfers, kiters, and wingfoilers. Yet, in that stillness, an idea sparked. In my neighbor Oliver’s driveway lay a few old wooden pallets. Oliver, my best friend here in Tenerife, had planned to use them for his terrace construction. But what if we turned them into a dock? A platform to pump foil straight from the bay on windless days? Well, it didn’t take much to convince Oliver to lend me the pallets. He even…

Hey team. So what kind of light wind speeds are we talking to be able to get a session in on the Halo Pro LW? A gentle breeze is enough. Average wingfoilers can easily get going with the Halo Pro LW at 10 knots. Plus, you get on your foil much more effortlessly because the wing generates so much power. Which by the way allows you to ride smaller boards (let’s say body weight 10-15kg) compensating for a two board quiver. More experienced wingers with a perfectly matched board and foil can comfortably wing from 6-7 knots. Talk to us about the refinements in the LW that optimize this wing for that purpose… Designing a big wing isn’t the big challenge, but keeping the canopy in shape without drag from…

Hey team, so give us a little overview of the FuseLock system, and what’s its USP for the consumer? After riding foils for 10+ years we started to notice some of the inherent flaws in all of the different connection systems out there. The best foil connection is the one that allows you to transfer all the energy from your body into the foil with the least amount of power lost along the way. The slight wiggle from the front wing attaching to the fuselage, the mast having some tolerance to fit into the mast pocket on the fuse. All these little losses here and there add up and end up limiting you to what you can get out of your foil. We wanted to change that. That was our…

Firstly, we love the name… Please explain! We try to keep all our names Apple themed, and I don’t exactly know who came up with the name, but it was a brainstorm by the whole team, and this one won. Also I had an idea about a logo based on the standard comical electrocution picture where the character is illuminated with the skeleton showing, but then with an apple and its core. So that’s what our very talented logo designer came up with! Quite catchy we think. The working title by the way was the trench, but it wasn’t appealy enough. Plus other companies might use the same term. So ZAPPLE it is! So the Zapple is a fully Foil Drive Gen2 compliant board… tell us how so? The board…

Firstly, with NeilPryde’s rich history in windsurfing, it must have been a smooth transition into inflatable wing design. Who are the key players in the design team, and what are their backgrounds? Our head designer is Nils Rosenblad, who may be familiar to many from the earlier NeilPryde windsurfing days. He began developing windsurfing sails for us in the 90s. Now, he is our wing designer and, together with his team, develops the wings on Maui. He brings a wealth of expertise, including experience from his work for Red Bull in the America’s Cup. Alongside Nils, we have Daniel Schenk as a product manager on our team. He has been with us for many years, contributing to the product management of the windsurf collections and now also the wing range.…

+ One of the most exciting things about this sport is how it turns practically any stretch of water into your personal playground. Whether it’s waves in the Pacific, a glassy European lake, or some hidden, off-the-beaten-path spot that hasn’t been discovered yet, the possibilities are nuts. The only real obstacles are depth, water temperature, and seaweed! As long as there’s enough water for your foil to work, nearly any waterway is fair game. As the tech gets better, more and more spots are becoming accessible, even in colder climates or remote rivers that once felt off-limits. The gear keeps pushing boundaries, and so do we, and at this point, the only real limits are the ones we set ourselves! + In the next few years, I think foiling is…