Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 14 i Foiling Magazine

Hey Koa, firstly can you please introduce yourself to everyone - how old are you, where do you live, and what foil discipline are you most into?! Hello! My name is Koa Fabbio and I live in Maui, Hawaii. I spend most of my time in the water. My parents shared their passion for water sports with me since I was very little. My mom was a professional windsurfer and also sponsored by Naish, she is from Barcelona, and my dad is from Napoli and, along with my sisters Hana and Valentina, we all surf, wing, and windsurf together. What’s your favorite foil discipline Koa? The foil discipline I like the most is winging and especially jumping now that I am starting to land the tricks. One of my main…

“Always bring all your gear.” Above is a mantra Sensi, my wife, and I have lived by for the better parts of our lives. Bouncing around the globe from session to session has trained us to always have all the toys. And to be ready at a moment’s notice, or the slightest sight of whitecaps. In this case, we were on an Alaskan boat trip, and thanks to the compact nature of the wing foiling gear, it was a no brainer to bring it along. Simply pump up off the back of the boat, and jump in! We ended up scoring a few wonderful winging sessions with not another soul in sight. Unfortunately, the fickle nature of the glacial fjords and unpredictable weather did result in some cold swims, and…

I was shattered. Floating in the middle of the treacherous Bass Strait, my body was falling apart. My arms and legs were cramping and my heart was pounding out of my chest. I had lost sight of the support boat in the heaving swells and driving sheet rain. I was only a few hours into my world-first attempt to cross Bass Strait on wing foil, broken and defeated. The journey had barely begun and I felt like a complete failure. My journey began six months earlier, during the COVID-19 pandemic. My hometown Melbourne was the world’s most locked down city, totaling 262 days, during which I was unable to work in my film-making business, depressed and without purpose. Lying on the couch searching for another show to binge, I stumbled…

EQUIPMENT • Wing: Enough to easily get going but smaller is better. My choice would be the Vayu Aura. • Board: Downwind SUP Foil Board. I’d recommend the Sunova x Casey Downwind Aviator Elite 6'3 x 21 x 90L. • Foil: Match it to the conditions but a larger foil to be safe. I recommend the AXIS 1300, short fuse, 475 progressive tail, 75cm high modulus mast. • Dry Bag: Big enough to fit your deflated wing inside it. • Paddle: Stiff shaft, big blade. My choice – the VMG Orca 89. • Paddle-to-boom tie downs/Velcro:. I use an inner tube but you can use tie downs or Velcro to attach. ON-LAND PRACTICE • Firstly, practice deflating. As simple as it sounds maybe, but you need to re-enact it as…

A couple of issues back we tested the Big Mama of the Pocket Air range. Coming in at 117 liters, it proved itself an impressive board for starting out on, or for heavier riders. We were particularly impressed with the weight of the board and thought that it was one of the most impressive entries we had seen to the wing board market. It was, however, a big board – so we requested a small one to see how it performed at the more intermediate/advanced end of the spectrum! Enter the 67 liter… This comes in at 6.4kg so again a respectable weight and, paired with a full carbon foil set up, is super lightweight and easy to carry around. The smaller Pocket Air is a ‘compact’ board, coming in…

The Glide A-Series has been warmly received globally, with the stiffer ALUULA fabric, stiffer airframe and weight saving giving tangible advantages over standard Dacron wings. It makes a lot of sense for Ocean Rodeo to utilize their advanced materials, which have become well-established in pushing the lightwind boundaries of wingfoiling. Inflation-wise, we’re packing 12 PSI into the strut, which is very low diameter and pretty much unbendable when pumped up. The leading edge carries a generous amount of diameter right into the tips, which are squared off to prevent dipping the wingtip in the water, and this 7m is roughly the same span as the 6m. The sail has the classic extension to the trailing edge that most of the larger wings across brands now feature, lowering the aspect ratio…

Slingshot’s newest addition to the wing foil lineup is the all-new Javelin wing. Utilizing a full-length boom and innovative active sheeting system, the Javelin is ideal for riders looking for the ultimate control and flexibility in a wing. The first, most noticeable design choice is the boom in lieu of multiple soft, or rigid handles. The two-piece carbon boom has two sections, one long main section, and a smaller extension section. This means riders will not have to buy multiple booms, or deal with heavy windsurf style extensions. Just one boom will fit every wing size, where smaller wings (4m and smaller) use the one piece long main boom, and larger wings (4.5m and larger) will add the small extension. The 4m that was tested only used the long boom…

ION now produce a staggering array of different wetsuits for all water-based action sports. Based on their Seek model, the Protection Suit feeds in for any situation where you might take some high impacts. With wingfoiling progressing both in big waves and freestyle at an alarming rate, and bigger risks being taken with regularity, it makes perfect sense to orientate a suit towards avoiding some bruises or windings. In essence, we’re looking at a wetsuit with built-in impact protection. This primarily comes in the form of sewn-in 10mm protection foam padding which is sensibly placed on the shins, upper back, rear thighs, shoulders and triceps. On the all-important crotch area, ION have cunningly installed what can only be described as a removable ‘cricket box’, so you can bulk out this…

The Italian foil manufacturer SABFOIL continues to expand in the foiling world by adding a new line of front wings purely designed for pump foiling – the Leviathan series. As its name suggests, it is a line of massive, high-aspect front wings characterized by extreme efficiency at low speed. Lately there’s been quite a bit of hype surrounding these foils: much of this hype can be attributed to Balz Müller’s endeavors in flat water pumping – the latest one being a flatwater start with a SUP board with no paddle, only leg pumping. We had the chance to test the second biggest of these new front wings, the Leviathan 1350 (that, as its name suggests, has a 1350mm span) and we’ve been impressed by their efficiency and overall by the…

Sky, could you please take us through what’s in the range, and what exactly Team Edition means? Yes, we are excited to launch what we feel is a really complete range of boards consisting of three different models in a brand new PVC/carbon sandwich construction that we call Team Edition (TE). The range includes a surf foil/wing board called the Sky Surf, a brand-new high performance all rounder called the Sky Style and a lighter wind all-rounder called the Sky Free. Tell us what the carbon PVC sandwich construction is all about, and what that means for the rider… Our new TE construction is a PVC/carbon and glass fiber sandwich construction. This construction is similar to that of a windsurf board, which we felt was a perfect fit for our…

Hello Urs! Fist up, please give us an overview of the new Cross wing, and what’s been updated for 2023? Well, we’ve completely reworked the 2023 GA Cross wings from scratch. The frame underwent significant changes and the leading edge is stiffened with some smart double-panels in the center area, and the critical seams are protected with light and durable Kevlar patches. We came up with a different shape for the strut, which is connected to the canopy differently for more stability in the profile and better ergonomics for the hands and arms. On the wing itself we worked a lot to find the perfect tension for balanced performance and stability. The panel layout is optimized to reduce seams and align the panels perfectly along the tension. The shape of…

BIBO BEACH, TARIFA, SPAIN 12 - 15 OCT 2022 Novotná NAILS HER FIRST WORLD TITLE WHILE THE YOUTH TAKE CHARGE OF THE MEN’S GAME The GWA Wingfoil World Cup Tarifa was the penultimate event in this five-stop season of the GWA Wingfoil World Tour. The final climax will run at Taiba in Brazil, 16 - 20th November. There are two separate disciplines on the GWA Wingfoil World Tour, with World Championship titles awarded for both male and female riders in Surf-Freestyle and Surf-Slalom – a form of fast, downwind racing. The event in Tarifa was a pure Surf-Freestyle event. At Surf-Freestyle events with wave conditions, competitors would also surf waves or swells, but Tarifa was a full-on trick throwdown with judges looking for height and amplitude in each maneuver and…

The Maldives are definitely not a well-hidden secret anymore. Known for its luxurious islands, white beaches, and pristine diving spots. But also, the surfing world has taken these islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean by storm. Approximately 1192 islands offer plenty of surf spots, with several reef breaks, but there are also some lagoon-like spots with flat water. In the summer months you can have some good swells coming from the south or south-east, hitting these islands perfectly. But it’s also the monsoon season, which means rainy days and, luckily for us wingers, a lot of wind! The most popular spot is in the Male Atoll, with its famous names like Sultans, Cokes or Chickens, crowded at this time especially, but probably all year around. So, it’s not…

Hey team. So you’ve now firmly planted North’s flag in the sand when it comes to innovative lightweight materials. Starting out, can you please give us an overview of what N-Weave is, and where we’re going to find it in the North foil range? N-Weave is a new high modulus North Advanced Textile material, woven from a combination of UHMPWE and polyester fiber, then laminated with a recycled PET film. The UPE fibers that make up N-Weave are known for their resistance to water, moisture, most chemicals, UV and microorganisms. UPE is also known for its durability and toughness. For now, you’ll find it on the Mode High Speed performance wing strut and leading edge. N-Weave is 3x stiffer than the Dacron we use in the Nova Freeride wing –…

01 SABFOIL WL1550 FRONT WING The Italian brand’s 1550 front wing has been built exclusively and fully optimized for the pumpfoilers amongst you. It promises an easy paddle, easy pump, and long, cruisy and infinite glide… even in low winds and flat water. It sounds positively dreamy. 02 FFB NUGGET Straight outta California comes the FFB Nugget, a little chunk of gold packed with contemporary board tech. The board’s compact shape, full carbon construction and lower volume offerings reduce the swing weight and give the Nugget a dynamic feel underfoot. Available in 35, 40, 45 and 50L. 03 FLYMOUNT AERO-130 Become the star of your own wing movie with the UK designed and built Flymount Aero-130, made from glass reinforced Akulon®, optimized for extensive use in saltwater and high UV…

RIDER RUI MEIRA WEAPON APPLETREE APPLESLICE V2 RIDER HEIGHT 182CM RIDER WEIGHT 73KG My preferred size of the Appleslice V2 is the 4’9. The board comes in sizes ranging from 35L all the way up to 110L, so there are a lot to choose from. My preferred size is the 60L as it gives me the most all-round performance and I can ride it in almost all wind conditions. It’s just sinking below the surface at my weight, but not too much that it’s impossible to get up on foil in light wind. At the same time it’s small enough that the size and weight of the board is not holding you back in turns and jumps. The ‘slice V2 is made in Appletree’s own vacuum construction. It’s based around a…

LOCATION LOURO, GALICIA DATE TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2022 This day started with a good surf on my short board, straight after the morning coffee. The forecast was fantastic, with head high waves, glassy conditions in the morning and thermal wind in the afternoon at our home spot, Area Maior beach. Area Maior is the beach where I have one of my centers, and it’s a pretty perfect surf spot that gets a lot of windy days, especially in spring and the summertime. The northwest wind blows every afternoon between 2pm and 8pm and can get up to 20 knots, and the wind blows sideoff from the right. With kitesurfing or windsurfing, it’s a bit difficult to ride because on the beach the wind is a bit gusty. But for wingfoiling,…

Okay, so I’m not going to deny that it’s a bit daunting when the board that Kai Lenny has been raving about lands in the hands of the test crew here at Foiling Magazine. On the plus side, you know that Kai has been absolutely shredding on it, so it definitely works! So you can treat that as a ‘real world’ appraisal of the board… The Ginxu (if you are wondering how to pronounce that then check out the man-behind-the-board Keith Teboul talking us through it at the AWSI!) has certainly turned a lot of heads since it arrived on the scene. Why? Well take a look at the pictures. From the bottom it’s only really two thirds of a board… It was interesting hearing about how the KT crew…

AXIS released the Froth V1 last year as their first wing and SUP foil crossover board in the larger sizes. Its squarer outline and high levels of stability per liter made it a popular choice amongst novice to intermediate wingfoilers. This year heralds not only a complete redesign to make it a little leaner and faster, but also a massive range of sizes, ranging from 45l to 160l, enabling you to tailor to pretty much any level of rider or situation. We were given the 105l to test, a comfortable 15l of positive buoyancy, which would suit beginners through to intermediates in lighter winds. Shape-wise, there’s a clear evolution from the last Froth, bringing it in line with the more progressive shapes. A more pronounced rounded-off nose with a medium…

Freedom Foil Boards have already built up a solid fanbase with their range of foil boards and so it only makes sense for them to want to expand their offerings to foils as well. Designed with FFB’s surf foil origins in mind, the Halcyon (available in 810, 1030 and 1230 sizes) has been designed with accessibility at its core and aims to bring a complete surf foil experience to users of all levels. The Halcyon comes as a full carbon set up with a sleek fuselage that fits flush with the mast thanks to the internal mast and fuselage connection. The profile of the fuse eliminates any torsional twist from the wing which slides onto the fuse thanks to a tapered connection. A reduced footprint on the mast base plate…

ION also slid a wingboard-specific coil leash in for test. It’s difficult to source coil leashes that are the right size for sub six-foot wingboards, and this is a market sector that needs attention. The 5’5 7mm cord has survived well in terms of stretch after three months of both wingfoil and SUP foil in some powerful wave scenarios; where other leashes are starting to get bandy and drag, it’s still coiling up and not dangling around being irritating. The ankle cuff has a textured layer that grips well to neoprene and skin alike, and makes sure the leash doesn’t rotate around your ankle and always points backwards, so you don’t trip over it. The Velcro tab on the end is large enough to grip and control your board when…

It’s clear North are fully committed to foiling sports and are building a comprehensive range of front wing sizes to cater for every bodyweight across disciplines. Their HA range is aimed at ambitious intermediates and above who want to ride with speed and efficiency, and spans nine sizes from a tiny HA550 to a mighty albatross of a HA1450, designated by their projected area in cm2. North’s head designer, Uli Sommerlatt, designs from a very methodical perspective, monitoring the exploding marketplace for a while. With his history in performance boatbuilding, much thought and attention to detail has been placed on the composite layup and distribution of force to achieve a smooth and vibration-free ride across the system. Once excitedly liberated from the cardboard, the attention to detail in the package…

Hey team, so two new products this issue. Let’s start with the Bullet board. Built for going fast, we assume?! The initial concept certainly started off with a goal to develop a design that makes it easy to go fast as well as take off easily, to accommodate the use of smaller, faster foils. We then pretty quickly realized that the Hover Bullet board design is more than that, and in fact is a lot of fun, and not only on a race course… Tell us what it is about the Bullet that makes it such a weapon? The basic design idea comes from the shapes of modern kite race-boards and got adapted to the use as a wing board. It is generally more narrow, more parallel and longer than…

Hey team, so we have two updated foilboards in the Phazer and Compact, plus an updated Tracer foil series. Let’s cover the boards first… what’s new on the Compact v2 and the Phazer v3? The Compact v2 shapes are all a fair amount narrower than the v1. The larger sizes are 1.5” (3.8cm) narrower, and the smaller sizes are around 0.8” (2cm) narrower. This improves the glide and throw around factor, and although you do lose a bit of stability, they are still relatively wide. We have also pulled the nose in and rounded it slightly to help it release while riding or doing more progressive jumping. We have also added new sizes to the Compact in the 36L and 46L to appeal more to the high wind or lighter…

So the eTow… it looks pretty futuristic. Have the robots finally taken over?! The first time the team was presented with the idea for the eTow, there was a quiet look of disbelief and astonishment going around the room. Creating a fully self-controlled electric towing watercraft seemed more fitting for a futuristic SciFi movie than a product presentation pitch. However, our CEO and head designer, Cyril Coste, doesn’t give up easily on ideas and overcomes any obstacles when it comes to the innovation and design of new and transcendent products. And so, at Takuma, we became the first in creating the eTow, a self-controlled electric towing watercraft that allows you to extend your playground, explore unknown spots and discover new sensations. Tell us about some of the tech involved… Well,…

Hey team. Firstly tell us some history about Manta5, and how you first came up with the initial concept for the first edition Hydrofoiler, the XE-1? Manta5 exists because of our cycling mad, water loving Founder, Guy Howard-Willis who, prior to Manta5, co-founded New Zealand’s largest multi-sport retailer, Torpedo7. The hydrofoiling bike concept literally came to Guy’s mind in a dream – a dream where he pushed off from his holiday home jetty and rode a bicycle-type product that brought him the same feeling and freedom as his road bike. He cruised out into the bay before being greeted by a pod of dolphins which swam alongside him as he rode. He woke up but the dream stuck with him. The original design brief presented no easy feat. Just like…

So, the new MISSILE High Efficient foil range. With the H:E collection, are we looking at the next wildfire trend in the foilsphere? Would love to say that this is the next big thing in foil design, but to be honest as much as the initial response to these H:E designs has been super positive on all fronts, both in wingsurfing and regular prone foiling, this is possibly more of a big step towards progression and the future of the foilsphere in our particular class of foiling. The concept has been around for a number of years in other foil sailing sports, so it was just a matter of relooking at the conceptual design and adapting the pieces to apply to our foiling sports. Tell us about the collection and…

+ Entering the wing foiling world has been, and is to date, an absolutely amazing adventure. Coming from a windsurfing and kitesurfing background, foiling has added a spicy element to my relationship with water sports that makes the entire experience very unique. + Foiling itself I believe, is a force that is here to stay. It’s implemented already on so many existing water sports, and I feel this is just the beginning. One aspect that I like about wing foiling is that its limitations are already more extensive than those I experience with kitesurfing. This sport invites a broader amount of people thanks to its simplicity, safety and the positives of being able to do it in low wind conditions. It has opened up so many spots that, for example,…

Hi Nick. Nice little film! First up, where was this filmed exactly? This was filmed up in Lake Superior, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. What made you choose that location to film this? I think you can tell by just the backdrop. Those beautiful sandstone cliffs, when the water runs through there and the minerals deposit on it. They call it Pictured Rocks. I can't think of a more amazing place to ride, and then the water is so blue so you get that contrast. That mixed with the sound of the prop of these boards is like… it’s like therapy, man. It’s unbelievable. In the film, you talk about eFoiling as an escape from the grind of your Olympic training regimen. What does your training schedule look like,…

OVERALL RESULTS MEN 1. Francesco Cappuzzo (ITA), 12.6 points 2. Mathis Ghio (FRA), 13.4 points 3. Luca Franchi (ITA), 18.0 points WOMEN 1. Paula Novotná (CZE), 8.0 points 2. Ellie Aldridge (GBR), 17.0 points 3. Ceris Orane (FRA), 22.0 points…

Besides the rain and the midges, the west coast of Scotland is famed for its dramatic scenery, castles and some of the world’s finest whisky. As far as water sports go, you will see the occasional glistening sail on the horizon and groups of hardy wild swimmers who enter the water white and come out pink. With the exception of Tiree, ‘the windy isle’, the sight of kites above the beaches has all but gone, replaced by the more versatile wing. Launching anywhere that allows them to take advantage of the wind and the swell that funnels up the sea lochs or between islands. Given wind over tide conditions, you can time your runs in minutes, not seconds. Wing foiling has found a new ‘doonwinda’ mecca. Six is a crowd…

Hey guys. So we’ve had impact vests, and we’ve had wing harnesses. Ronny, at Wingman you’ve managed to integrate the two… Please give us a quick overview of the Wingman vest before we go any further. Ronny: The Wingman is a modular “hard shell” impact vest with a detachable harness module with the possibility to adjust the hook height. Go cruising, freeriding or racing with the harness module or you can take it off for your freestyle session. Ronny, tell us a bit about your own background in wind sports first, and about your company, Wingman Products… Ronny: In 1989 I became part of the A.R.T/Fanatic R&D team. In 1990 I started working on harness designs and we came out with something quite revolutionary: it was a mix between a…

"SURF LAKES IS INCREDIBLY PICTURESQUE, WITH PANORAMIC MOUNTAIN RANGES SURROUNDING A CALM RESERVOIR OF WATER." Man-made waves in Yeppoon sparked attention years ago. Nothing else had pulled me back to this small country town where my surfing life began. Queensland’s central coast isn’t really on the radar of most surfers, given swells there are blocked by the Barrier Reef, but thanks to Surf Lakes establishing their business in the nearby bush, returning and participating became important, like some sort of birthright or salmon-swimming-upstream destiny. I’m old, referencing Mad Max 3 in the title, but regardless if you know the movie or not (which, coincidently, I played an extra in), the images here will give you some idea – a massive central plunger device, welded together from rusty steel, juxtaposed against…

So Phil, firstly let’s start off with a little about yourself – what’s your history in the industry, and what were you doing before Eleveight? I’ve been really passionate about water sports since I was a child. I started surfing first, but was so young at the time that I can’t even remember my first time out! I then discovered kiteboarding back in 2002, when I was 18, and since then I have never stopped riding. I’ve traveled the world kiteboarding and also competed in some KPWT events, as well as the French championships. It’s now more than 20 years since I started kiting, and it’s coming up to three years of winging. After my studies, I worked for a leading kite brand at the time, where I was taking…

DAY 1 LOCATION NAMOTU LEFTS, FIJI DATE SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2022 5.30am, the alarm goes off. This is moments before the sun rises. I walk out of my bure and to the main deck of the island and grab my cup of coffee. I sit down with the other staff of the island and watch out the front… Namotu Lefts reel off as pastel colors start to illuminate the horizon. I’m a surf guide on this island and my job is to make sure all of the 26 guests get the most out of their week here on Namotu. So I check the tides, get a feel for where people wanna surf and direct them in the best way I can. As Namotu Lefts is generally a fat left hander,…

The MOJO has a particularly important place in my personal wingsurfing heritage. Back when I was just starting out with the sport, my first few sessions were pure frustration as I tried in vain to get going in offshore conditions – I reckon I must have swam 10k+ back to shore over a few weeks as time-after-time I couldn’t get any long runs in. Enter the MOJO. I got hold of the MOJO 6.2… Suddenly, on my first run, I had so much power that I was up and riding, staying upwind, and made it back to the beach first time. It was a wing with exceptional low-end usability and I’ve since handed it over to a few of my local crew who have been struggling with the power you…

With the rapid growth and development of the sport, it’s easy to overlook developments in entry level foils. However, as more high-performance foils get developed you'd like to think that there are elements that trickle down to the entry level foils making them easier to use and better for progression and it’s becoming clear that more brands are putting just as much effort into making the sport as accessible as possible. The Universal 2400 is RRD’s entry level model, aimed at getting you going in beginner-friendly conditions whilst also doubling as a great freeride and light wind foil for heavier riders. The Universal Alu comes in two sizes; 1600cm2 and the 2400cm2 that we tested. At 2400cm2 and with a span of 110cm (AR 5) this is not a small…

AXIS responded to prone consumer demand to enable extra turning mobility in their system by a small change to their existing B-Series fuse, which essentially brings the front wing 40mm closer to the mast. The B-Series fuse is compatible with their HPS and ART ranges, as well as some of the smaller BSC and PNG front wings. In the water, the pitch control feels a little different at first, and you may wish to shift your foil box position a little further forward to help balance your board out. Turning-wise, it feels almost as if you’ve dropped a front wing size but not sacrificed any stability. The foil has a new eagerness to turn, particularly in the yaw axis, and it provides a more connected and ‘surfy’ feeling which opens…

Armstrong are never a brand afraid to span into any of the foiling disciplines, and they’ve just released the WKT standing for Wake, Kite, Tow, which comes in three sizes – 109, 122 and 137cm – sliding neatly into the minimal pocket board sector. Board size should be selected on your desired discipline and weight, and Armstrong have a comprehensive guide to choosing the correct weapon. We’ve seen Austin Tovey popping double backflips with it behind the boat, so were quite eager to get our hands on it. First off, each board comes complete with a beautifully tailored padded bag, which is essential for keeping it safe, be it in a vehicle or on a boat. This has capacity for foil-on storage with a Velcro aperture at the tail end.…

For a brand who came to the wing game a little later than many other brands with a windsport heritage, it’s fair to say that Eleveight have been making up for lost time! They are onto version three of their WFS wing already, with tweaks and refinements being the order of the day rather than any ground up rebuilds. The wing’s philosophy is very much in the freeride realm with the aim being an accessible wing that will work well for you whether you are jumping, riding in the waves, or just cruising around freeride-style. The WFS V3 makes use of x4 Ripstop which adds a little extra stiffness to the canopy, and also provides some extra strength if the worst should happen and ‘foil meets wing’. It’s never going…

Hey Armie. So with the Performance Mast range, what are the most notable improvements that your existing A+ users will feel? Our new Performance Mast range is simply smoother, more efficient and with increased torsional stiffness for riders pushing harder and faster. The new foil sections (yes, masts have foil sections too!) were analyzed, tuned and tested by the world’s top engineers who primarily design foils for America’s Cup-winning boats. This extensive background work has given our new design a noticeably smoother, lower drag and more forgiving ride. At first, it really surprised me just how different these masts felt through the water. Because the theory behind the mast sections is sound, key details like ventilation have been improved at a wide range of riding angles. This all means that…

Hey team, so a brand new wing! Talk to us about the Javelin… The Javelin is our all-new boom wing. This wing platform was designed to give the rider ultimate control over the wing, via the full-length carbon boom. This not only gives the rider a very direct feel, it also offers a stabilizing/anchor point for the rider to balance around. Finally, the boom takes away the need for handle hunting, or looking for where to grab the wing. Anywhere on the boom will provide forward traction, and each rider can adapt their hand position to their desired comfort level. As far as the wing itself goes, the wing is built around a compact frame. This helps keep the wingtips out of the water while water starting, and provides an…

A new ART wing, and it’s even smaller! Did you guys spot the market for this, or did this stem from customer demand? A bit of both really and a large helping of what our team riders need to meet the demands of ever-increasing challenges, bigger waves, higher speeds and more precise carving. How have you augmented the design from the 799 to handle even more speed? It’s a very different wing from the 799, in fact much of the 699’s DNA has come from much larger wings that we have in development at the moment. The tips are not as fine, relatively it is narrower in the middle than the rest of the ART siblings, and its outline is quite parallel (proportionally it has very little taper) compared to…

Hey team. So first, walk us through what’s available in the new 2023 board range…. We've got something for everyone in this range! From towing to winging to prone foiling, we've got your covered. Our surf range incudes 3'8 25L, 4'0 30L, 4'6 34L, and 5'0 42L. Our wind range includes 4'0 26L Kite, 4'4 44L Wing, 4'6 55L Wing, 4'10 75L Wing, and 5'2 105L Wing. Awesome. So straight into the nitty gritty… can you tell us a bit about the layup of the boards, and any stand-out build features that we should know about? Our boards feature an EPS foam core, robustly wrapped in carbon. We have used the same layup for the past three years, and we have seen no failures. We feel we’ve found the perfect…

Firstly, the BlackBird is the first development from the newly formed ‘AFS Advanced’. What is the remit of this new branch of AFS, and why was it formed? Foil and Co has been in existence for six years and we specialize in windsurf and wing foils, and in particular in the design and manufacture of prepreg carbon items with our four brands: AFS, AHD, NAH-SKWELL and SEALION. Therefore, there’s a whole load of technology and expertise and know-how that exists here, all under one roof. A design office, shapers, specialists in composites. A highly skilled and experienced team. So we asked ourselves why not try to get the best out of our opportunity and skill base, to go even further in research and development and reach for some very specialized…

RIDER FACTS AGE: 33 HEIGHT: 180 CM WEIGHT: 85KG SPONSORS: RRD COMPETITIVE FOIL DISCIPLINES: WINGFOIL BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT TO DATE: LANZAROTE GWA WINGFOIL WORLD CUP – 1ST PLACE Hello Gollito! Please let our readers know where you are at this moment and when was the last time you were in the water… Right now I’m back in Italy after having spent two weeks training in Brazil. The last time I got in the water was four days ago, in Jericoacoara. I will spend a week in Lake Garda (Italy) and will go back to Brazil for the last Wingfoil World Cup event of the season. You’ve been bagging podiums on the Wingfoil World Tour and most recently at the Freestyle Cup in France. But when was the first time you picked up a wingfoil…

I don’t think many people like to admit to being a self-proclaimed hypocrite, and as much as it hurts me to say so – I think I’m exactly that. I’m not totally embarrassed by this notion… I’ve been somewhat “proved wrong” on my initial assumptions of this weird and wonderful world of wing foiling. I am fully open to the idea that my once sceptical opinion has been turned on its head. Why? It’s not because I’ve completely fallen in love with the sport, or because I’ve taken to it like a duck to water; I would probably reference myself to a flailing humpback whale instead. And I definitely wouldn’t call myself obsessed like a lot of you are. But I’m finally glad that I’ve moved past this hypocrisy because…