Wingfoiling
Winging, wing wanging, wing foiling, wingin’ it.
The definitive name hasn’t been cemented into our psyche yet, and whatever specific phrase gains the golden term ticket. This fab new sport is a hybrid, a mix, a coming together of new technologies and possibilities from its sibling sports of windsurfing, surf foiling and kite foiling.
How do you do it..
In simple terms you hold the wing in your hands above your head much like a sail, and by first kneeling then standing and pumping the board onto the ‘plane’ or foil.
Once you’re up, your away and you can use the wing, the swell, a wave or your own pumping effort to continue both across, up and downwind….
The Wing
The Wing is a simplistic no lines kite type construction inflatable batwing that you hold in your hands without a harness. Some have a solid boom and most simply inflatable struts and leading edge with handles. Experienced riders are using harnesses with harness lines as the speeds and tricks increase in amplitude.
The Boards
Boards are changing dramatically and reducing in length and volume to an impressively small ‘waterstartable’ volume now varying between 150 litres to less than 40 in some extreme examples.
Uni directional and generally specifcally designed for wingsurfing they are constantly changing and progressing monthly as the sport matures..
Foils
Foils are also changing all the time. Generally they are a little bigger than kitesurf foils around 1300cm2 in surface area for the front wing. Although to begin they can be as big as 2000cm2 to help you get foiling. The choice of foil is becoming wider by the minute with more of a glider shape than the low aspect short fat surf front wings used for kite and surf foiling. Masts are of medium length between 60-80cm.
All of the equipment is changing and evolving fast as the sport develops rapidly and disciplines become established within it.