The Takuma team heads to the Maldives for the foiling trip of a lifetime.

Picture this: an average temperature of 29°C, perfect waves from sunrise to sunset, and a crew of shredders to share it with. The perfect trip only comes round every once in a while. The Takuma team has been lucky enough to experience many incredible locations and conditions in a fairly short period, this one however comes out on top. The Takuma guys embarked on a full-on adventure in pursuit of challenging conditions. All with an aim to test the latest Takuma gear and score the perfect light to capture the amazing scenes.

And so it was set, during June the team riders, Matahi Drollet, Mô Chauvin, and Leo-Paul Etienne took a trip of a lifetime to explore the breathtaking shores of the Maldives. So, who are these riders? Matahi Drollet is a pro surfer from Tahiti who has competed in the World Surf League, Mô Chauvin is an up & coming foiler, also from Tahiti, who recently starred in our Waterwomen feature, and Leo-Paul Etienne, from Guadeloupe, is also a pro surfer; he’s been competing on the world stage since 2015! Out on the water, this talented selection of foilers was joined by Takuma’s CEO, Cyril Coste, and French actor extraordinaire Vincent Cassel, both showing off some serious skills on the latest Takuma setup. Who’d have thought that a cast member of Ocean’s Twelve would not only be on the trip but be an exceptional foiler!

It was the first time the team had set foot on the islands of the Maldives and they were not disappointed. For the Guadeloupean rider Leo-Paul Etienne, the wave right in front of the paradisiac island of Kani was on par with the best wave he has ever foiled. And that is saying something when you consider how well travelled and experienced Leo-Paul is.

The Maldives' waves generally pack less punch than those of Indonesia, making it the ideal foiling destination. As you’ll see in the photos, the team found a series of stunning waves to foil. With enough power to have you on the ‘edge of your seat’ without being so steep & hollow that they’re unrideable. From May to October, the South-Westerly winds are typically 15 - 22knots, so each day, when the wind picked up the riders headed back to the boats, grabbed their RS wings, and went out for another session. You can’t ask for more than that!

Spirits were running high with positive energy flowing through everyone out on the water. The team spent 6 days on boats and jet skis having fun & giving it their best, all while pushing their foiling, wing foiling, and efoiling skills to the max. We caught up with Mô Chauvin to find out what it was like to experience firsthand - “When we weren’t foiling, we were eating or sleeping…nothing else! One time, Matahi and I went fishing off the jetski because we were so jet lagged from our flight from Tahiti, but that’s pretty much it. We were foiling all day long, it was hard work keeping pace with the pro surfers!”

When asked what it was like working & travelling with the rest of the team, Mô pointed out that although she lives on the same island as Matahi (Tahiti), they hadn’t actually met - “Luckily the feeling went well between us: it’s bound to bring you closer to travel 50 hours side by side”. Mô went on to say that “this 10-day trip was one of the best of my life, because of the team: it’s a bunch of friends! The atmosphere was really great, Cyril (CEO of Takuma) and Thomas (photo director & organiser) did a crazy job, so huge thanks to them! I had a really fun time and can’t wait for the next one!”

The Takuma team really set out to push the limits of the latest product releases. The RS master wing was thoroughly put through its paces and came out shining. The new CK Carbon and BK EBS boards lived up to expectations and delivered comfort in tricky conditions. The team also got to test out for the first time a selection of new gear that will be released later this year, so keep your eyes peeled for some exciting news!

The team brought back unforgettable memories, uniquely captured by Takuma’s photographer Thomas Bevilacqua. This won’t be the last time the Takuma team makes the trip out to the Maldives.

Finally, a small spoiler alert: Those of you looking for high performance and unmatched speed have something spectacular to look forward to in the Takuma range later this year!

By Jack Galloway

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