Hailing from a small island in French Polynesia called Huahine, Naumi Eychenne is the definition of the word waterwoman. She surfs, wing foils, downwind foils & prone foils. Her playful style on the water has caught the attention of the worldwide foiling community.

Hi Naumi, Thanks so much for joining us here at Tonic, we first heard of you after seeing you dock start off a log this summer, since then you’ve been downwinding like a pro and pulling backflips, we just had to get you in the mag! 

How old were you when you first picked up a surfboard?

Thank you, and I'm glad to have a place in your magazine. I first started to stand up on a board around 5-6 years old, my father towed me behind his small boat, and I remember I was addicted to that.  After that I started surfing the waves on the reef around 7 years old I think. 

What was it like growing up in Huahine, French Polynesia? The conditions look idyllic!

It's the best childhood you can have. Growing up on a small island where everyone knows each other is so nice, we’re like a big family and I've always loved that. We spent our time in the water, every day after school we went to the beach, if there were waves we went surfing, or paddling, or wakeboarding… always on the ocean! I was driving my own boat when I was 10 to go surfing with friends. Life is so simple out here!  I just spend my days in a swimsuit, surfing, walking barefoot, having a flower in my ear, eating fish and fruit, that's the best way of life for me. Huahine is a paradise on earth, this island has got my heart. 

How long have you been foiling? How did you learn and what was the transition like?

I started foiling in July 2019 at home. I started out behind the boat, I first learned to hold onto the wave of the boat without the rope, then to pump on the flat. I immediately loved the feeling, flying over water is so incredible, it’s so smooth and you feel so light. 

At first, it's destabilising, it's not the same feeling/sensation as surfing, so you have to adapt but it comes quickly.

Surfing has always been my favorite sport and is still, but foiling allows you to have fun in other types of conditions when the waves are very small/trickiest. Foiling is a very polyvalent sport that allows you to have sessions everywhere (wing, downwind, surfing, towing, dock start, pumping…), it's just fantastic.

It looks as though you’ve picked up a few sponsors since your practically viral videos this summer. Did that come as a shock?

In fact, it all started with a downwind video that was shared by @foilhub, then by several other Instagram and Facebook pages, including one @foilingweek post where I got over a million views. The same thing happened with the following videos, and I started to receive several partnership requests for wings, boards, foils... Everything happened suddenly and so quickly, I didn't expect it at all! I was so excited and so happy to be noticed. So yeah it was a shock, and kind of a dream come true.

What’s it like being in the Armstrong team? What is your go-to foil setup?

I am very proud to be in the Armstrong team! I had already heard about the brand and I had noticed that they had very good riders in their team, but I had never tried their foils before.

I don't regret it at all today because all the Armstrong equipment I have is just extraordinary, everything is carbon, very light, solid, it's a super quality foil. As for the ride, it's just as great, fast, manoeuvrable, stable ... all in one! And then there is a wide range of models and sizes, there is something for all conditions.

My favourite is their new model the High Aspect, it's the most manageable and fastest foil I've ever tried! I always take the HA 925 and the HA 1125 with me: HA 925 for the surf foil (carving) is just perfect, and HA 1125 is better for downwind and play behind the boat. 

Talk us through your recent backflip video. Had you been planning it a long time? Were you towing into waves at the time?

In fact, it took me all of a sudden a few months ago, by way of seeing videos on social networks of people doing backflips and getting more and more air, I said to myself that I had to try it too. So I started trying when I got back home in December! The first few times, I tried it on the flat without a springboard, so it was a bit difficult, I didn't have much speed or time to turn. Then one day we went to tow ourselves in the surf spot, so we used the wave as a springboard and it worked! It was a friend, Hauroa (very good surfer and foiler) who allowed me to get there, he was the one who gave me advice and who towed me. In the end, I managed to land the first backflip during my 3rd test session, I had to make about fifteen attempts, and I'm not going to lie, I blew myself up before I got there.

Which Duotone wing do you ride? Did you sail in the past or are wind-sports fairly new to you?

I most often ride the Duotone Slick model in 4.5 meters, and before I used the Unit model in 5 meters. I should receive 2 new wings of the Unit 2022 model soon, they look like they'll be incredible. In any case, the Duotone wings are the best for me on the market (and I already thought that before they sponsored me haha). 

Wind sports are indeed quite recent for me, I’m not a sailor at heart, but I'm working on it. I have been kitesurfing for 3 years, a sport that I love, and I started winging in July 2021. They are really great sliding sports! It seems essential to me to practice these sports because the more polyvalent you are, the more fun you can have on the ocean! 

Do many women on the island surf and foil? What do you think are the barriers to getting more female participation in foiling right now?

We are a group of 3 friends (Vahine, Kailea, and me) who grew up together and learned to surf together. We were the only girls to surf when we were kids, now Vahine’s two sisters have started and my little sister too, but more and more other girls are getting into it on the island, it’s so cool! As for the foil, I'm the only one who does it often, whether it's women or men, it's not really developed on my island but my friends also know how to do it very well! On the other hand, in Tahiti the foil has developed enormously, there are a lot of people who do it (men & women), and they are all talented. In any case, from what I see on social media and around me, I find that girls are getting into it more and more, it's promising.

For me the only big barrier there can be with the foil is the price of the equipment and that is the same for everyone! 

Am I right in saying you’re studying medicine? How do you find balancing your free time & your studies?

Yes you are right! I am currently in my 6th year of medicine at the University of Bordeaux in France. It is indeed sometimes complicated to organise between studies and sports, but I need the ocean. I practice my passions to feel good, and be able to be effective in my work. It's a balance! It allows me to set goals, and it gives me the motivation to work. I have to admit that this year it's particularly difficult because I have my graduation exam so I have to study even more, but I also got my sponsors with whom I have conditions to fulfil… it's quite stressful! 

But so far I'm not doing too badly. I can't wait to finish my exams and dedicate myself fully to riding.

Thanks for joining us Naumi, good luck with your final year!

By Jack Galloway

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