Meet Iset Segura, this issue’s waterwoman, who has been on the waves since childhood! Raised on sailboats and now made her debut on the wingfoiling scene, Iset’s love for the sea runs deep, even if she has a surprising fear of water! With big plans for the future and a carefree, go-with-the-flow attitude, Iset shares her story with Jen Tyler in this exclusive feature!

Iset, it’s great to meet and feature you as this issue’s Waterwoman! Tell us about yourself, where you grew up, and how the ocean influenced your childhood. You mentioned being practically born on a sailboat. Can you tell us more about that?

Thank you for having me; it’s an honour! I live in the mountains, so getting to the water when I’m home is quite a mission. That’s why I tend to travel around a lot. My parents had boats when I was growing up, so I was an ocean child. I spent a lot of time on and by the sea, and it always felt like home. I think people who have grown up by the water or participated in water sports can relate to this feeling of peace and belonging when near the ocean. I grew up spending weekends and vacations on my dad’s boats.

What is your earliest memory of being in the water?

It’s actually not a pleasant memory—even though my sport is all about being in the water, I’m pretty scared of it! I think it’s because, when I was young, I was always bursting with energy, asking questions and pushing boundaries—my parents’ boundaries, to be exact. One day, my dad got fed up with me being so annoying and tossed me overboard! Hahaha, I can still picture it so clearly ever since I’ve had this irrational fear of falling into the water. Whenever I’m in it a bit too long after falling off my board, I imagine a shark heading my way or just thinking about how vast and deep the ocean is—and how alone and vulnerable we are. And honestly, we are! You’ll hardly ever catch me just swimming at the beach.

How did your family’s sailing lifestyle inspire you to pursue water sports professionally?

Well, “professionally” is a bit of a loose term; we’re still figuring that out! The first trophy I ever got to hold was my dad’s from a big cruising regatta called the Route of Salt in the Balearic Islands. I remember it as one of the coolest moments of my life—I must have been 4 or 5, and I thought, “Wow, this is the best feeling!” I was the most competitive kid back then, and honestly, I still kind of am, though I don’t cry if I lose the race to the door anymore… But yeah, being around sailors I looked up to, I knew I wanted to try sailing alone. Once I did, I fell in love with the sport and never looked back.

How did you discover wingfoiling, and what made you fall in love with it?

I saw some people on the beach doing it, and a few of my friends were into it, too. Last winter, while I was still competing on the Nacra17 and focusing on my Olympic campaign—which wasn’t exactly a smooth ride—I went to Lanzarote for three months to train. I started winging after my training sessions and on my rest days, and, well… I guess I just never stopped! What drew me in was the feeling of total freedom—being alone on your board with nothing but the sounds of the wind and the sea. The connection I felt with myself was the quick progress at the start—it was all so simple, especially compared to the Nacra, a super technical boat. It was all down to me, and I loved that! The speed, freedom, and sensations were the perfect mix. Winging is just amazing!

How did your background in competitive sailing prepare you for wingfoiling?

I think discipline is crucial in any sport, so I’m grateful for the foundation sailing gave me. It taught me many tools and strategies to analyse and break down my training, helping me evolve and develop my skills more efficiently. It’s so important to pinpoint where you’re struggling or what your weak points are so you can plan accordingly and improve, making the learning curve as optimised as possible—especially when time is limited, and even more so when you’re juggling studies like I am.

How have your sponsors, Ozone and Sabfoil, supported you on your journey?

Having the right gear is essential in any high-performance class or discipline, so being supported by these brands and knowing I have equipment that won’t hold me back but will help me progress faster and perform at my best is such a blessing. I’m grateful for them. Sabfoil makes the best foils—they work perfectly for me, whether racing or doing freestyle. And with Ozone, it’s amazing to compete using their gear—their Fusion wing is such an innovative and high-performance design. Both brands have fantastic teams, and I genuinely feel supported. It’s rare to find brands that align with your goals and vision, especially in racing, so I’m super happy to be with them.

What skills did you bring from sailing that have benefited your wingfoiling career?

The most relevant skills are understanding tactics and strategy on the racecourse and knowing how to efficiently improve specific skills like manoeuvres or speed. The key has been breaking down the learning process so it’s simpler and more accurate to improve.

What is your favourite wingfoiling trick that you haven’t yet mastered?

Every time I see someone doing a backflip, I’m so amazed. I would love to learn it this year. The times I’ve tried have been a bit gnarly, but I think I’ll be able to land it without breaking anything… I just think it’s incredible that people can do tricks like these so effortlessly and with so much style. There’s such a high level right now, with so many amazing athletes pulling off the coolest tricks—they inspire me.

What are some of your biggest passions besides watersports?

I love painting and drawing—it’s been one of my favourite things since I was young. Maybe music, too; I love playing the piano, and creating anything is so beautiful. I have so much fun doing it. I also love snowboarding, although the tricks there hurt more when you fail… I don’t get to be in the snow as much as I’d like, but I enjoy it so much every time.

What’s next for Iset Segura?!

Brazil is next for me, the final stop of the Wingfoil Racing World Tour, which has been amazing. This year, I competed in all the events, and it’s been such a fun time—I love the racing and the people. The people are amazing, motivated, dedicated, and chill. 

I’ve made great friendships this season, and I will always be grateful for them. I plan on competing next season, so I’m really looking forward to training this winter and keeping up with my studies… But I go with the flow; I don’t plan too far ahead, so I guess we’ll see what the future brings for Iset, hahaha!

Thanks, Iset, it’s been a pleasure!

Thank you so much, Jen!

 

By Jen Tyler
Italian/Egyptian Jen Tyler grew up on the sandy beaches of the Red Sea and has been on the IKSURFMAG & Tonic Mag team since 2017.

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