F-FOUR
Issue 7 / Tue 2nd Mar, 2021
What have a pro surfer, windsurfing world champion, freestyle kite champion and a kite racer got in common? They've all become pro wing surfers; we chat to Kauli Seadi, Maxime Chabloz, Titouan Galea and Fernando Novaes, find out what they love most about the wing.
As one of the first brands to enter the sport of wing foiling, F-ONE have continued to push boundaries, and we don't just mean with shiny new gear… In this article, we speak to four of F-ONE's sponsored wingsurf riders that all have different water sports backgrounds. You've heard us say this before, but wingsurfing really is for everyone.
Here we have a kite foiler, surfer, windsurfer and a freestyle kiteboarder, all of whom have now taken up wingfoiling professionally. We just had to know more about what led all of these riders to the same sport. Here's what Titouan Galea, Fernando Novaes, Kauli Seadi & Maxime Chabloz had to say:
Could you tell us about your background in watersports before you started wingsurfing?
Titouan:
I started kiting when I was 9, then I kitefoiled from 2015 to now, competing on the world tour for 4 years. I also started surfoiling and SUPfoiling 3 years ago.
Fernando:
I have always enjoyed being in the ocean - from a little kid playing in the shore break, then as the years passed by, becoming a surfer was natural.
Kauli:
I got my first surfboard at 4 years old, but I wasn't into it too much. When I turned 10 years old, I started sailing in small boats, and at 12 years old, I discovered windsurfing, that has been my passion for life. At 17 years old, I went to Hawaii for the first time, and in 2001 I won my first PWA Would Tour event in the freestyle disciple. In 2005, 2007 and 2008, I won the PWA wave tour.
Maxime:
I am a professional kiteboarder and have competed on the freestyle world tour since 2017.
I have 4 junior world titles and won the latest freestyle world cup in Brazil.
What was it about wingsurfing that caught your attention? When did you first have a go?
Titouan:
In February 2019, F-ONE were doing prototypes, and I gave it a go. At that point, it was in Montpellier, so not many waves to play with. After a couple months, I started trying it in the waves; at that moment, I realised I would love it.
Fernando:
I first tried wingfoiling in October 2019. The possibility of eternal glides on the foil was something that really caught my attention. The versatility of this sport is awesome; you can just cruise around, you can surf, and you can get really radical with the jumps and tricks.
Kauli:
I started winging in October 2019; it was amazing to complete that gap of wind water sports. I have been passionate about surf foiling for some time already. The wing came as a perfect match with the surf foil because the wing is so light and neutral while you are surfing, and at the same time, I still have the mobility to go to the outside and do jumps. It is 100% fun, and the best part is that there is no impact; all is fluid when you ride!
Maxime:
My first go on a wing was during the F-ONE photoshoot in Madagascar in 2019.
How have the skills from your main sport transferred? What have you had to focus on?
Titouan:
It was really helpful to have been foiling for 5 years on a kitefoil, sometimes racing going 40knots, so foiling on a big wing was pretty easy. I was mainly focusing on controlling the wing, which was new to me.
Fernando:
Depending on the conditions, I focus on different things when wingfoiling. As a surfer, if I see a proper wave with good wind, I just focus on strapless wave riding and flowing with the swell, trying to stay as steep as I can on the face of the wave. If it's flat water with strong winds, I go for jumps and freestyle tricks.
Kauli:
Windsurfing is very similar, and I believe many moves from windsurfing can be brought to wing jumping. I actually believe the flow with the foil and wing will offer many more crazy moves.
I've had to focus on using the wing more neutrally and on top of my head.
Maxime:
I started foiling on a kite but never really found it that much fun. When I first saw wingfoiling, however, I was just inspired by the fact that on a foil, you don't need as much power as a kite provides, so the wing is the perfect alternative.
What is your go-to gear at the moment? What size foils, boards & wings are you riding most?
Titouan:
I like to ride in the waves and jump. I mainly ride the Escape 530cm, with a 4'4 28-litre Rocket Surf. The wing I ride the most is the 4.2m Strike.
Fernando:
In strong winds, I go with the 4'2 Rocket Foil board, 85 carbon mast, 940 Phantom foil and 3.5m Strike wing. That's the dream setup.
Kauli:
I really love the performance on the Phantom foils. Where I live in Sao Miguel do Gostoso, I have been using my Strike 4.2 and the Phantom 940 a lot. For light days, I also like to ride the 5.0 Strike and the Phantom 1280. For jumping, before the Phantom 940 was released, I was riding the 800 Mirage, a great fast foil for high wind riding. I have at the moment the 4.4 Rocket Wing board. For surfing, I really like the 4.2" Rocket Surf. The mast length I'm riding is 75cm carbon.
Maxime:
I pretty much only use the 4.2m Strike wing and the 4.8 Rocket board with the F-ONE Mirage 1000 with an 85 cm mast.
Tell us about your best wingsurf session? What conditions do you look for?
Titouan:
Probably in New-Caledonia, at the reef riding nice waves with side shore wind.
Fernando:
I look for a perfect point break with 25+ knots side/offshore winds. However, with the wing, there are no real limits; you can go out anywhere and have a blast from 8 to 40 knots.
Kauli:
I love those reforming long waves; those are my favourite. The real beauty of this sport, though, is that we don't necessarily need any special conditions, because it works in all kind of conditions, no matter what the waves are, you will have fun.
Maxime:
I think my best wing foil session was in Tarifa with a good 15 knots and some good right side kickers rolling in to boost some airs.
What are you currently working on in your progression?
Titouan:
I've got to work on my freestyle because we will have events without waves.
Fernando:
Freestyling/Surfing. Playing with the wind is something new in my life. So I'm studying to progress my sailing skills and the freestyle tricks that are very technical and then transferring and connecting the freestyle tricks into wave riding.
Kauli:
I have been trying a lot of jumps and manoeuvres. It's super fun now with the Strike that offers that extra lift and control once in the air.
Maxime:
I would love to push some freestyle tricks and try to do them with more amplitude than the other riders. I also really enjoy trying some air 360s while riding the waves.
Where do you see wing foiling going in the future? Competitions, freestyle, wave, downwinders, race? What will you be focusing on?
Titouan:
There will be competition for everything for sure; I hope it's not going to end up super technical like freestyle kitesurfing. Racing is fun, but there will need to be a lot of rules to limit the gear; otherwise, it will kill the sport. Downwinders are hard to judge, I think. I will focus more on freestyle and wave riding cause I think competition will be focused on that.
Fernando:
I focus on everything where there is foiling involved. Wave riding and downwinding are the prime of the sport, it's where you can have the most fun and freedom. The competition side of the sport really motivates me to learn and get better at things that I'm not so good at yet. So being able to travel, compete and be around all the rippers on the tour is something that I really look forward to.
Kauli:
I believe it can go in many directions, but from what I can see, there are lots of very young guys coming into the sport, so I believe manoeuvres will get technical in freestyle. I do, however, expect that they will keep the simplicity and flow of surfing into the count of the competitions. I guess all that can be judged according to the conditions of each event. I think downwinders will be a discipline that will grow much more in winging; it is so much fun riding endless swells!!
Maxime:
I will definitely push on the freestyle and surf part of the sport, riding a wave coming in and boosting a huge air on the way out. That is the dream for me.
Thanks to Max, Kauli, Fernando and Tito for taking the time to chat with us.
Winging certainly seems to be the sport that is blowing boundaries everywhere. I can't think of another sport that has brought together so many riders from so many different disciplines. It's incredible to think you can have pro riders from so many different sports coming together under the wing. Who knows what the future holds for wingsurfing, but it certainly looks bright!
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By Jack Galloway
