The wingfoil, flying over the water!
A new discipline somewhere between kitesurfing, windsurfing and paddleboarding
The Wingfoil first made its appearance in 2015 with an initial prototype designed by Tony Logosz who, along with his brothers, founded Slingshot, a well-known American kitesurf and wakeboard brand. The idea behind the Wingfoil was to start with a kite but to make it less dangerous. Considered a gimmick at the very beginning, it took a few years before this discipline began to take off, eventually becoming the new and trendy water sport that is accessible to all!
Also called wingsurf, wingboard or slingwing, this new sport’s appeal lies in how simple it is to set up and use. The board lets its user glide between the sky and the sea.
Maximum enjoyment with minimal equipment!
To start, all you need is a small kite, a board, whether it is a paddleboard, a surfboard, a windsurfer or the specific board required for this sport, and a foil. The whole thing is easy to set up and lets you spend your time making the most of the day.
The kite, generally made of Dacron, is extremely light (no more than 2 or 3 kgs) for a surface area of 4 to 6m². It takes up little space, fits in a backpack and can be inflated in just a few minutes, like a kitesurfing kite.
The board, whether inflatable or hardboard, is easily transportable. The carbon foil, for its part, can be dismantled.
All that's left is to find the ideal environment! Standing on the board fitted with a foil, all you have to do is control the inflatable kite with both hands using a boom or handles. When the kite is positioned to generate power, the foil (or hydrofoil) lifts the board above the water, giving the impression of flying above the waves.
It's a new sensation and an innovative way to play with the natural elements. This is not a discipline that seeks to achieve great speeds or high jumps; it simply involves enjoying the feeling of gliding over the water using only the wind as propulsion. It is a 100% fun sport made for anyone who wants to have a permanent smile stuck on their face while on the water.
A future in and out of the water?
This versatile new water sport has only just started making a name for itself. It is one of the disciplines forming part of Wing Sports, a group of new sports that can be practiced out of the water, i.e. on land or snow, also using a handheld kite to exploit the power of the wind.
Various brands are already talking about it as a future option for ice skating in the Nordic countries for example and have no problem imagining it in winter sports resorts or even in the city as a replacement for skateboarding!
