Advertise on podcast: The Wing Foil Debrief

Connor Radford won the first race of his first ever World Cup, despite a rough build up with no wind and barely any race day prep. In this episode he breaks down how he pulled that off, why two boat training with training partner Banjo made the biggest difference, how Gold Fleet starts are a different world, and his honest take on the medal series format and where Olympic wing foiling might be headed. Follow The Wing Foil Debrief on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingfoildebrief/ 🔗 WING FOILING GUIDES, DIY HARNESS LINE & GOPRO MOUNTS: https://lachiewhite.gumroad.com/ 00:00 Cold open 01:13 HSC and study balance 02:41 Engineering dreams and foil brands 05:12 The Silver Planar trip 08:07 First major international event 10:49 Rough start, still won 14:52 Jumping into Gold Fleet 17:11 Crowded courses and near misses 25:27 Rabbit starts, mixed results 26:12 Avoiding port starboard collisions 30:14 Medal series and media debate 37:19 The Lake Macquarie effect 41:09 Learning without a sailing family 50:33 Two boat training with Banjo 59:36 One design and the Olympics 1:10:21 Shout outs and wrap up

Thomas Proust breaks down why wing foil racers almost never get a redress, even when a collision clearly wasn't their fault, and what the current drone-only jury system gets wrong. We also get into his breakout 2025/26 season, the Vayu prototype gear, and the training split behind his rise into the top five. Thomas Proust joins the Wing Foil Debrief to talk through his season on the IWSA World Tour, from his early foiling background on F16, Nacra 15s and 17s to his current run of podiums. We dig into the redress and protest rules in wing foil racing, why drone-only footage is causing disqualification controversy at events like Silvaplana, Urla and Gizzeria, and what needs to change for fairer racing. Plus his gear setup with Vayu, Levitaz and Tarifa, and his training to gear performance split. Follow The Wing Foil Debrief on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingfoildebrief/ 🔗 WING FOILING GUIDES, DIY HARNESS LINE & GOPRO MOUNTS: https://lachiewhite.gumroad.com/ 0:00 Intro and background 0:50 From Nacra to wing foil 3:57 French squad nicknames 5:18 Season kicks off in Hong Kong 8:18 Training vs gear breakdown 9:28 Vayu prototype wing explained 11:33 Downwind sail control system 16:36 Naples event recap 18:03 Front pack level rising 21:02 Racing in Gizzeria heat 24:28 Between session fuel 24:34 Silva Plana DSQ explained 27:10 Jury only uses drone footage 28:52 Urla port starboard DSQ 31:08 Gizzeria semifinal controversy 34:13 What needs to change 38:02 How redress actually works 42:20 What's next for Thomas 43:12 Shoutouts

In this episode, Iset shares her journey from sailing the Olympic Class Nacra 17 to wing foiling, her experiences in racing, and her inspiring rescue story that earned her a gold medal of honor. We explore the technicalities of wing foiling, race strategies, safety tips, and her insights on the growing women's fleet. SUBSCRIBE for weekly wing foil racing content every Wednesday. Follow The Wing Foil Debrief on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingfoildebrief/ 🔗 WING FOILING GUIDES, DIY HARNESS LINE & GOPRO MOUNTS: https://lachiewhite.gumroad.com/ Free 2 months of WATERSPEED Pro/Ultra (For new Pro/Ultra subscriptions): https://waterspeedapp.onelink.me/ILWP/lachie Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Water Sports Background 02:58 Transitioning from Catamarans to Wing Foiling 05:45 The Competitive Spirit and Its Evolution 08:35 Equipment Insights: Boards and Wings 11:30 Facing Fears: The Dangers of the Water 14:20 A Heroic Rescue: Impact on Perspective 17:08 The Role of Wing Foiling in Personal Growth 20:06 Finding Joy in Competition 20:52 The Rising Level of Women's Wing Foiling 23:27 Encouraging More Female Participation 25:09 Crashes and Safety in Racing 27:57 The Evolution of Fleet Dynamics 28:58 Challenges of Light Wind Racing 33:39 Setting Realistic Goals in Competition 36:21 The Importance of Mental Resilience 39:05 Shoutouts and Acknowledgments

Lachie heads to Ricketts Point for a solo deep dive into the complete wing foil gear progression, from your very first session all the way to race kit. Whether you are just thinking about getting into wing foiling or you are already riding and wondering what the path to racing actually looks like, this episode maps out the full journey: boards, foils, wings, harness lines, and mast lengths. Topics covered: Boards: why 30 litres above body weight is the starting sweet spot, and how body-weight volume becomes the target as you move toward racing. Foils: the case for stepping down in 200 to 400 cm2 increments, why span matters just as much as surface area, and Lachie's own progression from the Axis 910 all the way to the Chubanga V3 570. Wings: starting on a 5m single skin, when and why to introduce a harness line (longer is better early on), and maybe controversial advice to skip straight to a full dual skin race wing. Mast length: why 80cm is a solid entry point, how longer masts unlock forgiveness in chop, and when to make the jump to 105cm for racing. SUBSCRIBE for weekly wing foil racing content every Wednesday. Follow The Wing Foil Debrief on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingfoildebrief/ 🔗 WING FOILING GUIDES, DIY HARNESS LINE & GOPRO MOUNTS: https://lachiewhite.gumroad.com/ Free 2 months of WATERSPEED Pro/Ultra (For new Pro/Ultra subscriptions): https://waterspeedapp.onelink.me/ILWP/lachie 0:00 Intro and Industry Trends 5:57 Beginner Board and Foil 13:33 Progressing Through Foil Sizes 22:40 Wings and Harness Lines 35:55 Mast Length for Racing

Henry Myers is one of Australia's fastest wing foil racers. He's currently racing Formula Wing internationally while also being one of the first Australians to race the X15 one-design class, competing at the Portimao event. In this episode Henry breaks down what it was like to jump on X15 gear for the first time, how the two formats actually compare from a racing and athlete development perspective, and why he thinks the gear cost problem in Formula Wing is the sport's biggest challenge right now. He also shares what it's like to train and race while studying Aeronautical Engineering and Commerce at the University of Sydney, how aeronautical theory has changed the way he looks at foil design, and why he thinks the Levitaz R6 and Chubanga aren't as different as people claim. Follow Henry: https://www.instagram.com/henry_m_106/ WING FOIL DEBRIEF MERCH: https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/4489813733/wing-foil-debrief-t-shirt-wingfoiling Follow The Wing Foil Debrief on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingfoildebrief/ 🔗 WING FOILING GUIDES, DIY HARNESS LINE & GOPRO MOUNTS: https://lachiewhite.gumroad.com/ Free 2 months of WATERSPEED Pro/Ultra (For new Pro/Ultra subscriptions): https://waterspeedapp.onelink.me/ILWP/lachie 00:00 Intro 00:31 Henry's background 01:42 Sydney Harbour training 02:53 Engineering and racing 04:47 Why foilers are engineers 05:56 Current gear 07:34 Board design 08:05 Levitaz vs Chubanga 10:17 Portimao X15 event 12:07 Dialling in X15 gear 13:36 Harness hook height 16:02 Velcro shoulder hack 18:55 X15 racing formats 20:28 Sharing equipment 21:49 X15 in Australia 23:53 X15 in 30 knots 25:50 Formula vs X15 26:14 World Cup experience 28:32 Gear cost problem 31:27 X15 as a pathway 32:42 2026 race calendar 33:32 Top speed and follow 34:27 Shoutouts

The 2026 Silvaplana World Cup wrapped with one of the wildest medal series finishes of the season. Kamil jumped from 3rd to 1st to take the win, the first person to pull that off in the medal series format. Maddalena did almost the same thing in the women's fleet, jumping from 2nd to 1st after Vaina held a strong lead going in. Also in this one: a shoutout to Connor Radford on his World Cup debut, a breakdown of a port/starboard incident that ended in a DSQ despite the rider doing everything possible to avoid a collision, the visibility problem that's becoming harder to ignore in wing foil racing, and Kamil's foil damage that didn't qualify for redress. Next week: a chat with Henry Myers off the back of his Formula Wing background, giving an honest read on the X-15. WING FOIL DEBRIEF MERCH: https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/4489813733/wing-foil-debrief-t-shirt-wingfoiling Follow The Wing Foil Debrief on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingfoildebrief/ 🔗 WING FOILING GUIDES, DIY HARNESS LINE & GOPRO MOUNTS: https://lachiewhite.gumroad.com/ Free 2 months of WATERSPEED Pro/Ultra (For new Pro/Ultra subscriptions): https://waterspeedapp.onelink.me/ILWP/lachie 0:00 Intro and final day recap 0:22 Kamil and Maddalena's post race reactions 2:22 Kamil's 3rd to 1st breakdown 2:55 Maddalena's women's fleet win 4:04 Connor Radford's World Cup debut 6:12 The Thomas DSQ incident and rules debate 12:45 Wing foil racing's visibility problem 15:09 Kamil's foil damage and the redress call 19:41 Next week preview: Henry Myers on the X-15

Mathis Ghio has won the Formula Wing World Championship five times. Then he finished 13th at the 2026 Europeans - his worst result ever - and had to figure out why. In this episode we get into what actually went wrong in Naples, the mental reset process he went through with a performance psychologist, and how he came back to finish 3rd in Turkey just weeks later. We also cover the full technical picture: his current gear setup (Fusion V3, Levitaz R6, hollow board construction), the wing trim system he designed himself, the Formula Wing rule changes being discussed, and what a minimum foil size would actually do to the weight game in racing. Topics covered: The French Federation telling him to quit studying or quit sailingWhy the OpenClass and Formula Wing are more complementary than competitiveV2 vs V3 Fusion: what actually changed and whyHollow board construction: real weight and stiffness gains or marketing?Thomas Proust's Hong Kong breakout and the Value wing questionWing quiver recommendations by body weightWhat reducing to 6.5m or introducing a minimum foil size would change Mathis' New Website: mathisghio.com SUBSCRIBE for weekly wing foil racing content every Wednesday. Follow The Wing Foil Debrief on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingfoildebrief/ 🔗 WING FOILING GUIDES, DIY HARNESS LINE & GOPRO MOUNTS: https://lachiewhite.gumroad.com/ Free 2 months of WATERSPEED Pro/Ultra (For new Pro/Ultra subscriptions): https://waterspeedapp.onelink.me/ILWP/lachie 00:00 Rapid fire questions 05:40 Life after Turkey 09:04 French Federation vs his studies 13:42 Defi Wing 2026 16:24 X15 vs open class 22:14 Hong Kong pressure 28:15 Thomas Proust's breakthrough 29:45 Europeans - 13th place 34:55 Mental reset process 41:06 Turkey comeback 44:13 Gear breakdown 46:24 Hollow board gains 49:02 Fusion V2 vs V3 53:19 Designing the trim system 54:24 Wing quiver advice 57:57 Formula Wing rule changes 1:00:16 Minimum foil size hypothetical 1:03:31 Wrap up

Ernesto De Amicis returns to the show. This time we actually get into the wings. Ernesto is one of the few Elite World Tour racers riding Zaoli, and he's had a direct hand in shaping the design direction of the wings he competes on. We get into why span matters more than most people realise, what Aramid does for stiffness, why they're not touching trim systems, and the full story of how he pushed for a design change that made the wing more rideable at the highest level. We also cover the Italian Championships format, strategy mistakes at Giteria, how he handles the weight gap in strong breeze, and a detailed breakdown of his harness setup after a full season of trial and error. Topics covered: Italian Championships structure and the Giteria eventRacing in 25-40 knots and weight vs power tradeoffsStrategy debrief: when your coastal instincts are wrongZaoli wing quiver: 7, 6.5, and 5mWingspan and what it means for real-world performanceAramida bladder and canopy stiffnessTrim systems: why Zaoli is steering clearHarness height and line length: the full journeyWing pressure: training vs race day SUBSCRIBE for weekly wing foil racing content every Wednesday. Follow The Wing Foil Debrief on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingfoildebrief/ 🔗 WING FOILING GUIDES, DIY HARNESS LINE & GOPRO MOUNTS: https://lachiewhite.gumroad.com/ Free 2 months of WATERSPEED Pro/Ultra (For new Pro/Ultra subscriptions): https://waterspeedapp.onelink.me/ILWP/lachie TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro 01:39 Italian Champs format 03:13 Course formats used 05:49 Double skin takes over 06:27 Conditions at Giteria 07:12 Weight in strong breeze 08:24 Strategy debrief 10:13 Zaoli quiver breakdown 11:36 Two wings vs three 13:03 Real wind range 14:10 Wingspan and rideability 17:33 Stiffness and materials 19:53 One setup, all conditions 22:00 Harness setup journey 26:59 Wing pressure explained 28:55 Why no trim system 32:24 Outro

Emma joins the debrief to talk about her journey from competitive dinghy sailing into wing foil racing, and what it's actually like switching from a single skin to a double skin race wing. We cover foil progression on AXIS, training habits, and what gear she's eyeing next. Emma's background spans Open Bic, Nacras, and the Youth World Championships before picking up a wing in 2023. She's now racing on the Ozone Fusion and AXIS ArtPro, and shares an honest take on what changes and what doesn't when you make the jump to race equipment. SUBSCRIBE for weekly wing foil racing content every Wednesday. Follow The Wing Foil Debrief on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingfoildebrief/ 🔗 WING FOILING GUIDES, DIY HARNESS LINE & GOPRO MOUNTS: https://lachiewhite.gumroad.com/ Free 2 months of WATERSPEED Pro/Ultra (For new Pro/Ultra subscriptions): https://waterspeedapp.onelink.me/ILWP/lachie Timestamps: 0:00 Emma's sailing background 4:05 Foil progression on AXIS 9:15 Jumping to a race wing 16:55 Training approach 21:30 Gear plans

The 2026 Wing Foil World Cup Türkiye just wrapped up and there is a lot to unpack. Kamil Manowiecki took the win with a bold solo split in the final race, Vaina Picot claimed the women's title despite pollution in the water, and Mathis Ghio delivered a serious redemption result with a third place on the new V3. We break down the gear strategy driving the fleet right now, including the insight that is quietly reshaping how the top riders think about foil and wing selection. It is not biggest wing, smallest foil. It is minimum wing to unlock your smallest foil, and the difference matters more than you think. Clips and interviews featuring Francesco Capuzzo, Ernesto De Amicis, Sean Herbert, Kamil Manowiecki, and Vaina Picot. Topics covered: Gong holding the line on semi-dual skin design while the rest of the fleet moves to full dual skinErnesto's 9-knot threshold for foil selection and what happens if the wing limit drops to 6.5mSean Herbert choosing between three foil options and why he ended up on the 424The "minimum wing to unlock smallest foil" insight and why it changes how you build your quiverLong distance racing day one: varied conditions around an island, wing changes between racesWomen's fleet: Vaina and Maddalena trading wins, plastic bags in the waterThe pumping battle vs muscular racing shift as the breeze buildsStart line aggression and why your engine matters as much as your positionMathis Ghio's redemption arc on the new Ozone V3The mark rounding that shows just how tight the front pack has becomeKamil's final race split and why committing to it was the differenceEquipment stats: foil and wing brand breakdown across the men's top 20 and women's top 10 SUBSCRIBE for weekly wing foil racing content every Wednesday. Follow The Wing Foil Debrief on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingfoildebrief/ 🔗 WING FOILING GUIDES, DIY HARNESS LINE & GOPRO MOUNTS: https://lachiewhite.gumroad.com/ Free 2 months of WATERSPEED Pro/Ultra (For new Pro/Ultra subscriptions): https://waterspeedapp.onelink.me/ILWP/lachie TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Intro: Kamil's winning split 0:41 Francesco Capuzzo: Gong wing design 2:31 Ernesto: foil selection strategy 5:39 Sean Herbert: three foil options 7:35 Minimum wing, smallest foil insight 9:29 Day 1 racing begins 11:47 Kamil: long distance course 12:45 Women's fleet recap 14:38 Lighter wind days 15:24 Ernesto: pumping vs muscular racing 17:32 Start line aggression 18:41 Mathis Ghio redemption arc 21:44 The level is rising 22:16 Kamil's final race split 23:46 Equipment stats 26:35 Outro

Ava Hider is the X15 Class Manager at Starboard, and she's been at the center of one of the most ambitious development programs in wing foiling right now. We cover everything from how the class chose its equipment, to the racing format they're still refining, to why one design might be the key to getting wing foiling into the Olympics. If you've been following the Formula Wing side of racing and wondering what's happening on the one design front, this one fills in a lot of gaps. SUBSCRIBE for weekly wing foil racing content every Wednesday. Follow The Wing Foil Debrief on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingfoildebrief/ 🔗 WING FOILING GUIDES, DIY HARNESS LINE & GOPRO MOUNTS: https://lachiewhite.gumroad.com/ Free 2 months of WATERSPEED Pro/Ultra (For new Pro/Ultra subscriptions): https://waterspeedapp.onelink.me/ILWP/lachie X-15 Class Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/x15class/ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Ava's Background 04:34 X15 Class Gear 17:03 Racing Format 20:20 Gear at Events 27:29 Squads and Pathway 31:23 Olympic Potential

Ernesto De Amicis finished second overall at the Wing Foil European Championships in Naples, on home waters, in his last year of high school. In this episode we get into how he got there: his windsurfing roots, a pump foiling world record, the custom board he helped design, and why strategy is the one thing still separating him from the very top. We also break down the gear landscape at the Europeans, which wings stood out, how the gap between brands has closed, and why 2025 might be the most open world title race yet. SUBSCRIBE for weekly wing foil racing content every Wednesday. Follow The Wing Foil Debrief on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingfoildebrief/ 🔗 WING FOILING GUIDES, DIY HARNESS LINE & GOPRO MOUNTS: https://lachiewhite.gumroad.com/ Free 2 months of WATERSPEED Pro/Ultra (For new Pro/Ultra subscriptions): https://waterspeedapp.onelink.me/ILWP/lachie Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:45 Background in water sports 01:40 Training habits and rise through the ranks 03:42 Balancing school and foiling 04:43 Plans after school 05:06 Pump foiling world record 07:47 Pump foiling as race cross-training 09:17 Board design for the Europeans 11:01 Board volume selection 13:27 Rounded rocker explained 15:27 Wing size selection 16:58 Foil selection 19:08 Conditions at the Europeans 21:16 What went well 22:58 Areas to improve 25:16 The brand convergence in wing foiling 29:41 World title contenders 30:21 What's next 31:25 Shoutouts

Julien Rattotti just won the Formula Wing European Championship in Naples, and he's here to break down exactly how he did it. We get into his winter training block with the French team, developing the Zaoli wing alongside engineers from Turin University, his Levitaz R6 V1 setup for light wind racing, and why he's pushing for a 6.5m wing limit under IWSA Class Rules. Julien also opens up about competing across racing, big air and free fly slalom, what it's like to drop off foil in 8 knots when you're not sure you'll get back up, and what he's gunning for at DEFI, where 800 riders line up on the same start line.

Dante Olivieri is the coach behind some of Australia's most exciting young wing foil racers, and this episode is exactly the energy injection the show needed. We cover his journey from flying ants and 16-foot skiffs through to becoming the default wing foil coach for New South Wales - and why he thinks the psychological side of racing is 95% of the job. Dante breaks down the order every racer should follow - board handling first, speed second, racing third - and why so many experienced sailors skip straight to the tactics and pay for it. We also get into his joga bonito philosophy, the case for keeping traditional sailing in the pathway to wing foil racing, and a genuinely interesting discussion on Olympic inclusion and whether the X-15 or Formula class gets wing foiling to the Games. Plus a shoutout to the Australian para-wing foiling pilot program - one of the more exciting developments happening quietly in the background of the sport right now.

Josh Bull, athlete manager at PPC, joins the show to talk about the brand's approach to building race-winning gear and what they actually look for when supporting athletes. We cover the full dual skin trimming technique most riders get wrong, board sizing and construction including some air-inside prototypes in development, and Josh's take on where wing foiling is heading as a competitive class. Josh also lets slip some details on PPC's upcoming parafoil project - a dual skin design that's been in secret development and is close to final product. Plus his background coming through sailing and sprint kayak coaching, and why he thinks wing foiling is the answer to keeping the next generation in water sports.