Maliko has been EPIC the last couple of days and WindGuru is looking good all week. Only wished the swell was more East for the Downwind-Foil KOOK in me. I have been getting some Great BUMPS on Maliko BUT I’m going SO FAST as in TOO FAST on my AXIS Foil “I love my AXIS wings; and now that I have the AXIS PRO Ultra High Modulus Carbon 720” there’s NO going back I’m AXIS for life now (it’s a good thing going super fast) BUT I get Out Of Control like a Bucking Bronco goto learn how to slow down without touching down on foil it’s only DAY 60 for me on my Downwind-Foil Journey, Kihei is so much easier for the Beginner KOOK like me., I love Kihei BUT the place is fickle. Also I’d like to thank Dave Kalama for making the GATOR they are so stable & very forgiving
As Mark Raaphorst is to shaping unlimited 18ft SIC SUP’s and Sam Egan is to shaping a Surfboard, Dave Kalama’s GATOR is King for when it comes to Downwind foil boards = it’s just my opinion & I’m very an#l when it come to riding boards in the ocean, as a surfer you’ll know within 3 waves if you have a good surfboard or not. The saddest thing is Sam Egan has just retired Sam turns 84 years old in a few months, Ill be catching up with Sam Egan in September when I go home to Newcastle for a week.
Mark Raaphorst
Dave Kalama
Sam Egan
I have not foiled much since Maui last year in July 2025.
How GOOD has Life Been “The WAVES” on the Gold Coast, has just been PUMPING "like on Tap" for like 7 months already since December.Like it was Ground Hog Day even that sandbank at Currumbin Alley was Ruler Edge, the lower the tide the more High Performance the wave became there was PRO Surfers on it everyday.
To ME Surfing is the Number ONE Sport “YES” this is a Downwind Foil Forum Which I ENJOY as a Second or Third Sport - I do get OFF on watching guys like Mr Bennetts Prone Foiling the Guy RIPS. Or any of the Top Downwind Foilers like Jeremy Riggs = Jeremy is the Ultimate Gentlemen, Dave Kalama the GATOR inventor, kai Lenny, Joshua Ku & James Casey those Guys are just So GOOD. They all make Downwind Foiling look Effortless.
I’m stoked that Burleigh Heads & Currumbin Alley is Blown Out so I can Watch the World Surf League WSL at SNAPPER ROCKS it’s Just PUMPING. Watching the World’s Best is so entertaining as Russell Crowe Quote from the Movie Gladiator ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED. The Commentary is just So Good it Just Gets BETTER & BETTER Every Year.
As most Aussies are hardcore Footy followers or Cricket followers; just ask my Hawaiian/American friends or any American for that matter Cricket “NO CAN” me too it’s such a g#y sport.
Me; I love watching The
World Surf League WSL Big Wave WSL Qualifying Series I can watch it All Day.
If you haven't seen it yet, if Your A Surfer you've got to watch Round 3 Heat 7 Gabriel Madina V Filipa Toledo & then Round 3 Heat 8 Samuel Pupo V Miguel Pupo = Both Mind Blowing Heats.
A bit of History of Snapper Rocks:-
I've Surfed Snapper as Good as it Gets in the early 2000's you could get 3 x 10 second Barrels on the One Wave; it be that Hollow as long as you got the Wave First no-one could Drop in on you, as it was Too Hollow & Too Fast "FUN TIMES" my last Great Barrel Session at Snapper was in 2019 Snapper was So PUMPING you could get TWO BIG Barrels on the One Wave all the way into Greenmount. Then run around & do it all againI" I got back on the twin-fins in 2019" haven't rode a Thruster since. ( I still have like 1/2 dozen Sam Egan thrusters, just gathering dust they have No Wax on then yet) AND Yes Snapper is So Crowded you need the Sweep to keep the Crowd at Bay.
Good Friday 2020 there was only a Dozen of us out it was 4ft PUMPING Snapper - All I Can Say Is Thank You Covid 19. I surfed for 4 hours till the tide got too low.
At 64yo my Body in the Hips is a Shot Duck it doesn’t happen over time it happens over night!!! If you are watching this video. Can you get off the floor in a cross legged siting position, then stand up with no hands? Since June 2025 I've been working on my Hip-Flexers (from the age old story; thanks to getting old) I can see the Wave BUT I can't get to my Feet.
So I've been doing a lot of mobility Hip-Flexer moves (YES I'm getting faster at getting to my feet on my Surfboard)
Since like Christmas 2025, I've been sitting cross legged on the floor while watch say the NEWS on TV after like 5 minutes my hips were in so much pain. "My Hips were Crying Out PLEASE Straighten Your Legs; OH the Pain fu#k it was hurting" it's now June 6 months later, I can sit cross legged now for 30 minutes, with no pain "STOKED" it's a daily exercise I have to do about 3 time a day.
The last 2 years I'd be hurting on my 12ft Prone Paddleboard just after 50 Paddle Strokes on my Knees - Now I am back too 100 Paddle Stokes on my Knees Pain FREE - if no Waves l'll go for a 10 kilometre Paddle on the 12ft Prone Paddleboard for some fitness & it Feels Great to be Pain FREE.
