berowne said..
My story
I have been windfoiling for years, but started wingfoiling slowly mid-2024. Since the last season ended, I have entirely switched to WingFoiling and pushing from mild cruiser to wanna-be racer for the 2026/27 season.
So far I have learned that you need the right equipment to PROGRESS as a rider rather than focus just on progress in one aspect like top speed, and turn a setup that feels “pretty quick” at 20 knots into something that can comfortably push toward 30 knots and beyond?
Like with the windfoiling thread and journey, speed isn’t about one magic part. It’s about the whole system working together: board, foil, wing, body position, water state, and how you use it all. But what I need to understand from the comunity (and share what I find) is how to unlock those little interlinked parts to get there, fast! Race season is already underway!
A few areas really matter:
😃 Board choice: A board that is too big or too wide creates drag. But a board that is too small can be harder to get on foil and less forgiving. For speed, I like something efficient and the right size. I'm 90kg and ride a 90L board. But, should I could be on 100L!? especially in lighter winds?
🤩 Foil type: The foil is where a lot of the speed gains happen. Smaller, more efficient foils can be much faster, but they demand more control. Bigger foils feel easier and more stable, but they can feel slower and draggy. I like to use the larger foils to get up easier and practice progressing first before I move to smaller speedy foils since the ToW is so much more effective if your actually foiling.
🧠 Foil tuning: This matters more than most people realise. A tiny change in trim, mast position, or rear wing setup can make a big difference. Speed is often about being clean and balanced, not forcing the foil. I was way over foiled on Sunday's race!
🪽 Wing choice: Big Wing, Small Foil is my mantra (from Windfoiling too!). Too much power can feel overwhelming at first but become your friend when pushing smaller foils.
💨 Wind and water: Clean wind and smooth water are huge speed multipliers. Chop and turbulence destroy your confidence, fast. Surprisingly on wingfoils, the swells help get small foils up even more than on windfoils...
🩴 Straps and stance: I could NOT get comfortable swithc stance until I added staps. They also help pump, and saving yourself in odd positions. Make sure your feet slide out easily though!
🦵 Legs and pumping: I’ve found speed comes from staying relaxed and smooth, not muscling the setup. A little pump at the right time can help build and hold speed, but it’s about timing and efficiency, not force. Except when...
🤬 Getting up on small foils: Getting on the foil early and smoothly matters. If you’re dragging, you’re wasting energy before the system even starts working properly. Whole chapters can be written about the art of flying early on any foil!
During the weekends races I was maxing out at 20kts on big foils because I thought the wind was lighter than it actually was. I rigged an 800 Orca (1m wide) for lift with 137 surf tail (easy pumping), and I didn't give myself time to change down a foil size or swap the tail to 170 speed model.
After the races I stayed around a few days and tried different setup's. My speed jumped to 22kts with the smaller Orca 685 and 150M tail, and yesterday to 25kts with the race dedicated Wahoo 540 TE foil - but it was harder to pump until I adjusted my technique.
FYI the race season thread is here:
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/New-South-Wales/NSW-Slalom-Series-2026-271?
Interested to hear what you find works on your gear!
I competed in the Dutch nationals a few weeks back. I was 9th out of 63 in the qualifiers and got to 11th place overall. I think roughly 20-25 people where on race kit and the rest where enthousiasts on freeride gear like me. That day I left a lot of people on full on race gear behind me while I was on my trusty freeride kit (4.5 strike V6 QuadX, 750 Sk8, 80L 5'10 Rocket Wing S for my 95Kgs). I think the average racer there was on 6.5m and a 550ish foil.
I think competing effectively is more about riding gear you know & being able to get going and keep going and not crash whatever happens more than being on the fastest kit. I might have ended up higher on the leaderboards with a double panel wing and racefoil, but might very well not have because I'm not sure I'd be able to ride as consistently in over 95km of racing on that kit, while on my freeride kit I didnt crash once.
