Tom Hartmann on San Francisco Wing Foiling, Foiling Week in Lake Garda, and the Future of Foil Sports
In this engaging episode of the podcast, we talk with Tom Hartmann, a key figure in the global foiling community and tour manager for the Global Wingfoiling Association (GWA) and Surf-Foil Tour (SFT), about his recent travels, standout events in the US and Italy, and insights into the evolving world of foil sports. Recorded on July 27, 2025, the conversation dives into Tom's recent adventures—from epic sessions under the Golden Gate Bridge to the innovative blend of sailing and board sports at Foiling Week. This episode highlights the rapid growth and excitement in wing foiling, pump foiling, e-foiling, and more. Dive into the thrilling world of foiling now—tune in to the full episode for an insider's look at the cutting-edge action shaking up the foiling scene!
Back Home After a Whirlwind Trip
Tom shares that he's finally enjoying some downtime at home after a nearly four-week trip across the US and Italy. He's been mixing up his water time with wing foiling, pocket winging, and windsurfing in strong 30-knot winds.
US Highlights: San Francisco's Wing Foil Scene and National Championships
A major focus is Tom's recent time in the US, including the SFT event in Atlanta and the US National Wing Foil Championships (Wing Ding) in San Francisco, which doubled as a GWA qualifier. Tom describes the location as "pretty amazing," just walking distance from downtown San Francisco with the Golden Gate Bridge as a stunning backdrop. Winds reliably built to 30 knots by midday, surprising him with the dominance of wing foiling over kiting and windsurfing.
He recounts the vibrant community: hundreds of wing foilers, a wave break under the bridge (which he tried himself on a low-swell day), and foilers chasing wakes from massive ships entering the bay. The event was hosted by the San Francisco Yacht Club, which Tom praises for its open-minded approach to board sports—many members participate, and the club overlooks the action.
The championships featured freestyle and long-distance racing, with strong local talent despite top pros like Chris McDonald and Cash Berzolla being absent (training in Tarifa for the GWA World Cup in Fuerteventura). Tom helped run the freestyle comp and notes the high racing level. Plans are underway for a GWA World Cup in San Francisco next year, leveraging the scenic, urban-accessible spot.
Tom even got a personal session winging under the Golden Gate Bridge, calling it "huge" and "impressive," with wind funneling strongly at the narrowest point. He highlights the potential for events here, comparing it favorably to Cape Town but noting its closer proximity to the city center.
Episode Highlight: Riding Under the Golden Gate Bridge
Question: How was that riding under the Golden Gate Bridge? That's something you'd want to do for a while.
Tom's Answer: Yeah, it's huge. This bridge is huge. If you see photos, that's one thing, but under it, you're like, how high is it? Huge tankers pass under—couple hundred meters high. It's the narrowest part, funneling wind stronger. From Crissy Fields, it intensifies. There's a surf break under the bridge; I didn't get big swell, but photos show 4-meter waves breaking there. Crazy.
We geek out on San Francisco's water sports history, mentioning Alcatraz footage ideas and a long-distance race across the bay (including to Berkeley) that combined wing foilers, kiters, and windsurfers. Tom met Jeff Clark, the Mavericks pioneer and enthusiastic wing foiler, discussing community integration. He emphasizes the tight-knit water sports scene in the area, spanning wing foiling, surfing, kiting, and sailing.
Foiling Week on Lake Garda: The 12th Edition and SFT Integration
Shifting to Italy, Tom recaps the 12th Foiling Week in Malcesine on Lake Garda—the seventh SFT tour stop of the year, a remarkable pace since the tour launched just six months ago. Founded in 2013 by Luca Rizzotti as a sailboat foiling event, it's now one of the world's oldest foiling gatherings. This year marked the second time SFT joined (after Pensacola, Florida), adding board sports like pump foil, e-foil, and a inaugural downwind event alongside sailing classes (Moth, Skeeta, Birdyfish).
Lake Garda's unique thermal winds—north winds (Peler) in the morning until 9-11 AM, a calm period, then south winds (Ora) from noon onward—shaped the schedule. Non-wind-powered disciplines like pump and e-foil ran mornings, sailing and downwind early or afternoons.
The downwind race was a highlight: a 5-6 mile run from near Pra da la Fam (near the north cliffs) to Campione, starting at 7 AM in 20 knots with building chop on the 300-meter-deep lake. Logistics involved boats for transport and media, with drones capturing footage amid stunning mountain scenery and morning light. Tom regrets missing ideal conditions one day due to forecasting but praises the epic atmosphere.
Integration with sailing was seamless, all at Fraglia Vela Malcesine club. Athletes mixed, with foilers trying sailboats and vice versa. Tom notes hydrofoiling's role in uniting water sports—wind-powered, non-wind, motorized, and sailing.
Post-event, the first Foiling Sports Congress (June 30-July 1) focused on competition formats, logistics, safety, and commercialization. Attendees included SailGP's CEO, America's Cup reps, and board sports figures like Tom and Jörgen Vogt. Discussions covered spectator-friendly formats, media production, and lessons from board sports' sponsor-driven approach. A foiling boat simulator competition added fun, with pump foiler Eden Berzolla nearly winning.
Episode Highlight: Integration of SFT with Foiling Week
Luc Question: How did you find the integration went for the SFT with like the team at Foiling Week? Do you think it added a completely new depth to the competition?
Tom's Answer: Yes, it was interesting. Unlike Florida, everything was in one location at Fraglia Vela Malcesine. Sailors and board sport athletes mixed—many sailors tried pump/wing foiling, and we put foilers like Eden and Yuri on foiling sailboats for content. They were impressed by the speed; crashing at 25 knots is scary. Hydrofoiling connects wind, non-wind, motorized, and sailing sports. Mornings, sailors watched pump/e-foil races in the marina, cheering mates; afternoons, foilers watched sailing. Shows boardsports linking with sailing.
Discipline Spotlights: Pump Foil, E-Foil, Youth, and Foil Assist
Pump Foil World Cup: Won by Eden Berzolla. Courses inside the marina created a "stadium" feel, with spectators meters away.
E-Foil World Cup: Won on an Audi e-tron; mix of brands (Weedo, Lift). Kai Katchadourian (legendary windsurfer) placed third, pushing hard but crashing occasionally. Sweden's Agnes Vikander finished fourth overall, nearly podiuming among men.
Youth and Accessibility: 11-year-old Liam Calo (son of windsurfer Fabio Calo) competed in pump foil, earning a rookie award. Tom highlights young talent's advantages in foiling and growth from ages 6-8.
Foil Assist (e.g., Foil Drive): Tested in pump, e-foil, and downwind divisions. Tom sees massive growth, likening it to e-biking for easier access. Future SFT may add foil assist as a discipline or division.
Episode Highlight: The 11-Year-Old Pump Foiler
Luc Question: You had an 11 year old pump foiler, right? That actually did really, really well. Was it Liam? Yeah.
Tom's Answer: Yeah, Liam Calo, son of my old windsurfing friend Fabio Calo, who runs a school in Lake Garda. Liam's into wing and pump foiling; wanted to compete. SFT is for everyone, not just pros. They came by boat from the opposite side (10 min vs. 1 hr drive). He had fun, everyone cheered; unsure about day 2 but was first back. Got rookie award—did a good job at 11. Shows foiling's accessibility for kids; light weight helps with smaller foils, gliding forever. He jumped on and pumped the full course for 2 min straight—no explanation needed.
Lake Garda's quirks: split across three Italian regions with varying laws (e.g., no e-foiling in the north, mandatory vests), adding logistical challenges.
Episode Highlight: Foil Assist Integration and Future
Luc Question: How did you find this e-foil mixing with Foil Drive? How did you find that integration and stuff at Lake Garda? Because Foil Drive is just exploding. Every single brand is looking at creating these integrations with them and carving stuff out of their boards or integrated masts. And who would have thought that they would have exploded that much? Because we had been in like... couple years ago on the show and he was just like they were just kind of you know just getting their feet wet model one bird model two but now it's come such a long way.
Tom's Answer: Absolutely, foil assist is growing massively. E-foiling is more cruising, appealing beyond board sports to anyone wanting to fly. Foil Drive pioneered it, but others now differ in tech—use propulsion just to get on foil, then downwind/surf without. Like e-biking: skip the hard part. Many prone foilers adopt it for more waves, despite heavier setup. Tested in pump (assist start then pump), e-foil, downwind (restart after crashes). Future: add foil assist discipline or divisions in existing ones.
Looking Ahead: Future Events and Foiling's Growth
Tom envisions expanding Foiling Week with more board disciplines like wake foiling, potentially in new locations. SFT's next stop: Lake Neusiedl, Austria (early September) for pump foil (5,000€ prize), wake foil exhibition, and Austrian Wing Foil Championship.
GWA heads to Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria in three weeks. We mention Maui's Paddle Imua and upcoming races.
This episode captures foiling's momentum—from urban spectacles in San Francisco to alpine innovation on Lake Garda. If you're passionate about wing foiling, pump foiling, e-foiling, and the explosive growth of foil sports, you won't want to miss it. Fresh off a nearly four-week trip through the US and Italy, Tom shares epic stories from the SFT event in Atlanta and the US National Wing Foil Championships in San Francisco—where winds cranked to 30 knots daily against the iconic Golden Gate Bridge backdrop. Picture chasing ship wakes, surfing waves under the bridge, and a vibrant community blending wing foilers, kiters, windsurfers, and even Mavericks pioneer Jeff Clark. Plans are brewing for a GWA World Cup there next year—talk about urban foiling paradise! Stay tuned for more updates, and catch the full podcast for Tom's firsthand stories and Maui vibes!
