[00:00:00] Welcome to the Wing Life Podcast, where we talk about Wing Foyling and the Lifestyles of those who enjoy this great sport. Alright man, we're flying. It's good stuff. I gotta start off with how nice that hair looks. Did you stress me get a haircut? Yeah, smooth.
[00:00:28] I need to look at it a little bit more sharp. Yeah, I never know how I'm going to get out of it when I go to a hairdresser. I always work in and I tell the guys just do what you think looks good every time.
[00:00:39] It's a different guy. Oh nice. Yeah, it's always a surprise. That's great. Actually for neighbor, my neighbor just opened the hairdressers to the amourishes and you know, I felt like a kind of obliged to get my hair cut by him.
[00:00:59] Because it was like, yeah, I'm going to come. You know, next time I'll leave my haircut, I got the comb then I was like, one day I was like, okay, I got off and all that. Yeah, yeah, man, the comb. So, good boy. Good boy. You're dead.
[00:01:10] Yeah, yeah, no, look and smooth. Alright, so your season just wrapped up. So stoked to talk about the tour this year. I guess our first official wing foil world tour episode kind of got a lot just a little mini series for you guys.
[00:01:26] Because it's cool to talk to you. We had a great awesome conversation last time when you're in Mauritius and you had two new disciplines this year, which we're going to get into. But yeah, I let you take the floor for a bit.
[00:01:41] Yeah, I mean to recap a little bit before we dive into the maybe new disciplines. I think it's being sure. Obviously, the thing is, the biggest year of the tour so far, I mean, what we've really felt this year.
[00:01:55] Now now all the Covid restriction kind of slowed down. You can travel everywhere without many restrictions really. Which really allowed us to, yeah, to grow the number of events quite a bit. We really covered it, I think compared to last year. And also have a new disciplines.
[00:02:13] So it's been a full on this year, pretty exciting here. And we had a few of the let's say classic this in Asia's on it. I'd also a couple of new ones. And one thing I have to say, what was interesting,
[00:02:27] I think in general, you know, this year, probably not a manifest one who says, I don't know if it's a, it feels like it's a really strong, a new year and it really affected the weather situation globally.
[00:02:41] And in terms of the week, like a lot of places I've been traveling this year to have not been. And you know, as usual on both sides, you know, meaning that places that are super known to be windy and regular,
[00:02:56] we're not that regular windy and then places that are maybe not as consistent, where freaking windy. So it's been, it's been an interesting one on this side, but what I wanted to say is that it really showed, for example,
[00:03:14] in a lot of the events that we were running this year, where conditions got a little bit more tricky, you know, and borderline in a way that the potential of wind falling still putting on an amazing show was very obvious.
[00:03:31] You know, we've been in some events where I would be sure that a wind surf or a kind event would have not been running. And with wind falling, even though conditions were really not easy and gusty, you know what, maybe not as wavey, all these things at light,
[00:03:47] you still have an amazing show on an amazing competition when it comes to wind falling and that shows the potential, you know, this ported white's growing so much because it's so much more destinations where you can run a competition, for example, in wind falling
[00:04:02] and it might be a little harder than the other, let's say wind water sports. But yeah, we have been pretty full on season with 40 disciplines and surf freestyle, let's say taking the lead on the number of events
[00:04:16] which had seven events this year, only that discipline and then we have, yes, I think in surf slalom, which was also sort of a pre-plied slalom, which was also really interesting development. I think the last time we talked already about this discipline,
[00:04:34] that this is the idea about it is really to kind of focus on the dominant aspect of the racing part, you know, it's not the idea to have this classic boat racing style upwind downwind course.
[00:04:47] So we really try and kind of adapt to the elements that a sport kind of offers and try to focus as much as we can on downwinding, especially in places where we had strong wind conditions like Grand Canyon, like for the Ventura.
[00:05:03] And also open ocean, mainly it is an format that works well in open ocean where you can have long free flylacks, where you can really re-nease the wing and do 500 or 1000 meters without the wing and just reading the bumps
[00:05:16] and downwinding, which is getting awesome learning in the wing community. This is where we want to push the format, but of course, we also run this format where the format needs to work in flat water conditions as well.
[00:05:29] So then it adapts a bit to be a really compact course. For example, now it Brazil of the last event. It was a very interesting spot. How we been Brazil, some people might know it.
[00:05:44] It's very known for Kaweepa, the lagoon, where more or less it's supposed to be the best free style guide background in the world. So it's a lagoon that's just, tell me that.
[00:05:57] That's why it's up of the ocean and has baka, a lot of people around and all the pro free style guide us, they go there to train, they love it. And then just across the sand thing, 50 meters you have the ocean with,
[00:06:10] it's like cross on shore to on shore conditions and waves. But really, let's say not clean waves. But yeah, on a foil, they were still very enjoyable in a really good show. People could write them on the, on the, yeah, pretty long.
[00:06:30] And but we needed sighted in the end to because the logistics on the water world for not too easy. But also because there wasn't a lot of factors that we wanted to try, that we were running the, the surf, so this free style was on the ocean side.
[00:06:46] But the free by Salam, we put it to the lagoon. And the lagoon was really sweet. We had to have a super compact course, kind of felt like running the competition in the indoor pool. And you could like the people in your standing on the beach.
[00:07:03] Like we didn't use any boats because it was not allowed in lagoon. So all the race that the race that our crew was like working from land, the start line was basically on the land, the committee boat and the flags.
[00:07:18] So you were standing on the beach and the guys were, and the girls would basically have the run towards the start line blasting 3 meters away from the people on the beach watching, like along the along the, along the stretch of the start line guys.
[00:07:36] And having a really really short course that was super technical with no long reaches. So speed was important of course, but it was a lot about obviously, you need a technique, you know, with many jobs and tax in it. So really technical course.
[00:07:51] And a great show because it was so close. You could see from the beach, you could see the small mistakes and the, the good moves that people were, you know, we're pulling off and it felt, you know,
[00:08:03] you were really like in the middle of the action as a spectator. And yeah, it's pretty interesting. It's been a pretty interesting one that I would say in the whole year. We had, you know, all kind of conditions from open ocean grain can area, 40 knots with 2 meters
[00:08:19] well, the alway thing to yeah basically, everything is in the swimming pool in in Kauita. And then everything in between. So oh, yeah amazing. So did you find like we're talking a little bit about this before, but are you finding a lot more young guns, a lot younger?
[00:08:42] I guess kids coming out and just absolutely ripen because that a big year for it. Yes, absolutely. I think this year you could really see that I wouldn't say a huge iteration is taking over yet.
[00:08:57] But there is not only one or two, there is quite a few new faces that are young and some of them, you know, we still have an age limit in the world to which is 14 years. So you need to turn 14 at the year of the competition.
[00:09:15] And there's a couple of young ones that actually have the level to be in there and the young other than that. But there is now a real, you know, a group that's getting bigger and bigger is young grownmats I would say still
[00:09:29] that are coming now for the tour with a creative talent that I've just started waking out the last two years or maybe three years. And then those guys, which we call the pioneers of the sport three years ago were four years ago,
[00:09:44] guys that are the first help guys that were pushing the sport, giving them already a hard time. And I don't think it's going to take long to, to, yeah, to take over, you know, this shows, you know, how much progression there isn't the sport.
[00:09:59] This episode is brought to you by Saladida Kiteschool in Lavantana, Mexico. If you caught some of our stories yesterday on Instagram, you'll have seen that I just got in a couple epic days of Dan Winding.
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[00:11:21] Obviously I think it's young kids. If you look at the freestyle side, obviously a Christmas McDonald is leading the pack. I would say right now, he was upcoming talent already in the last two years, but this year it was.
[00:11:37] You could see he was well trained, he was so prepared on each event. As long as the conditions are, you know, surf freestyle is a combination which can be pure freestyle up to 50% freestyle and surfing.
[00:11:53] So obviously, he is a main specialist in the freestyle side and most of the events are very free. He's still oriented, he's the man to beat, you know, everybody knows that at the moment.
[00:12:05] But also I have to say on the surfing and the way if this is planned. So probably, you know, how many kids are doing really well because that's normally I would say it is to play in where there should be some experience.
[00:12:19] You need to know how to write waves and there is a good amount of young ones that are pushing in that discipline. Well, also on the free place, Lalaam Saia but I think free place Lalaam is probably still something.
[00:12:33] I know most of the kids are any more into the freestyle than like the jumps, but there are at the wave riding, some more the expression side.
[00:12:43] But also the free play. I mean, couple of those young ones are doing really well. Of course, in the end, free place Lalaam is a race to discipline and experience and equipment tuning and all these things play a big role in this discipline.
[00:12:59] So that makes it maybe a little bit harder. Let's say for the young ones, you know, to get on top that fast. But in the surf freestyle this is a plan we can see that the most, the young generation is now on the move.
[00:13:15] And each year and we saw new faces, you know, that showed up and saw them and never had it before and you're so good. Well, with this guy and they would get top positions.
[00:13:29] It's still pretty, you know, we have a lot of people that want to compete on tour. And to get into an event, it's only 28 people on the surf freestyle events. So they are coming in by rakey and video wildcards and then a normal wildcard.
[00:13:45] And obviously often, you know, they are young ones that would be served a wildcard by their level, but you just don't know about them. And for them it's a bit harder to enter. So once they get in and they can do one event, they collect some points.
[00:14:01] It makes it easier to hit the text on and some of them now have established themselves pretty well. All the tour, you know, being in the top 20 world ranking which makes them also the sport already on all the events next year.
[00:14:15] And the difficult thing for a lot of them, obviously still many of them are still in school and to be able to do seven events in a year that are not all in all the days. If not easy when you have 15 or six years old.
[00:14:29] Yeah, you're traveling with family and you got to organize that. Yeah, definitely. So they do, they can do one or two.
[00:14:37] And I would say we had also the junior world championship where everybody in worst days, I thought like when the level was nothing lower than on the World Cup. You know, they are the kids where all like, I mean, half of them already in the World Cup.
[00:14:53] But they are I think now if you look at the surface, the World Cup's, I'm what in 50% or other 20 years of those who are competing. Wow. Yeah. That's crazy. So I mean, you're getting old if you hit 21.
[00:15:11] Yeah, well, I read they still a couple of fish on the way if there's a plane that couple all the ones but I'm the surface to start. Yeah, if they probably be oldest one, it's bite, bite is, uh, all right.
[00:15:27] I think maybe 30 or 20s and yeah, the race. Yeah, max Robinson. I would say the days of few that are 30 but more than a more like 20 or young.
[00:15:43] Yeah, max. Yeah. Oh, wow. Okay. So we're seeing a kind of a cool portion. There's also a whole bunch of of Grom's training that haven't even started the tour yet. Like I'm talking about, yeah,
[00:15:57] Kate and Richard Matt Sun, like we've seen him progress and there's a whole bunch of other kids from around the world that are watching and they're just practicing. Wait and further day, I guess. So that's going to be super exciting to see it.
[00:16:09] I can see that level going more and more and more which, uh, I don't know man, that's going to be pretty sweet to see because it's been a while since we've had this kind of new excitement in the sport.
[00:16:20] And it's such a fun time to be a part of it all. Absolutely, no, no, I can also see more and more globally interest, you know, in the tour, you know,
[00:16:30] the obviously a bit joy to follow right as a European because love events are on here but now especially on the way if discipline.
[00:16:36] We get quite a few of the Maui boys now. Can you do to get that? Oh yeah, we had, you know, Spencer came to a rock roll and then
[00:16:49] Cash cash burzola is doing really well. I mean, if we would have participated in the first way in the man he would have had a shot of the world title definitely.
[00:16:59] And a couple other ones and already a few message leave the last one to bounce that they want to be next year on tour a few of the like
[00:17:09] Maui Franco and a couple of the other Maui kids or boys let's say, which is great because I know there's a big, you know, big scene but let's say a couple good guys from over there.
[00:17:25] Then we haven't had on tour yet and they've been served to be there so I'm looking forward to to see them getting in the mix as well next year.
[00:17:35] Oh yeah, no I think that's going to be it's going to be pretty exciting. So you added two new disciplines this year to I'm stoked to talk about these two's yet a pure pure surf and then a big air we're talking a little bit bit bigger before but you want to start on surf and then we'll head in the bigger.
[00:17:54] Yeah, I mean the surf I think was it was a natural progression, you know, I think I explained it in our last talk already did. We started with the idea of the surf freestyle discipline the beginning in 2020 combining freestyle and wave.
[00:18:13] Depending on the conditions so if it's flat, you know, tricks if it is surfing like we had already in Maroco 2020 can be pure surfing and it can be a mix of the you know in spots where you have waves and not only pure surfing can be a combination of tricks and surfing.
[00:18:34] And but what happened is that obviously most of the events on what Greenstone and he didn't surfing or inflated and they all counted into the same ranking.
[00:18:43] So for guys that there's plenty of guys that are really interested and really good in the surfing discipline, but they end up training freestyle and the level like you know those drums that I like go out every day and train their double and triple and quadruple rotations.
[00:19:01] So we kind of lost those guys because they couldn't, they were not enough surfing events, you know, could would have balanced it's another thing but it's more freestyle or intated.
[00:19:12] It was a bit harder for them to you know to stay on top of the rankings so it wasn't that interesting anymore for them to to to be on those events.
[00:19:22] So it was a natural progression that we said well but this is a big important part of the sport as many people that we can call it purely surf. No they don't jump, just like this.
[00:19:33] And we need to and we need to cover those you know and we need to repat those representing. So yeah we found that the pure surfing or quote wave discipline so we changed that the surf freestyle discipline this year was either it's still a mix with wave writing.
[00:19:52] If it allows but it was never going to be more than 50% surfing so it can be pure free style on flat water like in white card.
[00:20:03] In tarifa for example but it can also be if you have waves you can include up to 50% of the criteria being served which allows us for example like in Denmark we added a vent where the wind was getting really light.
[00:20:19] Outly of the competition that's what I was trying to explain at the beginning of our chat conditions where at say 12 to 14 15 knots so not really strong like to do proper tricks but it had some waves you know like head eye on show waves and you could write.
[00:20:35] So the criteria was just basically adding one trick and one wave but you know and this allowed us to to get a really exciting competition everybody was stoked about it. But it cannot get more wave writing than tricks this is the rule at the moment in the rule.
[00:20:51] So the surf freestyle discipline can be 50% maxual 50% surfing or less and the rest must be freestyle. And then the pure surf discipline or wave discipline it is called is all about surfing so you're not allowed to do any jumps.
[00:21:09] And it's only way for me and you're also this is important to know not allowed to use the power of the wind for tricks on the wave.
[00:21:21] Because we do want to back to have yeah that's an important one I think a lot of people don't see from the outside and we had a lot of conversation with the writers about that by the end of the season in Morocco if they want to continue this way.
[00:21:35] Because there was a lot of guys so say how but we shouldn't let me allow to use the wing.
[00:21:39] But obviously if you do that need to be ready that people will you know will ride away and throw 720s or backflips on the wave and basically freestyle on the wave. And then of course it depends how much weight you give on the judging rate you're at it.
[00:21:57] But to avoid that we this year we didn't allow to do any you can do tricks on the way if you can do airs but you can only you know the neutral handle of the wing.
[00:22:08] So you can use the power of the wing so you can do airs free takes this but the wing needs to be fully neutral and you cannot hold on on any of the power handles.
[00:22:20] Well in surf freestyle you can so in surf freestyle if you ride away if you can ride away you can do a backflip with the wing keep going riding the wave because it's surf freestyle. So that's a big difference.
[00:22:31] And basically surf and in the wave discipline you get out you get on the wave you release the wing just hold them on the on the front handle and you ride away if you can take the wing in your hand to.
[00:22:45] To make speed on the way for example you need to pass a section. All right, okay, you know to be able to speed up and you can bottom turn and you can top turn with it because you see some guys have to like for slides.
[00:22:57] Well, but you cannot do an air with the power of the wing that's the that's the goal. So yeah, so we we we we we we started the wave discipline to with three events. And we were saying we only going to choose.
[00:23:13] Pure surfing spots not gonna run this discipline in the in a spot where it you know there couldn't be waves maybe because then you cannot. Yeah, it's a competition though. Yeah, so this year we were running that in in Greg and I in.
[00:23:28] Contra breta in in cavirita, Calvara in in Rio in Sacramento which is the same spot where the W's L runs to surfing competition. And the way you're pro and in the in Morocco in Dafa so we had a right hand a right hand point break in Gibirita where.
[00:23:50] Yeah, a lot of there was the first event and a lot of people were asking skeptic of the way for those can actually handle it because it's a you know yeah how was that because that's a that's a steam trend.
[00:24:01] Yeah, it was interesting it was really interesting. I was very positive and surprised and I think everybody was because we had a lot of this question obviously. Ponto pray that doesn't work all the time so we were running that event together with the kind world to it.
[00:24:18] So it was a 12 days window and we would run the kite and the wing for the van in this 12 days looking at the conditions and it's not usually a spot that's working every day.
[00:24:28] In case you don't get a West well, you don't have any way to spot. So the alternative spot is on the other side of the of the on the island which is called kite beach.
[00:24:37] A lot of people know it which is a cross on shore and has waves all the time but it's on showing not off shows it's not as good but fine on the school there's a point to pray that.
[00:24:46] I think a lot of people were expecting that we're going to compete in in kite beach you know but we had swell for like five or six days out of the 12 so we had it. Not like huge huge popping waves but decent decent size definitely overhead.
[00:25:05] Ponto pray that and yeah obviously it was working so I told them the right us guys you better go train there because if the conditions are on the island.
[00:25:15] If the conditions are on we're going to run in Ponto pray that I mean and it was a lot of riders pushing for it too and also like we don't make all the way to to carry it to completely kite beach it on the prayer for all this is what we want right now like I feel too hard and cloudy and who go.
[00:25:33] And all the you know the guys who love this kind of conditions or the rappers yeah and yeah but the I think that a lot of the competitors actually been out in Ponto pray for the first time during the heat the nether be the happy for.
[00:25:52] But so they were some of the very training because there was not much conditions before that too you know they were there maybe a week or two before but it hasn't been like as I said it's not working all the time.
[00:26:05] So they've been training in the other form of one of them have never been out there and did know what to expect.
[00:26:11] But after the first day of competition you know and I didn't know what to expect either I know that place for winter feeling tight surfing up and out there myself on tide and also week.
[00:26:20] And it's a it's a really good way but obviously you know when you make mistakes it's very close to me it's probably the best stadium in the world to run away competition because you will you will serve each yeah and and the way it's like kind of wrap around this this point and you're sitting on the rocks.
[00:26:40] And you will see guys. Writing the way of 30 meters in front of you or even surface getting borrowed and listening to the crowd screaming on the beach because it's that close. So well much also means if you make it mistake you end up on the rocks.
[00:27:01] And you know this place again. You're a wind surfing exactly together on the rocks which is not a big deal in the end but you can break equipment. Okay easily and I was I was surprised because knowing from wind surfing.
[00:27:15] Like how many masks would get broken in the competition there I thought it's going to be a similar comment with a week for it. But yeah actually not you know it was because most of the time when you get washed in the wave unless your wing doesn't explode.
[00:27:30] You know because it gets loaded away but most of the time that's not happening. The wing stays compared to winter, sail the wings days on top of the wave.
[00:27:39] So the wave would like push onto the rocks the wing floating on top of the white water and then just sitting on the rocks and water pulls out. And some other rocks just takes the wind up and that's it.
[00:27:49] So I think we had probably 30 people getting on the rocks or 30 accidents of people getting on the rocks and I would say. Maybe five and prox and weeks. So. Okay now the foils last.
[00:28:05] Yeah the foils for sure the foils get on the rocks and that's the same like in Mauritius 2 obviously you get some scratches. You don't break them completely but you scratch them up but it still works so it's not a big dial.
[00:28:16] Of course you need support I mean anybody was there somebody got on the rocks or by people can help.
[00:28:22] So yeah it's been it's been really and I think a lot of people were surprised because I think a lot of people kind of served with a bit of the signal we used they can't handle this here.
[00:28:31] But when they so this should be soldish that the showed and was put on. Wow it was it's a really really good way to write and everyday as the the writers got used to this part of progress. It was a three days competition.
[00:28:48] Yeah and then we even had more time to run a you know to run a like a super session and then we wanted to push the level a bit more and.
[00:28:57] And we're asking for a best air super session so we're just crowning awarding the best air because I know during the competition it was really surfing over and data everybody tried to get really radical lines.
[00:29:10] And then yeah it pushed those guys to really try what kind of air real maneuvers they can do in this kind of work. And they can do lots of things now where actually it's yeah.
[00:29:22] Now it's been it's been awesome it's been a really really interesting event and I have to say everybody was was going for it there was nobody holding back.
[00:29:35] And then again having Wesley being from cowardly taking the win was obviously the cherry on the cake because the kept very it's a soul as the same in the kite you know they're.
[00:29:45] They are done and much on all the local guys they are so proud who are yeah of their or their old boys and having Wesley winning in front of his friends the family was awesome you know they were going crazy. And that event's special for yeah.
[00:30:03] Yeah and it was it was cute you know to showcase the world but we wait wait we can do and that we don't need to be afraid of point to surfing. Yes, you know.
[00:30:16] Yeah definitely I think it was an eye opening of I don't open up for a lot of people that suddenly like oh okay we it's not only for mushy waves.
[00:30:26] And on short conditions you can take this this gear and do proper surfing conditions you know that's the same way if where people get barrels on shortboards.
[00:30:37] Windsor doing it being as air all you have seen and it's one of the best types but it's a well in the way.
[00:30:45] Yeah then after that we went to the next event was again so all the three events we did it's yeah we're combined with kite world cups we were running a GK kite world cup together with a GW week for the wave world cup in all the three stops with a long and window being able to wait for the right conditions.
[00:31:02] So the second one with it was in in soccer room. It's an hour and a half outside of Rio de Janeiro where probably the most like same known surfing spotted Brazil where WSL runs the Rio Pro.
[00:31:18] Same waves exactly exactly same spot where we went up here but this been a little bit tricky to be honest.
[00:31:26] But for not only the wingers also for the kite as the spot is a pure surfing spot so it's not very unique and when swell hits it's decent and it's a beach break. So the beach break is heavy with a lot of current really tricky to go out.
[00:31:41] And usually only like you get a really small window wind in the afternoon.
[00:31:46] So we ended up looking for alternatives in the area and we're then able to run also competition in couple for you which is like two hours for the north from Zacarima where the wind is a way stronger.
[00:32:00] The waves are a bit smaller because the base more shelter because in Zacarima we had a couple of days with you know these five meet the plus well and maybe 10 12 knots which was really really hard to get out. And not only for wingers also for kites.
[00:32:19] So in Rio we were running most of the competition the first day we were running in Zacarima but it was a bit smaller and it was funny. But we had we were pretty lucky with Slo.
[00:32:31] We got in the in the window two swells, two decent swells with big waves like that big that nobody was surfing anymore there. And yeah but we we we we tend to run the wing competition a couple of free all which was wind from the left side.
[00:32:48] Beach break as well and really fun too. And yeah and at the last event where it was all about the world championship within Mark Moroco and we have been in Moroco ready in 2021.
[00:33:03] And that time still the surface of the discipline but it was the first time in Kukko-GlwA there. And yeah this is this is a real good place for like not only only wing follows of a surf boiling.
[00:33:20] What happens in Moroco most of the time you know the wind is light in the morning everybody is surf boiling all the boys take their their fores and the points out and go prone for it.
[00:33:30] And we can see the blue and the wings get out on the wing. And it's a it's a really slow and it's longer than the one in Ponto Predator. It's maybe less powerful it's a little bit slower to the wave.
[00:33:42] But it runs for like 300 to 400 meters long the whole wave. So you can have insane wave rights of over a minute on the wave. And this really showcases I think in terms of quality foil. It is one of the best way if you can do it.
[00:34:03] So it's a it's a it's a point break that runs into a bay also very close to beach not like Kondo Predator but similar close but on the sandbag no rocks. And so it's a lot safer.
[00:34:14] But the wing is very gusty but it doesn't matter that much on our wing or you could just pick up the swell outside being the wing release on the waves release your wing. And then right 400 meters all the way to the inside.
[00:34:27] Jive out and get all the way back out and get the next one. So oh awesome. Yeah, and we had a we had a very interesting competition that too because. You know as I said it worked out to of guys. And the first event it was interesting.
[00:34:46] You know in Ponto Predator. I think a lot of people were still not sure about this wave discipline what it's going to be like but out of the printer. We had in Rio already.
[00:34:58] So we have 24 places in the way of competition in per gender okay in the bands and the twenty four and the what the band we had twenty four. And in in in in in couple where there we had probably 30 or 35.
[00:35:14] Man that wanted to enter and in Ponto Predator it come where the in Rio we had already. I think 60 or 45 and in Morocco we had six oh wow okay 60 guys that wanted to get it so.
[00:35:32] Plus the girls talking on the one of the guys said so there was a huge demand already on people that wanted to get on the other competition at that spot and we couldn't offer it to everybody so. And there was a selection.
[00:35:46] I'd like to explain to you depending on video applications so you can submit videos and perhaps like four applications that are based on your videos so for complete new commerce. We have a judging group panel all the videos and then give spots according to their video applications.
[00:36:03] And yeah and in any cave very in in Morocco the level was really high. And it was interesting to see you know how. How much actually a lot of people started to train now for that you know for that. You know for that.
[00:36:22] Also guys that come from the surfaced on the angle once they were super keen to get in there and it's very very well.
[00:36:30] And it was it came all down to in the end I think two or three guys that we're still able to get the title so I was wedley that one the first event.
[00:36:40] It was cool bro for this didn't win any of the first events but he wasn't the podium both times and we had. Also came all zero was still in the next I think for the way.
[00:36:56] And we had Malo and cash that both were number one and two in the last events but they both missed a serious event for different reasons so they didn't have enough points to get to the world shape and title.
[00:37:09] They wouldn't have been in the mix for sure if it would have not missed a serious event and next year they're not going to be saying anything they told me already because they want to go for it.
[00:37:17] Yeah, but yeah, so in the end it was it was a really like tight competition that very exciting in the end and where they took the first title on the band side.
[00:37:32] And and Boona on the Boona white in the the woman's division I mean she was she was winning a kid birthday she was second in.
[00:37:47] In Brazil because me I wanted Brazil and then she took another winning that fly in her or coin she claimed the woman's the woman's title. But she also was it was a close one maybe to so we ended that that season more or more already in October.
[00:38:05] And yeah and that was the first year of the surfing discipline I think. I see this is one of the disciplines that's going to grow the most in my opinion still you need the right conditions so it's not something you can do everywhere like surf freestyle.
[00:38:19] Interesting demand is similar surf freestyle and also in in way we have a lot of people that want to push and compete now on the tour.
[00:38:29] And we want to keep it as you said we added this question with all our athletes about each we should adopt the concept it's still not finalized yet but I think it's going to be pretty similar like we had this year to keep a pretty clear line between surf freestyle and wave.
[00:38:45] You know one is really pure surfing the other one allows also the tricks on the wave and also the wave.
[00:38:52] But yeah I'm looking forward to next year and to which places we're going to go I mean there is the calendar already out but it's not everything said in stone so there can still a couple of events be added.
[00:39:07] But also some of them drop out that you see on the calendar right now because not all of them are confirmed yet. But it looks like yeah we have Kverty can we have more work again.
[00:39:21] I don't know about real might be another spot in Brazil but we wanted to evaluate the mandate Brazil as well and. Yeah there's a few a few more that I don't want to name right now because it's a bit too early.
[00:39:36] Keep it secret but when they're going to pop up they're going to make exciting. Awesome yeah I was almost thinking there's some cool spots in Chile but. Yeah. Yeah. There are. Fair enough for people off.
[00:39:56] Beautiful. All right so how did how did big air go because I was watching some of the footage from that and looking at.
[00:40:04] I think one of the writers was saying they could potentially push to 50 meters with with the right wind right like how is that to see that from sure and for the first time. Yeah. That was probably the biggest experience we tried to see.
[00:40:20] And I think it's great to know that have first of all I want to say. I think it's great to have the athletes that aren't too or not being the athletes that aren't too or because.
[00:40:32] They are not afraid of anything they are there they want to push to sport they want to see where the boundaries are with all the ideas we threw up that and say hey let's do big the idea let's go straight everybody's fire you know.
[00:40:46] The the bigger thing came out of the out of the idea that. Yeah we were we were we were partly with Red Bull this year as a tour part no no no no no no event but rebel also a lot of the tone grass.
[00:41:06] When we started when we started that corporation and rebel wanted to do something special.
[00:41:11] So to the well we could either consider running a big wave event or a big area that big wave is a bit early in my opinion because I think that the sports still needs to develop a bit shorter to do.
[00:41:26] To put on a big wave event and really. Put on the show that this would be an in-serve meeting lagging if we would you know for example. Scheduling the dollar on a waiting holding period in in Nasa Ray or at Jaws.
[00:41:43] There is probably not enough people get that they'll put all that the basic show to make it really worth pushing there is a couple of guys but obviously you want to.
[00:41:53] You know it want to have a really high level across all the athletes and I think we still need a bit of time to develop that but it's coming I'm sure. Well it's going to be crazy. So we said well big air.
[00:42:08] I mean we know these guys these boys these girls in jump pretty high nobody knows yet how high they actually go.
[00:42:15] But we should put something on and they yeah they really like that and they were being definitely not readable as been running the Red Bull rockets award in the wind surfing World Cup a grand can area the past two years which was.
[00:42:32] More or less just crowning the biggest jump of the event of the winter world sub the man of the wave event. Yeah I'll be talking with period done compact with the legend in wind surfing for those of no hands.
[00:42:47] Who is the organizer of the Grand Canary our world cup and we've been talking last year with period and so well we should get a wing for the van to break in area.
[00:42:55] So he said let's make it happen and we were first talking only about the surf freestyle and free by slalom event but I said to rebel.
[00:43:05] Well if we do bigger there's one only one place that comes to my level we got around this and this is in post so Grand Canary. This is the only place that is new king from morning to the 50 every day when you get there in the summer time.
[00:43:20] So yeah and Buren was three five up about it too said like yeah.
[00:43:26] Let's do the bigger and so we adopted we were to rebel that concept for the Red Bull rocket to adopted for weak point but we didn't want to do just crowned the biggest jump of the surf freestyle competition.
[00:43:40] So while to really push that we need to make a separate bigger event where it's all about jumping eye.
[00:43:48] And so we worked out a concept with the writers saying well we don't want to you know like make you holding back because we need to lend two technical tricks.
[00:44:00] We want to really focus on how high can you boost and technically it must play a role but it shouldn't be the main focus because obviously you will.
[00:44:13] We were asking them we said guys do you think if you don't 10 50 minutes jumps then you're going to land your 10 80s or back flips or bubble back loops or whatever. They also yes training at the time. They all said yes of course of course. You really think.
[00:44:31] But did we like okay maybe.
[00:44:34] Maybe not so we we came up with with defining the rule book for this new discipline being 80% of the judging criteria big height and 20% on the technicality which means if you are trying to boost really high with a straight jump or you know maybe a.
[00:44:54] A grab or whatever you know or a senior rotation you can still win over somebody who does. At 720 but three meters lower than you. So this is the we will see you guys going big because we have a free service plan already.
[00:45:15] Yeah, let's do actually everyone and everyone I had it and we want to have it really elite so we did a qualification we only. Actually out of we only allowed 18 people to enter the bigger and we said okay.
[00:45:32] We want to we wanted choose I think it was eight guys out of out of the freestyle ranking and then we want to make a qualify that there was some world cards and then we did the qualifier 40 event in great scenario the first day.
[00:45:49] And those who have the highest jumps dip will also and then we we were partnering on the technology side with a surfer at which is a.
[00:46:01] And it's an app basically using your phone that has been developed we've been using this on the on the kind world tour for the bigger events so all the writers. Are wearing a phone.
[00:46:14] You know you some people might know the blue device so the blue is like the device for kiders that can measure high they go but it's kind of a sensor that you put on your board.
[00:46:25] And then when you get back to the beach you connect with your phone and you can extract all the data. But as we were live streaming event, we we need a life device where you can get the power life so.
[00:46:38] To make this work you need to have transmitter with with mobile data connection that can give you the. Can you get it down to real time though.
[00:46:49] The surfer at basically uses phone and we've been working with those guys together now for two years on the bigger events in County. So we said we want to have it we want to get you guys also for the week.
[00:47:00] And we equipped everybody with a phone because the sensors in the phone are that accurate nowadays in the new phones that. That they were pretty well. So everybody was wearing a phone as a sensor and those data's we've been transmitting real time to our life.
[00:47:18] I could judge how I know so the last to me so you could follow the last to see a guy jumping a couple of seconds after you would see how high the jump was. And that helps.
[00:47:29] Yeah, of course, right because it was really hard to obviously somebody jumps very other business. And all of you in another one three out with who was higher.
[00:47:36] But I think you start to allow the judges to really know okay this was now the highest jump which seems to fall or not all high the jumps really were.
[00:47:44] And yeah, so we've been but obviously there you need to you need the jump to be to be counting need to land it and the the highest jump that was clocked in but. And I did with landed was 11.9 meters on the on that on that competition.
[00:48:09] But the highest jump that was measured and not landed was 14.8. And yeah, that was be sent the high I was 15 meters high. That was I think Benjamin May from Germany. But yeah, he said because I didn't want to land was to I just.
[00:48:33] I was I know I I I let he let go the board before the landing itself. I'll leave to keep my knees. I don't know.
[00:48:41] Yeah, but it was crazy. No, no, if you had any other before there was the wind circ competition going at the wind circ competition they used the same device.
[00:48:52] And I think the highest was like about 10.8 or 10 point. So it was similar but a meter less than the wind for that.
[00:48:59] But it was really interesting to see also the technique because a lot of them were never really before at first of all they didn't know are high they jump and they also were not pushing for it really to see where can you go.
[00:49:12] And it was all about the height of the jump but also the treble distance. So you would try to you know just not jump too much into the wind and then land like this you would try to like come down and really like slide on a land with a bit of speed.
[00:49:31] Okay, all right, it's kind of like a curve like that kind of thing accelerate see if you can climb a plane and come back down. So judges were looking at the height but also the treble distance and the airtime.
[00:49:43] And yeah, you could really see, oh, you guys we're on big rings, you know it's a bloody windy I remember.
[00:49:51] I think on that day, so we're going to increase the planes in six days and the wind is there we choose for the bigger obviously and it was 40 gusting 48 knots.
[00:50:01] We had a wind meet them measuring that so it was decently windy and I mean some guys like Benjamin May it was about 4.5 week you know in that hole. Because if you're holding a two small wing, it doesn't have enough lift.
[00:50:17] I mean he's a big guy but still like he was on a 5 or 4 and a half like full on stack.
[00:50:26] And yeah, what brands are there I guess we can talk about that after but yeah I'm curious to see what they're going to do now because I guess they're all going rigid super tough new materials I guess that's all going to help boost even higher.
[00:50:40] Yeah, this is another thing that there was no body using any bigger prototype but I think next year we're going to do it again. I think a couple of guys will show up with prototypes that have let's say better airtime.
[00:50:54] Then they're going to be made for this kind of discipline. I don't think the industry yet was thinking about building weeks in that direction but maybe now we got already requests actually from other organizers this year.
[00:51:07] I want to have a bigger tool we want to also have a bigger event can be good at this well but.
[00:51:13] At the moment, I think we want to keep it really for the right spots you know unless it's something that's spot with with kickers and good wind doesn't make sense to do the discipline if they're in your kickers are important too so and.
[00:51:26] Greg and Aaron yeah we have like to be the kickers put down on steep because you don't want to steep away from the week for you kind of want to. Flat jump so you can control push the forward out but still going to get that kick.
[00:51:39] And I think Cape Town could be a spot where we could run bigger. A couple of other ones but.
[00:51:48] Grand Canary is pretty ideal I would say you know the the wind is steady it is strong you got this nice role if it's windy you got to meet the. Swelcoming in you know not steep breaking waves but soft ones that you can really take up here.
[00:52:05] And yeah I was a it was a it was a super interesting and I think when I sold it images then you know absolutely the be there day and we were going rolling sort of filters it was like I posted a couple of my on my social media.
[00:52:21] Just saying yeah this is what we came for this is what we all wanted to see and then when I find this is Photoshop can be real. You can't be can be hanging 12 meter there on a wing you know. So cool to see.
[00:52:35] And so yeah it was another great push I think this year for the sport and it also. It was probably the event with the biggest media coverage we had in the whole year you know because bigger it was something.
[00:52:52] Even outside the week for industry and the week for community and this is something that catches people know like if you have this on television if somebody would say what are these guys doing.
[00:53:03] They're hanging on a wing 12 meter there no hardest to it like you know nothing if they just let it go to just fold out.
[00:53:11] What did they do you know so there was a lot of interest actually in reporting from that event even from outside the week for world. So that's awesome.
[00:53:22] Yeah it was it was really it was substantially quite a bit more media coverage that you've seen on the other events this year because of the big air.
[00:53:34] And yeah so this there and all the writers you know it was in the beginning before we went to burn canary it was also one of the things I wasn't sure I know it's probably the big that many kinds of things.
[00:53:46] And I wasn't sure how to win for us going to have a little bit of the gear even got to work in that strong wind.
[00:53:52] My question but the I mean they were you know the guys were most of the time even for downwind as like spank for the free fly slow it was amazing it was the best spot we had to see it for it.
[00:54:04] You know we had a free fly race guys would have a start line and then go around the buoy and then just go 7800 meters without the wing downwind on 40 knots or 35 knots wind from the back and just riding the waves all the way down.
[00:54:18] And you can see who where the guys who noted to do this very well know how to read the ocean and out how to overtake without our week.
[00:54:29] So it's been one of the best events that you definitely think Grand Canaria and then when we left from Grand Canaria and the next one was just a week after a quarter of a tour which is pretty we need to you know it's been 30 knots every day as well.
[00:54:42] And they were like man we can still light here. I don't care the 50.
[00:54:50] But yeah I think they were most of the boys were riding 3.5 on the Grand Canaria on the event at the girls 2.5 some of the 2.0 but it goes very well to I remember I mean the day of the wind of the media we came in the morning to the beach we were staying like half an hour away in the hotel and week we came in the morning 9 and then one of the beach and usually in Grand Canaria the week like.
[00:55:17] And we accelerated throughout the day and we arrived there and the water was flying you know and I was like man I don't know if even the rest.
[00:55:25] Just came out here it's so weird already it's 15 knots now and then and then bots will rock up and as it bots you think you can go out there.
[00:55:36] And yes sure I can no problem. I'm going to go I'm going to show you so he grabbed like a 2.0 week or 2.5 and he went out and he had no problem riding you know it was a while bots have naked them as keen as possible to fit this well.
[00:55:53] And it wasn't a bit difficult to get out because the waves were breaking onto the rocks but because you have that strong wind you can really start very quick.
[00:56:05] Yeah it's been it's been a really interesting one and I was also stoked to see him the bigger that we had a couple of new faces that you would expect let's say from the freestyle.
[00:56:16] And we're in top you know like I mean Benjamin was putting amazing show up because he was.
[00:56:24] You know there was T2 and Rattotini was the the bigger world champion this year they made me clock higher jumps but Benjamin was going 10 meters and then rotating conflicts you know landing it.
[00:56:40] So whoa there was he was the guy with the most of everybody it read on it you know you can do it in the end because it didn't have that high jumps but everybody's got crazy.
[00:56:54] I can't have a start heck of a start for it then he would he climbed to see the rotates and then comes back down. Oh my shit.
[00:57:04] I just now the show was insane and I'm still I'm still the remember going to definitely be able to buy that up to see in the great camera.
[00:57:12] And I'm really looking forward to next year where baby are we gonna take it because I think we're gonna probably push it a bit more than technical side and we're gonna see guys going maybe higher or similar but then.
[00:57:23] Training you know also maneuvers in that the and that big that the year event. So yeah interesting year on the tour definitely so far. That's all I can tell you about right can area at the bottom of the list you have more questions.
[00:57:41] And I know that that would have been a really exciting well it will just both of them to see because surface so huge around the world right like everybody can everybody loves surf and now to combine that with foiling and we're seeing guys push and push and getting all these.
[00:57:56] These like barreling surf spots and now we're starting to see foiling go in there so stoked to see where that goes and then yeah the like red ball and.
[00:58:04] Jumping in that stuff and go on for big air like we can only imagine where that's gonna go with the evolution of the technology that comes with it. Oh that is so cool. So yeah that was that was been pretty fun that was a fun year then.
[00:58:19] Now, I totally I mean it was it was great to watch you know the development of the sport throughout the year being part of it and being able to steer a little bit where the whole thing is going to go.
[00:58:30] And but as I said before already you know just the one you know kind of organizing it but you need all these all these athletes that are ready to push and.
[00:58:42] That that have to motivation to bring the sport to the next level and there's a lot of good input and ideas coming from the athletes as well.
[00:58:50] You know I think that as we said you know also in in Kauiberg explained in the the free flight style of the van. We we've been doing that in a really small area and I think that.
[00:59:04] Maybe also indoor could be something we can see in the future you know like not as a you know regular thing but you remember there was been in indoor in searching world cups.
[00:59:16] And I think I mean but was there is a boat show that the this and all of the boat show I don't know about it is basically the biggest boat show in the world.
[00:59:27] Which has action sports area and they have a pool with wind machines and I know about to the couple of the guys were testing we accelerated the week machines are not as good as.
[00:59:41] We had back in the days of the winter in Dorikos I've been participating in the winter in the world of ones in 2005 maybe. Pretty soon found out it's not for me because I was too heavy for that but.
[00:59:56] On on on a wing for the wing for the inside I think it should work in bathing well. Because the as said that we does it to be as consistent you know what's your flag on the for you don't need much power on the wing.
[01:00:09] So this is something I could imagine in the future we could see. Some of the indoor exhibitions happening to which is a great show for people because it only love space and.
[01:00:24] And what we did in obviously in such a cup that course like in like in cow eat them slalom we reduced a number of participants on the courts where we're only running with each of four people at the same time.
[01:00:35] Because it was so narrow not eight or 10 or 12 like we do in the open ocean. And then it's a bit like a maturation you know in sailing so.
[01:00:50] It's just like two guys and months to guys are out so it's pretty much you know we need to finish talk to or you're out. And then we did that you know I think we did five rounds in total.
[01:01:02] Yeah what with which I think all also the equipment now is is you would still you would think already you have already that good equipment but it's amazing to see where it's still going and much more efficient for us in wings.
[01:01:16] I'm taking down on this and a lot of our athletes are using prototypes. In the competitions to test that against competitors you know to the latest materials and these all prototypes that might be in production. Sometime later. You know so there's good points yeah.
[01:01:41] You see there's a lot of stuff in open rules are open. So there is no there's no restriction the only restriction is that we need to be inflatable so you can not you know you cannot use.
[01:01:54] A pure rigid construction it needs to be inflatable and but besides that whatever material you use or what. Kind of handles your years now also more and more people I see you the harness on the slalom.
[01:02:11] But the majority still not the majority still without the harness because we don't let's set out of four months and not really saying like so.
[01:02:20] The the course for months and not ending long up with racist where harnesses and about that you need to do a lot of turns you need to unhook a lot okay to hook out so.
[01:02:32] Still a lot of our competitors could prefer to go without the harness just to have it more simple. Yeah, and they are. And also the.
[01:02:43] Yeah, yeah, majority I think you can see that now in general of all the on all the all the most of the week brands. Going this direction of using rigid handles either.
[01:02:56] Longer ones or even like a boom like you could see especially on the on the freestyle side I see now more and more weeks having a boom. Because the latest development of silts for sure focusing on out of hand pastrics like back bulbs.
[01:03:12] Where the guys been is a bit passed to handle behind the back so as you have if you have if you have a boom it's much easier to catch it. So you can see now all this back flip and moops and.
[01:03:29] And the freestyle side for me was very exciting to see because last year that other people said well okay now you see side rotation 360 720 1080 is 1440s up the training now but. Not really competition yet, but next year going to be I think 1080s.
[01:03:49] We saw already in competition 1440 will be the next solution and I think that's close. And then competition as well. Yeah getting close. I know some were landed but not in that not in that competition yet. But.
[01:04:05] And back flips and front flips, but now it starts with all this one headed combination.
[01:04:12] And I know that actually it's to pull out back flip and then the back moops and when it comes to handle passing just need to look at cutting there is way more possibilities and just back. Oh, that's yeah it's in fact.
[01:04:27] You everything have you seen like a double back here double forward yet not landed to be honest I saw I saw seven 10. And I think they're going to be levants so I think next year double back flips are doable.
[01:04:46] Yeah, I mean we see back flips in the front side three is already and strong clips in the front that's raised in in the air.
[01:04:53] And also you have a new issue this year on the combos so double pops no basically back flip landing straight popping into another jump. Which like I think it's taken. Yeah exactly.
[01:05:14] But obviously we are trying to only like award them reward them well if they are linked well if somebody does a back flip right out pops a few times and jumps again it's not a proper combo combo is a jump.
[01:05:28] And then straight pop into another jump straight pop. Alright that makes sense in the first competition this year in France we were allowing this and we were very flexible in like a. And then everybody started like well okay I have to train combo everybody's doing problem.
[01:05:48] Next event I think next one was impressed the European championship and then we were in the canaries everybody had combos in the trick back and done very well and also. It was interesting to see this year soon as you know somebody landed a trick. Everybody thought it.
[01:06:07] So the people try to do things secret which is not easy and nowadays we're social media because if you do anybody can film with a phone put it on lie.
[01:06:17] But I know if you really want to have an advantage because we also rewarning innovation tricks in the freestyle so if you if you're landing a trick that has never been shown before you get a multi-player factor to it.
[01:06:32] So you get let's say six points but it's multiplied with a point point two five sector so it can this point can be up to seven eight for example seven seven two.
[01:06:45] Yeah this is this is this we because we were saying you know it's just a three it cannot in order to evolution cannot stop already and we want to reward innovation so if you landed your trick you get rewarning the extra points for that.
[01:07:00] Yeah that makes sense that makes sense all right so we got some cool stuff to look forward to see what everybody's going to train before before next year that's pretty sweet.
[01:07:10] What else is there anything else you want to talk about so we talk about your disciplines cool as jumps and stuff that you've seen big air.
[01:07:19] Yeah I have to say also I want to mention definitely the I think the girls level this year really took through the roof if I see the girl is this year that are new ones coming in to the guy said.
[01:07:35] But the level of women has stepped up a lot you see now from play expect flips seven 20s on the women's side as well one handed back flips so it's good it's really really good. We will definitely with the tour you know trying to.
[01:07:59] Expand in different directions so we're not we haven't planned to edit the discipline next year I think adding two new disciplines and see it's okay for now maybe.
[01:08:09] If I will but let's see don't maybe we're going to we're going to come up with something completely new and we think it's time for it but for now I stop planned to have another this end.
[01:08:20] And keep it with the surface to all the wave three flames all over the beginning. But we want to probably get a few more events in every like and especially being here maybe we can have a second event not only wobble.
[01:08:34] And on the way it's not that easy to find a right spot but go to some really good spots on the way upside.
[01:08:44] And yeah obviously the new first well we would also try to you know the under the world's couple of levels so on the continental level and what is flying serious.
[01:08:57] We would like to see you know open up to more people to get into it and especially markets that have not been I hope that next year we will be able to do an event in China.
[01:09:12] That we will go to some places where we haven't caught an answer where we haven't run. Well, too as well we still need to go to North America too. Yeah there's a couple spots here they're tricky but there are a couple spots yeah.
[01:09:28] Now and it's a big market in the low of good rides too definitely. That could be so you that's being in Maui or in the Gorge where I do else in the US definitely.
[01:09:44] Or Canada there are opportunities and we yeah we're looking forward to grow but I would say you know more than I think maybe growing the number of events on the world tour.
[01:10:00] It's more important to grow the quality so we want to make events bigger you know you have more price money bigger media exposure.
[01:10:10] Now this year we already live streaming I would say half of the events maybe but we can you know we can improve this next year as well.
[01:10:22] I get more live streaming coverage and also the media distribution side I think it's still a lot of people don't know about wings flying at you know people that that are potentially candidates to get into it. You know but it's a huge market.
[01:10:42] Yeah it's a huge market especially because people can now just hop on a sub and even know it's not crazy high performance you can add a wing to the repertoire and do a whole bunch of different things so I think including these two new disciplines will will help attract because that's that it's a big wow factor right.
[01:11:00] So especially with big air like you're always wanting to know like how high can you go serve to as well because you can do that everywhere like I started surfing on some bigger stuff this year and.
[01:11:10] I'm just gone straight like sit like overhead high stuff at my great lakes and you're just ripping you're like.
[01:11:17] Okay yeah I could see how this would be super so amazing unbelievable but there are spots like a good into that we couldn't win surfing because the wind was bad the currents were crazy.
[01:11:28] But I could get in there wing-foiling and then my neighbor who's a 30 some year vet and wind surfing can wind surfing 50 knots he's like.
[01:11:36] Yeah we couldn't win we could you can wing there so it's like I think more and more and more as we expand we're going to see this whole new. Continue everybody now is winging everywhere so I don't know and it's it's pretty awesome to see.
[01:11:49] And especially getting more like getting a lot more young kids and getting them hooked on a sport that is so healthy for them and then that's unbelievable.
[01:12:01] Yeah I think we will we will on that side for sure see a lot or young even young people you know get into it.
[01:12:11] I think the MS one we had this year was 12. 12 years old in the world cup and he asked the level to be there and it's crazy to see you know a whole body that young age can play on a.
[01:12:25] Maybe not yet win in the event but we need some heat and they're feeling bigger than us to beat people to live the world cup. Yeah it's not really a sport we have that. No no not really at all not really at all. I'm going to say maybe.
[01:12:42] Yeah yeah you have to be young until your dees and ankles blow out but. How's your writing been if you got no to chances to ride it all the events and working some new tricks or.
[01:12:56] Now actually I haven't been I've been on the world of quite a bit this year at home in barashes or awesome and I enjoyed a peer surf discipline. I mean I still doing a jumps and train jumps have been down there but.
[01:13:10] I'm definitely more to the way to the way to the way to part of it and I've been writing some. Yeah some big of dates for sure and more issues on on one eye on one hour.
[01:13:22] But during the events I didn't I wanted to get on the water so bad and Morocco because it's such a good wave to write. But unfortunately when the win when the with the competition was over the wind died.
[01:13:37] Kind of died and was really light and I had some gear from Wesley who has. You know similar body size to me because that's a bit of the challenge you know most of the gear that their boys were I did 40 kilos less.
[01:13:51] It's difficult to get out of there is no wind but where's the big boy everyone in the living and seeing. Weight class is a little bit under the even a bunch. But I couldn't have enough yeah I didn't have enough wind in here to get out there.
[01:14:07] But being on the water for one session nine Brazil. I brought my own yet in Brazil and I had the problem is usually I get to an event I'm really full on working the whole day morning till evening.
[01:14:20] And you know that's one of their four so if I get a session it's fun but it's not that I need to go but it Brazil had a session once at the spot.
[01:14:31] And it was fun but that's about it I think like where I was traveling to the events. In Forte of Intura.
[01:14:40] I wanted to get out in gray can area but we were running call every day and the next day we had to fly to work is so I got on the water for two days. Which was fun too.
[01:14:51] I think it's always nice to understand also from our side. All our had judges and judges they get on the water too obviously they are a little less visited by self on the event. So they can enjoy a bit more water plan but I think it's really important.
[01:15:07] They're on the cruise side you have people getting in the world and testing this spot to make an understanding actually of how. Challenging in the what other difficulties and all the circumstances but no and.
[01:15:21] Yeah that makes sense because in essence you are one big like your everybody's in that same community of working with that main goal right your riders are there it all the support stuff everybody around they're just trying to grow.
[01:15:36] Grow the events grow the sports it makes sense to bring in. Appanians from everybody and then to understand as well from the judging perspective like how difficult is this and if you're a good rider and you're getting out there and there. That'll make sense it's improving the product.
[01:15:53] Yeah I mean our our judges are all good good riders themselves for yeah and we are hopefully also looking forward to I mean.
[01:16:02] I still hope all of our athletes going to compete for a while but I think you know those first generation athletes proud now once they may be one stop from on the competitive side will definitely try to get some of them on the team.
[01:16:19] That makes sense and they're input is crucial you know so so we have a lot of conversation and I think. This is this is the great thing about it, you know everybody now are true starting for myself over judges media crew they are passionate world sport people.
[01:16:39] And they do this not only because they're money for it because they live in the lift is sport and everybody what you know is everybody is stoked to see the best action on the beach and shoot that photo of that guy doing the biggest job or adding the biggest wave or.
[01:16:57] Putting the biggest score you know big years it was just happening and now that's that keeps us all driving and as you said we want to improve the product and in the end.
[01:17:09] You need to have a lot of understanding also the organizers you know we have organizers that are very. passionate wing for us or what is for people from other what is sports themselves and day one also you know how the best choice on the bottom they.
[01:17:28] Making a business out of it but really pushing it would be part of it and a lot of them the population for them to be to stop in the world to is because they want to be one of the first places that have been on tour was to be in the open sport.
[01:17:46] Yeah that's exciting which are some places that have been in the wind surfing world to the kite surfing world tour and other wings for the but there's a couple of new places to that see their chances now so well.
[01:17:59] Now we're finding that's the right opportunity to jump up the train. What would you say to any young kids that are training and they're not sure if they should. Common even try it to get on the tour.
[01:18:15] Yeah what do you think of the train at week one and there. Or well no to kind of compete if they're not sure they're they're raising their level on their own they're not quite sure if they'd be good enough or if they could.
[01:18:28] Maybe they're intimidated but what could you say that would maybe convince them to give it a crack. Yeah well definitely I mean all the young ones.
[01:18:36] The entry from most of them as I said is not that easy to get into a world cup it's not that anybody can just sign up and compete in the world tour so for most of the young kids the first step is to get into the junior events.
[01:18:49] And we're running a we haven't confirmed yet spoke for the next year but there will be again. You've world championship event and maybe also continental championship events. So and it will be just one because a lot of the young kids that can't travel all day.
[01:19:10] Yeah, fair enough and they can go their parents so the feedback was that most kids would be able to follow four five events a day year but they can you know plan the holidays around one and take the parents and go to that event.
[01:19:26] So I would suggest yeah come to the junior world cup and yeah and see where your level is standing I think it only to be scared there it's high level but there's also people coming for the first time.
[01:19:39] And then from there on you will see if you're doing well you ready to go to the world cup and if you have the chance to chance to come to a world cup and be offered new place and take it. Yeah, I'm excited. I'm excited.
[01:19:55] Do you does the tour help with facilitating like travel and different spots for somebody new brand new getting into it that doesn't know anything about it? Like is there any guidance and help within the organization that helps people do that?
[01:20:11] Yeah, so we have usually it depends a bit on the work about it.
[01:20:15] So we have there is the anomaly of race status. So if you want to be interested to go to an event there's kind of race notice which is more or less the info sheet which all you see a lot of logistical info as well.
[01:20:31] So in the race notice event it says okay where does it happen whether it take place what what are the rules for the competition or whether the formats rules price money point systems blah blah.
[01:20:44] But also has logistical info in there so depending how much info we get from the work that the. We always try to put it on the rate of logins having for example part while tell so a lot of events have.
[01:20:57] Part no tell that offers a special rate that they can have contact so ready for airport transfer so ignore out of. They come to the airport. They can just contact the right number to get a lift to the airport or get to the event side.
[01:21:13] When it comes to food or any any anything that helps any information. We are trying to pass this on to the riders so that they are not on their own getting the whole trip organized.
[01:21:26] They still need to organize it by themselves we are not a travel agency but but we're trying to facilitate it for them. To know where to go what's the easiest way. To to. To get to the event and when the closest airport.
[01:21:46] A lot of the event organizers also ultra transfers so they have a call that can bring around because sometimes it might be that you get to an airport with your board backs it's not easy to find the toxic that can take your board backs so they are offering.
[01:21:58] And then that goes to the Apple and picks up the athletes. To bring them to the event side.
[01:22:04] So just the race notice and if you have more questions you can just drop us an email whatever where we can and where we can help we will always do it. Of course.
[01:22:15] Okay well hey thanks Tom man this is pretty exciting to pretty exciting episode talking about all this stuff is there anything else you want to mention to about what's coming up in 2024 I know we had talked about a couple potential spots that we're going to leave under the radar for now but I am curious as to what they are because a few pop to mind where in the wave discipline that would be pretty sweet, but I guess we're going to have to wait and see and to get to finalize it.
[01:22:42] Yeah I exactly so we want to let that all know you know that's some spots out there and then they are not happening so basically you know you will see if you look at the calendar.
[01:22:53] All this stops that are on either confirmed or with a two B confirmed status which beats they are not 100% signed and they get because we only put them in on confirmed status once the contract payments of them.
[01:23:08] But there is a few more in negotiation that at the moment I would not consider being a minimum 50 60% chance.
[01:23:23] You know as soon as the man gets to bed status and looks realistic to happen we will attend also with enough time in advance so that the people can plan yet schedule.
[01:23:35] But there is I would say three four five more that have a dynasty potential chance to still get on the calendar and they are also covered maybe that.
[01:23:47] One or two that you see in the calendar that would not happen at the end because we couldn't finalize everything we want to definitely be a little bit more strict because this year quite a few events got confirmed a bit late.
[01:24:01] And we want to be a bit more strict of that if certain deadlines are reached and we need to tell them well it's not confirmed or we have to because the because the the writers also need to plan there they know.
[01:24:23] A few of the writers who do all this discipline that you have 10 little 12 events a year. That's a lot. Amazing your years. I'm on the website right now and so you have for the world cup 2024 we're looking at one two three five six seven eight nine ten.
[01:24:45] So starting they're all to be confirmed at this point but we're looking at selling cut and keep verdict Saudi Arabia. France Spain Spain Grand Canyon area so Fort of Ventura and Spain Rio. Dockla terrifra.
[01:25:05] Sarah Brazil looking like that would be a pretty good pretty good season hope they get confirmed for you.
[01:25:14] Oh yeah I mean we have some regular events you know as I said we have some events that we picked running not only new info world to that that would be with your kind surfing events like for the mid tour like drinking area.
[01:25:26] France has already signed actually it's already confirmed how awesome the the moro co event Brazil.
[01:25:36] And that they are maybe willing to we've confirmed now but I don't have a lot of doubt that they're not going to happen so because they've been happening every year just a few details.
[01:25:47] And also maybe there could be a date changing a week or something and we need the ones in a second half of the year the by the best still some changes it's more than newer ones where we try to get.
[01:26:00] And we need to be sure that they're going to happen. Yeah that makes sense.
[01:26:08] Yeah I would say probably January we should have a pretty good idea now it's the time to see as all of this and but by the end of the year we want to get as much confirmation as possible. For 2020. Starts back up in February.
[01:26:25] Yeah the first event is supposed to be pretty soon and we we're just waiting this should this should be hopefully confirmed next week. Okay or this week. We'll have a ton everything.
[01:26:42] Okay well hey thanks for there was nice to catch up with you and senior in the year so pretty much. So yeah it's nice to chat happy got that haircut that pretty much made it. How long does this do over here. But we're all hopeful.
[01:27:04] But yeah we can we can maybe plan to catch up some some time it seem next year and see where we're standing. Yeah I'd love to. Yeah absolutely no that'd be super fun and I know that even in our crew here out in Canada
[01:27:18] there's more and more people that are that are poking their noses in because it's. Our athletes are pushing development of gear and everybody's interested to seeing what's coming up with gear development.
[01:27:31] And I think these two branded disciplines are really going to help as well because even in our crew here everybody's pushing more and more and more into waves. So just trying to find out what can I get that's the snappiest. What gives me a bit of glide.
[01:27:45] Do I go H, do I go M, A, do I go with a pure surf. Kind of tails on my playing with there's so many different combinations of stuff and I think the tour is at the forefront because you guys are playing with like you have.
[01:27:58] The top riders there that are all talking amongst themselves and everybody sees what they're riding so that's pretty cool. I'm excited to see what happens in two four.
[01:28:08] I'm myself because you mentioned that I'm often like, you know walking over the beach when you run a competition had to look at the gear where people are riding because I'm interested myself.
[01:28:20] And it's still yeah yeah still it may as well sometimes I mean it's getting more and more in similar direction than two years ago.
[01:28:27] But it's still you know quite different when you look at the details like what people like to use in terms of yeah they say front wing back wings the combination. The combination of use largely.
[01:28:39] Position of use largely as mass positions there is still I would say quite a different approach that different brains or edleta and whatever they want to write and what works for them and what are their preferences obviously. depending on the style so.
[01:29:01] There are some guys that use I would say the same for from nearly everything and any of some that have more specialized equipment for whatever use they are.
[01:29:12] For freestyle and answer and waves they use different ones and some other use the same points and then obviously you can see that some guys come from different waves so they use different wings. If you have a more powerful way or less powerful waves.
[01:29:28] And yeah it's it's it's it's it's an interesting time I especially on the way side. On freestyle too I would say what people are using in the wings now now the. I think there was always a big.
[01:29:48] This caution between yeah materials obviously are I used we have a do not you bottom materials that are making wings more efficient but also on the on the. The.
[01:30:05] The aspiration of if you want to have wings like I'm talking about the hand wings now that have a lower aspect ratio makes it easy to rotate what kind of handles you will use for freestyle.
[01:30:18] Or having more high aspect shape that is more efficient you might use as well as size because.
[01:30:27] For waves have you seen a lot of them ride a leash list or like I know I should rode you came out with this new little strap system that you could pull a pen and and it.
[01:30:38] Because because I know you can get caught in some white water and whatnot that wing just kind of gets dragged underwater than you're getting. Yeah well the thing is that.
[01:30:48] In competition that you lose the wing it's game over so yeah that's true you don't want this to happen really.
[01:30:57] I mean unless it's a really like in a cave very I saw people obviously they got washed and they just opened the issue because then you're the wing will be on the beach and somebody's going to catch it.
[01:31:06] And you can take it back but most of the time if you get washed and you lose your wing.
[01:31:11] They heat is over you know you will not get it all right time to be out there so you don't want this to happen don't see really that people are using really sing wings in the competition.
[01:31:22] Anything new kind of tech wise that you saw in the beach that kind of cut your girl we don't need to highlight any companies or anything but anything new that you're like huh that's kind of cool that I came out this year.
[01:31:37] Well I can see you definitely one more brand coming out with a new one models.
[01:31:43] So it seems to be a material that's really improving their efficiency of the wings but also similar materials to a ruler not only are ruler there's a couple of other ones like that's different ones that allow to use. Let's see if they're profiles or something leading edge.
[01:32:07] Because you can think it pound harder so they get the same reach in the on the on the narrower shoot.
[01:32:14] And and obviously I had better aerodynamics on the canopy materials there still experimenting a lot as well you know you saw when a few prototypes of different companies of this transparent materials like really in plastic bank style.
[01:32:35] But it's quite yeah it is I tried a few other themselves and they feel super light but there are.
[01:32:45] Yeah they had a advantage of disadvantages of all you see you see some some prototypes we have like a model film bit like wind surfing sales which on the racing side for sure have advantages.
[01:33:03] But then when you surf they might not you know yes neutral because they don't flag out that well. Because you will always have.
[01:33:13] Wind flow on it and and then there are a couple of brands I saw also working on the on the two sided ways on having a foil on the outside and the day inside.
[01:33:29] And the racing part but I can imagine that something like that will also be very efficient on the get. You know having a having a double sided wing that can have more air time and works better as an air plane wing you know.
[01:33:52] Yeah that could be interesting definitely. If you think about you know some brands some of the wing and kind brands are also into foil cuts now.
[01:34:04] There's interesting foil cuts or power gladis so that technology comes from that it will basically the wing can fill up with air on the inside. Yeah. And just putting somebody is out there.
[01:34:22] Yeah we'll see what manufacturers keep pushing and see what new foils come out obviously downwinds the trend now but there'll be definitely more stuff coming in the future so.
[01:34:33] No I'm still be stoked to talk to you and I hope you enjoy your a bit of downtime you're at home for a little bit or you hadn't home for a bit. Yeah I'll be spending Christmas yet now in Europe.
[01:34:46] I'll be just I just came I wasn't cut out last week for a kind of it for the last one of the kind world tour.
[01:34:58] So I came back from Qatar and I'll be spending all Christmas this end by in Europe and then I'll be adding back to merges in January. Get on the water myself and get ready for the new season yeah. Beautiful.
[01:35:15] Well hey I hope you enjoy the snow it finally snowed here where I am right now and we have some spots actually we're looking at 25 knots on on Friday and I got a new Excel 65 dry lock so I think I'll try for my last.
[01:35:31] I just threw up a story on Instagram there just threw up a store is pretty funny because I've full snow at my place but it was six degrees and kind of we like to say tropical like three two hours south.
[01:35:44] So we went and got some I haven't got a decent little surf day but it's starting to get a bit chilly but overall still super lucky like it extends our season and all wing over wind surfing colder water because I'm less likely to fall in with wing.
[01:36:00] With wing foiling so it extends my season a bit and you can still surf and it still clears the mind so yeah I'm stuck for Friday. I actually actually have my gear that I hadn't Brazil with me here in Austria I mean Vienna right now.
[01:36:14] We had a very active week for a scene here in Vienna that developed over the last years it might have seen some pictures going in the middle of the city on the menu brebow. I've been going to get a hundred wings here of the river it's crazy.
[01:36:31] And it's just the river is just like I used to win surf there you know 15 years ago and was always kind of crap but now with wing foiling it is it is actually pretty fun.
[01:36:44] Just yesterday one of my friends you called me and said hey I'm going to go and it was snowing and there are pictures of it and I was like man maybe not this week but if I'm really tempted next week and I've just need to get to the water.
[01:36:58] I might come I just need to get away too because I only have a three two with me. I don't think that's enough. You'll be fine you're accustomed to that cold weather and Mauritius. But yeah why not as you said I think a week foiling.
[01:37:13] In cold weather is way more enjoyable than probably we'd see the catching the water that much.
[01:37:21] Now it is much now yeah well I think I felt twice in like a 40 minute session and where and then you can decide how like how fancy you want to go but you can keep it basic and just get a couple surfs and then come in and then
[01:37:37] Yeah no the do wet suits I had a 10 year old wet suit and I think that thing was due for replacement.
[01:37:42] So this is a new suit amazing so I can't complain but hey Tom thanks a lot man for taking the time out of your day today and for joining us on the show and stoked to hear about 2024 and it was just awesome to talk about 23 and see how the season went for you.
[01:38:00] I'm glad I went well. Absolutely no I'm happy to get a check catch up with you again and yeah let's see when is the next time we can talk and hopefully some exciting stuff happening to.
[01:38:13] To chat about oh yeah no absolutely well everybody I hope you enjoyed and we will see you next time. Alright I'm all everybody.