INTERVIEW: WING FOILING AND SURFING WITH THE FAMILY!

News
Surf
Wing

29 june 2022 0

Having to choose between family time and the best surf conditions of the year is a cruel dilemma that everybody has to face at some point ! 😉

This is not the case for Boris though, and for good reason, since he brings the whole family along when conditions hit on his home spot! As a GONG ambassador for almost 15 years, Boris has communicated his passion for board sports to many people, starting with his own family, Jess and their two children, Théo and Lou, who are now 21 and 14 years old and with whom we had met in a previous interview in the magazine.

Wing foilers: Théo, Lou, Jess and Boris with a Neutra quiver.

Hello Boris, let’s get straight to it ! How did you manage to convert the whole family? 😉

Our luck with Jess is that we’re both passionate about sports. Besides, those are the same sports too (water sports but also climbing, cycling, competitive swimming).

We managed to communicate this passion for board sports to our boys and today the only dilemma we have to deal with is which spot to choose to satisfy everyone ! No problem getting up at dawn, no problem if you only get out of the water at 3 pm for lunch 😉 Time goes by but the four of us are still as passionate about the ocean as in the first days. We always have a good excuse (waves or wind) to get together.

Surf foiler: Boris and Lou, with the Lethal FSP Pro and Lethal EPS.

Is there a board sport that unites the family more than any other?

Of all the activities we do, we give priority to waves and surfing. Unfortunately, this winter at home, the waves were not great, most of the time the boards didn’t leave their boardbags.

Thanks to the arrival of foiling there’s much less frustration. If the waves are small, we take out the surf foils, and as soon as the wind reaches 12 knots, the wings are inflated. Wing foiling is therefore the best way to get together to sail, fly and surf. Moreover, unlike surfing where you have to make your place in a line-up, space is endless when wing foiling.

Wing foilers: Jess and Lou, on the Lemon FPS Pro and Lethal FSP Pro (surf foil board).

What about family dilemmas when it comes to sharing gear on the good days? 😉

Our ritual is always the same. First we check the weather forecast (each independently), then we decide what to do and where to go, which always requires some negotiations… Then we load the van with whatever we’ll need on that day (a proper logistics job not to forget anything ;)).

Currently with our “advanced” level, Lou sails with a Lethal 4’2, Jess is on a Lemon 4’9 and I’m using a Lethal 4’10. As for the wings, we have two Droid 5m, two 4m Neutra and one 3m Neutra. This quiver of wings allows us to sail all four together in 14 to 25 knots. We’ll have to invest in a 2m for Lou who now sails with me in 40 knots and more. Under the boards we play with the Fluid M-S/M/M-T/L/L-T/XL-S which means that everyone is covered. Our equipment is very versatile because we are too. It allows us to ride in all conditions, both in wave programs and in freestyle or freeride. Since wing foils are part of our quiver, we have sold our kite gear. We still have windsurfing gear but it now has two inches of dust on it. The evolution is continuous with GONG Galaxy, after having tested the HIPE Pro we all fell in love with this small inflatable board and we are impatiently awaiting the new high aspect H-wings. We have been surfing, flying and dreaming in GONG for 15 years already and we reckon the adventure has only just begun.

How did your wing foiling debut go?

Everything happened step by step. Two years ago, I flew for the first time on a Zuma. At 12 years old, Lou quickly followed. Jess, who had cold feet at first, started last year and Théo is starting his first flights this year.

In fact, by following the advice of the technical sheets on the website that can be supplemented with the advice available on the forum, it is very easy to find the equipment that suits your level. Our quiver was therefore set up in stages, following our personal evolution and the evolution of the equipment. It’s now easier for me to feel what the necessary equipment is for the family with two years of experience. Lou also had beginnings on a Zuma 120 and later a 105 liters. A big step forward was the arrival of the Flint 5’6 in 95 liters, later switching to a Lemon 85l and eventually a Lethal 80l. The Flint became the learning board for Jess and now Theo.

Wing foiler: Jess with a Flint and Droid.

What advice would you give to beginners in wing foiling ?

Wing foiling is the board sport with the fastest progression. The pleasure of gliding is almost immediate. Everything is light and responsive in the hands, unlike windsurfing and kiting.

Thanks to appropriate equipment, all four of us quickly flew. We got into it with the Zuma and the Flint (about 100 liters) with a 65 cm mast and a Curve XL. With a wind of 16/17 knots, the 5m allowed to fly from the first sessions. Flying with the family is a permanent emulation. With my older son mastering the flight after a handful of sessions, the door is open for downwinds, small raids and exploring new spots.

Wing foiler: Lou with the Lethal FSP Pro and Neutra 3m.

Surf foiling boards are also part of the family quiver now. How was the transition from surfing to surf foiling?

At the moment, only Lou and I are surf foiling in the waves. The transition to surfing was also easy and quick with the Matata and the Lethal.

Which board sport is the priority when it comes to a family surf trip?

After more than 20 years of surf trips, our last trip in the Basque country was an eye opener on the impact of foiling on our state of mind and quiver. When the family wasn’t foiling yet, a few days before the trip, we kept our fingers crossed to have good conditions for surfing.

Now, we don’t have this stress anymore. If there are nice glassy waves, it is ideal for surfboards and longboards. If the waves are tiny, it’s great for surf foiling. And if the conditions are onshore, it’s wing foiling time ! And that’s exactly what happened on our last trip for 10 dreamy days.

Can we conclude with your best family memory on the water or during a surf trip ?

We have a lot of memories, we take a lot of pics of our sessions as we’re into photography as well. If we had to highlight our best memory… Well, there are too many of them!!! What we prefer above all is not necessarily the place or the quality of the conditions, but the pleasure of sessions where the four of us fly, jump and surf together.