24PROFILEWYATT MILLER
Is foiling the future of windsurfing? We
hear in the States that it’s all that’s being
talked about, whereas in the UK it’s
catching on slightly slower.
I definitely think it is the biggest thing to boost windsurfing
since the short board. I think a lot of people have given up
windsurfing because it’s so hard to find good conditions and
boring conditions are well… disappointing. But with the foil
you hardly need any wind to have a super exiting session.
Being bad a jibing again is fun, when you finally get one
foiling all the way through you scream your head off just like
you did on your first normal jibes. Two years ago everyone in
the States said foiling was stupid, then a ton of those people
got foils last summer and this summer it is really taking off.
Everybody who comes down to my windsurf resort learns
how, and quickly. Most people are getting 100m rides their
first hour. I think it’s the easiest foil platform to learn.
What’s your opinion on windsurfing in
general (globally)?
Here in the States it has dropped off significantly, the parking
lots used to be full on the good days. Now there plenty of
parking spaces on all but the best days. I think it’s more
popular in Europe and holding steady there. The Europeans
just have a lot more of a sailing culture and I think all the
sailing clubs and schools drive a lot of interest.
Two years ago everyone in the States said foiling
was stupid, then a ton of those people got foils last
summer and this summer it is really taking off
And what about those sailors who have
no interest in flying? Do you think things
like the renaissance of one design
longboard riding is set to grow again
after Cobra’s recent announcement
regarding the Windsurfer LT?
Somehow I don’t see old school longboarding bringing
windsurfing back. I think foiling is the future. I can only
imagine that pretty soon we will all have electric foil boards
and be ripping around every body of water without a sail. If you
could motor up and then kill the motor, pump and ride swell
and then give it a little juice when you needed it from the
electric motor it would be so fun. I think the all watersports
enthusiasts will know how to foil in one way or another.
Tell us about your new role with Slingshot
– how did that come about?
The Slingshot designer Tony Logosz absolutely rips on a windfoil.
When I was a kid I wanted one of his Logosz Design windsurf
boards soooo bad. The guy has a huge history of being at the
forefront of windsurf design. He was developing foiling gear in its
infancy and testing it here in Hood River and making it look so
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