Competition Insights from the Tarifa Wing Pro

We are so stoked to see the level of wing foiling progress from one event to the next. The competition is already going through the roof, for both the men and the women!

This week we sat down (virtually of course) with the top-placing female riders from the event. They shared their favorite event tricks, how they prepared for the event and where they see the future of wing foiling heading!

Read on for interviews with Eva Wyss (winner of the Surf/Freestyle category and runner up in the expression session), Olivia Piana (winner of the expression session and placed third in the Surf/Freestyle category), and Laura Rudolph (placed second in Surf/Freestyle).

Let’s start with Eva:

Favorite Trick of the competition?

Air 360 which I learned just the day before the competition.

How did you prepare for the competition?

We – Balz, Laura, Michi, Andi – drove to Tarifa by van before Christmas to get to know the spot by wing foiling. Tarifa and its surroundings is such a nice place to explore by van. Every session on the water together was so nice and I got inspired by all the happy wingers around me. First, we foiled with almost only the locals then more and more riders arrived in Balneario/Playa Chica. It was especially motivational to ride with the women.
And I also believe that the No.1 pizzas gave us enough energy in the evening to be ready the next day again.

Where do you see wing sports going?

Besides the water sports enthusiasts, I think it will also attract all sorts of people who have never done any water sports before: young/older – women/men – ocean lovers/people who live close to a lake, …
And winging will not only be on water, but you can also have a lot of fun on a skateboard or on snow, too.

How do you recommend someone gets started with wing foiling?

Play with the wing at the shore. Find out (on your own, by tutorials or instructors) how the wing works. Try to put it in neutral, feel when it’s powered up and try to jibe so you feel how the wing reacts by changing the positions of the hands. Find out how to turn the wing from upside down and think how you would do it on a board. Also, try out how you would use the wing from a kneeling to a standing position. Then to the water, let’s go.
The first sessions should be with decent wind (>15 km), use a foil with a big surface (>1700 cm2) and easy-lift, a floaty board and a wing which is not too big so that the winglets of the foil don’t always touch the water when you try pumping your foil up.
You will see after a few sessions you will be able to wing foil with far less wind.

How can our readers start taking their wing foiling to the next level?

Watch other riders who inspire you, visualize a trick or move you would like to learn. And then do it like Pippi Longstocking says: I have never tried that before, so I think I should definitely be able to do that.

What’s your favorite pre-competition food or snack?

Coffee and Chocolate