Foil Life Podcast

We’re thrilled to kick off our new role as the official podcast of the Surf Foil World Tour (SFT)! In this episode, we sit down with Jørgen Vogt and Tom Hartmann, the masterminds behind the SFT, a groundbreaking world tour for non-wind-powered foiling disciplines. From its roots in the GKA (Kite World Tour) and GWA (Wing Foil World Tour) to embracing pump foiling, surf foiling, and more, Jørgen and Tom share how the SFT is uniting passionate amateurs and pros alike, fostering a vibrant foiling community. This chat dives into the tour’s grassroots vibe and big ambitions.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• SFT’s Origin Story: How a 2019 Cape Town car chat sparked a new tour, building on Jørgen’s GKA success and Tom’s windsurf tour experience.
• Five Core Disciplines: Pump foiling, surf foiling, downwind foiling, e-foiling, and wake foiling—accessible sports for lake lovers, yacht owners, and wave chasers.
• Grassroots Appeal: Why the SFT’s Pro-Am approach welcomes enthusiasts, not just pros, fostering friendships and community at events like Pensacola and Sicily.
• Global Growth: From Düsseldorf’s indoor World Cup to North America’s rising demand, with the Atlanta Foil Fast World Cup (June 13-15, 2025) on the horizon.
• Event Challenges: Navigating financial hurdles and explaining niche foiling to sponsors, unlike the established GKA and GWA tours.
• Jørgen & Tom’s Partnership: A chance meeting at a Mauritius Kite World Cup party led to a dynamic duo driving foiling’s future.
• Community Impact: How SFT events, like Sicily’s Water Experience, invite newcomers to try foiling, sparking passion across generations.

Check out the SFT at https://www.surffoilworldtour.com/ for event schedules and details. Join the foiling community and catch the Atlanta Foil Fest World Cup vibe!

In this episode, we chat with Lukas Lam, a rising wing foiling star from Austria, whose meteoric rise with Duotone has taken him to the GWA Wingfoil World Tour. From learning to wing foil to impress his girlfriend to landing backflips in months, Lukas shares his journey of passion and perseverance alongside his pro wing foiler partner. Hear about his freestyle tricks, coaching kids in Greece, and chasing big air dreams.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Unlikely Start: How a former ice hockey player from Hong Kong dove into wing foiling in 2022 via his girlfriend’s windsurfing family.
• Fast Progress: Mastering tricks like frontside 360s and backflips with a gymnastics edge and relentless drive.
• Duotone Deal: Landing a sponsorship through a chance meeting with a kitesurfer in Austria.
• World Tour Path: Qualifying for Leucate, France, with video submissions for the GWA tour.
• Malta Training: Thriving on a rocky island with 20-knot winds and gnarly waves, training with his girlfriend.
• Coaching Kids: Teaching at the Duotone Pro Center and Board Academy’s 10-day camps in Limnos, Greece.
• Big Air Goals: Aiming for 14-15 meter jumps in the Canary Islands’ Big Air event, with safe landing tips.
• Life Off-Water: Juggling international relations studies, weight training, and Malta’s nightlife.

Follow Lukas on Instagram at @_lukaslam and explore the Duotone Pro Center and Board Academy at boardacademy.bg for wing foiling camps in Greece.

Watch the full episode on YouTube

In this episode, we catch up with kiteboarding legend Tom Court, a UK-based pioneer whose 20-year career has shaped the sport from its wild early days to its modern mainstream appeal. From riding two-line kites in Maui to producing viral vlogs and representing Duotone, Tom shares his journey of chasing wind, creativity, and freedom across the globe. With stories of competing on the world tour, kiting with sharks in Honduras, and advocating for sustainability, this episode dives into the heart of kiteboarding’s transformative power.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Early Days in Maui: How Tom’s childhood trip to Maui in 1998 sparked his love for kiteboarding, watching pioneers like Robbie Naish and Flash Austin experiment with the first inflatable kites.
• Sport Evolution: The rapid progression of kiteboarding from dangerous two-line setups to a dynamic sport with freestyle, big air, and foiling disciplines, driven by a community of innovators.
• Vlogging Journey: Tom’s shift from cinematic films like The Freeride Project to his weekly Caught in the Act vlog series, balancing spontaneous storytelling with action-packed adventures.
• Global Adventures: Highlights from kiting in Honduras with nurse sharks, tow-foiling through crocodile-filled mangroves, and downwinding 500km across the Western Sahara with his 67-year-old dad.
• Mainstream Moments: The thrill of introducing kiteboarding to UK audiences on Good Morning Britain and pushing for its recognition as a lifestyle that boosts mental and physical health.
• Sustainability Push: Insights into Duotone’s Concept Blue initiative, using eco-friendly materials like bio-based bladders and recycled plastics to reduce kiteboarding’s environmental impact.
• Wing Foiling Transition: Tom’s love-hate journey learning wing foiling, rediscovering the joy of progression, and his thoughts on the sport’s untapped potential and the rise of “para-wings.”
• Advice for Young Riders: Tom’s wisdom for aspiring water sports athletes—embrace the learning process, prioritize fun over pressure, and stay true to what fuels your passion for longevity in the sport.

Follow Tom’s adventures on Instagram at @courtintheact and catch his weekly vlogs on YouTube at Tom Court Kite. 

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On this episode, we chat with Tom Hartmann, tour manager for the GWA Wing Foil World Tour and Surf Foil World Tour (SFT). Fresh from the windy Mondial du Vent in Leucate, France, Tom breaks down the action, from wing foiling in 40-knot gusts to e-foiling and pump foiling in tough conditions. He shares what went down, who stood out, and how these sports are growing fast.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Leucate’s Crazy Weather: Nonstop winds switching from Tramontane to onshore, hitting 20-40 knots, making this one of the wildest Mondial du Vents in Tom’s 20 years there.
• GWA Standouts: Young gun Benjamin Castenskiold, 14, hitting the surf freestyle final, Nia chasing wins in all four disciplines, and Francesco Capuzzo taking free fly slalom.
• SFT Action: E-foiling in 40 knots, with a one-armed e-foiler competing and a jet ski downwind format for pump foil when waves got rough.
• New Faces & Moves: Clean front-to-backflip combos in surf freestyle, plus a record 18-19 women in wing foiling.
• Judging Shift: Ex-pro Max Robinson joining the judges, bringing his rider’s perspective to the tour.
• Next Stop: The SFT heading to Sicily’s Water Festival for pump foil, e-foil, and a big beach party vibe.

Check out the action on Instagram at @surffoilworldtour, follow on Facebook or YouTube, or head to surffoilworldtour.com for event info.

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On this episode, we sit down with 17-year-old wing foiling sensation Ancor Sosa from Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, whose infectious passion for wind sports has taken him from windsurfing at age seven to competing on the global stage of the GWA Wing Foil World Tour. Ancor shares his journey through windsurfing, kiting, and wing foiling, revealing the grit, family support, and island lifestyle that fuel his rise. From landing double flaccas to recovering from a meniscus injury, this episode dives into the highs and lows of chasing tricks, waves, and podiums in one of the world’s fastest-evolving water sports.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Island Roots: How growing up in Fuerteventura with parents running a windsurfing school gave Ancor a head start, learning to windsurf on wooden masts and braving side-onshore winds as a kid.
• Sport Evolution: Ancor’s transition from freestyle windsurfing on the European tour to kiting’s big air thrills and wing foiling’s explosive growth, blending the best of both worlds.
• Trick Progression: Insights into mastering funnels, forward loops, and pushing for 1440s, plus Ancor’s secret trick he’s been dialing in for months.
• Injury Comeback: The mental and physical challenges of recovering from a knee injury in time for a GWA event in Brazil, and how it taught him to train smarter with gym work and physio.
• Global Tour Life: Stories from competing in New Zealand’s inaugural GWA event, surviving Cape Verde’s gnarly Ponta Preta waves, and racing indoors in Germany’s first-ever wing foiling pool event.
• Family and Sponsors: The pivotal role of Ancor’s sister Zoe, who films his viral Instagram reels, and the support from Cabrinha, Dakine, and the Canary Islands community.
• Future Goals: Ancor’s plans to dominate the GWA tour, chase new wave and freestyle disciplines, and enjoy some cheese while competing in France.

Follow Ancor’s journey on Instagram at @ancor_sosa, check out his sister’s videography at @soka_photos, and see her kiting adventures at @zoesosakite.

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On this episode we sit down with Kevin Collins, a seasoned waterman who’s spent the last 24 years mastering kite surfing, and foiling on Maui’s world-class waves. From his early days chasing thunderstorms in Florida to building a foiling hub in Paia, Kevin shares his journey, hard-earned lessons, and the stoke of riding alongside many of Maui's legends. This episode is a deep dive into the evolution of foiling, the vibrant Maui community, and the passion that keeps Kevin charging at 64.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• From Florida to Maui: How Kevin’s kite surfing passion led him to Maui in 2001, trading a sedentary tech life for a waterman’s lifestyle fueled by consistent trade winds.
•  Maui Foil House Origins: The story of transforming a rundown windsurfing rental into a foiling base, offering lessons, rentals, and guided experiences for visitors.
• Foiling’s Early Days: Kevin’s journey from risky aluminum foils to riding cutting-edge Armstrong gear, reinvigorating his love for wind sports with the “unicycle on water” vibe.
• Mentoring Young Talent: Riding with rising stars like Cash Berzolla, Kevin reflects on the calculated risks and cat-like reflexes driving the next generation at spots like Pier 1.
• Maui’s Foiling Paradise: Why Ka’a and other breaks make Maui a global foiling mecca, with insights on the upcoming downwind season and Triple Crown races.

Visit www.mauifoilhouse.com and follow the action on Instagram at @foil.house or @mauifoilhouse

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In this exciting episode, Cash Berzolla joins us to dive into the vibrant world of wing foiling and big wave surfing on Maui.

• We recap his thrilling win at the GWA Wave World Cup in Cabo Verde, where he outshined friend Finn Spencer in a hard-fought final, and discuss how new rules on wing-powered airs are reshaping the sport.
• Cash shares insights on his custom Keith-shaped guns, his first wing foiling session at Pier 1, and the buzz around Kai Lenny’s multi-sport parawing adventure at Jaws.
• We explore Maui’s unique wind sports community, from Kanaha’s playground vibes to chance encounters with legends like Steven Tyler.
• Looking ahead, Cash teases his plans for the Triple Crown and a potential Molokai to Oahu paddle, plus a lively backgammon showdown with Oscar.

Visit: https://www.instagram.com/cash_berzolla

In this exciting episode, Tom Hartmann joins us to dive into the latest from the wing foiling and surf foiling world. 

• We recap the recent GWA Wave World Cup in Cabo Verde, where stellar conditions at Ponta Preta showcased top-tier performances, including Nia Suardiaz’s well-deserved women’s wave title and Cash Berzolla’s standout riding. 
• Tom shares behind-the-scenes insights, from equipment challenges to the new rule allowing wing-powered airs that elevated the show. 
• We reflect on Foiling Week in Pensacola, Florida—a vibrant, community-driven event connecting U.S. foilers across disciplines like wing foiling, pump foiling, and e-foiling. 
• Tom highlights the social aspect’s role in building the foil community, Pensacola’s potential as a water sports hub, and Cocoa Beach’s rise as a key spot, despite tricky swell at the Foil Surf Race League. 
• Looking ahead, the future of surf foiling shines bright with plans for new events and formats. 
• Plus, Tom shares a lively detour to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, soaking in its wild, cultural energy. 

Visit https://www.surffoilworldtour.com/ and https://www.wingfoilworldtour.com/ for more!

In this episode, we catch up with Florian "Flo" Crausaz, a Swiss wood engineer turned wing foil extraordinaire. Flo shares his journey from soccer fields to windsurfing waves, sparked by a childhood passion and fueled by a life-changing stint as a windsurf instructor in Greece—where he met his wife!

• Roots to Waves: Kicking off with soccer at age four, Flo dove into windsurfing at 15, chasing the lifestyle despite no ocean nearby.
• Foil Fever: From doubling his water time with windsurf foils to riding cutting-edge Ensis and MB Boards gear, Flo’s hooked on wing foiling’s freedom.
• Swiss Scene: Testing prototypes in Switzerland’s lakes, he’s shaping the future of foil with brands like Ensis—check out his trusty 840 monoblock foil!
• Life on Water: Epic trips like a 4,000km Brazil windsurf odyssey and spontaneous lake sessions show his relentless stoke.

Visit: https://www.instagram.com/surf.floow/

On this episode, we chat with Daniel Paronetto, aka Foil Rat, who joins us to share his deep dive into parawing with a focus on safety, skill-building, and slick tricks—perfect for foilers ready to shred smarter!

• Safety first: Daniel shares life vests, beacons, and tourniquets as must-haves after a near-miss tale, urging prep for offshore runs.
• The learning curve: From Luc’s first session to Daniel’s kite-to-parawing shift, it’s all about patience and bigger boards.
• Tips and tricks: Sync foil pumps with cautious parawing tugs, stow like a pro, and ditch harnesses to dodge tangles—skills to nail.
• Highlights practice hacks 
• And Much More.

Visit: https://www.youtube.com/@foilratvids & https://www.instagram.com/foilrat