Foil Life Podcast by SFT

This episode is brought to you by Villa Carina Apartments in beautiful Bonaire. In this episode we catch up with Slingshot's wind division powerhouse duo: Elliott Tauscher (brand manager and Hood River local) and pro rider/engineer Trent Carter (fresh from endless downwind sessions in Oahu).Recorded remotely as the seasons shift—fall hibernation in the Gorge and peak downwind season in Hawaii—the guys kick things off with life updates, snowboarding war stories, and how their roots in skiing, snowboarding, and lake waterman antics shaped their paths into foiling pros.We go deep on:Trent's journey from ditching high school classes for secret Tahoe downwind runs on an Infinity 84 to pitching epic film projects and joining the Slingshot teamHow Slingshot pairs elite athletes like Trent with designers to push boundaries, from early kite innovations to the game-changing One-Lock screwless foil systemDrag as the ultimate enemy: why eliminating screws, optimizing masts/fuselages, and quick-swapping wings/tails unlocks efficiency, stiffness, and endless setup tweaksThe evolution of downwind foils: insane glide with consistent range, high-aspect designs that now carve like surf foils, anhedral/dihedral for maneuverability, and profile tweaks for lift distributionReal-world testing in ocean swell vs. Gorge swell, gear optimization for every condition, and why no single setup rules everywhereWild future ideas: self-adjusting stabilizers, adaptive foils, and how innovations like One-Lock make swapping (and progressing) effortless for everyoneFoiling's magic in connecting disciplines—kite, wing, prone, pump, downwind—and bringing the whole watersports community togetherFrom raw athlete feedback driving R&D to the sheer joy of making foils faster, smoother, and more fun, this is an unfiltered look inside one of foiling's most innovative brands—and why the best is still yet to come.If you've ever wondered what goes into building the foils dominating downwind runs and beyond … this is it.Follow Slingshot → https://slingshotsports.com/pages/foilTrent Carter → @trent.carterElliott Tauscher: @elliott_stays

This episode is brought to you by Villa Carina Apartments in beautiful Bonaire. Welcome to the very first episode of the Foil Life Travel Show! Your go to series series dedicated to the world’s best foil destinations, schools, accommodations and hidden gems. We’re kicking off the journey in style with Carl from The Launch Pad Windsurf & Foil Academy on his private island in Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada — hands-down one of the most stunning and unique teaching spots on the planet.In this premiere episode you’ll discover:- Why a 45-year windsurfing veteran bought his own island and turned it into a full-time foil & windsurf academy- How Georgian Bay delivers Caribbean-looking water and surprisingly consistent summer breeze (thanks to Canadian Shield thermals + the biggest wind farm in Ontario nearby)- Carl’s insanely effective (and fun) teaching system: the world’s wobbliest land simulator, BB Talkin’ headsets, tow-foiling, dry-land drills, and post-session island beers- Lessons in windsurfing, wind-foiling, and wing-foiling — with wing-foiling now ~50% of bookings- Crazy traveler-friendly pricing: only CAD $175 for a 2-hour private lesson (everything above costs gets donated to Toronto Windsurfing Club)- Water-access-only adventure: boat rentals, water taxis, nearby lodges & campsites all linked- Duotone & North-supported gear fleet including the magical iRig for kids and beginnersIf you’ve ever wanted to learn to foil (or level up) surrounded by crystal-clear Canadian wilderness that feels like the BVI but with zero crowds… this is your spot.Book your island foil adventure at: https://www.launchpadwindsurfacademy.ca/View Listing: https://foillifepodcast.com/the-launch-pad-windsurf-foil-academyNext stop… who knows? Drop your dream foil destination in the comments ⬇️#FoilTravelShow #001 #WingFoil #WindFoil #Windsurf #GeorgianBay #CanadaFoiling #LearnToFoil #PrivateIslandVibes #TheLaunchPad

This episode is brought to you by Villa Carina Apartments in beautiful Bonaire. In this episode, we sit down with the newly crowned 2025 E-Foil Surf Foil World Tour (SFT) World Champion – the undefeated e-foil racer who took the title in the season finale in Abu Dhabi.Fresh off dominating the inaugural SFT season, the Florida-based ripper (and Flightboard early adopter) joins us to break down what it actually feels like to turn a five-year hunch into a world championship, how e-foil racing went from “nice idea” to a full-blown global tour in record time, and why this sport is exploding faster than anyone predicted.We go deep on:- From kite-smash accidents to building one of the first e-foil schools in South Florida  - The wild Atlanta Foil Fest Enduro with Brian Grubb, Nick Leeson, and 20 riders dodging submerged trees at full throttle  - Unsanctioned full-send dawn patrols through Amsterdam’s canals (don’t try this at home)  - Gear geek-out: custom shims, chopped tails, 900 Flow vs 707 Flux wings, aftermarket race props, and why everything is still basically stock… for now  - Why full-face helmets and downhill MTB armor are becoming mandatory at 33–35 mph  - Mental warfare on the beach, prop-wash tactics, hot launches, and pulling 3+G turns  - Traveling the world with boards but no batteries (and how the Flightboard rental network saves the day)  - The massive progression from the first dealer races in 2022 to riders now training full-time and closing the gap second by second  - Where e-foil racing is headed: open-ocean courses, city canal sprints, Everglades gator-chasing, and boards that will eventually hit 50 mph  Year one of the Surf Foil World Tour is in the books, prize money is real, brands are paying attention, and the level is skyrocketing. The champ gives us the unfiltered look at what it took to stay on top — and why 2026 is about to get even crazier.If you’ve ever wondered what the cutting edge of foiling actually looks, sounds, and feels like… this is it.Follow the Surf Foil Tour → https://www.surffoilworldtour.com Justin Chait → https://www.instagram.com/_justinchait_/

This episode is brought to you by Villa Carina Apartments in beautiful Bonaire. In this episode, we catch up with Tom Hartmann – tour manager of the GKA Kite World Tour, Wingfoil World Tour, and founder of the brand-new Surf Foil World Tour (SFT) – fresh from the biggest water sports spectacle the Middle East has ever seen in Abu Dhabi and now chasing the final Kite World Tour stops in Brazil.Tom takes us behind the scenes of the massive nine-day Abu Dhabi event on the soon-to-be “Miami Beach of the Gulf” (Fahid Island), where kite big air, wingfoil racing, e-foil, and wakefoil all shared the spotlight, 2,500+ spectators showed up on weekends, and the whole thing was broadcast live on TV across the region. With €10,000 prize money per SFT discipline, perfect glassy morning conditions, and a level of organization that left athletes speechless, this was the perfect season finale for the inaugural Surf Foil World Tour.- Abu Dhabi deep dive – why foiling (e-foil, wakefoil, wing, kite, surf, pump) is exploding in the Gulf and how the event showcased every flavor of the sport.- E-foil racing at the highest level yet – Justin Chait remains undefeated in 2025, Agnes takes the women’s division, and we talk 3G corners, wingtip-out carving, and why technical skill still beats raw speed.- Wakefoil’s breakout moment – first fully independent SFT wakefoil comp, drone + boat broadcasting magic, and why wakefoiling could be the most spectator-friendly foiling discipline out there.- The massive growth nobody saw coming – from a hopeful start to nine events worldwide in year one, with a 2026 calendar dropping in the next couple weeks.- What’s next for SFT in 2026 – more surf foil, downwind, wakefoil, the return of the epic indoor Düsseldorf pump & wing event, and a brand-new Foil Assist discipline that mixes propulsion take-offs with pure pumping sections.- Plus Tom’s love for açaí bowls at Brazilian sunset and maybe sneaking in some surf trips to Nicaragua or Costa Rica before heading home.Year one of the Surf Foil World Tour is officially in the books and it’s safe to say foiling just went global – big budgets, big crowds, and bigger stoke. Here’s to 2026 being even wilder.Follow the Surf Foil Tour → https://www.surffoiltour.com 

This episode is brought to you by Villa Carina Apartments in beautiful Bonaire. In this episode, we sit down with Sascha Lange, the 41-year-old German windsurf coach, personal trainer, and author of the brand-new wind bible called "Never Not Windsurfing – Defeat Age & Keep the Stoke Alive". Fresh off a one-year writing marathon (and still hand-packing and shipping every single copy himself), Sascha joins us to talk about why he poured his soul into the ultimate fitness and longevity guide for windsurfers over 40 – and why even the youngest PWA pros are already using it.From his beginnings as a passionate windsurfer in 1997 to becoming one of the most sought-after coaches in the sport, Sascha explains how analyzing YouTube clips of his clients at midnight led to hyper-specific training programs that fix exactly what’s holding riders back on the water. With contributions from over 50 of the biggest names in windsurfing – Björn Dunkerbeck, Sarah-Quita Offringa, Marcilio Browne, Ricardo Campello, Victor Fernandez, Gollito Estredo, and an epic foreword from Captain Paul Watson, plus extra-long contribution from the godfather himself, Balz Müller – this isn’t just another fitness book.Why “Never Not Windsurfing”? Turning 40 sparked the idea: Sascha is fitter now than ever and wanted to prove age is just a number if you train smart.Book Structure & Philosophy: From decade-specific body changes to mobility, functional strength, balance & coordination, breathing techniques, biohacking (sleep, sunlight, cold plunging), and a full chapter on designing your own success plan – pick what you need, when you need it.Who It’s For: Primarily the 40+ crew (weekend warriors, parents, people with real jobs and no trade winds), but young pros are already stealing the advanced stability, endurance, and mental-game tools. Works for wing foiling too.Real-Life Impact: How 10–15 minute targeted sessions beat three-hour gym marathons, why your core is the “transmission” between sail and board, and how small consistent wins stop you starting every season from scratch.Cold Plunging, Breathing & Biohacking: Sascha’s daily reset rituals, why nasal breathing through an ice bath is the new meditation, and how to use cold exposure without freaking out.The Captain Paul Watson Foundation: €1 from every book goes straight to ocean protection – plus Paul Watson himself wrote the foreword because the oceans are our playground and the animals’ living room.Behind-the-Scenes Madness: Self-publishing both English and German editions, hand-writing dedications, midnight post-office runs, and why the book is stitched (not just glued) so it literally lasts forever.What’s Next: Online “Fit for Surfing” programs, windsurf retreats (Vancouver Island anyone?), and maybe… a wing-foiling version one day.Whether you’re chasing your first solid gybe, still ripping at 60, or a pro looking for that extra edge, *Never Not Windsurfing* is built to keep you on the water longer, stronger, and stoked for life. Follow Sascha → https://www.instagram.com/langepersonaltraining/Captain Paul Watson Foundation → https://www.paulwatsonfoundation.org/