Foil Life Podcast

On this episode of the Foil Life Podcast, Luc Moore sits down with Kaden of Sicko Country — the Hood River crew that just hit one million YouTube subscribers — to talk growing up on the Columbia, the jump from 30-second tow-foil runs to parawing addiction, and what it takes to film a full-time action channel around wind.
They recap how a small-town friend group became a six-person YouTube operation, a COVID summer that turned a side project into a job, and idea generation that is anything but a dialed calendar. Kaden covers early kite and windsurf years, why the crew prefers parawing for the hands-free surf-foil feel, Apple Tree / F-One / Ozone setups, Rufus as the dream downwinder, when 40 knots means shuttle-only, YouTube analytics without losing the soul of the channel, close calls on foils and slip-and-slides, and a dream shred trip to Mauritius with zero algorithm talk.
Episode Highlights:
- One million subscribers as a milestone, not a finish line
- How the crew formed in tiny Hood River — river, mountain, school, family friends
- The kid who said he could film, couldn’t, and stayed because he was funny
- Ideas from reels, Marketplace, invitations, and a few sit-downs a year
- Windsurf as a toddler → kite at 13 → kite foil → wing → parawing
- Early downwinding: old foils behind the ski, 30 seconds felt insane
- Why parawing wins: surf-foil feel, nothing in your hands through the turns
- Gear: Apple Tree Skipper 50L, F-One skate foil, Ozone Pocket Rocket
- May–September Hood window; filming days planned around *not* windy
- YouTube was never the childhood dream — COVID + camera skills lined it up
- Jackson as unofficial boss; legally even, practically a glue guy
- Favorite downwinder: Rufus — big waves next to a truck-stop Cinnabon
- Safety they are finally booking: first aid, avalanche, water rescue
- Dream video: Mauritius, forget YouTube, just shred
- Home river still beats most travel spots; foiling pulled parents and grandparents back on the water
Visit: https://www.youtube.com/@Sickos / https://www.thefoilingmagazine.com

On this episode of the Foil Life Podcast, Luc Moore sits down with Mike Raper (newly appointed Global Brand Director at Foil Drive) and Nico Hopp (Hoppline) to talk about the foil assist revolution, why the product still feels like “surfers for surfers,” and where powered foiling, downwinding and beginner access are heading next.
They recap Mike’s reset after leaving North and a 2024 brain hemorrhage, months chasing swell and wind between New Zealand and Australia, and the decision to come back into the industry with Paul Martin, Ben Jamieson and the Foil Drive crew. Nico brings the European demo-and-camp view: heat-dome summers, Baltic sessions, tool-less Mini Pod swaps, Fusion racing, and how fast first-timers progress when they get days on the water instead of a 20-minute demo.
The conversation covers efficiency and testing without waiting for wind, Jerry Lopez finding empty lineup waves at 77, Fusion / Max / Slim as different tools rather than one product, camps that turn into all-day foil-drive clinics, downwind racing where you’re faster off the trigger than on it, second-hand units that still last, and why assist is another quiver item instead of a replacement for wing, prone or pump.
Episode Highlights:
- Mike’s new role at Foil Drive: brand look and feel plus product-to-market, working with designers across foil brands instead of competing with them
- Why Foil Drive: people first, in-house manufacturing, and a product Mike was already using to get onto bigger waves on a 35L board and smaller wings
- Mini Pod: tool-less, light enough that even die-hard prone riders will mount and unmount it between sessions
- Teaching: first session is the trigger; multi-day camps flatten the learning curve from zero to real foiling
- Systems: Fusion for power and beginners / e-foil racing, Max as the all-rounder, Slim as the underrated downwind and performance unit
- Downwind and racing: short bursts to get on foil, then pump; thinner masts and smaller wings as power and thrust improve
- Durability and access: modular parts, cheap wear items, a growing second-hand market, and pairing assist with a power wing as backup
- Culture: evenings still end with “session first or pack down first,” and knowledge plus passion as the moat as more brands enter the category
Visit: https://foildrive.com/

On this episode of the Foil Life Podcast, Luc Moore sits down with Clinton Filen (recently stepped into Chief Brand Officer at NAG) to talk about the transition after two decades in design and brand management, what it takes to keep innovation moving inside a large multi-sport company, and where foiling, winging, kiting and windsurfing are heading next.
They recap Clinton’s path from childhood windsurfing on the South African coast through early kiting and wing prototypes, time in Maui and Australia (Severn/Airush), and the last six months at North Action Sports Group. The conversation covers design philosophy, building a culture of innovation versus commercial reality, lowering barriers to entry while keeping depth for obsessed riders, how foiling is connecting previously separate sports, current go-to gear, and the disconnect between a 40–60-year-old buying audience and much younger marketing.
Episode Highlights:
- Six months into the North role: keeping core talent (kite and wing designers), adding graphic design and admin capacity, and a shout-out to the original New Zealand team that built the brand
- Design approach: thinking in systems and architecture, staying radically open-minded, questioning line lengths, aspect ratios and connection systems, then dropping back into “who is the customer and how do we make it more fun”
- Innovation reality: most disruption still comes from outside the industry; entrenched connection systems can slow change; useful cross-pollination between wing, kite, windsurf and foil
- Barriers to entry vs. mastery: easier assembly, lower cost and more approachable gear for people who ride a few days a month, while still offering the nuance that keeps daily riders chasing the last 5 seconds of glide
- Current riding: MIDI Pro boards as a daily driver, Boost masts, exploring foil-drive, Nervas wings, and the more speed-focused Modes — plus prototypes already in the works
- Growing the pie: foiling as a gateway sport (pump foil on lakes, foil-assist, wing), speaking differently to first-time buyers versus five-year veterans, and why waterman culture beats putting people in boxes
- Advice for junior designers: curiosity first, radical open-mindedness, self-discipline, humility, and remembering it was a team that got you there
Visit: https://northactionsports.com/

On this episode of the Foil Life Podcast, Luc Moore sits down with Robert Ross (Ecuador Foil), Brazilian pro Mizo, and foil-drive specialist Paul to talk about the upcoming March retreat in Ecuador.
They recap the strong May camp, the decision to bring two high-level coaches together, and what riders can expect from an open-window format across the first two weeks of March. The conversation covers coaching approaches for prone, tow-boogie, foil drive, and SUP foil; how the Ecuador spots work for different levels; gear choices and setups; the family-friendly logistics in Montañita; and how the Ecuador experience differs from the more intense, wave-focused Chicama camps Paul and Mizo are running in September and October.
Episode Highlights:
- Open-window March retreat (first two weeks) with flexible 7-night stays — Mizo committed for the full period, Paul aiming for at least a week (and potentially the whole thing)
- Multiple disciplines on offer every day: prone, tow-boogie, foil drive, SUP foil, with boat support outside the reef and the option to add a second boat
- Coaching styles: Mizo’s progression path for riders coming from wing/boat backgrounds into prone (whitewater starts, weight forward, board choice), and Paul’s foil-drive approach that works from complete beginners to advanced aerials and strapped riding
- Gear talk: F1 Skate 850 as a daily driver, the new Sushi (680/740), Armstrong 690 MK2 and UHAs, Code 700X, upcoming KT Solace/Halo, and why the mini-pod + sport batteries have changed the foil-drive feel
- Foot-strap positioning, the challenges of paddling with straps, and how foil drive makes strapped riding far more practical
- Ecuador logistics: Montañita base (2 hours from Guayaquil), airport pickups, single-occupancy rooms/villas, private retreat pool area, family-friendly pricing, daily long-lens video, and consistent waist-to-double-overhead waves
- Chicama contrast: long, predictable lefts, the intensity of wave time, tow/Zodiac logistics, wing vs. parawing vs. foil-drive options, and why the two destinations feel very different
- Bonus: Mizo’s upcoming Voyager SUP-foil downwind camp in Ceará, Brazil (early September) and the reliable 30-knot conditions there
A practical, high-energy conversation packed with coaching insight, gear real-talk, and clear details for anyone considering a multi-discipline foil trip to Ecuador (or Chicama).
Stay tuned for more great episodes, including the return of additional guests and continued adventures.
To book the Ecuador retreat send us a DM on Instagram or send us an email: info@foillifepodcast.com

On this episode of the Foil Life Podcast, Luc Moore sits down with newly crowned 2026 GWA Wingfoil World Cup Freefly-Slalom World Champion Kylie Belloeuvre to recap her long-awaited title win, the mental work behind it, and what it took to finally beat longtime rival Nia Suardiaz. After years of podium finishes (second, second, then third), Kylie talks about the high-stakes final day in Fuerteventura, the value of being the chaser rather than the hunted, and how two sport psychologists helped her manage the emotions that used to derail her in big moments.
They cover her dad flying in last-minute to caddy at Gran Canaria, the French national team vibe that now feels more like FOMO than pressure, her NeilPryde Firefly Pro and JP prototype setup, the mid-season switch from Levitaz to Chubonga foils, and how Waterspeed data confirmed she was faster and more consistent. Kylie also shares her thoughts on GWA versus Formula Wing for the Olympics, her engineering studies (now moving into fluid dynamics), and why she’s just trying to keep having fun while surviving at the top of the sport.
Episode Highlights:
- Path from consistent vice-champion to 2026 Freefly-Slalom World Champion after a must-win final against Nia
- Mental training with two coaches and how she finally stayed composed when it mattered most
- Family support, French team training camps, and celebrating the title with a low-key homemade dinner
- Gear choices: Firefly Pro over Fly Pro, JP Rwinger prototype, Chubonga foil switch for stability in waves and weed
- Using Waterspeed to track acceleration, 100–300 m segments, and gear changes — hitting 31.6 knots
- Olympics outlook: why she prefers GWA’s spectacle over traditional racing
- School-life balance as a mechanical engineering student heading toward fluid dynamics and possible foil design
- Next steps: Brittany training camp, sponsor visits, and staying ready without burning out
A genuine, high-energy conversation with one of the sport’s most thoughtful and determined riders — packed with race-day stories, gear insights, and the real work that happens between the events.
Stay tuned for more great episodes, including the return of additional guests and continued adventures.
Visit: https://www.instagram.com/kylie.blv/