Beginner Wing Foiling Tips from 3 Pros
Playa Central hosts wing foil clinics throughout the season and some have been with pro-riders Daniela Moroz, a two time Rolex Sportsman of the Year; Adam Withington, La Ventana’s local wingfoiling pro and Playa Central’s shop pro; and GoFoil owner and board shaper, Alex Aguera. It is no coincidence that all three of these people have spent considerable amount of time on Maui and are leaders in this new wind sport. Daniela and Adam are University of Hawaii alumni, and Alex, a Maui resident, is a Maui local pro and business man in the wind sports world. All three of these pros also spend time in La Ventana and have given wing foiling clinics at Playa Central. Alex is particularly knowledgeable because he was at the forefront of wingfoiling, with Kai Leny, being the first shaper to put a foil on a SUP for Kai to ride and test out on a downwinder, all in an effort to have more fun in the waves on Maui.
Adam Withington giving a beginner’s wingfoiling clinic at a Wing Wednesday Clinic, which is offered weekly at Playa Central, in La Ventana. Our weekly clinic is hosted by our instructors, international pros, brand ambassadors, and more, so stay tuned.
Daniela moroz’s beginner wing foiling tips:
Daniela Moroz usually stops by Playa Central in January or February and will host a specialty wing foiling clinic with us. Here are some of the tips she went over for beginners:
The ability to easily move and pump your wing helps when you are learning to wing foil. Smaller wingtips on your sail are easier to learn on because you don’t drag them on the water. Stiff sails are harder to use because the wing has no give and it is hard to generate your own power when you need to pump your sail.
When holding the wing sail, make sure you have a super wide spread of the arms. This will help you be able to sheet off power easily and have more control of the wing sail.
Make sure you are further forward on your board when standing up and riding so that you don’t get bucked off.
Get familiar with the board without the sail, see how tippy it is.
Make winging the first thing you do in the day to have more energy when learning.
Daniela Moroz, giving a wing foiling beginner clinic in La Ventana, at Playa Central. She recommends a very wide spread of the arms on the wing sail, which helps your ability to de-power.
At Playa Central we break it down from how to handle and carry the wing foiling gear, to how to jive and tack. Here is Daniela Moroz, a pro-racer, teaching the very basics at our Wing Wednesdays.
Adam Withington’s beginner wing foiling tips:
Adam is a long-time foiler and was one of the first wing foilers in Baja when the sport started. He runs one of the largest wing foiling lesson and rental centers in the world, Playa Central. Here are his basic tips for learning how to wing foil:
When learning, besides following the instructions on wing holding, board position, stance, etc., make it your ultimate goal to stay standing on the board for as long as possible. This means you may be letting the wing go often just to stay on.
It is all about board time, clock those hours and reduce your learning curve by maximizing your board time during your initial days. Having a a bunch of different sizes of wingfoiling gear to progress on helps, check out our progression rental program at Playa Central.
Try to get long runs in, this may mean organizing a downwinder and hauling your gear upwind, keeping a cell phone on you, and having a buddy or instructor with you. The extra effort is worth the gains.
If the wing tip drags, then punch your back hand down, this is what helps the wing lift up out of the water.
To avid tears, make sure the foil part of your board and the sail never touch.
Here is a photo of Adam Withington and his lead instructor, Dani, during a kid’s wingfoiling
camp at Playa Central in La Ventana.
Adam is the owner of Playa Central’s wing foil and kite center, and you can also book a private lesson with Adam. E-mail Adam for more information.
Alex Aguera’s beginner wing foiling tips:
Alex Aguera, owner and shaper of GoFoil, riding a wave on Maui.
Alex Aguera has been visiting Playa Central since 2010, and has a long standing friendship with Adam Withington. While Adam was studying on Maui he was riding with Aguera and Rista. After graduating and when wing foiling came out, Adam stocked up on GoFoil and opened one of the biggest wing foiling schools in the world in La Ventana. Here are some of the tips directly from the horse’s mouth, and my horse we mean, one of the founders of the sport:
To avoid “wasting your time,” make sure to start out on a board you can stand up on easily and float. You need to able to stand up on the wingfoil board with a wing and not fall off. If you are falling off, then you should get a bigger board.
Keep pressure on the front leg. It is a front leg sport, not a back leg sport, so make sure you don’t steer with your back leg.
Stay in the center of the board, and a little more on your toe-side than on the backside.
Ride GoFoil, and check out the progression products we designed for you.
At Playa Central you will find wing foil clinics, camps, lessons, rentals and gear sales. E-mail us for more information.
There you have it, some very basic tips from some very non-basic riders. Playa Central opens October-May of every year in La Ventana, and we host weekly wing clinics on Wednesdays. You can also reserve or walk in for a private wing foil lesson with us. If you or someone you know wants to dive into wing foiling, send them to Playa Central for clinics, camps, lessons, rentals and gear sales. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay updated. You can also WhatsApp and call us at +51.612.114.0267.