WING FOIL: Keeping Balance & Controlling Roll (foiling fundamentals)

This guide explains the key principles which help you stay balanced while wing foiling. This is part of the foiling fundamentals series.
Thanks to professional wingsurfer Karo Van Tonder for sharing footage of her learning journey:
/ karovantonder
/ karovantondersa89
/ karo.vantonder

[@TreasureMann]

Thank you! This really helped me and made a difference 🤙🏼

[@sennheiser1966]

Thanks for another great tutorial! Your series is already the Gold standard for Wing foil tutorials! 👍 -In the future, please add a segment on how to control your speed while up on foil! -As a wing foiling beginner, I often pick up more speed than I would like as soon as I get up on foil... 😰

[@ICBM89]

I think your only option here is depowering your wing

[@NeuralEngin33r]

Just deploy a small parachute.

[@motarder21]

Heelside control. I just did my first actual foil, under instruction. . The 1:40-2:00 segment above helps me understand a great deal about what I was doing wrong. When I mentioned I struggled to get ANY pressure on my heels, my coach at Madloop in Auckland NZ, said to keep the wing lower then. He had been telling me to lean back on those heels but this will help a great deal I am sure. I'm looking forward to the next session!

[@pilexaew]

Thanks for this tutorial! I´d like to know the wind conditions and weight the rider, also the characteristics of the gear used. Thanks again

[@lettheroadtakeyou]

Great tutorial, thank you! Would be possible to put one together about the positioning of the wing? You have touched on it in multiple videos (including this one) but it would be great to see one that goes into the details (how to move wing to go up-wind, how to position the wing to help get up on the board vs moving and being on foil, how to balance our body with the wing, etc...). Thank you again. Great videos! Very helpful stuff.

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thanks very much. Yes, I am making a few more videos on foiling fundamentals, that should be helpful. Those will include more about turning the board, riding different courses (furthest upwind to furthest downwind), yawing the board (twisting the board with your feet and with the wing), doing longer flights on the foil, and handling different conditions.

[@bat_242_]

Thanks for your videos! Tell me, do you have a video on how to properly walk on a wing with hydrofoil tacks?

[@kitesurfcollege]

Hi, yes the toeside to heelside tack and the heelside to toeside tack are explained in our wing foil playlist: ruclips.net/p/PL41dAinz_9ZffUYrzT9c6MiZC0PEX41go

[@ameizing]

Hi! Thank you very much for such an informative tutorial, it has helped me a lot in my wing journey.
From 1.39 onwards you mention leaning too far heelside will result in toeside losing contact with board and thus rider falls heelside, with his back to the water.
May I clarify, at 1.47 you mentioned the rider is leaning too far toeside of the mast line.
His body position seems to suggest too much weight on the heelside.
Could you clarify for my understanding please, would greatly appreciate it!

[@kitesurfcollege]

Hi ML F, I checked the time stamp. The rider is leaning hugely towards toeside at 1:47 and then their heels loose contact. Their center of mass is about 30cm toward the toeside rail of the boards center line. I guess there must be a terminology issue or some other cause of confusion. Maybe have another watch. I will also make a terminology video at some point. Words like switch, for example, cause a lot of confusion and need to be replaced with the more explicit terminology of heelside/toeside.

[@geertmoens6761]

I really love these tutorials, many thanks ! (I feel sorry a bit for the guy that always has to show how NOT to do it without wearing an impact vest or helmet... 🙂)

[@kitesurfcollege]

Hi Geert. Thanks very much. I don't feel bad for that guy too much, mainly because he's me. I do the research, testing, writing & demonstrations - basically everything, and my wife does the videography. Also the gear I'm riding is well within my comfort zone, I'm used to foiling with 700cm2 front wing (which is much more dangerous and difficult to handle), whereas this is filmed with 2000cm2 and 1500cm2 front wings. Also, my wetsuit has some impact protection on then shins and torso.

[@StephaneSchoch-hc3xm]

Merci !

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thanks, I hope the video helps, all the best, Alex