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Windsurf talk to the 2018 PWA foil champion Gonzalo Costa Hoevel, for his update from Tarifa, as well as a few of his top tips for first time foilers!

Photos: PWA/CARTER

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WS: How is life for you at home in Tarifa during the crises?

GCH: So far it is going ok until you look out the window and you see 20-25 knots and clear skies almost every day!

WS: What have you been doing on a typical day?

GCH: I’ve been working a lot on the new Olympic Class, iQFoiL, so a lot of hours behind the computer. So, I have not been able to get bored yet! We have been preparing a lot of documents, planning events, checking on the production, explaining to Federations everything, endless tasks…that is keeping me busy!

WS: Are you missing racing?

GCH: Sure, it has been a while for me. I stopped racing halfway into the year to put all my effort into the iQFoil Campaign for Starboard.

WS: Are you allowed to windsurf?

GCH: No, we are not allowed, we are not even allowed to leave home here in Tarifa, the rules are very strict!

WS: Do you think you will be competing again this season?

GCH: Hopefully yes! I think that maybe September onwards we will be back racing.

WS: Can you tell us how you are keeping fit and mentally strong during the last month?

GCH: I am not keeping fit…ha-ha. Mentally I am staying super busy with plenty of things to do for the class.

WS: Can you give us some tips about foiling? For a first time recreational foiler, what sort of set up should they look for?

GCH: The foiling gear is getting easier and easier every day, I would recommend to take the super cruiser or free ride foil from Starboard, both have super friendly rides. Ideal board would be foil freeride 125 or 150 and the Glyde sail, which is an extremely light sail with really good planing abilities and handling when on air. With good foil dedicated gear everything is much easier. When you try the first timeit is important to keep the board flat, so there is no movement to leeward or windward. Try to get planing as like you would do on your normal board, but don’t go full power. You will start feeling the foil is doing its work lifting the board up calmly, if it doesn’t then you need more speed. If you try to bring it up with your legs as the pros do, then you will need to move drastically your weight forward to level it again, so it becomes pretty technical. So it is much better to get speed until you start feeling the board is coming out of the water and then as soon as you feel the board leaves the water you move your weight to the front leg to level the flight.

WS: What level of windsurfing skills do you need to switch to foiling?

GCH: These days you can learn foil very quickly. Any free rider that knows to go back and forward in the foot straps planning should be able to foil quite easily.

WS: What is the best way to start off with learning to foil?

GCH: I recommend a small sail and big board with a big friendly foil!

WS: What are the toughest parts to learn when starting up?

GCH: Gybing and staying up on foil. Gybing is pretty tricky, but once you make one it is a magical feeling! A good tip is to keep your speed through the gybe, don’t slow down in the middle of it, concentrate on that, the sail will follow and change side on its own.

WS: Why do you love windsurfing?

GCH: I love the feeling of going fast in the water, and now above the water even more.

WS: What do you love about foiling?

GCH: It is pretty insane when you first go up on the foil, control it and you don’t touch the water anymore. When before you were stuck on every chop or wave now you just go above them effortlessly. It is very magical and you can cover very big distances without getting tired.