It’s strange seeing pictures of kites flying around, tiny black figures beneath them, but no spray from boards. We better get used to it though, because foil boarding is here to stay after what’s just happened at the US Foilboard Nationals in San Francisco.

With almost thirty entrants, worldwide media coverage (at least in the sailing circles) and a huge range of equipment on show, foilboarding is just getting started. Prices of foils are coming down, competitors were doing well on home made boards and the camaraderie was great to see.

Winning the event with a solid row of first places, Johnny Heineken led the mens fleet by a long shot. Even clawing his way back from mid pack after a yacht threw chaos into the start of one race, using the new Ozone Chrono the unstoppable race machine found his way through everyone and still crossed the line first. Anyone who’ seen him kite knows what a machine the guy is, and with such a head start in the foiling game he’s going to be hard to catch.

Also hard to catch is his sister Erika. The Heineken duo are clearly something special when it comes to racing, first dominating the racing scene a few years ago on the new race boards, now obliterating the fleets in foiling too. Expect to see them around for a few years yet…

Don’t think this hydrofoil kiteboarding craze is just going on around the US either, it’s spread to Australia with almost as much vigor and passion. There’s not long now until the Sail Townsville Event where Australias best hydrofoilers will be pushing on the back foot, lifting off and quite literally flying around a course in Townsville.

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