
Robby Naish...fulfilling the prophecy of Bob McTavish from 1981; McTavish, Bob: Windsurfing - Are you ready for it? Tracks, Number 124, January 1981: "There's got to be some way to incorporate another swivel and a bigger, different, hang glider-like sail, so you can pull the sail right overhead when you've jumped, or better yet, when you've caught a swell, running into the wind. Then a low sail like that plugs into "in-ground effect" and you're actually flying, soaring like a gull or a gannett, over the swell with the offshore ruffles flying by beneath. What a buzz!"
I kind of feel badly for windsurfing, kiting and even wind foiling as sports -- I'll still wind foil but winging is not only here to stay but seems to be growing exponentially. In my opinion only windsurfers will move to wind foiling and everyone else to the wing. Robbie seems to be able to see the writing on the wall and his business is adapting to a new water sport's world order.
I kind of feel badly for windsurfing, kiting and even wind foiling as sports -- I'll still wind foil but winging is not only here to stay but seems to be growing exponentially. In my opinion only windsurfers will move to wind foiling and everyone else to the wing. Robbie seems to be able to see the writing on the wall and his business is adapting to a new water sport's world order.
No need to feel bad. All sports have their exponential growth, its good that wing foiling is relatively new and people are starting off sailing particularly those surfers and SUPs that are being introduced to sail sports which is a good thing for now. All of the sports have their places and windsurfing without a foil is still one of the greatest sports for anyone who wishes to pursue it, just as surfing is sans foil. Ken Winner recently said: "First, let's be clear: Nothing replaces windsurfing or kitesurfing or prone surf foiling or SUP surf foiling or downwind paddle foiling. These are all awesome sports and they all have their particular advantages and appeal." I would not rule out wind foiling either as a growth engine, although some others may have.
I've been a long time windsurfer, windfoiler, and now wingfoiler.
windfoiling was "fun", but wingfoiling for me is "more fun", so why should i do something that's only "fun" ? ![]()
Windsurfing will stay for the really good wind+wave days.