Wing Foiling Over 40

Gear: Gong Cruzader 7'0 122L, Gong Superpower 2023 6m², Gong Fluid-H XL foil 1500cm²
Rider weight: 88 kg
Rider age: 40
0:00 Intro
0:27 Average age wing foilers
1:04 Health
1:53 Responsibilities
2:08 Advice 1: Big enough gear
2:21 Advice 2: Use harness
2:29 Advice 3: Flat water
2:34 Have fun, take your time
2:43 Outro
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
uppbeat.io/t/dan-barracuda/la...

[@markusrapke7390]

I just teached a 74 year old guy how to get on foil 🎉

[@windaddict]

Wow! Awesome!!

[@wildhogget69]

Most of the group here on the Costa Daurada are 40yrs + coming from Kite foiling and windsurfing, I think it is easy access, quick rig up time, less material to carry. Most have gone trough the route of smaller, less litres and now going back up longer and skinner boards for Dw's. 👍👍

[@windaddict]

Yeah I see similar trends

[@josevillalonga116]

In my opinion, since it is not a very physical water sport compared to wind and kite, the key point for older wingers is to be keep in good shape in terms of flexibility and agility. I am 56 and this is my trick!

[@windaddict]

Yep, flexibility is helpful. I learned that the hard way when trying my first heel side tack and my shoulders said "to this point and no further!" :-D

[@Andysfishing]

Wingfoiling is easier that most other wind/water sports. I’m sure most people can do it into their 60’s and possibly above.

[@windaddict]

It's a great sport. Hope I can do it well into my 60s

[@dlsspy]

The guy I bought a bunch of my equipment from is 77 (he bought new equipment).

[@jeromesurffoil7033]

I'm 56 with 40 years of surfing experience. I have been foil surfing for 2 years and learning to wing foil now. I find foiling to be challenging and it brought back the stoke of learning new things. As for why the foiling demographics favor the older enthusiasts, I think it's because the entry to foiling is quite a big investment in gear. More than most teenagers or twenty year olds budgets allow.

[@windaddict]

Ok, but the Gong beginner set costs 1000 euros new. There are plenty of young people who have more expensive ski or mointainbike gear.

[@jeromesurffoil7033]

@@windaddict True (I ride Gong gear), but I am in the US (Texas) and many young people here are not walking around with $1000 of play money. Probably 95% of the foilers I have met here are over 40 years old. I have not met any teenage foilers. I would like to see more young people learning and also female foilers. I have only seen 2 female wing foilers and they were just beginners.

[@martinomovies]

Wingfoiling takes a lot of time and money. Younger people have less flexible jobs, family commitments for toddlers and grammar school students, and less money to blow on gear.

[@windaddict]

True!

[@noobsaibot5285]

My Dad is 70 and is thinking of taking up foiling, but he is busy with big air kiteboarding right now. I am 42 and will definitely give it a crack... one day. The only thing stopping us both is time and the commitment to another sport. I feel that foiling is a generation behind kiting in terms of design progression, but it is catching up fast. Might wait for the next gen Foildrive.

[@windaddict]

Wow! Mad respect for your dad! Foiling is becoming a bit more mature now I feel but definitely still in the early stages of development.

[@fastforward720]

It's just too expensive for the younger generations and reasonable deals on used gear are rare, or the gear doesn't last that long. I started with the age of fourty one due to a knee surgery (used to be a die-hard windsurfer) and now I'm kinda at the same level as I was with windsurfing: Tacking, jibing, jumping etc... It's amazing and so grateful the sport was pushed so forward right on time.

[@windaddict]

Regarding the financials: yeah I get that it's expensive for young people. But lots of young people go skiing with their families and that is by no means a cheap sport considering gear, travel and ski passes. Glad to hear you enjoy wing foiling after your knee surgery!!

[@mauryjacob5363]

Bigg issue is access to great conditions. It’s not the money. Think of bicyclists. Mountain bikes are not cheap. Neither are road bikes. Those sports are quite extensive supporting lots of local shops and manufacturers.

[@shakeltonable]

Hi Claudio, thank you for your interesting videos. I am 75 years old and I started wing foiling at 73. The learning progression is of course much more longer but it allows you to stay fit and is a lot of fun. In France, many wingfoilers consider that wingfoiling is the "medicine walker" of water sports and I confirm it. What is possible in wingfoiling is more difficult and more dangerous for example in kitefoiling even if I know 80 years old kitefoilers ! Carry on and take care.

[@windaddict]

Thanks a lot for your comment. This is so inspiring! Great to hear that wingfoiling is a great sport for you. It can truly connect many generations

[@shen7256]

40 sounds so young at 59. Yes it’s a tougher journey when you’re older, but more the recovery after a big session. I mostly wing in strong winds. 95 litre board 4.3 hand wing 1250 foil. My reaction time and reflex are probably not what they used to be, but on the whole it’s been a great experience and one I’m in for the long haul. Previous experience windsurfing (started 86 ) snowboarding and paragliding. Each of my previous sports has helped understand the dynamics of this new sport. Paragliding too as the pitch, roll, yaw, acceleration and stall of a foil are similar.

[@windaddict]

Haha when my knees hurt I don't feel young. But a matter of perspective. Yes, previous windsurfing experience definitely helped me too!

[@MarcelTschanen]

I've started wingfoiling 2 years ago at the age of 61, after more than 40 years of windsurfing and 15 years of sailing. I definitely recommend using a Wingman harness. My arms appreciate the relaxation after some extended pumping a lot.

[@windaddict]

Harness for the win!

[@adrienmarchandise3084]

Just spent 6 days foiling in a row in Fuerteventura, 43, feeeling fine !

[@gektron]

Same here but 60 years old

[@windaddict]

Awesome!

[@stefanog3035]

Thanks for your observation. I think primarily you see that group age also due to financial reasons. It’s an expensive sport to practice from the gear itself to the way you transport it to places (you mostly need an suv car to carry the various boards etc). Having said that at 40 we are still young and strong all things considered so I’d say we are close to prime conditions. What we lost in strength compared to our 20-30s we gained in composure and more rational approach in stressful situations (heavy seas, strong winds, currents etc).

[@windaddict]

I like your perspective on age! 😀 Regarding the financials: yeah I get that it's expensive for young people. But lots of young people go skiing with their families and that is by no means a cheap sport considering gear, travel and ski passes.

[@roadrunnermakmak]

50+, 3 yrs wingfoiling, a life Windsurfing and surfing. just suffered a bizeps tenodesis, keep calm... afterwards i will try to wingfoil most elegant, not most fast or high...

[@windaddict]

Get well soon! Good objective to be most elegant!! 😀

[@kiterJ]

Most of my wingfoil buddies are over 60! In fact I only know one person younger than me who wingfoils, he's just started and is 31. Winging is an old man sport for sure. It's likely because it's soooo expensive

[@windaddict]

Yep, we need affordable gear!

[@watercrazylion]

Older people like me have a career in windsurfing or kiting and are up to a new challenge. My direct wingmates are all above 50. With wingfoiling we can go out more, in less wind and on more spots. I do not see much young people who are willing or able to let go of Netflix or TikTok and are willing to put in hours of walks of shame, in cold water in stinking rubber, with sore muscles, including my three grown up daughters 😇. I admire the young people who practise watersports and are on this channel too 🤗

[@windaddict]

Interesting. Is it really a change in preferences/laziness of generations?

[@watercrazylion]

@@windaddict It is not really a preference. Our society has pushed them at that direction. A generation of instant pleasure, preferably without effort. There are exceptions of course. Almost the only ones who are interested in the wingfoiling gear when I come out of the water are the older people who windsurfed when they were young 😎. The younger people sit in their car eating fastfood and look down on their phone 🤷

[@Wightkitesurfer]

Agreed, definitely I think there is some truth in the younger generation not being so keen on getting out and learning, dragging themselves away from being screen watchers. But mainly cost of gear is a barrier for young people. Plus between windsurfing, kiting and winging there are almost too many sports to choose from!

[@watercrazylion]

@@Wightkitesurfer The gear CAN be very expensive. But......here in Europe I can buy a GONG starter set second hand for 500€. My daughters all bought an Iphone of 1k€ without the blink of an eye. My 1300€ starter set which I have used for almost 3 years each week is available for practising but nobody wants it, but one guy of............... 40+ years old :-D

[@pierpa]

For me it’s the combination of accessibility (ease of transport/launch, wind range), less physicality and potential for mastering complex manoeuvres (tacking, surfing, jumping) that makes transitioning to wing foil a no-brainer for many ex windsurfers and kiters. For complete water sport novices it looks a bit overwhelming (fear of the foil in terms of balance and danger of cuts/bruises is a factor), and they might prefer established water sports where it is easier to find schools and courses. So I think the younger generation will catch up, albeit more slowly. For example my kids are learning windsurf and might switch to wingfoil once they start planing. Anyhow I would be curious to see numbers of young people starting wingfoil versus windsurf and kite, I suspect we are not far from a tipping Point.

[@mikewhite188]

Definately recommend running a large board. I am 66 and have struggled with winging. Little flat water where I live. I have 140L board but am now changing to a 155L School training board. Last throw of the dice as I have been trying for 4yrs. I foil drive a KT dragonfly 134L/ 22” wide board without too many problems. Board speed equals stability. Slogging with a wing in choppy water is difficult. Go huge in board sze

[@windaddict]

True. Choppy waters can be very challenging. When you go from chop to flatwater it feels like cheating, haha. Let me know how it goes with the bigger board! Best of luck!

[@franpinyol8500]

2 main reasons why wingers are old: 1) gear price and 2) most of them are ex-windsurfers, others are ex-kiters, so still not accessible for youngsters. the average ages in your channel is way higher than other channels.... and this is because of the contend, not for teens ;)

[@windaddict]

Yeah but younger people do sports like skiing which is also not cheap at all

[@tompark681]

Kids now a days are too busy on their phones; they don't have time to wing foil. Us old guys don't know how to use a phone and prefer to wing foil to get away from the wife, LOL. Happy Days

[@windaddict]

Lol

[@henrynordman]

Hey, I noticed you are using Cruzader board. Im eyeing for my second board and Im trying to decide between 7'0 and 7'6 with my weight being 94kg. Any recommendations on this board?

[@windaddict]

Hi Henry. Depends on the use you want to give it. My preferences were to use it for light wind winging (5-12 knots). So the 7'0 was the right size for me with 90kg. If you are unsure, best to ask the Gong advisors

[@philiptuffs-wh7jp]

I am 54 and enjoy foiling and windsurfing I had a few years of and found windsurf boards boards double the price Armstrong foils £900 pounds each . It used to be fun upgrading kit new toys now it’s ££££ . The price of boards should have stayed the same or slight increase as computer cnc shapers are use and carbon fibre is not new tech now found everywhere these days . And young people starting out at least there is second hand kit on the market now and company’s like Gong pushing the prices down . Wing foiling is great fun but there are different sports out there how will change the market pulling people away . That will make the £££££££ go up anyone for a £3000. Pound board f…k o.. will go mountain biking .

[@windaddict]

Yep, certainly most gear is not cheap. This is the main reason why I use Gong gear.

[@franckchenavier4523]

My knees are better now After one year of wingfoil. I stop wakeboard togo to wingfoil for my shoulders. It's a good activity After 40. And we Can take pleasure with glide, surf et cruzing 😉. I am french, sorry for my bad english 😅

[@windaddict]

Thanks for sharing! Your English is great don't worry! 😉

[@foilingaround6209]

i feel like the median age for wingers is 60+!

[@windaddict]

Haha, sounds high to me

[@BrettWae]

wth! Im 34, watch your channel, and don't even count eh!😵

[@matija3791]

Same here xD

[@christomo]

Most wingers are ex kitesurfing windsurfers who are all older now most started in there 20s but now most my mates are 50 plus even have quite a few almost in there 70s . Wish I was 40 again 😂 My chanel has same demographic. Keep ripping mate 😊

[@BrettWae]

​@christomo I watch your channel too! Yea I know a good chunk of windsport enthusiasts are 50+ at my beach, but more younger riders are trickling in.

[@christomo]

HI Brett Yes, we have a few younger ones as well, but most of the lads have retired. I wish . It's good to see as many people as there is, so we are never short of friends to ride with. Thanks for watching my channel as well , take care and good winds.

[@HeflavSUP]

I don't think KZbin is the good platform to reach teenagers. Viewers of my channel are a little bit younger, 2% 18-24, 12% 25-34 but also over 5% 65 and + At my local spot, the majority are between 30 and 55. Another interesting subject is why there is almost no girls wingfoiling. 🤔