"When was the last time you were a complete beginner in public? We Challenged Pro Windsurfer Graham Ezzy to learn to wing in a day, here is his insight on the experience. Find more from Graham on instagram: / grahamezzy
Surfer for 30 yrs. Kitesurfing for 20yrs, instructor for 6, sailing, etc all that. Learning to wing while learning how to ride a foil has been the most humbling experience of my life! Walking up the beach with a cut up leg after flailing past the entire beach, good times. But very rewarding getting up that first time, worth the bs for sure. Great video.
Just happened to run into the guru, Alan Cadiz. Still, it's amazing you were even able to get up on foil your first time! Learning to wing foil has been one of the most challenging things I've ever done. And every step of the way, conditions change and I have to adapt. Being able to surf waves at 53 years old has been the greatest reward. The hand wing gives me balance and the foil allows me to surf waves as small as 1-2 feet. It's a big cheat code. I'm surfing all day long while real surfers are waiting all day long for just a few waves. By the way, it looks like your front foot is too close to the edge. Bring it to center more and if you get overpowered, just let the wing out with your backhand. Foiling is more about centering your weight and gliding instead of leaning back all powered up like in windsurfing.
After almost 40 yrs of Windsurfing I started 3 yrs ago with wingfoiling. And what I like most is the feeling that came back from 80ies😂 Now I am getting my new Ezzy Wing. Very exicted!
7:50 'I have to stand more forward on the board' Bingo. Front foot pressure. You have to unlearn the windsurfing mind set that has you driving the board from the back.
"That feeling of being off balance is learning." Fabulous quote I will use and repeat in my teaching practice, applies to all aspects of life. Thank you!
No, ya gotta keep filming your wingfoiling sessions! You did very well on your first session. The keys to your successes are 1. years of boardsports, 2, embracing the beginners mindset, 3. choosing excellent gear to start out on and 4. Going out on a WINDY Day. Number 4 is Key... nothing much happens for beginners on a wingfoil unless they are sufficiently juiced.
This! Point 4 for sure. I've had 4 tries wind-foiling this year and only started to foil when other fin-windsurfers were comfortably planing/other wing foilers were easily flying. Yes foiling can be done in lighter winds ONLY WHEN YOU'VE LEARNT to get the board out of the water. When windsurfing I can waterstart in lighter winds now than those winds that first pulled me out of the water when learning to waterstart... Same logic applies
Nice video. Everyone keeps saying how easy winging is, and in a way it is, but not without struggles. I can go on on a windsurf foil all day and I thought winging will be super easy, just to find out how frustrating it is.
I need to do exactly what you just did. Windsurfing for 30 years, no foiling yet. I remember you and your dad sailing uppers 20 plus years ago! How fortunate to get a couple tips from Alan!! I will remember to push my back hand up to get the wing up.
hey Graham i recognize that piece of paradise Kanaha. You did amazing. im 67 have been out 6 sessions. just yesterday actually broke the water for about 10 ft. lol . your words are encouraging. Its about perseverance. Thanks and aloha
Thanks for sharing your beginners experience, I also started Wing Foiling this year after >30 years of Windsurfing. It was „horrible“ experience seeing that I’m no longer in my comfort zone. But I remembered the early days of Windsurfing where I had the ultimate goal to learn that Sport. You are helping me very much with your video…I’m not alone on that path 😊
Thanks. Trying new things is a much better way to improve than sticking with routines. The learning curve is true for almost everything. I am experience it with trying to write a book at the moment. I have no doubt it will create opportunities for you.
We had a lesson in Tenerife ElMedano and loved it, I’m 53 and my wife used to be a pro windsurfer in the 90s and we loved going back to learn a new skill, every day is a learning day 😎🤙
Very impressive what you did in one day, especially in that rough water. Coming from windsurfing background, I thought I could learn in my usual choppy spot. Not until I got into very flat water could I get the board up to speed in the controlled manner necessary to make the subtle balance adjustments needed. It slowed down the transition from taxi to foil.
I'm happy to see that I was the only one having some challenges to wing foiling with a windsurfing backgorund. I saw the exact same learning curve that I went thru. but now, it is so fun to do :). Good Job Graham
As a windsurfer I thought I'd be popping jumps on my first day, yes, very humbled now. I recognise your learning curve from the vid. To be honest I feel my windsurfing background has held me back, you really have to "unlearn" so much of what you already know to crack foiling. The part I'm just getting over is stopping the foil from flying too soon, then innevitably stalling...a couple more sessions, should have this nailed. I'm no pup at 58. Cheers Graham!🤙
The realest video yet! Absolutely humbling is correct. It's interesting how there are so many instructional/promotional videos with winging. Then you got the hot dogs trying to jump with these things. Seems funny to me that so much thought went into how to make foils fly better though the water and not through the air??? Thanks dude, you actually made this average old guy living with the worst conditions imaginable feel better. I have friends here doing it and a bunch trying. A VERY experienced and talented guy who has all the best gear in the best venue and struggling. It looks like I'm in for a challenge. I've only got up a little one time out of many attempts so far. I had to build myself a bigger more stable board to do it. They don't make big stable boards . I think promoters are trying to get people to start with too small boards especially for us bigger guys. As always they think everyone lives in Maui and weighs 150lbs ....LOL
Very impressed on the foil in one day . I think wing foil will be my most challenging sport in my life .I have been windsurfing for over 40 years at a very good level and now at the rip old age of 75 years I am going try wing foil .I was wondering if there are any other old guys out there doing wing foil ?
I've just going out my windsurfing comfort zone learning wing foiling. Your video is an inspiration for all in the sense of that it doesn't matter the good you are doing something because when you are a novice the frustration would appear and the way is the same for all: enjoying the process of learning and defeat the frustration. The second thing that is clear after watching this video is that every one of us will need the help and advices of a good teacher. By the way I'm going to show your learning process to my wife and daughter like an example of what not to do when learning saving some beginner steps like exercises on land, ... Thanks for your video and good winds in your life
Wonderful video! I really enjoy that feeling of non competence and the struggle to make it work, frustrating but realizing that the brain is trying to learn is part and parcel of the evotionary process is engaging. It is without a doubt the best of life's lessons! Thank you for reminding me.
Great video Graham and DaKine! Have been windsurfing for 30+ years and have recently started trying wind-foiling and completely agree about the muscle pain! After 30 mins windfoiling my legs are toast! Gonna keep at it and use the stronger winter winds to take a sail a 1m2 smaller than most fin-windsurfers and learn how to consistently foil so that next summer it's cruising around the bay in the lighter winds. And then then, after learning foiling, will likely try wing-foiling. Love the advice given, and love than you put yourself out there to show your baby steps. Inspiring for sure!
Awesome video Graham. I tried to windfoil last summer here in Hood River where I live now. So humbled, cuts on the legs, never got going. Winter is here and my attention is now on snowboarding, a sport I have been doing for 30 years, like windsurfing, but come spring, can’t wait to be humbled again! Once I figure out the foil, I might try winging as well. Cheers, Happy Holidays to you…. James Lundin 🤙😎
Amazing progress for the first day! Took me a few sessions before I was flying as long as you on your first day. And you proved the point that getting tips from local wingers makes all the difference. Find a community near you if possible to jump start the journey. 🙌🔥🔥
Well sure - when you have Alan Cadiz just randomly popping into your very first session and giving that single tip that save you five-ten sessions worth of falling into the water until you figure out "to hit the water with your back hand". And it help being a pro windsurfer :-)
My stance was exactly as yours first time I tried wing, from all the years windsurfing I had this muscle memory to step outboard when the board start moving, which was only turning the board upwind and I was loosing wind. You did much better than I did on my first day though.
I enjoyde watching you learning,at least you are learning newly board skills,i am trying to learn inline skating for fitness,wheels on your feet is a strange feeling,i will be patient and keep learning one step at a time,
I hope Ezzy starts making wings. They already make some of the best sails in the world. If you guys do, consider shrouding the inside leading edge… almost like a cam sail. It should give us a big jump in efficiency by reducing leading edge stall.
...enjoyed this a lot...suppose it was you in that magical segment on windsurf board...amazing...still I think Academy made mistake not giving you an Oscar for acting...soon I will be posting my video in which I will be trying to get on that bloody foil...a bet has been set that I will do it very first day (6 hrs in water)...$10,000.00... ...1 person accepted...and I can go with additional 9 up to $100k...I never ever stood on that Devil's platform...right now I am in process of buying equip.... ...again...thank you for your effort to entertain me...stay safe...all the best...leonardo...
unicycling on ice.... looks like too small a starter board....why ??? not windsurf first w the foil soooooo much easier to learn and not waste time crashing a lot!!!!
Guess you don't believe in gradualism. It would be easy to break it up into step's. Windfoil(with sail) first , Use wing on large board with no foil to learn wing handling. Wing on a skateboard? Use and Efoil maybe to get better at foil feel.
My progression is like this: wing on skis first in the winter. In 2 min you are cruising. Wing on a huge board on water with no foil. Foil behind a boat-10hp is all you need. Put them together and you have good flight on day 1 of real wing foiling. Worked well to get my daughter going.
Graham thanks for the reminder - small steps. I recalled my it’s few times on a kite and a friend said - small baby steps. That and embracing the beginner mindset will help overcome the moments of frustration😊. A friend Psychologists uses the term Growth Mindset - It has to be Novel, Challenging, Needs to be practiced, Needs feedback and finally Be Passionate.
„If you‘re not falling, you‘re not learning“ - I‘m learning 🤣 btw your stance - don‘t use your Windsurf stance when foiling, it doesn’t work. Try and stay centered over the front wing.
Everything has to be IN ONE DAY. So fast! So great. So ... annoying. Learning to wing foil is going to take you weeks in ideal conditions. Months more likely.
