Wingfoiling is developing more and more disciplines. In addition to flat water freeride and freestyle, more and more foilers are discovering the wave as their new playground. Downwinding in particular is becoming increasingly popular, as it enables very long rides even in moderate swells. We asked Malte Krummradt from Wingfoil Fehmarn, a true pioneer and expert in downwind foiling, for an interview.
Malte, you live on Fehmarn and have discovered your passion for downwinding. Are you exotic? Or is there already a real scene here?
As we all know, the topic of downwinding spilled over to us from Hawaii. The original idea of wingsurfing was never freestyle. It developed in parallel, for example, and is particularly strong here in Germany. The original idea came from "foil surfers" who were looking for a way to get back upwind quickly and thus spend more time on the wave. In wingsurfing, downwinding is becoming more and more of an issue because many people are now past the beginner stage, riding smaller foils and looking for new challenges. Downwinding is definitely one! The idea is to ride the swell waves with the wind downwind for as long as possible. The use of force is of little help here; rather, the art is to read the waves correctly.
Hawaii and Australia offer dream conditions and real swell with a long wave period - something you can't say about the Baltic Sea. How good are the conditions for this here in Germany?
Crassly much better! Thanks to the foil, you can finally surf small waves for a really long time. Many people who don't fancy flat water or freestyle quickly end up in the wave. There are spots for this everywhere: the North Sea and Baltic Sea are great, but there are also waves on inland lakes such as Lake Garda or Lake Constance that are absolutely sufficient in windy conditions. Not to mention large fjords.
Do you need certain foils for downwinding?
The currently very popular high-aspect foils are often not the best choice for this discipline. Sometimes it seems that you absolutely have to ride mini boards and tiny foils. That's nonsense, of course. People always talk about glide and speed and forget that too small equipment massively slows down learning progress. Riding fast is great, but at what cost? Riding fast has just as many disadvantages if you are not ready for it. High stall speed is for professionals! With small foils, you have to ride much more precisely, and you also have to be able to pump very precisely to maintain high speed. As a result, you tend to get far fewer waves and need much more wind or bigger waves. Every standard foil is initially suitable for waves. For pure SUP foiling without a wing, for example, only the really good riders go under 1400 cm2 foil size.
What determines which foil size should be used for wingfoiling?
It depends on what angle you want to ride to the wave and, above all, what you can do. With a small, fast foil, you can skip waves, i.e. come over the back of the wave onto the next wave. However, this requires a lot of speed and very precise wave reading. As a downwind beginner, however, you will sink too quickly with such foils because your wave reading and pumping technique are not yet perfect. With larger, slower foils, you are more likely to stay on a light wave as you can ride it sideways with less speed. This makes it easier to get long rides. You simply wait until the next wave pushes you from behind. A foil that can go very, very slowly helps enormously!
The trend towards miniboards and tiny foils is actually complete rubbish
How do you see the differences between high- and low-aspect foils? Many wingsurfers think that the slim, stretched wing shapes of the high-aspect foils are the first choice for the wave.
That's actually true. But it has to go hand in hand with your riding ability. It all depends on what you want to do in the wave. Let's take a spot like Hanstholm in Denmark. You have relatively round, fast waves out there that run into the bay behind the pier for a long time. Here, stretched high-aspect foils (aspect ratio 7 - 10) have a slight advantage, because the glide (little resistance) on round, fast swell waves is better. Conversely, low-aspect foils (aspect ratio 6-7) have the advantage of turning more tightly due to their shorter span. Where the wave slows down and becomes steeper, these foils feel at home. So if you want to ride real cutbacks where the wave gets steep, wings with a lower aspect ratio are more suitable.(this means less span in relation to the surface area, the ed.) advantage. With regard to the fuselage, the following applies: Long fuselages help you to keep on track better on long swells. The same applies to donning and energy-saving riding. Short fuselages increase the turning ability when turning in front of steep, breaking waves. When downwinding far offshore, slightly longer fuselages are my first choice.
What is the perfect spot to start downwinding? Where is it difficult, where is it easy?
A spot like Hanstholm behind the pier, for example, is very easy, as the waves and swells run very smoothly into the bay. However, you should have some previous experience. The wind often blows diagonally offshore. There are piers and stones to leeward. Safe upwind sailing in all conditions is a basic requirement here. But then you will definitely get your first wave rides here with the wing "parked". On the open sea, the Baltic Sea offers the easiest conditions and perfectly organised but not too big waves. Reading waves is easiest here and you can quickly master your first 500-1000 metres in one go. You combine different waves with each other. This is also called downwinding.
Which downwinders do you like to do privately?
As the Baltic Sea is perfect for downwinds, even with a paddle, we are of course often out and about on Fehmarn. The waves have the same character as on the open Atlantic, but without the thick "groundswell" that often gets in the way and can have a negative impact on the wave pattern. On the Baltic Sea, it is therefore easier to get from wave crest to wave crest and you can quickly find a suitable wave. At the beginning, you should look for small, so-called "bay runs" - cruise up for a kilometre or two and then try to ride downwind. At some point, however, you will realise that although the wing is pretty brilliant as an aid to getting onto the wave, it tends to get in the way when it comes to downwinding. Gliding freely on the wave without the wing is yet another fascinating experience - and it's precisely this free riding feeling that I love the most.
If you want to start downwinding, get used to the harness
What do I need to bear in mind when winching down?
I would recommend riding a harness. The long upwind strokes are otherwise really exhausting. The good thing is that you always have two flotation devices with you, the board and wing, which you can hold on to in an emergency. At the beginning, you should look for routes that run parallel to the coast. For example, if you go from Altenteil on Fehmarn to Puttgarden, you have 15 kilometres of open water, but are only one kilometre off the coast. Of course, you should follow the basic rules: Let someone know what you're up to. Check your equipment and take a mobile phone in a waterproof case to be on the safe side in case something breaks. I even take another Torx spanner with me for longer distances. If the foil comes loose, I can tighten it if necessary. A helmet and a waistcoat are also part of the kit.
Many wingsurfers are still sceptical about harnesses...
I can understand that for normal cruising, it's not necessary at all. Not even for small wave rides. But if you're destroying a lot of height, there's no getting round it. It's the quickest way to learn how to read waves.
Do you actually use loops when downwinding?
No way. I always ride strapless. You have to be able to vary your standing position and ride in a narrow stance (energy-saving mode). Fixed straps would only get in the way.
Malte, thanks for the interview and see you soon again on the Baltic Sea!
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