It doesn't have to be 360s and other freestyle tricks, even a normal jump can provide plenty of adrenalin when wingfoiling. And you don't even need special conditions or waves. With the right technique, you can catapult yourself metres high out of the water even in smooth water using just the foil.
Who can try jumping?
Any wingfoiler who foils reasonably safely and rides a board with loops can, in principle, get started. It is often claimed that jumping is only possible with small foils. It is true that small foils are always faster than thickly profiled and large wings. Nevertheless, small jumps are also possible with a 2000 front wing - so don't let this put you off. Even though normal jumping is not particularly dangerous, we recommend wearing a helmet. If you are still looking for a suitable helmet, you will find HERE Tests of several models.
Speed, sine curve, posture - the most important sticking points
Before the jump, you should try to pick up as much speed as possible. Press your feet firmly into the straps again so that you don't lose the board in the air. Flying a sinus curve is recommended for the take-off:
- Before the jump, steer the board lower so that it almost touches the surface of the water.
- From this low position, you now gain momentum for the jump by applying pressure to the tail, which causes the board to shoot upwards and you use the length of the foil pole as a jump ramp.
- As soon as the foil is in the air, you should utilise the wing's buoyancy by keeping a full head of water and pulling yourself close to the wing with your arms.
- Only before touchdown do you lower the undercarriage again.
Our editor shows you all the key points for jumping when wingsurfing in this clip, which you can also watch on our YouTube channel can find.
