Balz, it's rustling in the background. Where are we catching you right now?
I'm standing here at my home spot, Lake Uri in Switzerland. It looks like it's going to be a good day, the thermals are already starting. But in times like these, you have to get there early, otherwise everything is full here - even though there was still snow a few days ago. I have the feeling that corona was the catalyst for wingsurfing, but also for other water sports. Since the start of the pandemic, our spots have been bursting at the seams. We recently had a foehn storm here and it was still really cold on the lake. There were 200 people on the water. It was already as full in April as it usually is in midsummer.
Many water sports enthusiasts are just discovering the charm of home, aren't they?
Absolutely. The great thing is that wingsurfing has made many inland and light wind spots interesting again. Spots that were usually not so great for kitesurfing or windsurfing. There is huge potential there. Nobody has to go to Maui anymore. Maui is everywhere now (laughs)!
What is the ratio of sports in Switzerland? Is wingsurfing currently outstripping all other sports?
Wingsurfing is booming, no question about it. However, windsurfing is still practised at many of our spots, and it's difficult to kitesurf here anyway, as there are many bans and problems. Many people from this camp in particular are starting to use wings - you don't need lines and don't have to launch from the water. I know a lot of kiters who haven't touched a kite for a year.
Corona was like an accelerant for wingsurfing
You kite, have been a windsurfing pro for many years and have also finished on the podium in the Wingfoil World Cup. Let's be honest: what are your personal priorities?
I can't say for sure. Wingsurfing is of course developing rapidly at the moment, it's very fascinating. I learn something new every day and you're kind of doing pioneering work. Surprisingly, that doesn't mean that I no longer want to do other sports - on the contrary. If anything, I've become more addicted to good windsurfing conditions. If it works out, that's all the better. But when the conditions are moderate, I tend to go wingsurfing at the moment, and sometimes windsurf foiling too. I decide according to my mood. I always say: If you want to fly, you have to kite. If you want to slide and have the drive to train for a year on a new move, go windsurfing! And if you just want to have a lot of fun with little wind, go wingsurfing! A perfect day for me looks like this: Wings in the morning, then freestyle windsurfing and a bit of kitesurfing in the evening. The main thing is to be on the water! But one thing is certain: since I started wingsurfing, I've been on the water twice or three times as much as before.
That would be 600 days a year...
(Laughs) Not quite! But there are quite a few!
You are heavily involved in the material development of your sponsors. What are the challenges here?
Foil development is already well advanced because there is a lot of experience from other sports. There are still many teething problems with wings on the market. What is current today will be outdated in just a few months.
This is unlikely to motivate Wing beginners to buy equipment...
(Laughs) That's right. What I wanted to say is that the leaps in the development of wings are still very large at the moment. On the other hand, you have to say that you can absolutely have fun with most of the wings on the market. So there is no reason to wait to buy equipment. But it is already becoming apparent that there will be a specialisation of products, as is usual in other sports. I take a somewhat critical view of this, because my motto is"keep it simple!". At the moment I enjoy being able to cover all areas of wingsurfing with one and the same wing, whether wave, freeride or freestyle.
What differences are currently crystallising in the Wings?
Most brands currently have all-rounders in their programme, wings for freeriding. These should have a lot of power, look nice and direct and feel compact when rotating. I think most wings on the market are both good freeride and freestyle wings, because the requirements are very similar.
Do you use the same wing for freeride, freestyle and waves?
Yes, that works well in my eyes. One wing for all disciplines, one board, two foils - I enjoy that. That works well until the racing disciplines really get rolling.
Suddenly there are wings for wave, freestyle and soon also race. I'm more of a fan of keeping it simple
You ride two disciplines at the GWA World Cups - freestyle and race. How do you see the race discipline developing in the near future?
It is already clear from the Global Wingsports Association (GWA) tour that racing will continue to develop rapidly. Of course, there will soon be special equipment at the start and if you want to be at the front, you have to upgrade. I once won a downwind race on Lake Garda with a high aspect windsurfing foil. After four buoys, I had a two-stroke lead. That shows how big the differences in material are. In my opinion, the industry is shooting itself in the foot with specialisation. Wings are actually fascinating for many people right now because it's so simple: one board, one foil, one wing - you can cover almost everything.
Keyword "specialisation": You are still a freestyle pro on the PWA windsurfing tour, but you also have a realistic chance of securing the world title on the GWA Wingfoil Tour. How long can you do both at the highest level without losing touch?
I'm in distress! Back in April, I was faced with the decision of either travelling to the European Freestyle Pro Tour (EFPT) tour stop at Lake Neusiedl or jetting off to the GWA Wingfoil World Cup in Leucate. In the end, I went to Leucate. Nevertheless, my plan for 2021 is to at least go to all the Windsurf World Cups. We'll see where the journey takes us, but it will be difficult to ride both at the highest level on a permanent basis. The freestyle discipline in wingsurfing is exploding at the moment: new tricks every day, new athletes, everything is happening in fast motion. For me personally, of course, it helps that I can bring in many tricks from kitesurfing or windsurfing. You have deja-vus all the time. Wingsurfing is like a big reset button, everyone starts from scratch again, which is why so many kitesurfing and windsurfing pros are joining us.
Front and back flips are now part of the programme in the World Cup. How dangerous do you think freestyle wingsurfing is?
Wingsurfing is not without danger, because the foil is sharp. It doesn't matter whether you're learning a jibe or a backflip, there's always a risk of injury. My motto is: "The smart head protects itself". If I lose control and fall, I know that my head is protected by my helmet. So I have my arms free to look after other parts of my body.
Thank you Balz for the interview and have fun on the water!
Here's a clip from the World Cup in Leucate, which Balz finished in second place:
