Trying something new together – that sounds like an adventure, but also like a test for the relationship. How much fun is it really to learn a new sport as a couple? And what happens if one of you makes significantly faster progress than the other?
Madeleine and Laurin wanted to give it a go together and signed up for a wingfoil course in Sardinia – rather than the well-known Porto Pollo in the north, they were drawn to Posada in the north-east, a 30-minute drive from Olbia Airport. Here is their account of their experience.
Two weeks before the holiday, just before falling asleep
Laurin: We’re lying in bed and I’m worried. Worried that this was a daft idea. Because, of course, the plan to learn wing foiling on holiday was my idea. And Madeleine isn’t quite on board. Sure, she doesn’t want to say no, but I can tell she feels under pressure. And for some reason, she’s worried about making a fool of herself. My idea was that doing a sport together would strengthen our relationship! And because, apart from hiking and gravel biking, we don’t have any shared interests, wing foiling is now the plan. But now we’re lying in bed, telling each other what we’re planning to do on holiday. When I say that we’ll be busy with the wingfoiling course for the first four or five days anyway, I can see reluctance written all over her face. Oh dear!
Madeleine: I did say that I like trying out new sports. But I’d never heard of wing foiling until Laurin suggested the course. I want to be active, do as many different things as possible – go hiking, hire a boat, head for the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia if I can – and not spend half my holiday doing something I don’t even know if I’ll enjoy. Four days. Four days out of ten. That’s almost half. And here I am, lying here, thinking: why didn’t I just say no? But I don’t want to be a killjoy either. Laurin is so keen. Maybe it’ll be cool. Maybe. But right now, just as I’m about to fall asleep, I’ve got the feeling it’s going to be a bit of a slog.
Day 1 – The Basics (or: Why small hand movements make all the difference)
Madeleine: I’m nervous. Not because of the wind or the water, but because Laurin’s standing next to me. He’s supposed to learn everything faster. And he’s got previous experience with kitesurfing. It’s driving me mad. What reassures me is that there are two other newbies here too: Annika and Steffen, a couple from Berlin. Somehow, the fact that there’s a woman here puts my mind at ease. We’re starting with the basics: How do you inflate it? How do you hold it up to the wind? What are the first steps? Then it’s out onto the water. On a huge board. And that’s when it hits me: it looks easier than it is. Even the slightest gust of wind, the tiniest movement of the hand, has such a massive impact on the wing. It’s exhausting having to climb back onto the board over and over again. It’s a good thing I’m wearing a wetsuit, otherwise my knees would be sore. When I finally manage to stand up, I feel proud. Especially when I manage not to drift straight back to the beach, but to ride straight ahead for a while.
Laurin: Out on the water, it looks really easy with those big boards and the two large centreboards for upwind sailing. It didn’t go quite as well as I’d hoped, though. The very first time, I managed a bit of upwind sailing, but after that it just wouldn’t work for ages. After two and a half hours, I’d been hoping for more. Sure, it would have been great if I’d at least been able to maintain my height. But – nope. The wind’s dropping, which doesn’t help. I’m looking forward to tomorrow. And to the foil – I reckon that’s going to be a massive step up. Once I’ve got the hang of it, it’ll definitely be a completely different experience to just cruising around on these cruisers.
Day 2 – Flow and jibes (or: Is kitesurfing actually more our thing?)
Madeleine: It’s much better today! More wind – that automatically gives you lift. The little tips from Alex, our instructor, suddenly make sense. I can put them into practice. Time flies. It’s great to see each other on our boards as we ride. That’s cool. Laurin tends to be a tad better than me – but that’s okay. I’d expected as much. It feels good to be standing on the board today, to be able to steer a bit, to gain a bit of height. It’s a little moment of success. It’s not just us out on the water, but kitesurfers too. And I have to say: I think kitesurfing is really sexy. Maybe I should learn that instead.
Laurin: The wind’s letting us down a bit, but we’re giving the smaller boards a go today anyway. First Steffen and I, then Madeleine and Annika later on. I’m delighted that Madeleine’s getting on so well and learning so quickly. We’re not far apart. She even manages a jibe! The small board is more manoeuvrable, so jibing is easier. Alex says you shouldn’t point the bow into the lee, but into the wind. That’s what Madeleine did. I tried it twice – only half-succeeded. Coach Alex says that’s how you do it with the foil as well. I forget to ask why. The atmosphere between me and her is good. Madeleine’s happy – that’s important to me. Secretly, I was worried she’d struggle and get frustrated. And I’d have been the scapegoat – probably rightly so. But these are all hypothetical thoughts. It’s going well. That’s good.
Day 3 – The best day and the most disappointing (or: Why motivation is everything)
Madeleine: The morning gets off to a slow start. We go for a short hike in what feels like 45 degrees with no shade; I’m struggling with the heat and have a brief moment of madness. I’m not sure whether, after all that exertion in the mountains today, I’ll have the energy for our course. Or whether my lack of motivation will get the better of me. But then – and it really is true – today turns out to be my best day yet! Annika and I set off on our own. And suddenly I feel that I understand the topic of wind and all that theory better, and can put it into practice more effectively than I did in the first two days. I get some more input from Coach Alex. Sometimes I’m a bit too much in my head, yes. But today I’m able to put a lot of it into practice. And then I do it: for the first time, I complete a full loop! Right side, a turn on the board without falling off, then all the way back to the left. That feels really good. A little moment of glory. I’m proud that I saw it through, despite feeling unexpectedly demotivated at the start. I’m also happy that Laurin can watch me.
Laurin: The girls head out on their small boards; we’re still waiting, watching. I’m relieved to see that Madeleine’s doing well. She’s jibing well and gaining ground. Yes, it’s a relief to see her having fun. Still, I think I spot the odd mistake here and there, and because Coach Alex is busy with Annika at the moment, I shout out to her and correct her – and regret it the very next moment. Because I don’t want to be one of those blokes who thinks he can play at being a coach – after all, I’m a rookie myself. Steffen feels the same way. We agree with each other and decide to keep our mouths shut from now on. Instead, we set up the foil. I’m hoping to get out on the foil a bit today – Coach Alex calls today’s goal ‘getting on the foil’. But – nothing. I’m just riding back and forth. The board with less volume is quite wobbly, but it’s manageable. As soon as I grab the centre struts of the wing, I lose a huge amount of height. Pumping isn’t working well either. Three or four knots more, please! Eventually, Alex says there’s no point anymore because the wind has dropped. I see the kiters and secretly think: I’d much rather just hook the kite into the harness for a bit and have a go at kiting. I’d hoped for more. But the conditions weren’t right. That’s wind sports for you.
Day 4 – Got a taste for it (or: Five seconds of bliss)
Madeleine: It’s great riding with Annika. Annika and I are at the same level, as are Laurin and Steffen. That takes the pressure off. You don’t feel like you’re holding anyone back. It’s lovely to have a few funny moments, to suffer together when you fall off your board for what feels like the 5,000th time. To share that and motivate each other. And then to sit outside and watch the lads.
Laurin: Fourth and final day – today, ‘foiling’ is on the agenda again. The wind should be strong enough. It goes quite well at first, but I can’t manage to ‘foil’ by pumping. Alex gives me some tips; he tells me to move further forward. And then – eventually, it works! Using the pump, my legs, the kite – everything I’ve got. And then there it is – that foiling feeling, even if only for a moment. Everything becomes light and effortless, as if power steering had suddenly kicked in. But I’m also really nervous – the controls are sensitive, and before I know it I’m back down. A short story – but a lovely one. Once I manage to get a bit of height, I don’t feel much of an effect, so I have to check visually – yes, I’m a bit up in the air. Then really high again! Briefly. Five seconds. At most. Ten seconds in total, perhaps. But: I’ve got a taste for it! I want to learn this now, stay up there longer. The remaining 45 minutes are more of a struggle. End of story. Eight and a half hours are over. We’d have had another 1.5 hours, but the wind has died down.
Our conclusion:
Madeleine: My verdict: I find kitesurfing sexier than wingfoiling. But with wingfoiling, you see results within a few days – that’s motivating. It’s that little sense of achievement that you can experience at any age. As a couple, it’s great to share your experiences in the evening. It’s a lovely shared experience, in a way. I’d love to give it another go, perhaps on the lake. Maybe I’ll end up becoming a wing foiler after all.
Laurin: Of course, I want to learn this now. I don’t want to settle for just those brief moments on the foil. Would I recommend taking a course with your girlfriend? Yes, but it all depends on your progress and your tolerance for frustration – and, not least, on the wind.
