Welcome to the Blue Planet Show! This long form interview with Zane Kekoa Schweitzer is the first episode of the Blue Planet show where I will interview athletes, designers and thought leaders on the cutting edge of Wing Foiling. The interviews are recorded on Zoom with screen shared videos to go along with the conversation and will be available on our YouTube channel and as a podcast.

If you want to skip the bloody accident and start watching where we start talking about wing foiling, skip ahead to 30 minutes.

A big thank you to Zane Schweitzer for being my first guest. For more information and to contact Zane, please visit Zane's website:
zaneschweitzer.com

Please let me know what you think of this new show, I will add new shows to this thread.

Awesome, love all your foil YouTube videos!

Thanks Robert..

I'm stoked you liked the first episode!
I just posted the second interview with Balz Muller, his moves are inspirational and he has been pushing the progression of the sport at an amazing pace.
The show is now also available as a podcast on apple and android devices, just search for "Blue Planet Show" on the podcast app to listen to these long form interviews while driving or doing other things.



Balz Muller wing foil interview- Blue Planet Show episode 2
In this second episode of the Blue Planet Show, I speak with Wing Foil expert Balz Muller at his home in Switzerland by zoom call. Balz talks about his background, different sports, the evolution of wing foiling, competing in Brazil, technique, the future of the sport, gear and more.
The Blue Planet Show is now also available as a podcast, search for "Blue Planet Show" on your podcast app. Questions and comments are always welcome.

Hey Robert, it would be interesting for you to get Laird on the show. I'd like to hear his thoughts on the directions foiling is going.
Wether poople like him or not, he has been a major driving influence in all things surf in the last 20years.

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martyman said..
Hey Robert, it would be interesting for you to get Laird on the show. I'd like to hear his thoughts on the directions foiling is going.
Wether poople like him or not, he has been a major driving influence in all things surf in the last 20years.

Yes agreed, I'll try to reach out to Laird for a future interview. For the first season at least, this show will be about wing foiling and I have not seen Lair doing it (yet).

The main message I took away from Balz regarding the development of winging was "...keep it simple." I suspect simplicity will be thrown to the wayside if winging goes the way of kiting and windsurfing. Hopefully a few companies will keep "simple" in mind and make products that are accessible to "weekend wingers" who wing at cottages, which front on inland lakes and rivers.

Thanks for the feedback. The interviews are now also available as a podcast on google and android devices so you can listen to the long form interviews while doing other things.
Just search for "Blue Planet show" on your podcast app
or go to: blueplanet.podbean.com

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dejavu said..
The main message I took away from Balz regarding the development of winging was "...keep it simple." I suspect simplicity will be thrown to the wayside if winging goes the way of kiting and windsurfing. Hopefully a few companies will keep "simple" in mind and make products that are accessible to "weekend wingers" who wing at cottages, which front on inland lakes and rivers.

Totally agree. For instance Ozone might come with 3 different wing lines and harness etc.??

This is the third episode with Alan Cadiz- great history lesson, the new Duotone Slick wing, technique and more:

Thanks Rob another great vid..

That is awesome Robert!

I am so glad you have put it up in podcast form
(just started following it on Spotify) I don't seem to get time for long form videos but I am right into the podcasts.

I will crank into some tomorrow on a long drive to go foiling and or winging down south

Thank you for the great feedback. I just posted episode #4 long form interview with Annie Reickert, enjoy!



Annie Reickert, a talented young water woman from Maui. We talk about surfing, big wave riding and Jaws wipeouts, foiling, and, of course wing foiling.

You can also listen to the audio only interviews as a podcast on apple and android apps or here:

blueplanet.podbean.com/e/annie-reickert-wing-foil-interview-episode-4/

Awesome.. Thanks again Robert

Rob Whittall is co founder and head designer at Ozone and a partner at Armstrong. He talks about his background, the Wasp V2 design, the Armstrong A+ system, and more good stuff you will enjoy if you are a diehard windfoiler:

This is one I will look for would to watch when i come back from winging.

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Gone to dark side said..
This is one I will look for would to watch when i come back from winging.

yes, save it for a day with no wind haha

In this episode I talk to Sam Loader, the designer of the PPC Wing which is my favorite wing. Watch it on youtube or listen to it as a podcast, thank you!

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We are posting a new Blue Planet Show this morning, an in depth interview with Kane De Wilde about wing foil design and technique. We are posting it as a video premiere at 7 am Hawaii time with live commentary and Q&A, please join use here:

looking forward to it! Thanks for all of the work you put into these, Robert!

Man that Kane interview is literally the most informative video I've watched, it was so good. Thanks Robert !

Your interviews and initial instructional videos are what got me hooked into the sport, and thus improved my fitness levels once more. I thought kiting and SUP would be the sunset of my surf pastimes. but no!. .So grateful Robert.

Wow, thanks for all the love guys, it's very inspiring to get this kind of feedback and I'll keep them coming for all the wingfoiling nuts like me.

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blueplanetsurf said..
Wow, thanks for all the love guys, it's very inspiring to get this kind of feedback and I'll keep them coming for all the wingfoiling nuts like me.

You don't know how stoked I was when that podcast notification popped up right when I started power washing my house yesterday! Two hours flew by.

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MidAtlanticFoil said..

blueplanetsurf said..
Wow, thanks for all the love guys, it's very inspiring to get this kind of feedback and I'll keep them coming for all the wingfoiling nuts like me.

You don't know how stoked I was when that podcast notification popped up right when I started power washing my house yesterday! Two hours flew by.

Bhahaha same!! I was washing the wife's car ...

Great interview with KD - did he really state he weighs 195pounds = 88kg? He looks like one of those 60kg helium infused floaty frothers up on foil. His beach starts are next level.

I have just gotten a KD Signature Mach 1 tailwing for my Kujira 1210. The Kujira is great with standard stab but the Mach 1 improves the glide dramatically - very impressed. Nice to see the face behind the magic.

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PeterP said..
Great interview with KD - did he really state he weighs 195pounds = 88kg? He looks like one of those 60kg helium infused floaty frothers up on foil. His beach starts are next level...

And I found it even more impressive that he says the 3.5 is his big wing for sub 10 knots winds. In combination with a 1000 m2 foil! There seems a lot to be learded for me ;-)

More and more good riders seem to go for very small wings and foils. Is that only when nice waves are around? Or are people like Balz Muller using very small foils and wings, too?

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ulx said..

PeterP said..
Great interview with KD - did he really state he weighs 195pounds = 88kg? He looks like one of those 60kg helium infused floaty frothers up on foil. His beach starts are next level...

And I found it even more impressive that he says the 3.5 is his big wing for sub 10 knots winds. In combination with a 1000 m2 foil! There seems a lot to be learded for me ;-)

More and more good riders seem to go for very small wings and foils. Is that only when nice waves are around? Or are people like Balz Muller using very small foils and wings, too?

-Rob Whittall (Ozone) wingfoils in 10kt with 4m wing.Dunno his weight or foil size.
-Abel Lago (RRD) 70KG 1200cm2/4m wing/65l board in...6 knots.
-Kane de Wilde 88kg,1000cm2/3.5m wing/downwinder SUPfoil board also in 6kt.

I have tried a 4m in 10kt.It felt ridiculous.Lots to be learned for sure :)

As mentioned late in the show KD has published some posts detailing some of his foil knowledge and best practices.
Found here: kdfoils.myshopify.com/blogs/foil-info

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mcrt said..

ulx said..

PeterP said..
Great interview with KD - did he really state he weighs 195pounds = 88kg? He looks like one of those 60kg helium infused floaty frothers up on foil. His beach starts are next level...

And I found it even more impressive that he says the 3.5 is his big wing for sub 10 knots winds. In combination with a 1000 m2 foil! There seems a lot to be learded for me ;-)

More and more good riders seem to go for very small wings and foils. Is that only when nice waves are around? Or are people like Balz Muller using very small foils and wings, too?

-Rob Whittall (Ozone) wingfoils in 10kt with 4m wing.Dunno his weight or foil size.
-Abel Lago (RRD) 70KG 1200cm2/4m wing/65l board in...6 knots.
-Kane de Wilde 88kg,1000cm2/3.5m wing/downwinder SUPfoil board also in 6kt.

I have tried a 4m in 10kt.It felt ridiculous.Lots to be learned for sure :)

Also mentioned above, ideally you want to use the smallest wing and foil you can (if you can). It is kind of an exponential thing. Smaller foils and wings go faster and therefore produce more apparent wind (which is really what we are winging on once we get going). But the trick is getting up on foil and moving. Good pump technique is paramount here. The smallest head chop or current can make life hell when using small gear, but once you're up = POW!

Also smaller wings are "easier" to pump (to a degree).

Technique is everything. And yes a 4m +/- wing is generally enough to get up in most wind if it is possible. When you want more power is when waves, current and chop is involved.

Ride safe,

JB

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Windgenuity said..

mcrt said..

ulx said..

PeterP said..
Great interview with KD - did he really state he weighs 195pounds = 88kg? He looks like one of those 60kg helium infused floaty frothers up on foil. His beach starts are next level...

And I found it even more impressive that he says the 3.5 is his big wing for sub 10 knots winds. In combination with a 1000 m2 foil! There seems a lot to be learded for me ;-)

More and more good riders seem to go for very small wings and foils. Is that only when nice waves are around? Or are people like Balz Muller using very small foils and wings, too?

-Rob Whittall (Ozone) wingfoils in 10kt with 4m wing.Dunno his weight or foil size.
-Abel Lago (RRD) 70KG 1200cm2/4m wing/65l board in...6 knots.
-Kane de Wilde 88kg,1000cm2/3.5m wing/downwinder SUPfoil board also in 6kt.

I have tried a 4m in 10kt.It felt ridiculous.Lots to be learned for sure :)

Also mentioned above, ideally you want to use the smallest wing and foil you can (if you can). It is kind of an exponential thing. Smaller foils and wings go faster and therefore produce more apparent wind (which is really what we are winging on once we get going). But the trick is getting up on foil and moving. Good pump technique is paramount here. The smallest head chop or current can make life hell when using small gear, but once you're up = POW!

Also smaller wings are "easier" to pump (to a degree).

Technique is everything. And yes a 4m +/- wing is generally enough to get up in most wind if it is possible. When you want more power is when waves, current and chop is involved.

Ride safe,

JB

Thanks JB - great comment and clarification. Let's improve pumping skills.