Rider spotlight: Heinar Brandstötter
Meet Heinar Brandstötter, a passionate waterman, dad, and all-round shredder. From his home in Mondsee, Austria, Heinar has turned his love for watersports into a way of life. A teacher, coach, and father of two, he somehow still finds time to be one of the most active and dedicated riders on the water. Whether it’s wind, snow, or foil – if there’s wind and water, Heinar is there.
A lifetime of wind and water
Heinar first stepped on a windsurf board more than 30 years ago on the lake where he still lives today. When kiteboarding arrived in the early 2000s, he jumped straight in and quickly made a name for himself. Over the next two decades, he collected multiple European and Austrian titles in snowkiting and kitesurfing, competing at the highest level with impressive consistency. Then came wingfoiling – and like so many others, Heinar was instantly hooked.
The lake life
Austria may be landlocked, but that hasn’t slowed Heinar down. Thanks to steady thermal winds, he spends around 170 days a year on the water. Winters bring the best wind, and he doesn’t mind the cold. Between wingfoiling and pumpfoiling, there’s rarely a week that passes without a session.
At his home spot in Mondsee, the community is thriving. On a windy day, as many as 80 riders can be out – a mix of friends and families. “We push each other a lot,” Heinar says. “It keeps things fun.”
Freestyle on the brain
Even after decades of riding, Heinar still loves learning. “At my age it’s not as easy anymore to learn as fast as the kids,” he laughs, “but I still have a bit of progression.” He learns new tricks the old-school way – watch, repeat, try, repeat again. Recently he landed the mobe and is working on the mobe 3, front flips, and the rad 7. The motivation hasn’t faded one bit.
The gear that keeps him flying
Heinar’s setup is tuned for the mixed conditions of Austrian lakes. He rides the ENSIS TOPSPIN ACE in 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 sizes, paired with the MANIC INFINITY ACE 840 foil. His go-to board is the ROCK’N’ROLL 57 L, and for lighter winds he switches to the JIVE 72 L.
“The INFINITY ACE is really a light-wind weapon,” he says. “I also use it for parawinging and racing. In my region, you need gear that works in both light and strong wind – and that’s what this setup does.”
Family, community, and passion
When he’s not teaching at the local sports school or coaching his son’s soccer team, Heinar is often out winging with his kids, who are both already riding. For him, it’s not just about performance or results; it’s about being on the water, progressing together, and sharing the stoke.
With 170 days on the water each year and an entire family now hooked on wingfoiling, Heinar shows that passion for the wind and water doesn’t fade – it only grows.
Interested in anything wing or foil?
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