Tarifa Wing Pro insights with Eva Wyss and Laura Rudolph

During the last tour stop of the wingfoil world tour, the GWA team sat down with the ENSIS girls Eva Wyss (finished first place) and Laura Rudolph (finished second place) for an insider’s look at what tricks were thrown down, the best pre-competition snacks and where wingfoiling is heading.

Favorite Trick of the competition?
Eva:
Air 360 which I learned just the day before the competition.

Laura:
Sitting on the board.

How did you prepare for the competition?
Eva:
We – Balz, Laura, Michi, Andi – drove to Tarifa by van before Christmas to get to know the spot by wing foiling. Tarifa and its surroundings is such a nice place to explore by van. Every session on the water together was so nice and I got inspired by all the happy wingers around me. First, we foiled with almost only the locals then more and more riders arrived in Balneario/Playa Chica. It was especially motivational to ride with the women.
And I also believe that the No.1 pizzas gave us enough energy in the evening to be ready the next day again.

Laura:
I decided to take part in the morning of the competition. So I did not have much time to prepare, but I had great support from friends.

Where do you see wing sports going?
Eva:
Besides the water sports enthusiasts, I think it will also attract all sorts of people who have never done any water sports before: young/older – women/men – ocean lovers/people who live close to a lake. And winging will not only be on water, but you can also have a lot of fun on a skateboard or on snow, too.

Laura:
Wing sports will become a sport that unites all water sports enthusiasts. Wing sports you can do all over the world, whether there is a lot of wind or not, with or without waves. Above all, my dream is that there will be a lot of women’s power in wing sport.

How do you recommend someone gets started with wing foiling?
Eva:
Play with the wing at the shore. Find out (on your own, by tutorials or instructors) how the wing works. Try to put it in neutral, feel when it’s powered up and try to jibe so you feel how the wing reacts by changing the positions of the hands. Find out how to turn the wing from upside down and think how you would do it on a board. Also, try out how you would use the wing from a kneeling to a standing position. Then to the water, let’s go.
The first sessions should be with decent wind (>15 km), use a foil with a big surface (>1700 cm2) and easy-lift, a floaty board and a wing which is not too big so that the winglets of the foil don’t always touch the water when you try pumping your foil up.
You will see after a few sessions you will be able to wing foil with far less wind.

Laura:
Don’t be afraid of the foil, it will make you fly over the water and once you have tried you will just love it.

How can our readers start taking their wing foiling to the next level?
Eva:
Watch other riders who inspire you, visualize a trick or move you would like to learn. And then do it like Pippi Longstocking says: I have never tried that before, so I think I should definitely be able to do that.

Laura:
Go out on the water with other crazy wing foilers and get inspired by them.

What’s your favorite pre-competition food or snack?
Eva:
Coffee and Chocolate

Laura:
Salt & vinegar chips.

Team ENSIS at the Tarifa Wing Pro