Talking wingfoil freestyle with Balz Müller
Balz Müller is a “fun-boarding” pioneer and one of the first to push freestyle wingfoiling. He is stoked about everything related to wind, boards, and water. We caught up with Balz to chat about freestyling, how he got into it, his mindset, and to ask him for some tips and tricks.
What is freestyle to you?
“It’s all about expressing yourself in a creative way, where you can do and create whatever you like. It means everything to me—it’s my lifestyle, the passion of learning something new every day. Funboarding.”
What was the first move that got you hooked on freestyle?
I remember as a young kid, I enjoyed skateboarding and breakdancing a lot. I was part of a “cool” crew, and we constantly tried to execute new moves as stylishly as possible. Luckily, there’s no content existing from back then—haha!
But it was windsurfing that really got me addicted to freestyle. Oh, I remember trying the air-jibe over and over for weeks until I finally succeeded. I will never forget that rewarding feeling that came with it.
The level of freestyle wingfoiling has skyrocketed. Do you think it is more approachable to learn tricks while wingfoiling compared to other wind sports?
Absolutely. I mean, just jumping in the air is very accessible and simple on the wingfoil, which makes it less challenging to progress into the first tricks.”
Online, we see you and other riders throwing crazy moves, and people quickly brush it off as “talent.” Do you think anyone can learn to freestyle, or is it just about practice and time on the water pushing yourself?
It’s all a matter of mindset. Freestyle has no rules or guidelines, and any moment is great to learn something new. Nothing beats the learning process, so yes, just go for it! Even if you plan to learn a carving 360 (basically a tack into a jibe), you can start calling yourself a freestyler if that’s what you’re aiming for.
How do you approach learning a new move?
You have to be able to dream your tricks. So it all starts with visualizing and breaking it down into just a few key points—less is more! And then, obviously, you need to face your fear and send it!
Overcoming hesitation and fear is always a big hurdle for everyone learning new tricks. How do you decide if you’re just going to send it or if a move is too risky?
I’m always nervous trying something new. I mean, respect is definitely healthy, but fear can block us. So when learning, I try to create a comfortable environment. Obviously, the right dance partner/equipment helps, and having friends to push and support you is very important. Last but not least, always trust in your capabilities.
Talking to riders, you often hear about equipment and conditions as limiting factors. Having perfect equipment is an endless chase, but having bad equipment can limit your progression. What are your thoughts on this?
Riders often say gear and conditions hold them back, but the truth is, there will always be an excuse with that mindset. However, using the wrong equipment can definitely limit your growth.
Shiny new gear is cool, but in the end, it’s what you make of what you’ve got. I’m sure even a piece of wood can flip great, and that’s a very important part of the freestyle mindset to me!
Of course, the ultimate goal is to ride the best possible gear to perform your best on the water, but there’s much more to it than that. It’s all about going out there and having fun with what you’ve got.
What is your favourite size equipment versus what is your most-used wingfoiling equipment?
3.6 is definitely the wildest and my favourite wing size, paired with the 57L board. While in Switzerland, I mainly use a 4.6 and a 77L in the light summer breeze. But the gear has become so handy, compact, and easy to control that even the “bigger” stuff feels amazing and is also more accessible for learning new things, as it goes a bit slower and is more forgiving.
For someone who knows the basics and how to jump, what is a great first move to learn? What common mistakes do you see riders make when learning something new? Do you have any tips that helped you land moves more consistently?
The best entry into the hopping freestyle party is definitely the Frontside 360 (Riding a half to slightly upwind course, doing a little 180-degree jump rotation into the wind, trying to keep the wing flat like an umbrella next to your head, with the strut close to your back shoulder. Then, once landed, finish the rotation on the water surface by pushing the wing forward through the wind).
But again, to become a freestyler, you don’t necessarily need to jump. Simply drawing fun lines and creative turns is all part of what freestyle means—pure funboarding, the way you like it.
Dream team
We’re stoked to have Balz Müller as part of our team—a true pioneer in the freestyle world. His passion for pushing the limits of what’s possible on the water aligns perfectly with our goal of creating top-notch equipment for passionate riders. We hope Balz inspires you to try something new on the water in your next session!
Interested in anything wing or foil?
Interested in events ENSIS are hosting or attending or want to try out the gear? Be sure to follow our social media for future announcements, or check out the DEMO DAY page, for future events.The ENSIS team is highly skilled in wing foiling and is eager to assist you in starting your wing foiling journey. Our worldwide retailers offer a variety of ENSIS products. Contact us now to learn more about our products or locate an ENSIS retailer nearby.
