To fly over water, almost silently is an amazing feeling. That’s according to Brendan Foley, Wing Foiling Class Captain at the Royal St George Yacht Club. Just this weekend six brand new wing foilers from the Royal St George got their first taste of this extraordinary and fast-growing sport.
Wing foiling, uses an inflated wing held in the hands as a power source and the foiler stands on an oversized surfboard, equipped with a hydrofoil under the board. Once foiling, speeds of 15-20 knots are achievable even by beginners. The speed, portability and low cost of the foiling gear has led to wing foiling becoming one of the fastest growing watersports in the world. So much so that it is under Olympic consideration as a sport for Los Angeles 2028.
The six debutant wingers hail from keelboats, dinghies and many had windsurfing backgrounds. Under the expert tutelage of Francois Colussi of Pure Magic Watersports, all six sailors managed to sail with a wing on an inflatable board and all foiled alongside a boat. The participants were buzzed and exuberant following a fun 2-hour session in Dun Laoghaire. Brendan Foley and Lorcan Little of the host club, both experienced wingers provided coaching and support alongside Francois.
Under the expert tutelage of Francois Colussi of Pure Magic Watersports, all six sailors managed to sail with a wing on an inflatable board and all foiled alongside a boat
Foiling has been growing in Dun Laoghaire over the past 2 years, with the INSS’s Kenny Rumball teaming up with Francois from Pure Magic Watersports to offer lessons. With Salthill beach at the back of the West Pier, Dun Laoghaire is ideally situated for flat water and westerly winds - all very conducive to learning the sport.
The debutant Royal St. George wingers hail from keelboats, dinghies and many had windsurfing backgrounds
The Royal St George is running introduction programmes for members all through Spring and over 50 people have expressed interest in getting into this new sport. Many parents of Oppie and ILCA sailors see the benefit in bringing the highly portable kit to events around the country where they can get on the water while their children sail. The weight of all the kit combined is less than 10kg. Other members are simply drawn by the buzz of foiling and challenging themselves to learn a new water sport.
Irish Sailing has also noted the sport's rapid rise, with Dave Garvey, Head of Training for IS, running instructor courses for wing foiling. The first one is happening this weekend in Kerry at Jamie Knox Watersports. A Dublin-based instructor training is planned for later this Spring.
With the rapid rise in the sport, gear is evolving rapidly, and choosing the right gear can be a minefield. The quick deal on online sites can sometimes lead to getting gear that is either too advanced or too easy. Talking to a Wing dealer in Ireland such as Pure Magic Watersports, Jamie Knox Watersports or Surfdock will allow you to research the correct gear. Also, talk to other wingers who have been sailing for two years or more, as they have great knowledge to share.
If other clubs around the country are interested in developing their own programmes, Brendan Foley is happy to connect and share what they have learned from the Royal St George Programme. For example, using plastic safety boats is much better than using inflatable semi-rigid boats when dealing with hydrofoils, as one member unfortunately found out with a burst sponson! As always, safety is key and again getting lessons from a club, registered school or watersports centre to get started are hugely helpful.
You can get more information on the Royal St George Wingfoil Programme here
