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Video of the first Foilboard event at Bradah Mel's Waterman Championship Makaha

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Created by Jimmy Lewis Boards > 9 months ago, 4 Dec 2018
4 Dec 2018 4:25PM
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First foil contest held at Makaha, if you think this looks easy, make sure watch the wipeout reel at the end. This is video from the first day of the 2018 Mel Puu contest at Makaha Beach, Saturday, December 1st, 2018. Bradah Mel's Waterman Championship, featuring Austin Kalama- Go Foil, Zane Saenz, Sam Pae, Leleo Kinimaka, and others. Hydrofoiling in the surf at it's best. Foil surfing video by Robert Stehlik and Monique Sanez

colas
4986 posts
4 Dec 2018 5:24PM
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Impressive technique (and board shapes!) displayed there!

However, is it only me, or is the spot not really a good foiling spot? Instead of a wide open wall to let the foils freely express themselves, the shoulder is very narrow, constraining most riders to stay in a small "kook zone" ahead of the curl, where the foil looks like more a drawback than an advantage. I think that the visual result is not very appealing (although very challenging with the chop & backwash), In my opinion contests should try to find better places to better showcase what is foiling...

5 Dec 2018 5:34AM
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This is one of two such competitions held at Makaha Beach on Oahu's west side. Makaha is known for its endless wealth of watermen and women, including Rell Sunn, Buffalo Keaulana, Bruce and Manny Desoto, many of the Aikaus, Mel Pu'u, and more. This event covers a wide range of Hawaii watersports, unlike the mainstream shortboard and longboard contests, including canoe surfing, SUP, longboard, and supsquatch.Some popular competitors in this year's contest were: Brian Keaulana (son of Buffalo, founder of C4 watermen, lifeguard, navy seal trainer, involved in with Hawaiian water patrol), Duane Desoto (world longboard champion, many time waterman award in Buffalo Keaulana's contest, crew on Hokulea), Jimmy Keaulana (son of Buffalo, lifestyle waterman), Max Holloway (Waianae Local, MMA fighter champion), Nalu Froiseth (grandson of Wally Froiseth Big wave surfing pioneer and founder of waikiki surf club), and Phil Rajzman (current longboard world champion).
The foil boarding was just part of a bigger event & it just goes to show what good waterman these guys are in tough conditions... Sure they can run a foiling event in 2 foot fat waves (like they did in Waikiki when I was there but they are pushing the sport & you're starting to see the good foilboarders push themselves in ever tougher conditions....
Here's Derek day 2...



Piros
QLD, 6879 posts
5 Dec 2018 6:19AM
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What a great wave for foiling that looks like heaps of fun. That back wash added a nice element, we have been playing around in them here adds a whole new aspect to the wave .How come no one was prone foiling ?

scotty100
QLD, 233 posts
5 Dec 2018 9:06AM
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Select to expand quote
colas said..
Impressive technique (and board shapes!) displayed there!

However, is it only me, or is the spot not really a good foiling spot? Instead of a wide open wall to let the foils freely express themselves, the shoulder is very narrow, constraining most riders to stay in a small "kook zone" ahead of the curl, where the foil looks like more a drawback than an advantage. I think that the visual result is not very appealing (although very challenging with the chop & backwash), In my opinion contests should try to find better places to better showcase what is foiling...


It's just you, whole idea of foiling is to surf waves that conventional boards stuggle to keep you excied as these slow soft waves qualify as.

hilly
TAS, 7195 posts
5 Dec 2018 10:36AM
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colas said..
Impressive technique (and board shapes!) displayed there!

However, is it only me, or is the spot not really a good foiling spot? Instead of a wide open wall to let the foils freely express themselves, the shoulder is very narrow, constraining most riders to stay in a small "kook zone" ahead of the curl, where the foil looks like more a drawback than an advantage. I think that the visual result is not very appealing (although very challenging with the chop & backwash), In my opinion contests should try to find better places to better showcase what is foiling...


I sort of agree I think a 10er would have ridden the waves better. However seeing maneuvers like below I am leaning towards giving it a go.




Piros
QLD, 6879 posts
5 Dec 2018 1:23PM
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Yeah Hilly seeing bigger moves everywhere now on foils and much bigger waves ridden . It's evolving so fast. Not long before guys start pulling into a barrel and making it. Also seeing a lot more critical take offs on head high + waves . (gutsy stuff)

Seajuice
NSW, 907 posts
5 Dec 2018 3:33PM
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Agree Piros. I was out in head high stuff but was catching mainly the whitewash, Although I had a couple that started to rebuild to just head high which had me screaming down the face with all my weight on the front to keep the foil from flipping out, then up she went as I was levelling out for some awesome rides! I just didn't think this was achievable just a week ago when I got my large foil. I don't normally take big drops, too scared. But I know a foil can easily handle one due to it being difficult to nose dive.
So yeah. I know as a fact that foilers will be part of the paddleboard & short board clan in most waves. And yeah, cannot see why barrels would be impossible. But will be a disadvantage height wise.
Oh, & by the way. I found my NeilPryde large foil isn't as quiet as they claim.
Well generally it is but not at max speed. Haaa! It makes a high pitch screach sound. Lol!

colas
4986 posts
5 Dec 2018 2:43PM
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scotty100 said..
It's just you, whole idea of foiling is to surf waves that conventional boards stuggle to keep you excied as these slow soft waves qualify as.


I don't know where you surf usually, but these waves do not look slow at all for me :-)

I guess it is a half full / half empty glass situation:
- Some will see the undeniable technical advances displayed there.
- Some will just imagine themselves arriving at this beach and deciding if they get out with or without a foil. Frankly, I was looking at most rides and telling myself that I would have had more fun with a SUP, surfing closer to the curl.

But "Jimmy Lewis Boards" provided me the relevant answer: the spot was not chosen for just foiling, but for all kind of other water activities. Which I do not think is a good thing BTW in these times where some surfers want to ban foiling, we should promote foiling as something you do outside of normal surfing breaks.

Fishdude
283 posts
5 Dec 2018 4:16PM
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Piros said..
Yeah Hilly seeing bigger moves everywhere now on foils and much bigger waves ridden . It's evolving so fast. Not long before guys start pulling into a barrel and making it. Also seeing a lot more critical take offs on head high + waves . (gutsy stuff)


Yeah, a guy who goes by Surffoils, apparently does tube rides regularly. I forget what island he's on but to quote him on the zone.
"SCB, I'll have to do a video of pulling into tubes on my Foils. It's the only way to show it. I don't think I've ever not come out of one."

I'd really love to see any video of this or even still photos would be great. It's hard for me to image.

Beasho
240 posts
5 Dec 2018 9:37PM
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Remember that all these guys ARE BEGINNERS!!!!!!!

The majority of Foil videos are of guys going straight. Then someone realized that 'You can turn'.

Now the guys in Hawaii are smashing the lip and getting air and doing 360's. But . . . . oh yeah they have only been doing it for less than 2 years.

Hence - ALL BEGINNERS.

You can't compare this display of skills to your internal perspective from 30+ years of short board surfing.

We'll have to leave it to the kids to figure out because they are fit, skilled and frankly "They are too young to realize what they are doing is impossible."

6 Dec 2018 1:51PM
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Some of the boys ripping in the "Prone" division...Great "exhibition" of what is becoming possible on a foilboard...








Piros
QLD, 6879 posts
6 Dec 2018 1:23PM
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Yeeewew ripping

colas
4986 posts
6 Dec 2018 2:44PM
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Just proning with straps is mindblowing. The technical level to get in the straps after a prone take off seems so high...

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Beasho said..
You can't compare this display of skills to your internal perspective from 30+ years of short board surfing.


I did not say that I was comparing these performances with pro-level shortboarding (which I am incapable of doing anyways). I was just reflecting on my personal choice to use a foil or not. Also, as a long time windsurfer who got tired of jumps and loops, I am not thriiled by aerials on a foil, too much personal deja vu I guess. (but I am in awe watching commited carves on a foil)

I guess it reflects more a personal experience: I currently go often to a sandbank that is sheltered from the winter depressions that was great for foiling. However, the sand has moved, and this specific bank is not adapted anymore: it has now a narrow shoulder with tubing sections instead of long non breaking walls. So I do not use a foil there for my sessions, I have more fun on a SUP now there, and this contest video reminded me of this situation.

What is funny is that there is now another bank that has appeared close by that is excellent for foiling, but we are only SUP foilers who go there. Prone foilers stubbornly stay on the old peak, I guess it mimics what happens without a foil: prone surfers tend to crowd known peaks, SUPers tend to explore more (a bit by necessity to avoid the crowds).

stevet73
NSW, 239 posts
7 Dec 2018 8:07AM
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Yes. Where are the prones?

Part of me is torn on the whole "performance" foiling.....kind of like performance long boarding.....Im impressed by the skills, but wonder if it detracts from the aesthetic flow of it all.

Maybe part of the progression. Everyone just going as nuts as they can as it's all so new.....and the refinement will then follow....

But, who cares. If it's fun, it's good.
- Plus I can't do anyhting close to what's being done in those clips....Ha!

blueplanetsurf
311 posts
8 Dec 2018 7:07AM
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Thanks for posting the video JL. I only had a few hours in the morning to film this and i had to leave before the prone foilers were sent out, otherwise I would have included the footage, of course. Here is a nice sequence of Austin Kalama:
















Holoholo
185 posts
9 Dec 2018 4:37AM
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colas said..


scotty100 said..
It's just you, whole idea of foiling is to surf waves that conventional boards stuggle to keep you excied as these slow soft waves qualify as.




I don't know where you surf usually, but these waves do not look slow at all for me :-)

I guess it is a half full / half empty glass situation:
- Some will see the undeniable technical advances displayed there.
- Some will just imagine themselves arriving at this beach and deciding if they get out with or without a foil. Frankly, I was looking at most rides and telling myself that I would have had more fun with a SUP, surfing closer to the curl.

But "Jimmy Lewis Boards" provided me the relevant answer: the spot was not chosen for just foiling, but for all kind of other water activities. Which I do not think is a good thing BTW in these times where some surfers want to ban foiling, we should promote foiling as something you do outside of normal surfing breaks.



As someone with a love for riding all kinds of watercraft, shortboards, SUP and quite recently foils included... I respectfully, but firmly disagree that foilers don't belong in a waterman's festival or that it is in any way a bad thing. Even more so, I disagree with becoming self imposed pariah, slinking off to crap waves. Familiarity and inclusion can only help the sport and discourage tribalism among people who have much more in common with each other than most stuck on dry land. The ocean / line-up should never invite or casually accept gov't legislation. Personal responsibility, an honest understanding of your abilities and equipment are 90% of the battle and in the cases when that doesn't work- self policing by the lineup are much preferred. Although the pecking order there is rather imperfect and sometimes quite ridiculous, it is certainly heaps better than some mook with a citation book, a badge and no clue about the water telling me when and where I can enter the ocean. Cheers brother.

colas
4986 posts
9 Dec 2018 2:40PM
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Holoholo said..
slinking off to crap waves.


Well, the issue there is that "crap" depends on the craft... Crap waves for surfing will be great for foiling, and the reverse is true. It is the same for a lot of things, for instance some stellar surfing waves are not windsurfable due to the wind direction, etc...

Holoholo
185 posts
10 Dec 2018 9:50AM
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Yeah for sure that colas. ONE of the joys of foiling is more water-time- having ridiculous fun in waves I'd never consider going out in on a surfboard or SUP. But.... that shouldn't limit the sport to that- prohibit having more fun on a better wave / the freedom to use my responsible, informed judgement. Cheers brotha.



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"Video of the first Foilboard event at Bradah Mel's Waterman Championship Makaha" started by Jimmy Lewis Boards