I’ve been foiling for 7 years now, but only the last 3 on a SUP. One of my biggest struggles has been staying consistent with downwind drills. When I’m on the water, I just want to have fun. But when race season comes around, that extra work really makes a difference. That’s why I’m excited to see everyone’s breakthroughs in this community. It pushes me and keeps me accountable. If you’ve felt the same, you’re not alone :)

Hahaha thanks for sharing that video, Primoz 😄 I think the best approach is exactly what you said, focus on time on foil, however that looks. At the same time, make sure you still “eat your vegetables” and mix in some flatwater paddling sessions from time to time. Efficient paddling is key in downwinding, and that flatwater work really does wonders. Feel free to send in more videos whenever you get them 🤙

@Primoz Spacapan That sounds like a lot of drag 😅 but in small chop you don’t really need anything ultra efficient anyway. If anything, something with a bit less drag would make the pop-up easier. That said, if you keep working with this foil and learn to make it work, once the conditions line up and you jump on something faster, the difference is going to blow your mind 🤙

Well said Johannes, I agree! The low stall speed makes it more forgiving. Every wing has its own pace, so it's just about putting in the time to understand what bumps it thrives in and reading the conditions accordingly.

Hey Mickey, thanks for sending the video. Normally this kind of feedback is for Premium members only, but since we’re just getting started I’ll give you some guidance here. The main thing I see is that you start pumping with your legs too early. At low speed, those pumps aren’t engaging the foil yet, they’re just creating drag from the board and slowing you down. Instead, focus on about 10 paddle strokes first, gradually increasing cadence. Once you’ve built enough speed, then start adding the pumps so the foil can actually engage. I also notice you’re bending your bottom arm a lot. As we talked about in last week’s video analysis, you want to avoid that and use your lats instead. Keep the bottom arm straighter, shorten the stroke, and pull the blade out sooner around the space between your legs. Right now you’re pulling past your legs with a bent arm, which reduces cadence and efficiency. Your entry at the front looks good, just exit earlier. At the end of the clip, it looks like the foil finally engages and lifts you, but you lose control. That’s the key moment. You need to be ready to pump as if you’re already foiling. Get tall, distribute your weight evenly, and pump the foil like you’re recovering from a touchdown. At the same time, add 3-4 extra paddle strokes to dig yourself out and lift as high as possible off the water. You’re close! Clean up the timing and body position and it will click. Good luck, and feel free to ask questions. If you want more detailed video feedback and access to the courses, you can always go Premium. Thanks again for sending the video!!

Johannes, great question 🤙🏼 This really depends on your weight and the conditions, but assuming the conditions suit the X 900, it’s not too big of a jump. The main difference is that the Eagle X 900 is much faster and more efficient, but it also has less lift and less low end than the 1290. Because it carries more speed, it changes how you need to read and use the bumps. On the 900, if you just point straight downwind, you’ll often outrun the energy of the bump and end up in the bottom where there’s no power. Instead of covering a lot of straight line distance, focus on carving cutbacks. That way you cover less linear ground, don’t outrun the bump, and stay where the power is — right on the crest. The 900 also gives you more opportunity: you can still stay on the slower moving bumps you’d normally ride on the 1290, but you also have the ability to chase down bumps way in front of you. With a few good pumps to go up and over, connections that weren’t possible before suddenly open up.

Aloha Jeremie! Thanks for asking 🤙 It’s $99/month, which gives you access to all the course content. Most importantly, you can submit videos of yourself, and I’ll personally analyze them and send back a video response with clear feedback on how to improve.