WING FOILING in the GORGE
As you look out on the Columbia River this summer you will see the wing foilers surfing and smiling. It is the new addicting wind sport in the Columbia River Gorge.
Foil boarding had gained popularity within the kiteboarding, windsurfing and stand up paddling communities over the years. The hydrofoil allows riders to ride in less than 10 knots while still having lots of fun. Riding above the surface of the water gives the rider the feeling of floating and you can reach speeds around 30 mph without much effort. Athletes who have been in the Gorge for over 30 years have watched wind sports evolve. Windsurfing for 15 years— then onto kiteboarding for another 20 years, and then in the last two years discovering wing foiling.
The main attraction for switching over to wing foiling is that you are riding the energy of the surf and swell. It’s about carving around and having fun, it’s not about jumping or going fast. Wing foiling is easier to rig up and takes pressure off your hands and your body. It is simple, quiet and as some say, it has a familiar feeling as the thrill found in skiing powder.
A bit of history
In 2015, Tony Logosz was locally testing and developing a hand-held wing that he found enabled him to be up and foiling instantly, allowing him to cut upwind, cruise downwind and ride swell for the first time without the aid of a windsurfing sail or kite. Four years later, and a couple of weeks after Robby Naish revealed his Wing Surfer, Slingshot’s Slingwing hit the market joining Ken Winner’s version of the handheld wing, marking the beginning of a new wind sport and its continuing development.
For more details about launch sites, amenities and skill levels, please click on the map below.
Doug’s
PREMIER OUTDOOR SHOP
Here at Doug’s Water Sports we pride ourselves on teaching to the highest standard. This means providing you with everything you’ll need to become a confident, independent kiteboarder, wing surfer, or E-foiler. Our lessons focus on doing everything in the safest and most informative way while also providing a fun and personalized lesson experience. We’re the first school on the right hand side as you pull into the Event Site parking lot.
101 Oak Street, Hood River, OR 541-386-5787 visit website