It’s not that Kai Lenny needs no introduction, it’s where do you start. Universally accepted as the greatest all-round surf sport athlete on the planet right now, his talent transcends normal human performance. He holds multiple world champion SUP titles, has won a professional big wave surfing contest and is a former kitesurfing wave world vice-champion, not to mention the unofficial king of surf foiling. But windsurfing was what started Kai’s watersports career and to this day he still remains true to his roots and, as anybody who has seen him sail, is still able to give the best in the world more than a run for their money. Gifted, smart and articulate, Kai is a sponsor’s dream and has a list of blue-chip companies who support his class act. John Carter sits down with the affable Hawaiian to learn more about the secrets behind his skills and success.
JC: Where does windsurfing fit in with all the vast array of water sports you participate in?
KL: In the right conditions, windsurfing for me is still one of the most ultimate sports. You have the power of the wind and the power of the waves. In the past it has been shown that windsurfing allows athletes to ride the unrideable! Jaws was first ridden on a windsurfer at its biggest! When I go home to Maui and the conditions are firing, it is so hard for me to have to do another sport. When the conditions are great I love windsurfing, it is just a matter that I am busy with other commitments sometimes and I have other sports to squeeze in. I don’t get to compete in windsurfing as much as I would like to because of the foiling, surfing and SUP riding all on my agenda. But windsurfing is always going to be a big part of my life until the day I die! Especially with the foil now! Before windsurfing washard in certain places in the world where I travel, but with foiling you can go anywhere. Unfortunately I have dug myself into a bit of a hole regards the amount of equipment I travel with. Gosh, now I could bring one sail, like a 4.0m and on my windsurf foil I could literally get up in a few knots and have fun. At least go windsurfing. For me windsurfing is the ultimate form of sailing. I love sailing boats as well, I have a moth and have sailed through the Hawaiian Islands on catamarans. But without a doubt windsurfing is the pinnacle of the extreme side of sailing!
JC: How do you decide which sport you are going to do every day?
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Lockdown stirred the creative juices of reader Björn Alfthan, who peers into the future to present a fictional story set in the wild waves of Norway, five years from now.
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Nik tweaking it over home waters.
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On a trip to La Tranche-sur-Mer in France last year, Tris Best estimated over 80% of the windsurfers were foiling. This summer in Portland Harbour, foiling activity has increased dramatically too he reports. With the market offering plenty of choice to recreational windfoilers, our test team check out some of the latest foil offerings.
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