THE SWISS WATERMAN

Balz Müller has played a pivotal role in the development of foiling - driving numerous sports forwards thanks to his innovative style and approach. We hear from Balz about everything from foiling to freestyle to his views on social media.

- Balz Müller

CHANGE OF PROFESSION

I have moved over into professional wing-foiling. Since winging came on the scene it has grown enormously over the last few years. For the last two seasons I have been a full-time wing developer and wing athlete. I am sponsored by Ensis, which is a Swiss brand that originated right at the very beginning of this sport. Karl Müller was already the Severne distributer in Switzerland, so we already had a long relationship before. When winging started out, Robby Naish was riding a 4m wing in Hawaii, Karl picked up on the sport and started Ensis with bigger wings in mind, which was a great decision because it grew like crazy. It has changed my life completely and I'm now almost daily on the water with all of my sports. Of course, I am still windsurfing, but that is not my main income anymore. Five years ago I would never have dreamt that I was going to be a pro wingfoiler. I am still a professional windsurfer, but most of all I am a really passionate windsurfer. I love to spend time on the water. So now with this shift I don't feel that pressure in windsurfing so much anymore, but in fact I'm actually windsurf better than ever before. My sailing has gone hand in hand with the release of pressure and now I don't feel any pressure windsurfing. I am just having a blast. In wingfoiling it is at the point where I have to perform and people expect something. I am making a living from wing-foiling, so that is the pressure you have to accept comes with it.

LANDSCAPING

My old job as a landscaper has pretty much come to an end. I just don't have the time for it anymore. My old boss keeps calling me up to sneak in two or three weeks on a project here and there. I would like to help, but it is impossible and it would be overkill. Landscaping is extremely physical.

EXPONENTIAL PROGRESS