Foiling Week Winter Break Happening in Pensacola, Florida

Are there any Bay Area foilers heading to Foiling Week in Pensacola? The foiling phenomenon started soaring on its current trajectory with the 2013 America’s Cup on the Bay, though it was California sailing pioneers Greg Ketterman, Russell Long and Hobie Alter who were breaking speed records with the Hobie Trifoiler in the early ’90s (Read our March ’91 interview with Russell Long here). The foiling world has since expanded dramatically, with the next big US gathering of foilers taking place at Foiling Week in Pensacola, Florida, from February 24 to March 2, 2025.

Foiling has become another slice of the growing number of slices in the sailing pie. There are so many new disciplines that it feels as if the number of “boat” classes is growing faster than the number of sailors. Regardless, the number of foilers on the Bay and everywhere is growing quickly because, as one wing foiler said to us, “It’s so addictive it’s like crack.” 

For those trying to keep up, we’re listing what we understand are all the classes hoping to hit critical mass at Foiling Week in Pensacola (the base for the New York Yacht Club’s America’s Cup team). The list of classes includes Kite Foil (which made its Olympic debut in Paris this past summer), Open Wing Foil, SUP Foil, Surf (prone) Foil, Pump Foil, Wake Board Foil, Moth, WASZP, Birdyfish, A-Class Catamaran, Nacra 15 FCS, X-15, iQ Foil and an “Open Class” division with the Skeeta, F101, Flying Phantom, iFLY, Whisper and UFOs. Phew! We’re not sure how all these boats work, but they’ll be gathering in Pensacola this winter.

The number of different classes is baffling, and it’s hard to contemplate picking one over the other as the technology of each class continues to rapidly evolve. Wing foiling is ascendant while kite foiling declines. Foiling windsurfers such as the Olympic iQ Foil are still popular, though new platforms seem to enter the fray daily.

We’d be interested in hearing if any West Coast sailors are heading to Foiling Week, and if so, what device they’re using to lift them above the water.

The Bay Area is an awesome place to foil, and some of the world’s best carbon foil builders are based here. However, it’s usually good from about April through September, and most foiling returns to sea level during the light winter breezes. Midwinter racers might find summer foilers could be good crew for light-air midwinter racing. People have to slow down once in a while.

To learn more about Foiling Week check it out here.

The US WingFoil Championship will be held at the St. Francis Yacht Club on the June 21/22 Summer Sailstice weekend.