At the end of May 2022, the first edition of the Defi Wing took place in Gruissan, a long-distance race with runs over 40 kilometres each. There were 150 participants at the start - and very few people would have guessed that the young Frenchman Bastien Escofet would win. In this interview, he reveals why it worked out anyway.
Bastien, you won the first Defi Wing at the end of May. Very few people had you on their radar. Surprised?
To be honest, I didn't train that much for it, you can't really prepare for a race like the Defi anyway. I was out in my home town of Leucate for a few days beforehand and tried to do long runs. In the end, I also tore off 80 kilometres in three hours, mainly to train with the harness. Of course, I didn't necessarily expect things to go so well in the end.
What were the conditions at the Defi?
It was very different on the three days of the contest. The first day was 20 to 25 knots and pretty choppy. Then a day with relatively light winds. And finally another terror hack with 40 knots, which were real survival conditions.
What role does the right material play in races like the Defi?
Of course, the material is important, but it's not rocket science either. I used a 5'0 Patrik Wingboard on all three days, which is quite a long board. That helps if you unintentionally set off. With a longer board, you don't immediately fly over the front when you hit a choppy wave. I also had some wings with me, which were racing prototypes from Patrik.
What distinguishes racing wings from "normal" freeride wings on the market?
The centre strut of such race wings is a little longer, which makes the wing more stable in the air. Harder material and a little more material tension is used on the front tube. You can pump these wings well, but first and foremost they are very stable at the pressure point. On the last day, at 40 knots, I just used a 3.0 series wing, it was all about survival (laughs).
What foil sizes do you need to ride to be really fast?
On all three days I used the same A.I.O. board and the same foil on all three days - a kitefoil with a 550 front wing on a 105 mast. In the end, I only changed the wing depending on the wind. A few weeks earlier, I had already taken part in the GWA Wingfoil World Cup in Leucate, so I already suspected that I could do well in terms of speed. Nevertheless, you can't expect to win the Defi just like that. After the race, there were a few people who were a bitpissedand obviously didn't have me on their radar.
At the moment, you can never be sure on the World Tour whether a completely unknown opponent won't come along and spoon-feed you in the race.
Do you need a harness for races like the Defi?
I already use it regularly for racing. I use a normal windsurfing harness, which offers good back comfort. I also use very long 44-inch harness ropes.
Why should the ropes be so long when winching?
So that the wing is far away from the body. The ideal situation is when the arms are stretched, but you can still give full traction into the harness.(Note from the editors: HERE there's an article on the harness basics).
You surf in the GWA Wingfoil World Cup, you did the Olympic windsurfing discipline IQ Foil and have been windsurfing since you were six years old. What is your current focus?
I'm already focussing on the wingfoil tour. But when there are really good waves in Australia, I still like to go windsurfing.
In kitesurfing and windsurfing, the disciplines and equipment have developed very differently. What do you expect in wingfoiling?
I think it will progress quickly. In racing, wings with battens will be the standard. The foils are of course already there from kitefoiling and can in principle be adopted 1:1 for wings. Overall, the speed will of course get faster and faster, but as long as there are also elements such as pumping in the World Cup, the foils will not become extremely small. Ultimately, anyone with a board, a fast foil and two small wings can take part in a race like the Defi Wing.
The French make up a large part of the starting field in the World Cup. Is France the first wingfoil superpower?
The level here in France is insane. But new talent is also sprouting up like weeds elsewhere in the world. At the moment, you can never be sure on the World Tour whether a completely unknown opponent won't beat you in the race. That makes things very exciting.
Thank you Bastien for the interview and all the best for the future!
