17-year-old Josh Mayer fell into wingfoiling almost by accident. Since that moment he’s been pushing hard in his chosen disciplines, and it’s all starting to pay off…
AGE: 17
HEIGHT: 5'5
WEIGHT: 136lbs
Sponsors: Eleveight, a3d.sports
Competitive foil disciplines: Freestyle, Wave, Slalom
Biggest achievement to date: German Champion Freestyle U19 2024; 4th Men’s category German Championship
Hey Josh, you’re based in Fehmarn, Germany. How have the conditions been up there lately?
Yes, correct. Fehmarn is a little island in almost the most northerly point in Germany. Which means that we get the most wind compared to every other spot in Germany, so the conditions haven’t been too bad lately. I have had a lot of good freestyle and wave training sessions for the past month, at my favorite spot on the Island, called ‘Altenteil’. There we get wind from the left and side-shore which is perfect for some steep ramps as I’m regular footed, not goofy. During the German Championships, we got a lot of wind from the east which was also perfect for me because the event happened in the south of the island.
What led you into foiling in the first place, and who’s given you the most inspiration would you say?
I started my water sports journey with stand-up paddling, windsurfing and a bit of kitesurfing. I first found out about wingfoiling when we headed to our local surf shop, where we were aiming to buy some new windsurfing gear but then my dad and I saw a wingfoil setup for the first time. We were both curious and gave it a try. I loved it since then. Balz Müller has been my biggest inspiration as he was, in my opinion, the first true wingfoiling legend that you would see everywhere on the internet. But definitely also the people around me that already knew how to foil.
What’s been your biggest win to date, and how did it feel being on the podium for that?
I was super stoked to finally win at the Open German Championships in freestyle and to become German Champion Freestyle U19 at the Foil Festival which is a yearly event that took place at my home spot for the first time. I also made it into the Men’s Final and placed fourth, but unfortunately I lost against Titouan Galea. I was on the podium with the finalists who were Titouan, Benjamin May and Henning Nockel which was a very special moment for me. A few weeks later I managed to get an interview on German television about my recent success at the Foil Festival.
Do you plan on competing in the GWA Wingfoil World Tour?
I really enjoy watching the livestreams or their highlights on Instagram. I feel like it really helps me with my progression, especially in freestyle. But at the moment I’m trying to get to the right level and hopefully I’ll then be able to compete at the Big Air event in Gran Canaria next year.
Your main sponsor is Eleveight. How is it riding for their international team, and what’s your gear of choice on a good day in the water?
Yes, correct. I’m super happy to have joined the Eleveight wing team, about a year ago. I was lucky to have met the Sales Manager for Germany at the beach after a nice session together. He asked me if I was interested in getting sponsored by Eleveight. I was super stoked, as the gear also arrived in no time at all. My favorite setup that I use the most is the Evolve V3 4’6 40 Liter combined with the GSF Foil 800, 85cm Mast, S Fuselage and a prototype backwing. For the wings I only use the WFS V5 and the new WFS Pro.
What’s the most technical trick you’re working on currently?
As I was in Egypt this past May for a coaching week, together with pro rider Vinnicius Martins, we both were working on our one-handed backflip/palau flip. So now that I’ve got the palau flip unlocked, I’m working on performing them with a combination trick for more points in a competition. Besides this trick I’m also working on my front flips. I’m also always just trying the new stuff I see from the riders on the GWA Tour.
And while you work on stomping those, what would you say is your favorite trick overall?!
At the moment, for sure it’s those really high, clean landed backloops, as it used to be kind of my personal signature move at our local competitions.
You obviously love your freestyle. Do you have any interest in the racing side of winging?
Most of the time I’m practicing my freestyle moves. I still compete in racing as well, but it didn’t really work out for me yet. I just find it too much work and specification, I just want to go on the water with a setup that works for everything and not switch it up too much, which is the exact opposite for what you must do when getting ready for a race. So my main focus will stay on freestyle, wave riding and Big Air.
Finally, for anyone else who’s looking to become a pro wingfoiler, what advice would you offer them?
Simply just to have fun when you’re on the water, don’t be in too much of in a hurry for completing a new trick and try something else and don’t get stuck with one thing, mix it up!
As a kitefoil transplant who’s steadily working his way up the wingfoiling competitive ladder, Lucas Matthes is representative of several European young guns who are looking to move out of the national pro scene and into the international realms. Photos: Andreas Diekötter RIDER STATS Age: 20 Height: 179cm Weight: 73kg Sponsors: CORE Wingfoil, Soöruz Competitive
READ MORE
Any “new” form of wave riding that shows up in the line-up is bound to raise a few eyebrows – and, I’d argue more often than not, meet a fair bit of skepticism or even outright disdain from whoever the mainstream crowd happens to be out there. On occasion that reaction might be justified. More often though, it’s not. But as Noé Cantaloube argues in this piece, when it comes to surf foiling, it’s worth looking a little deeper – and maybe even giving it a go – before jumping to conclusions.
READ MORE
Artist Phil Lewis’s journey to the foil was much like many others – via other board/wind sports, earning his stripes on lakes in California and Colorado. But it was a trip to Nicaragua in 2023 that cemented Phil’s love affair with foiling… which has also now found its way into his art in quite interesting ways.
READ MORE
