RISING UP: Arthur Thébault

Getting eyes on these shots of young ripper Arthur Thébault, you’ll no doubt be as impressed as we were by the 14 year old’s commitment to going big. Already very familiar with the competitive scene, we’ve no doubt Arthur’s star is in the ascendant…

Profile shot Samuel Cardenas
Action shots Sébastien Thébault

Hey Arthur! First question – how are the conditions today and have you been in the water yet?

Hi! Today is the weekend, and it’s wingfoil training time at the local sailing club with the other kids. We have a spot in front of the club with a great wave and regular wind, we're going to sail, have a good laugh and do some wave heats. Conditions are good! 18 knots, 1.5m waves, and lots of sun. We’ll all be training together.

So how and when did you first discover wingfoiling?

With my uncle who brought the first Duotone wingfoil to the island! Everyone thought it was weird at first, now all these people love it. Previously we’d been doing windsurfing, kitesurfing and surfing. Now we do those a bit less…

Do you have a background in competing in other wind and water sports then?

I have done a lot of surfing competitions and continue to do so. I also go sailing and I have done a lot of Optimist competitions, and we still do it with the school. The sailing is good for learning about racing rules, and of course surfing is the basis of so many water sport activities!

You live in Guadeloupe. How is it out there for winging?

Guadeloupe is a great island for all water activities. You can do surfing, sailing, fishing, snorkeling and many other activities in the sea. The wind is pretty regular and ever present in winter, and we also have quite a few waves, it's great! We can sail almost every day on very beautiful spots in warm water. There are lots of people wingfoiling now. It’s paradise growing up here. I love my island!

Are you into any other foil disciplines?

I do a lot of surf foiling on the spots here. And we dockstart at the sailing club on windless days. The dock is so perfect for that. We also do races and tricks.

If you were stuck on a desert island and could only have one wing, one board, and one foil… what would they be?

The Duotone Sky Wing 4’2/25 liter board with the Duotone D/LAB Carve 650cm2 and a 3m Unit 2024. This is the best of the best for me at the moment, super versatile and perfect for doing everything, freestyle and waves. I use this all the time on my island. It’s also works for surf foiling.

How do you balance your schoolwork with getting in the water?

I go to school every day and my parents let me organize myself. As long as I have good grades, I can foil whenever I want… So far it’s going pretty well! And I even missed a few lessons for exceptional sessions… But I know that studying is super important to be able to do what I want later in life.

Good thinking. So who do you look up to the most in the sport? Anyone in particular, and why?

I particularly admire Clément Roseyro and Wesley Brito, Clément for his incredible style and big wave skills, Wesley for his big tricks and he is the wave World Champion! Both are super nice and they both give good advice.

Finally, you’re 14 years old now. What does life look like for you at 24 years old?

I would like to live by the water. And to be able to organize myself to sail and surf as often as possible. I must have a job that allows me that! I would also like to travel and go to legendary spots, like Hawaii.