Kick-start your 2020 SUP foiling adventure with beginner tips from Fanatic Rider & World Champ Christian Andersen

As SUP riders across the globe are setting new goals for the 2020 season, SUP foiling, one of the most hyped water activities of the recent years, will make it to the top of the bucket lists. Total SUP caught up with the Fanatic Team Rider and 2019 Junior World Champion, Christian Andersen aka Polar Bear, who’s also an avid SUP foil shredder for some beginner tips to kick-start this super fun sport.

Photo: Cathrine Yde

Hi Christian, massive congratulations on your epic SUP racing season and the Junior SUP World Champion Title! You’re a super skilled foil rider, could you share some advice with beginner riders? Where would you start a SUP foiling adventure?

The best way to start would be behind a boat or Jet Ski, that way you learn how the foil moves and it’s way easier to find the right balance. If you are starting in the waves, start in smaller surf at a spot that’s not crowded. Try to catch a wave in the whitewater and then you want to lean a lot forward and then slowly lean back until you find the right balance.

Photo: Cathrine Yde

What are your tips for choosing the first foil gear?

Choosing the right foil gear is important and I would start with a SUP board for foiling. I feel like it’s easier to learn because you are already standing up and you have the paddle to help. As you progress, a smaller board can be really fun and more manoeuvrable. For the wing, it depends a bit on what you’re going to do. For surfing, a smaller wing like Fanatic Aero 1500 is best, and for downwind, a foil with a bigger wing like the Fanatic Aero 2000-2500 would be best.

Photo: Cathrine Yde Photography

What Fanatic gear are you currently using?

The gear I am currently using is the Fanatic Sky SUP Foil 6’3″ with foot straps which come with the board and the Aero 1500 wing. With this setup, I can pretty much do everything from surf to downwind and even with the foil wing.

Photo: Cathrine Yde

How do you think the sport will evolve?

That’s a good question but it’s hard to say. I think foiling is going to be an individual sport, separate from SUP and surfing, there are so many opportunities for foiling and I am really excited to see what the future will bring.

 

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A post shared by POLAR BEAR❄️🐻 (@christian_k_andersen) on Oct 5, 2019 at 11:31am PDT

Thank you for your time Christian. Enjoy the off-racing season and we wish you many successes in the New Year!

To find out more about Fanatic SUP hydrofoil board range, visit www.fanatic.com

To find out more and follow Christian Andersen aka Polar Bear, visit www.christian-andersen.com

Mathieu Astier

Mathieu is the hyper-active founder of TotalSUP and a multilingual online marketing veteran with more than 20 years of experience working for top international internet companies. His love-at-first-sight for Stand Up Paddling in 2013 led him to build one of the leading online media dedicated to SUP in English and French and to turn his family lifestyle towards the ocean.

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