Rider of the Week: Yann Rifflet

Name: Yann Rifflet
Age: 35
Nationality: French
Sponsors: Duotone, Fanatic, ION
Home spot: Carnac, France and Ibiraquera, Brasil

What made you decide to start Wing Foiling? 
When I saw the first pics of this new sport, around april 2019, I knew that I would love it cause it seems to me a mix of watersports that I was already doing. I also like to try new things, got new challenges 😉

What is your background?
When I saw the first pics of this new sport, around april 2019, I knew that I would love it cause it seems to me a mix of watersports that I was already doing. I also like to try new things, got new challenges 😉

I am a windsurfer, that is for sure my main sport and my first passion. I did a lot of contest when I was younger, nationals and internationals. 

Now I am a « Freerider », enjoying the best conditions and producing images in nice places… 
When it’s not windy, I am surfing or SUPing, and I get in love with surf foiling as well! 

Where and when did you make your first experiences? 
My first experience was a sunset session in my home spot in Carnac called St Colomban with my Team manager Erwan Bordier, in June 2019! 

He just received the first samples of the DUOTONE WINGS and we were super excited to try! 

The wind was just perfect around 12/14 knots with flat water… We both made our first flights, alone on the spot… Great feelings!!

What are your goals in 2020 with Wing Foiling? 
I hope to get more and more fun with this amazing new sport!  I am super happy to be part of the beginning of it and I’m sure the equipment will improve a lot… I know the new Fanatic Foils will be amazing, I can’t wait to try as well the future Fanatic WINGboards coming out this spring… I am sure the new equipment will allow  us to push the limits even more… I want to improve my riding in the waves and it’s gonna be perfect for that 😉

I am also working on a project of French tutorials with DUOTONE and FANATIC to show that the WINGFOIL is easy to learn! 

Can you describe the feeling of being on a foil? What makes this sport so unique for you?
Riding on a foil is so smooth no more noise, no chops, you are literally flying above the water, amazing sensation…

Wingfoil is special because you can learn it really fast, and it’s much easier than others Foiling sports like Windsurf foil or surf foil. 

I like the fact that you can do it pretty much everywhere, with light or strong wind, with or without waves, it’s always fun! 

And I also like that it’s a kind of mix of a lot of watersports, so more people gets interesting and it joins everybody 🙂 

This sport is so new and developing very fast – what are your wishes to the industry? Where is potential to develop the wing foiling gear?
I hope the brands will focus on making simple equipment, specially boards. It needs to be easy so everybody can do it and have fun! 

I think also that the industry have to focus on producing cheapest equipment, specially the foils are still expensive… Maybe some new materials will arrive? 

Your favorite move?
Hard to say cause I love to do various things, but the hardest one I do is for me the air 360, a jump spinning 360 ° with all the equipment 😉 I also love to let the wing fly behind me on a wave and just have the surfing feeling…

What’s your most used gear set?
I am always with the FOILWING 4m Duotone which has an amazing range, from 10 to 30 knots for me (I’m 72kg).

My board is the 6’3 Fanatic Sky SUP which is perfect to cruise and progress fast.

The foil is the Aero 1500 from Fanatic, with the short fuselage.

Best memory of wing foiling? 
the first time I tried it! 

Subscribe to Yann Rifflet social networks Instagram, Facebook and Youtube @yannriffletfreerider.

Thank you for the great interview with wingfoildaily Yann!