Riding upwind on a wing foil is the skill that determines whether you can session at one location or drift downwind and walk back. Once you can ride upwind, your sessions become unlimited in length. Here is exactly how to do it.
📖 8 min read · Updated May 2026 · By Sergei Sharvarok · Founder & Head Instructor
Why Upwind Riding Matters
Every wing foil session generates drift — the wind pushes you slightly downwind even when riding perpendicular to the wind direction. Upwind ability means making ground against this drift. Without it, every session ends with a long walk back up the beach.
Upwind riding is typically the third major milestone in wing foiling (after first foil rides and riding both tacks). It requires: correct wing angle, correct board angle, and sufficient foil height to reduce water drag. All three must work together.
Wing Angle for Upwind
The wing must be angled to pull you forward and slightly upwind — not just across the wind. Tilt the front hand slightly higher than the back hand, so the wing face is angled upward. This directs the wing's thrust component upwind rather than purely sideways.
The leading edge of the wing should point slightly into the wind, not parallel to it. Imagine trying to sail a boat upwind — the sail is trimmed tight, not loose. The wing equivalent: front hand high, back hand low, wing close-hauled against the wind.
Board and Foil Angle
Like kitesurfing upwind, the board must be at an angle to the direction of travel — heeled on its edge rather than flat. On a wing foil board, this means loading your heels (for riding on the toeward direction) or loading your toes (for the other direction).
The foil height matters for upwind: riding at mid-height (30–40 cm above water) rather than maximum height is better for upwind because the foil is more in the water, generating lateral resistance like a boat's keel. At maximum height (50+ cm), the foil has less lateral grip.
Test your upwind angle: pick a fixed point on the beach or shore at your starting position. After 10 seconds of riding, are you upwind of that point, level with it, or downwind? If downwind, increase wing angle and load your heels more aggressively. Adjust and test again. 3–4 test runs will dial in your upwind position.
Why You Are Not Going Upwind
- Wing too depowered — If the wing is angled too far downwind (trailing edge toward the water), it is generating power sideways not upwind. Bring it closer to the wind.
- Foil too high — At maximum height, the foil has less lateral resistance. Drop foil height slightly by adding front foot pressure.
- Board too flat — No edge angle = no upwind resistance. Load heels (or toes, depending on direction) deliberately.
- Riding too fast — Speed feels good but high speed at wrong angles still goes downwind fast. Moderate speed with correct angles makes more upwind ground than high speed with wrong angles.
How to Practice Upwind
Structured drill: start at a fixed beach marker (flag, umbrella). Ride for 30 seconds focusing on wing angle and board edge. Return to the same marker. Note whether you are upwind or downwind of it. Adjust one variable at a time. Repeat 10 times per session. Within 2–3 sessions of this structured practice, upwind progress becomes consistent.
The instructors at Kite Club use a coaching buoy system during upwind practice — we position a buoy upwind of the starting point and ask students to try to reach it. The concrete target focuses the student's attention on upwind progress rather than abstract technique adjustments. Ask about this during your Advanced Course sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most riders who can sustain foil on both tacks achieve basic upwind progress within 3–5 focused sessions. "Basic" means making 5–10 metres upwind per run. Consistent sessions where you maintain or gain position against the wind takes 6–10 sessions of deliberate practice.
At the same skill level, wing foil upwind is comparable to kitesurfing upwind in terms of technique difficulty. The advantage of wing foil: wing angle adjustments are more intuitive (you feel the wing in your hands rather than via bar and lines). The disadvantage: the wing generates less lateral lift than a kite, so board edging must be more precise.
Yes — a smaller front wing (under 1,200 cm²) has less lateral lift, making upwind harder but speed higher. A larger front wing (1,500+ cm²) has more lateral resistance and is easier to ride upwind. Beginners should use larger wings until upwind technique is established, then reduce wing area for speed.
Difficult — if the foil drops to the water during upwind attempts, you lose speed and drift downwind. Stable foil height (maintained for 15+ seconds consistently) is a prerequisite for productive upwind practice. Consolidate your foil height control before focusing on upwind angle.
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