In a little over a year, we have interviewed around 35 windfoil experts and lovers and asked them to share their passion and some tips with our community. All of these 35 interviews have been only with men… Our statistics show that more than 90% of Windfoil Zone followers are men, and I would not be surprised if we also have the same statistics out on the water.
However, we don’t believe that windfoiling is a male-only sport. Our community is about encouraging and motivating each other and providing support to anyone interested in flying out on the water! We want to shine a spotlight on the women who love this sport, especially as we want to see more women competing and being represented in this amazing windsurf discipline.
So that being said, it’s definitely about time to give a shout out to a female foiler on our blog! Let’s meet Marta Maggeti, RSX competitor and now windfoiler.
We will follow this interview with several more #windfoilgirls in the near future. We hope to share stories of the awesome women already in this world and inspire and support even more to give windfoiling a try!
Name: Marta Maggetti
Age: 23
Citizenship: Italy
Home spot: Cagliari
Best results: Youth World Champion x3, Youth European Champion x3
Instagram: martaita_157
Windsurfing since: 8 years old
Windfoiling since: 21 years old
Hi Marta, could you give us a little glimpse of your personal life?
I’m an RS:X sailor, my goal is to go to the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020, I love practicing water sports like surf, SUP-race, slalom, wave and obviously foil! (My new toy).
I like travelling around the world, search for new and different spots, meet new friends that have the same passion and share my own experience.
Tell us about your first time on a Windsurf foil?
I tried a windsurf foil for the first time 2 years ago in my home spot in the summer. In my club there were some guys who got a foil, we were all excited! So I decided to try too!
It was for sure love at first sight, the sensation to fly with light wind with a small sail, the high speed with silence... it was an awesome feeling.
I was really lucky because I used my friend’s foil gear for the whole summer, waiting to get my own.
What about now, how often are you windfoiling (and are you still windsurfing)?
For the moment I really have full focus on training camps and RSX races, but when I come back home for few days, I windfoil all the time in all conditions.
Sometimes I can also foil with the other guys, trying some race start, rounding marks upwind and downwind, we are very competitive!
For this reason I’m looking forward to do some foil racing.
Why do you think there are so few women windfoiling?
I think that in the past there were less women than there are now because it was not a very well-known sport and maybe it was easier for a man.
But now, women have shown to everyone what they are able to do, and we are at same level asmen. And now I’m happy that there are also a few girls foiling, I hope the numbers will increase even more to create a good fleet for racing.
Windsurfing has unfortunately decreased in popularity since 2000. Do you think windfoiling will help to give a new birth for the sport?
I think the sport is still in progress, with many changes all the time, everything is developing fast and many guys from slalom and RSX have decided to compete on foil.
So this is for sure going in a good direction!
Windfoiling may become an Olympic discipline eventually. What do you think about it?
For me personally, I would be super happy if it becomes an Olympic discipline. The RSX has existed since 2005, it’s an old class one design and not modern, however it allows us to race in all weather conditions.
But we need a change, and the windfoiling could be an awesome option!
What do you think of the future of the sport, let’s say 10 years from now. How will it develop?
I think that the boards will fly even faster, the weight will shift further back to the fin, aerodynamic shapes, lighter rigs, new materials for sails instead of monofilm, everything will become easier.
Thank you for answering our questions. The last word is yours. Do you have anything to add to finish off this interview?
A big hang loose to you all guys!
Don’t forget to have fun, push yours limits and go foiling every day.
See you on the water!
Comments