Featured Riders
We're kicking off something new — a Featured Riders series where we hand the mic to the people actually out on the water. First up is UniFoil ambassador Shane Bracegirdle, riding out of Adelaide, South Australia. From his first wobbly prone attempts to chasing parawing lines miles offshore, Shane took us through his foiling journey — the spots, the frustration, the breakthroughs, and what keeps pulling him back. Here's Shane, in his own words.
How did you get into foiling, and what hooked you?
In my local spot where I always surfed, there was a guy that started to come out on a foil. He always seemed to be having more fun than everyone else. He was out there more than anyone on a surfboard. I started asking questions and learning more about it and thought, I have to at least try it. As soon as I felt the feeling of gliding on swell it felt like I was flying — that feeling is something I have never experienced before. Sure, I still enjoy surfing and hitting the lip when I get a chance, but foiling brings a whole other element to enjoying the ocean.
Describe your home spot. What makes it yours?
My home spot is just off the coast of Adelaide. It's a one-minute walk from my front door and is a perfect prone wave — a long reef break left-hander with a fun right when the tide is high. The swell never gets that big here, so there are usually fun little swell lines to prone. The local crew here really make it fun. A bunch of us live in the area and surf/foil this wave regularly. It's the local hangout, where we go to catch up with each other and share stories and a few waves.
What discipline are you most into right now, and why?
At the moment I'm stoked on the parawing. It's hard, but it's so fun. Being able to ride out to the wind line offshore, then stash the wing and surf bumps in the middle of the ocean is like a dream. Doing this with friends is probably the most fun I've ever had in the ocean. It's such a pure form of enjoyment — linking lines and sharing waves with your friends is incredible. There always seems to be a story that comes from every downwinder: something goes wrong, epic runs, scary moments, seasickness… feels like we've had it all.
What was the breakthrough moment where it finally clicked?
I remember starting on the prone. I thought it would be easier than it was. But I still remember the moment where I linked my first wave by flicking off and pumping out to a set. A local guy was claiming me and just as excited as I was. I couldn't stop smiling and thought, this is it, I'm hooked. The ability to turn off a wave and pump to another wave is something I never thought would be possible — no motor, of course, always under human power or wind driven.
What's been the hardest thing to crack in your progression?
The hardest part about this journey has been learning about the wind. I've always been a surfer, so I never really dabbled in wind sports. Learning to navigate the wind and handling wings has been a learning curve. The only reason I broke through the initial stage was because I had mates going through the same journey. If I didn't have those friends, I would have thrown in the towel. No other sport generates such frustration along with pure excitement to want to do it all again.
What does foiling give you that nothing else did?
The ability to have more fun on the ocean. I found that as a surfer, I would sometimes come out of the ocean frustrated and irritated by not catching enough waves, or crowds, or surfing poorly. I don't get that with foiling. I usually come out of the water stoked with the session — sharing waves with friends, finding waves to ourselves, and super excited about watching others progress and get better. There's something pretty special about foiling. I look at the ocean with excitement and possibility, rather than the disappointment and negativity I'd sometimes feel when all I did was surf. I don't find myself obsessing over the surf report as much, and I don't get frustrated when it's crowded.
Best advice for someone on their first day?
Enjoy the journey. The little wins you have each session are so powerful. It's harder than you think, and it's so much better to learn with friends. The foiling community wants to see you succeed — talk to people, learn about what works for them, and don't give up when it gets hard, because it will get hard haha. When you see that other foiler in the lineup who has everything dialled, just understand that they've gone through the exact same process. It comes with time and dedication.
What are you working toward next?
Looking forward to some big parawing journeys. Keen to explore the coast of SA more and find the best downwind runs this coast has to offer. I've dabbled in SUP downwinding, and I feel like I might give some more time to that this summer too. I'm ready to be humbled again.
Watch Shane ride
Cheers, Shane. See you out there.