If you've been kiting in Switzerland in the last couple of years, you will no doubt have spotted the Swiss Foil Couple cruising around Lake Uri or Lake Silvaplana! In this Insight feature, we catch up with Andrea Zust to find out all about her foiling adventures and recent trip to Cabo Verde!

Andrea, we've seen you rocking the hydrofoil surrounded by stunning mountain sceneries and are stoked to get to know you more in this Insight interview! Let's start by hearing a bit about yourself and where you are from…

I'm half Swiss (dad) and half Czech (mom), but I grew up in Switzerland. I'm currently in my 4th year (out of 6) of studying medicine. Balancing my studies and kiting takes a lot of discipline. I have to finish all my university courses and work during the week so I can go kiting on weekends. My primary discipline is hydrofoil freestyle, and I won the Swiss hydrofoil freestyle championships last summer. My boyfriend, Peer Schnyder, and I are shop riders for a local kite shop (Andy's Kiteshop in Goldau). We are also sponsored by Armstrong Foils International, who support us with their amazing hydrofoil gear. 

How did you get into kiteboarding? Who inspired you to try the sport?

My mom was a passionate windsurfer, so my brother and I spent a lot of time in the water during our childhood. In 2017 I went on holiday to Tobago with my mom and told her I wanted to learn kitesurfing instead of windsurfing - I thought it looked cooler! So we booked a course together, and now we're both hooked. My mom even sold her windsurfing gear! We loved the feeling of complete freedom; just you, your kite, the wind, and the water. It was perfect for forgetting the day-to-day life of work and school! 

I started out on a twin tip, of course, and then got into strapless riding a little. In 2018 I spent four months in Dakhla, Morocco, got better at kiting, did the IKO Instructor course (currently level 2) and spent the rest of my stay and the following summer teaching at different kite stations in Dakhla.

When and why did you make the move to hydrofoiling?

I started hydrofoiling two years ago after I met Peer and started kiting in Switzerland on all the different lakes with him and the other Swiss kite addicts. The conditions here aren't always great and we get a fair amount of light wind days. After having spent most weekends at the beach watching all the hydrofoilers have their fun and not being able to kite with a twin tip, I decided to go for it too. Supported by Peer, I fell for it instantly; I loved how much fun you could have in so little wind. Then I started to do little jumps and got into hydrofoil freestyle. 

Do you ever whip out the old twin tip or wave board, and what sort of conditions would cause you to do so?

Peer sold his twin tip, but I still have an old one. When conditions are pumping, I still prefer the hydrofoil with a 5m kite to a twin tip. The only times I switch from the hydrofoil is to a strapless for some nice waves, but even then, I sometimes prefer the hydrofoil. I'm hooked at the moment, and when you want to get better at something, you have to stick to it. I don't get as much water time as I'd like so when I do, I want to make it count!

You've been pushing the envelope for women in hydrofoil freestyle and big air! What do you love about these disciplines?

The gliding sensation and feeling of cutting through chop effortlessly are amazing; such an elegant sport! I feel weightless when I'm on the foil. Hydrofoil freestyle is so much fun because it's a very technical sport. You have to get everything exactly right, the pressure, the timing, and your body position when you're in the air. I like pushing myself and perfecting my style. I've always liked a good challenge. There are so many different tricks and trick variations to learn, and it never gets boring. Don't get me wrong, it can be frustrating sometimes (a lot of times), but the feeling that you get when you finally land a new trick is unmatched! And big air, I mean, who doesn't want to fly, right? The higher, the better! I guess I'm a little adrenaline junkie, too! 😉

 How challenging is it to learn new tricks on a hydrofoil? 

It depends on the trick. I learned some of them (sitting on the foil, little jumps, small back rolls and front rolls) pretty quickly, while others took me a few months to get right (one-footers, board-offs, etc). Once you've learned the basics of jumping and figured out the right timing for your heliloops, it's not a lot different than with a twin tip. The extra weight and size of the hydrofoil were the biggest challenge for me initially. Keeping my balance in the air and on the landings were the hardest. My current hydrofoil setup from Armstrong is one of the lightest on the market (full carbon), and yet still, my abs and legs suffer after a good session. 

Tell us about your #1 kite buddy, Peer Schnyder! You two look like a dream team! How did you meet? How long have you been together?

Peer is a very talented kiter himself. He started snowkiting when he was eight and continued on the water when he was older. When we met, he was still on a twin tip most of the time but had started practising foiling a little bit already. The story of how we met is best told by Peer, and you'll see why!

"Andrea and I met each other nearly three years ago in our local kite shop. I was already a shop rider there and came in to discuss some new kites I had tested with the owner, Andy. When I came in, I noticed a really good-looking girl in the corner who was talking to Andy about strapless boards, so I sat on a bar stool next to them, listened and then started with a really shy "hello". I asked her about her kiting experience. We had a short conversation about kiting and private life until I needed to leave. With Andy and her mom there, I couldn't ask her for her phone number. So instead, I left the shop and, in the parking lot, checked all the car licence plates, went on Google to look for them and compared the car holders' names with Facebook profiles! That is how I found her name and Facebook profile! We started chatting, exchanged numbers, and the rest is self-evident." - Peer Schnyder.

What is it like having a partner who appreciates the sport as much as yourself?!

Heaven! If you do this sport as often and intensely as we do, every weekend on the water throughout all four seasons (next to working and university), it is nearly necessary that you both share the same passion. Kiting, especially in Switzerland, is extremely time-consuming. You must plan the trips ahead of time, organise all the gear, drive to the different lakes, and wait for the right conditions and wind. We also support and coach each other. We push each other and improve our skills together. 

You capture a lot of gorgeous shots of each other! When the wind blows, who usually gets on the water first and who is behind the lens?

Ladies first, for sure (Peer says)! If the forecast is promising and we know the wind will hold for a few hours, we have no stress, so we take turns filming and photographing. If the forecast is bad and we don't know how long our session will be, we each take a GoPro or the Insta360 instead to get some footage when we are out together. This way we can film our tricks and each other.

Your home spot in Switzerland features in most of your kiting shots. Tell us about kiting in Switzerland! What is your favourite spot, and what are the conditions like there?

My favourite two spots are Lake Uri and Lake Silvaplana. The wind is reliable and smooth/laminar in both spots, and the scenery is beautiful! On Lake Uri, huge rock faces surround you, and in Silva, you have the incredible white-topped mountain scenery. The average wind speed of these spots is between 15-25 knots, with temperatures in summer going up to 25°C-30°C. The winters are a little harsher, with temperatures sometimes dropping down to -10°C. It is worth visiting these two spots if you ever come to Switzerland.

You've just come back from a trip to Cabo Verde. How was it?!

Awesome! Wind every day, warm weather, good food and friendly people! It's a cool island to visit during our European winter (January to March). We rented a 4x4 pickup truck for two weeks to explore all the different spots. We really enjoyed hydrofoiling on Boavista. However, you need to be aware of a few things as a hydrofoiler. There are a lot of turtles, so be careful with your foil! Depending on the swell's direction, the shore break and waves get pretty big, and it gets challenging to get out behind the whitewash. Lastly, some of the spots look like a dream come true, but once you get out there, there is a lot of seaweed, which is a hydrofoil nightmare. The main spot in Sal Rei is a bit gusty, but after a few days there, it feels normal, and you get used to it as you learn how to handle it. Practice makes perfect, right?!

What was your favourite kite spot in Cabo Verde? Why?

We were at six different spots, some wave spots and flat-water spots. Our favourite spot was Ponto Antonia. It is a beautiful little lagoon in the middle of nowhere with onshore wind. It only has a small shore break with small waves towards the beach, a middle section of flatter water and big waves out back. It is great for freestyle, big air and wave riding - the best of all worlds! This spot is way less gusty than Sal Rei, and the water colours are amazing. Make sure to go there early in the mornings because sometimes, in the afternoons, the kite schools from Sal Rei bring their guests there. It is a small spot that gets crowded easily. We were there with three kiters on the spot, which was just about perfect!

What is your favourite memory from the trip?

We had an incredible time with the rented 4x4. Driving around the island with it on dirt roads and through sand, turning the radio volume up and listening to good music while preparing for the next freestyle session were highlights of our trip! To be flexible in choosing spots according to the forecast and hopping from spot to spot was amazing!

Foiling in light wind spots requires a particular type of equipment. So, what is the most used kite in your quiver? What do you like about it?

The 10m Duotone Evo SLS and 11m Duotone Rebel SLS are the kites we use during most of our sessions in Switzerland. They are the perfect size as you have great low-end in light winds and get crazy airtime in strong winds. They are very light and reactive with fast turning speeds and great hangtime. 

On Boavista, our most used kite was the 7m Duotone Evo SLS. Because we had such strong wind, it was a perfect choice nearly every day. The smaller kites are our favourite ones to fly because of their fast turning speed and excellent general performance! The lift while jumping, the explosive yank while looping, and the easygoing heliloops are amazing.

Hydrofoils are a serious topic, so we have to know: What is your go-to foil setup for sessions at home?

We both have the same favourite Armstrong Foils setup:

  • Armstrong WKT Board 109cm with Armstrong Footstraps in Y-position
  • 935 and 1035 Performance mast 
  • HS625 Front wing 
  • 50cm and 60cm Fuselage 
  • HS232 Back wing 

How do you adjust your setup for travelling, like on your latest trip to Cabo Verde?

Our tip to all the hydrofoilers trying to get into foil freestyle is the more you train on the same setup, the faster you progress! Changing a front or back wing makes a big difference. In the beginning, it's best to only have to concentrate on learning the new trick rather than learning to manage a new foil setup at the same time. If you're more experienced at foiling, it is good to test all the different options and combinations to find the best setup for you in your main discipline and then stay with that. So, we always pack our main setup for all trips. In addition, we usually bring along a few bigger front wings for lighter wind days. Of course, sometimes we get to test some new gear by Armstrong Foils, which is always very exciting.

What is coming up next for the Swiss Foil Couple?!

We constantly focus on improving our skills, learning new tricks and perfecting our technique. Currently, our main focus is on the Swiss Freestyle Series (Swiss Freestyle Championships mid-June), where we will participate in the Hydrofoil Freestyle category. A future goal would be to participate in a GKA Hydrofoil Freestyle event, although that is difficult at the moment due to work and university responsibilities. Hopefully soon!

Thanks so much for the Insight into your world of hydrofoiling, Andrea!

 

By Crystal Veness
Editor at IKSURFMAG, Crystal Veness hails from Canada but is based in South Africa. When she isn't busy kitesurfing or reporting on the latest industry news for the mag, she is kicking back somewhere at a windy kite beach or working on creative media projects.

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