FOIL QUEEN CAITLIN JOINS THE TEAM!
We have been working away on our foil Boardsox over the last 6-8 months so we thought we better start putting our foil team riders together. Who better than this absolute legend Caitlin Baxter to kick our ladies side of the foil team!
We sat down with Caitlin for a quick about her foiling and surfing journey!
Hey Caitlin, do you want to quickly tell people who you are and where you are from ?
My Name is Caitlin Baxter and I am from Melbourne Australia!
What age did you first get into the water?
I Have been out on the water almost as soon as I could walk, my dad would teach me how to surf and swim and it was just where we felt most at home. However I got more serious with waterspouts when I was around 9 years old, joining my local life saving team Half Moon Bay. I stayed at the club for 9 awesome years and can safely say that is where I learned how to respect and love the ocean.
Where did you first experience foiling and what were your initial thoughts?
I first took up foiling early in 2021, living on the bay it was my escape from lockdown. I spent almost everyday on the water at some point learning how to foil. My initial thoughts were that it was one of the hardest things I have ever tried to learn! But with the time I had I was determined and it ended being the most rewarding thing every time you progressed.
Whats your favourite kind of foiling conditions ?
The best conditions for me are when I head down to Torquay, the surf coast. Having a SW breeze around 20kn and some nice 2-3ft swell, I’m like a kid in a candy store. I think the best thing about Wing foiling though is you can do it in so many conditions from light wind to a lot of wind.
For us foil kooks (pretty much everyone) is it like surfing where you go up and down the coast to foil different (potentially better) spots?
It is definitely like surfing, there are a few favourite spots, but we prefer deeper water. I guess we go where the swell is.
What is your favourite foil board at the moment or more generally foil set up?
At the moment my favourite board is the 70L PPC board 5’3. My foil set up is then the SabFoil 93cm mast with the 940 front wing, which is great in the waves.
When you’re not foiling what other ways do you enjoy your time in the ocean?
I also LOVE to surf, mainly long boarding. I wouldn’t call myself the best surfer but I absolutely love it when there isn’t any wind for Wing Foiling. Most mornings on the surf coast we wake up to some nice waves it’s like a never ending playground.
Whats a favourite story or memory of you enjoying the ocean with family or friends?
It is really hard to single out one memory because I can safely say the majority of my life has revolved around the ocean. But a major highlight of mine was a time when we were deep into our second COVID lockdown it was mid winter (absolutely freezing) and we had some wind out on the bay. My dad, boyfriend and I went to our local wind spot and put on our Wetties and headed out with the WingFoils. Mid lockdown this was just the best thing ever, you tend to forget all the problems in the world and just enjoy the magic of the water. To top that day off we got a visit from three dolphins, exploring the waves and curious to see what we were. Watching them made all my worries go away. Experiences like that always make me feel so blessed.
Who are some of your favourite watermen and water women who you look up to?
There are so many impressive athletes out there and wing foiling is so new there aren’t too many people that are publicised. But my mind would go straight to the surfing world, Bethany Hamilton and Alana Blanchard were always heroes of mine.
Whats the best foil or surf trip you’ve ever been on?
One of the best trips I have done for both surfing and foiling was actually only about an hour and a half away from us. A spot called Sandy point, we had magic surfs, clean and 3ft. Then the wind would fill in and we would foil for hours on the inlet. We have been back here a few times because it always has good conditions, not to mention its beautiful and quiet!
Where do you see the future of ocean riding heading?
I really look forward to seeing where Wing Foiling goes, it has already progressed so much and is still so new. I hope to progress with the sport and be someone other girls can look up to. Because we can all enjoy the ocean!
If you were stranded on an island out to sea and could only take one board what would it be and why?
It would definitely be my medium sized wing foil board, of course this would include my foil and wings too! Going foiling every day doesn’t sound too bad.
