Brady Hurley takes home the Win at The Foil Surf Racing League Event

BRADY HURLEY’S INTERVIEW WITH GUENTHER OKA ON THE FOIL SURF RACING LEAGUE EVENT

G: Brady! First off congrats on the win down at the Foil Surf Race League! That was a solid performance, and you definitely were looking fast out there. Do your legs even get tired from pumping? How do you train those puppies?

B: Thanks Guenther! Those were some tough conditions; glad I could make it look easy. That was for sure the most tired my legs have ever been. Pumping upwind for two laps was super exhausting, but still really fun! As far as training goes, I do some legwork in the gym, but most it comes from being out in the water a ton, while doing a lot of pumping. When I’m riding with straps, I like to push myself and see how long I can ride and do tricks without falling.

G: The upwind pump looked so gnarly! But when those moments count you just have to push through the burn. You looked solid so congrats again. Can you tell me a little bit about the gear you were using and why you chose it?

B: For my board, I was riding a 4’0 WCFC prototype. My go to board is usually the 4’2 WCFC Frequent Flyer, but I find it easier to pump on a smaller board (less room for error). In the earlier rounds I was riding the newly released 110 by Lift Foils along with a 28” mast. I decided to switch up for the final, choosing to go with the 120. I feel the most comfortable and confident on that wing, and it paid off!

G: I’ve been eyeing up that WCFC Frequent Flyer, so I’ll be really excited to see what comes next. Seems that setup worked wonders! Since this was your first time at the Foil Surf Race League, what did you think about the event? How did it feel to win your first time competing?!

B: It was a pretty awesome turnout; I wasn’t expecting to see/meet so many new people. Billy Bosch and Brian Grubb did an amazing job running the event. It felt pretty sweet and to win the event, especially after almost not making it through the semis. A lot of people were telling me that I was going to win before the event, so it was very relieving once I won. I knew that if I was quick to catch a wave, I had a solid shot at winning.

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G: It’s pretty rad how the foil community comes together like that. A bunch of misfits just frothing out over foiling together. Definitely have to give a big shout-out to Billy (AKA @foiloutlet) and Brian (@briankgrubb). Do you prefer the race aspect of it or the freestyle event?

B: Both the race and the freestyle were super fun to be a part of, but I think I prefer the race style a little bit more. I love how intense the race is and how much pressure there is on each rider. You pretty much have one chance, and if you fall, you most likely won’t make it through. The adrenaline rush was pretty insane. The freestyle event was sick because everyone was pushing themselves really hard, while also cheering for everyone.

G: With myself coming from a competitive background, there is nothing quite like shooting your shot when the moment really counts. Especially when it pays off. That’s some great insight on the differences of the two events. Where do you see foil events going in the future?

B: I could see there being multiple categories for foiling events. Racing, strapped tricks, and strapless tricks are all a different aspect of foiling. One thing I’d like to do is contest that is like skating, focusing on a line of tricks instead of just one. Each rider could have multiple runs per heat (maybe 2 minutes max), and if they fall then the run is over.