Young sailors from Oyster Bay and New York City took to the Long Island Sound this week as Sail Grand Prix returned to the area for its Inspire Wing Foiling Clinic at the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, introducing participants to one of the fastest-growing disciplines in sailing.
Hosted in partnership with local organizations including Oakcliff Sailing and the WaterFront Center, the clinic gave 12- to 18-year-old sailors an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of wing foiling through hands-on training on land and in the water.
The clinic is part of SailGP’s global Inspire program, which focuses on youth and women’s development through sailing education and innovation-based learning.
“SailGP Inspire exists so we can get the next generation of athletes out on the water and excited about the sport,” Laura Hampton, youth and women’s development manager for SailGP, said. “So far, with our global partner Mubadala, we have been able to engage over 37,000 young people in our programming through innovation-led learning and on-water experiences.”
SailGP, an international racing league featuring high-speed foiling catamarans competing in nation-versus-nation events, returned to Oyster Bay for the second consecutive year as part of its New York race week programming.
Hampton explained that Oyster Bay’s water conditions and established sailing community make it an ideal location for the clinic. “The conditions here are really incredible for wing foiling for teaching, and they’re the closest to New York City,” she said. “It’s a really nice community that really gets around the water, and there’s a real history of it.”
Participants included local sailors as well as students from Rocking the Boat, a Bronx-based youth development organization focused on boatbuilding and maritime education.
Wing foiling combines an inflatable handheld wing with a hydrofoil-equipped board that lifts riders above the surface of the water. The sport has rapidly grown in popularity in recent years because of its portability and accessibility compared with traditional sailing.
“What’s really incredible about it is it’s the most accessible point of foiling,” Hampton said. “Anyone can buy this gear and kind of get out there and get learning, and it takes away those barriers of entry of needing to be a member of a club and somewhere to store your boat.”
According to Hampton, the same hydrofoil technology used in the clinic’s beginner boards is also used in SailGP’s professional F50 race boats, which can reach speeds of over 60 mph in competition.
“When people think of sailing, they think of kind of a slow, white boat out on the horizon,” Hampton said. “This is fast, exciting, and it’s really bringing on this new level to the sport.”
Clinic participants first learned basic wing handling on shore before moving onto the water for towing exercises designed to teach them balance and foiling techniques safely.
Brian Reilly, sailing director at the Seawanhaka club and a coach for the program, said the clinic focuses on introducing students to both wing handling and hydro foiling fundamentals.
“We’re going to basically show all the kids who come the equipment that we have,” Reilly said. “They’ll get a chance to hold them and feel the wing catch in the wind and giving them the pull.”
Reilly said that instructors use tow foiling behind boats to help students isolate specific skills before combining them into full wing foiling. Wing foiling, he added, has helped rekindle his own passion for sailing.
“What foiling, and what wing foiling, has allowed me to do is get out on the water whenever I get a chance with very little barrier for me to go do it,” Reilly said. “It’s really reminded me how much I love sailing.”
Dawn Riley, executive director of Oakcliff Sailing, said that the sport’s rapid growth is tied to its simplicity. She added that the clinic offered different levels of participation depending on experience.
“It’s gotten super popular in the past two years,” Riley said. “It’s a new thing, and it’s much easier to travel with.”
Over several days, the program hosted a number of groups of up to 20 students, from Oyster Bay High School as well as local sailing programs.
Participants said the experience gave them an entirely new perspective on sailing.
“My first experience of wingfoiling was at The Waterfront Centre, when SailGP Inspire with Mubadala came last season and we got to try wingfoiling, which was so fun,” Olivia Silvestrini wrote on Wednesday. “Today I was finally able to stand up and hold my position for a few minutes and that was the most insane thing ever.”
For participant Julia DeAngelis, the highlight came when she successfully lifted out of the water on the hydrofoil. “My favorite moment was getting up on the foil and feeling stable,” she said. “It felt like I was flying.”
Hampton said that SailGP plans to continue returning to Oyster Bay as the New York event becomes a regular stop on the league’s international calendar. “We are stoked to be back in Oyster Bay for the second iteration of our wingfoiling clinics, giving young people the chance to get out on the water and experience what it is like to fly on foils,” she wrote in a statement. “Inspiring future generations remains a central focus of our Global Championship and how we can use our platform to inspire meaningful change beyond our racing.”
