There’s a new sport making waves on local beaches and it’s called foil boarding. A group of avid foil riders has formed the Los Angeles Foil Club and one of its founding members is second generation Palisadian Chuck Dembo, who helped organize the club’s first expo last Saturday morning at Sunset Point along the northernmost portion of Will Rogers State Beach in the Palisades (at Sunset Boulevard and PCH).
Photos by Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
“It’s like surfing, but with a small hydrofoil attached to the bottom of the board,” said Dembo, who went to Marquez Elementary School and Palisades High. “This allows for faster and longer rides since drag is eliminated. There are several varieties: prone foil, stand-up paddle foil, wing foil, efoil, kite foil and tow boogie. Kids would get a kick learning about tow boogie since an actual boogie board is used.”
The Los Angeles Foil Club, which also includes an online chat group, already has more than 120 members and is rapidly growing. Saturday’s
informal event featured free foiling from 7 to 11 a.m. when the waves were the best, followed by lunch and demonstrations. New and used foils and gear were on display for sale and trade from top brands like Axis, Lift, Gong, KT, GoFoil, Armstrong, Naish, Unifoil and Cloud 9.
Video clips were filmed, Top Gun Foil Duels were waged, live commentary was given and contests were held for Best Ride, Best Maneuver, Longest Ride and Longest Time Up.
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