Paul Loustau

How did you get into surf foiling?

I started foiling in December 2018 during a trip to Hawaii. I had been watching videos on Instagram of Kai Lenny on his foil for some time and I found it just magical. So for my birthday, my parents offered me a foil initiation on the beach of Velzyland on the north shore of Oahu. Since that day, I’ve been so addicted to this sport.

What do you do before getting in the water? 

I drink some water, I laugh with my friends, and let’s go!

Tell us about your best memory on the water.

One of my best memories is probably a foil session at Belharra in the summer with one of my best friends Matthieu Etxebarne. It was in August, a storm arrived on the Basque coast with a big swell, which is very rare at that time of the year. The wind was not very well oriented, but we had spotted some potential conditions a few days before. I still remember being in my bed when Matthieu called me and told me, let’s go!

When we arrived at the peak, it was just a big mess. We had trouble seeing what was in front of us and the wind was not blowing the right way, in short it wasn’t going great. And suddenly, the sun broke through the clouds, the wind stopped, and the waves got bigger. It wasn’t the biggest Belharra, but scoring a session in the summer on this mythical spot with a friend was just incredible!

Worst wipeout? 

During a tow-in session, it felt like an avalanche as I got covered by the lip of a solid wave that sent me very deep underwater. The shock was so violent that it ripped my hood off and I lost a boot. After being underwater for a long time, I finally found the surface again thanks to my inflation vest, and my teammate came to pick me up.

Who would you like to say thank you to? 

I would like to thank my parents for sharing their passion for surfing with me and for introducing me to foiling. Thanks to my friends as well who allow me to improve every day.

A few words on your F-ONE quiver and favorite gear.

The SK8 750 is probably my favorite foil. It is a foil that goes everywhere and above all that is very efficient, whether it is for a small session of surf foil or to tow-in in fast and strong waves.