Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
In this episode, Erik sits down with returning guest Mike Pedigo for a deep, honest, and often hilarious breakdown of the parawing learning journey. From early failed attempts and full-on frustration to breakthrough moments, gear experimentation, and real-world lessons learned the hard way, this conversation covers what it actually takes to integrate parawinging into a foiling life. They dig into board design, wind requirements, safety realities, ocean versus river dynamics, harness setups, and ...
In this episode of the Progression Project Podcast, Erik Antonson sits down with Lucas Schuler (@foilonly) to tell an inspiring, real-life leap-of-faith story rooted in foiling, family, and purpose. Lucas shares how he walked away from a successful social media company in Germany, moved with his wife and two young kids to the Canary Islands without a clear plan, and ultimately built a new life centered around foiling—now working with Foil Drive, coaching, and chasing big downwind adventures. Fro...
Erik sits down with freeride snowboarding legend and Jones Snowboards founder Jeremy Jones (@jeremyjones) to talk about how he’s become fully “foil brained” and why he sees foiling as the ultimate glide. They dive into the humbling beginner phase, flow states, and how foiling delivers big-mountain feelings with far less consequence, from Tahoe lakes to Florida downwinders. Jeremy shares how gear design can teach you, what it’s like watching his kids step into serious backcountry terrain, and how...
Surf legend Gerry Lopez joins the Progression Project to talk foiling, flow, and the lifelong joy of being a beginner again. We dive into Gerry’s evolution from pioneering Pipeline to SUP, snowboarding, and now full-on foiler—unpacking how gear design serves intention, why smaller boards and foil drive setups changed his approach, and how the best surfing is a meditative state he still taps every session. He shares candid stories with Stacy Peralta, lessons from shaping, what today’s crowded Pip...
Australian downwind phenom Kai Thompson joins the Progression Project to unpack his breakout 2025 Hawaiian race season—top-five in every event and podiums in the big ones. We dive into the mindset and monster mileage that powered his leap from mid-pack to elite, including back-to-back Maliko missions, 45 km coast runs, and cross-training that would humble most athletes. Kai breaks down reading bumps vs. fitness vs. gear, shares candid lessons from M2M/M2O, and explains why start strategy and con...
In this episode, Erik sits down with Matt (@foil.me.harder) for a deep dive into the state of foiling—four years since their last conversation. They talk candidly about the real costs of chasing progression, the gear that changed everything, and why some classics still hold up today. Matt breaks down how wind actually becomes the bumps we ride, shares practical forecasting tips, and reflects on how downwind has evolved into a true “infinite game.” They also touch on foil-drive, the shifting spon...
Today I’m joined by one of my favorite guests, waterman and innovator Dave Kalama. We dive into the story behind his new foil board, the Gator, and how it’s changing the game for efficiency and feel. Dave shares his experimental design process, from scale models to real-world testing, and we explore the crossover between creativity, discipline, and performance. We talk racing, the mental side of progression, and even how a little caffeine can give you an edge — all with Dave’s signature wisdom a...
Andrew Gibbons (@long.armed.ape) is one of the top minds and riders in the downwind foiling scene. We talk about the emotional highs and lows of race season, his recent move to Maui, and his new role as an R&D designer at Naish. Andrew opens up about navigating the transition from full-time athlete to industry insider, the tension between performance and flow, and how foiling continues to evolve as both sport and art form. If you’re into design, racing, or just living an unconventional path,...
Jack Ho (@jackfromtown) is a professional foil surfer based in Hawaii and one of the first true professional foilers traveling the world and documenting his adventures with F-One. Jack rips on everything—foils, shortboards, longboards, alai’a—if it rides waves, Jack sends it. His YouTube channel is a personal favorite. In this podcast, Jack shares what it’s really like to be a professional waterman, comparing the day-to-day reality to the dream.
Christian Park (@c_foils) is a foiler based in Hawaii. He's had an insane journey in the last 2 years, and foiling might have saved his life in a roundabout way. This is a crazy story of inspiration and hope. Make sure you listen to the end to hear his song, Beautiful Human. It's amazing.
Mike Pedigo is now officially on the UniFoil team and is heading up sales for Uni. He comes back on the show to discuss what he's learned from talking to all the retailers, what feels he's been chasing, his recent van build and van life, and much more. Always great to have Mike in the studio.
Josh Ku's back on the show! Since his last appearance Josh has fully committed to foiling as a profession, taking jobs with both Foil Drive and Code. With his new position he's been traveling the world and has seen the growth of foiling and all its disciplines.
Simeon and Kahi from the Voyager Foil Camps (@voyager_foiler) come back on the show after a year of running camps to share what they've learned from coaching downwind.
Zane Westwood (@zane_westwood) comes back on the show to recap his last year, the Foil Fest event that he's running, how his downwind boards have evolved, and other foil awesomeness.
Dave Galvin (@daveinflux) is a passionate waterman, foil frother, and competitive downwind foil racer. He began his career as a UCI professional cyclist, racing for BMC Racing Team in the U.S. and Europe, and also worked as a mountain guide. Currently, he is a partner at Three Fish Capital, which he co-founded in 2014 to invest in early to growth-stage technology companies. He was previously CEO of UniqueSoft and UncommonX and held multiple roles at IBM focused on M&A, venture investing, and...
Balz Muller (@radiculo) might be the most progressive foiler on the planet. He's also the most stoked and it's infectious. In this episode Balz talks about his new love of the parawing, the rapid progression in wing foiling, how he sees his role in the foiling world and tons more. Enjoy!
Ed Junquet is a foil surfer from New Jersey who has pioneered his coastline. He has competed in downwind races around the world and shares his experiences and knowledge learned along the way. Ed rides for Green Hat surf shop and not a specific brand which allows him to test everything. Even in the heart of winter in NJ they're still sending!
Eric Christensen (@ericfoil) is a foil surfer from Texas, maybe the first. Eric loves all aspects of foiling, prone, downwind, wing and towing, and most of the spots and runs he's doing, he pioneered. This is his 3rd time on the pod and we discuss how the sport is evolving, how surprisingly good Texas can be, how experiencing real fear at 17 while being shot at changed his perspective and more... enjoy.
Cliffy and Erik break down the design and testing process for the Evolution foils that just released. They discuss how the design game has changed in the last two years, what precision is now needed in the prototype process and how UniFoil changed their process to accurately test more refined foils, and the addition of an F1 areo engineer to the team for CFD analysis.
Ziggy Alberts is an Australian musician and lifelong waterman with a love foiling and twin-fins. In this episode we explore the relationship between music and surfing, the feelings foiling and playing huge crowds, tour life, foil board design, foil design evolution and so much more. For those of you who haven't heard Ziggy's music, I've included a personal favorite song, Runaway, right after the intro. Enjoy! ARIA Triple Platinum Certified, independent Australian singer-songwriter, Ziggy Alberts...
Zeke Lau (@zekelau) is a professional surfer from Hawaii. He's a 2x Sunset Pro champ and won the US Open of Surfing and The Ultimate Surfer. In 2018 Zeke started prone foiling and then this year he's taken on downwind. This is a wide ranging conversation covering the struggles of the dw journey, differences in flow states between surfing and foiling and competition, his approach to learning and why maybe it's not the best way to learn dw by full sending an 8 mile run before really getting the po...
Edo Tanas (@whoedo) is the current world champ in downwind foiling winning both the M2O and M2M this year. This episode is an inside look at what creates a champion, his olympic wind surfing goals, transition to foiling, spending his teen years in Hong Kong, and his move to Hawaii.
Andrew Sayre is a Hood River based foiler who describes himself as jack of all trades, professional at none. From Rhode Island, a sailor, surfer and backcountry skier who made his way to the Gorge via an extended stint in Jackson Hole, he now calls Hood River home. A KT team rider and SUP foiling addict, he logs 200+ days on the water with the local group of riders all pushing the sport forward. On this episode he recounts the story of getting hit with his foil and nearly bleeding out in the gor...
Cash Berzolla is an 18-year-old waterman from Maui who is currently leading progression in wing foiling. He's recently released "Cash" a short film showcasing his foiling in South Africa. In this podcast we discuss his early start in surfing, approach to learning and progression, the J-Bay experiment and filming Cash and his new found love of music. Enjoy!
Living legend Dave Kalama returns to discuss his current mindset, how downwind as a sport is progressing, how good ideas can be missed, the evolution of design and his battle to love high aspect foils.
Steve Tobis returns to discuss the race scene in maui and the upcoming M2M and M20, foil design and testing we've been doing with UniFoil, board design trends and training for downwind.
Charles Dasher, also known as Dasher (@dasherfilms), runs a wing foil camp in Bonaire. With a lifelong passion for chasing wind, he has a background in windsurfing and is an early adopter of wing foiling. He is also a videographer.
Josh Waitzkin, an 8x US Chess Champion and Tai Chi Push Hands World Champion, discusses his lifelong journey of mastery across diverse disciplines, including his passion for foiling. He shares profound insights on the learning process, the importance of internal drive over external validation, and how to deconstruct creative leaps into technical foundations. The conversation delves into the impact of technology, particularly social media and AI, on human consciousness and the critical need for cultivating wisdom and responsible decision-making in an increasingly connected world.
Albert Matheny (@promix) is the founder of Promix Nutrition and the Soho Strength Lab. He comes on the show to discuss the specific nutrition and training demands for foiling. Albert holds a Master of Science degree in Human Performance, Bachelor of Science degrees in Exercise Physiology and Food Science/Human Nutrition, and is licensed as a Registered Dietitian. Albert was an athlete at the University of Florida, where he competed at the S.E.C. Championships for the Gators in both track and fie...
Stacy Peralta (@stacyperalta) is a pioneer in skateboarding but defines himself as a surfer... one who is now foil brained! Stacy recounts his journey from professional athlete, to team manager, how he spotted and nurtured talent like Tony Hawk, why he moved on from stakeboarding into film making, his anti-mentors, and maybe the best definition of flow states I've yet heard. This episode is a personal favorite, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
