A beginner's practice notebook for the flatwater pop up: videos from around the world, summarized in English and Japanese and sorted by problem.
Ian David V says the one thing that matters more than gear or conditions for learning to foil quickly is being obsessed with it, and breaks down three ways to immerse yourself: on the water, off the water, and in learning. He describes his own path from kitesurfing to SUP foiling, winging, dock starts, downwind and flat-water paddle-ups, and says getting good at one discipline transfers to the others. At the end he mentions free downloadable resources and that he offers personalised video analysis.
Footage of flat-water pop-up practice with Dave Kalama at Obake Beach on Lake Biwa, Japan. The description says it was a flatwater pop-up clinic by Dave Kalama and Tomo, held as part of a GoFoil × Kalama Performance promotion tour in Japan (a brand promotion event). No narration, music only; summarised from the description.
A mast-length test from the gear brand SPG (Signature Performance Gear), filmed on a pond. Advanced rider Nathan (about 6 ft, 70 kg) and intermediate rider James (6'7", 93 kg) try flat-water starts on masts of 450, 650, 750, 850 and 950, keeping the same flat-mounted, neutral setup throughout.
A SUP foil practice clip posted by BeachGarage on Facebook. They write that they want to practise a lot and get the feel for it before the weather turns cold. They are riding an Ace Foil with a very large 3000 cm² high-aspect foil and an 88 cm mast.
A video from swell ocean sports' third flat-water foil practice session. There is no description or transcript.
His personal review of the Black Project Foil X paddle, which he has used for surfing, downwind practice and flat water. The video is set to music only; the review is written in the description.
A short preview of SUPboarder's vlog of Will's first flat-water paddle-up session, on an Ace Foil 7' x 20" (100 L) board with a Glider 1700 foil. He follows the tips from an Aiden Nicholas video and gets a few runs on his first go. The description says the full video is on SUPboarder PRO.
Brendon Lutnick paddles up on flat water with the foils he uses for downwinding, going from large to small. The chapters run 180 HA, 150 Vario, 130 Florence, 120 Vario and 110 Florence, then a board swap with an Armstrong 1270, and finally the 91 Florence. He keeps the same 20 Florence tail and 30-inch M6 mast throughout, on a KT 106 L Hollow Crossing board with a Black Project Foil X paddle (size S), in fresh water on Lake Erie at 60.8°F.
A weekly clip from the Flat Water Barracuda Pop Up Clinic run with Jeremy Riggs. This week Foil Tomo, back from Japan, joins with Maru and Kosuke, and riders Max Cook, Max Moquin and Liam Wood come to the class. The video is set to music with no narration; according to the description, Max's board dimensions are shown near the end.
The creator's first flight in flatwater foiling, according to the description. There is no transcript.
A short tutorial on taking off on flat water with a SUP foil, using a GoFoil Maliko on a Bic SUP board. The chapter notes describe starting with 2-3 hard strokes with weight on the front foot to keep the board flat, then moving the weight over the foil with short, quick strokes or pumps, and easing off the intensity once flying.
A close-up view of what happens with the creator's feet during a flat water pop-up. Gear: a 6'5" x 23.5" 115L Kalama Performance board, a Go Foil GT2200 with a 14.5" fixed long tail and a 26.5" mast, and a QuickBlade Ono Ava 105 paddle cut 4 inches above their height.
The creator practising flat water pop-ups on a Cruzader 7'0 with a Sirius XL. The description says they are "slowly but surely getting there".
A video of a flat water pop-up. There is no description or transcript.
A short tutorial on popping up onto the foil in flat water. He first shows the footwork on land using a skim board, then demonstrates it on the water.
The fourth part of a paddling series, explaining how to catch the water firmly with a SUP paddle. It compares strokes that catch the water with strokes that don't, on the water and in a surf stance.
Day 9 of a rider's journey to the flat water paddle up (over an hour long). He works on physical preparation, adjusts mast position and shims because his large foil gave too much lift, and focuses on pulling the paddle when the board is unweighted. Summarised from the chapters and the first part.
A Japanese shop's clip of New Year downwind SUP foil sessions at Omaezaki in strong winter winds, guided by experienced local riders. The description stresses riding through local shops and following local rules. Music only; classified from the description.
A Great Lakes rider shares two 10-mile downwind runs on Lake Huron with a visiting Hawaiian foiler, who rated it highly compared with home. An upbeat look at downwinding on big lakes.
A windsurfer's short tips for popping up on a SUP foil: keep the paddle in the water for balance, back foot on or just in front of the mast, and with bent knees extend them as you pull a hard stroke so your weight leaves the board. Once up, keep the rhythm and fly high.
A rider's first session with an unusual dual-mast 'BetaFoil' for flat water paddle ups: tricky control at first, then easy, gentle take-offs, turns by moving the back foot, and very low-effort pumping. He is enthusiastic about the gear.
A magazine's analysis of the 2026 Molokai-to-Oahu downwind foil race using the tracking dots: a slow, light-wind race where the SUP foil winner came from behind to take a third straight win.
A shop ambassador learning downwind in a sheltered bay shares three beginner tips: put time into flat water paddle-ups (useful if you lack easy access to good conditions), spend a few days somewhere with really good conditions, and build board speed by getting as far forward as you can. From a shop's channel.
A college student documents learning downwind foiling, with seven lessons: protect your gear, flat water teaches everything, the ocean is a different game, don't start in heavy conditions, learn to read bumps, his first successful run, and that progression never ends. From a foil brand's channel.
A 1 hour 40 minute podcast with a downwind foiler who studies the science of ocean waves: group and phase velocity, refraction, wave spectra, buoy data, and how they apply to reading swell, choosing foils and linking bumps for downwind and parawing. Summarised from the chapters and the opening.
Damien LeRoy reviews a custom, US-made downwind board (8'4" × 16.5", 105 L): very light, stable for its narrow width thanks to the bottom shape, with a kick tail that helps the paddle up. From the channel of a shop that sells the board.
A 60 km downwind adventure along England's south coast: a train ride, a parawing reach offshore, then a SUP downwind with big bumps and a snapped paddle. No narration captions; classified from the description, which stresses planning for tides.
A pro surfer's vlog of his health routine and a windy downwind SUP foil run off Waikiki after recovering from a head injury. Includes sponsor promotions.
A detailed review comparing two downwind foil boards, covering weight, stiffness, deck grip, rocker, volume distribution and on-water stability. The reviewer states he is an ambassador for one of the brands.
A French coach's tips for flying further in downwind (SUP, wing freefly, parawing): long and narrow boards, higher-aspect foils without going too small, a stiff mast of 75–80 cm and a good paddle; fly high, narrow your stance once up, ride across the bumps and look for energy behind you. Supported by the foil brand used.
Footage of a record 85 km downwind SUP foil run along the New South Wales coast in Australia. No narration; classified from the description.
A Japanese pro surfer's first try at SUP foiling. The captions are unavailable and the description is mainly sponsor and shopping links (the video includes promotion), so it is classified from the title only.
Ian shares three pieces of general (non-technical) advice for getting into downwind foiling and flat water paddle-ups: accept it will be hard and lower your expectations, get out as much as you can (and keep other gear for fun sessions), and get over the fear of being watched.
Footage from one of Jeremy Riggs's flat water pop-up clinics in Hawaii ahead of the downwind race season. Music only; the description says those who attend the clinics from the start have more fun when it matters. Classified from the description.
A side-by-side session comparing two SUP foil wings (136 cm and 186 cm span) on the same board in small, clean waves. According to the description, the bigger wing is very stable and ideal for learning starts on flat water but harder to pump and turn. Classified from the description (no captions).
A magazine's short review of an inflatable downwind foil board at a boat show, with a paddle-up demo. The brand's representative explains the features: the foil mounts through the board, extended deck pads for a wide stance, a V-shaped nose and sharp tail edges.
Gaël, a pump foiler transitioning to downwind, shares ten tips and one training method from his breakthrough run, stressing he is a beginner, not an expert. Topics include a generous board, matching foot position between paddling and flying, posture that spares the lower back, stroke, timing and pop-up. He rides for the brand he links to.
A race vlog from Hawaii's 2026 downwind SUP foil Triple Crown (Maui to Molokai, the Kamalo Run and Molokai to Oahu). The rider describes a mostly flat M2O where he had to keep pumping, finishing fifth. Supported by a gear brand.
A Japanese blogger's clip of flat water SUP foil practice on the Yahagi River. There are no captions and the description only links to the blog, so it is classified from the title only.
A shop ambassador walks through his beginner downwind setup: a board he found easier than faster models, an aluminium mast to keep costs down, a ~1080 foil for variable bay conditions, and a stiff, light paddle cut about head height. From a shop's channel.
A voice-over diary of a stand-up foil session in Southern California by a rider about two months into learning. He explains why he took up SUP foiling (escaping crowded surf lineups) and that his goal is to ride open-ocean bumps with friends.
The foil brand's own upload of a team rider explaining how one foil unlocked her flat water paddle up: big wing and tail, short sharp strokes, and lifting with the legs as the paddle exits. Same content as the rider's video on her own channel.
Ian argues that wing foiling is one of the best tools for learning downwind SUP foiling, because his real struggle wasn't the paddle up but reading bumps. With a wing you can flag out, practise riding bumps and power up again, getting many more reps.
A rider argues that downwind foiling is about reading bumps, not gear. He explains letting go of a bump early instead of clinging to it, the 'off-the-back' method for slower foils and the 'pathway' method for linking bumps ahead, and keeping the board's nose low so you foil downhill.
Damien LeRoy and a local rider share downwind foiling tips: slow down and stay in the pocket instead of chasing bumps, practise paddle-ups on flat water to build the stroke, if you're exhausted you're making poor choices, go bigger on the foil when in doubt, and ride down the line rather than straight. From the channel of a shop that sells foil gear.
Five (plus one) tips for complete SUP foil beginners from a rider who recently learned: go big on board and foil, master paddling straight on flat water first, get foot and mast placement right, practise in small waves, and be consistent. She rides for the foil brand mentioned in the description.
Part 2 of Jeremy Riggs's weekly flat water drills (8 drills; some repeat his earlier video): buoyancy bounce, squat and catch, one-handed catch, snappy exit, porpoising with heel lift, keeping heels up, combining short strokes with porpoising, and exaggerated porpoising.
A brand's team rider explains how a particular foil unlocked her flat water paddle up after a year of trying: big wing and big tail to learn, short sharp strokes that exit before your feet, and lifting with the legs as the paddle comes out rather than pushing down. The same content is also posted on the brand's own channel (The Cheat Code).
A brand rider's three downwind SUP foil tips filmed during a run: wait for a bump with a good trough and then paddle with quick, short strokes that don't pass your front foot; stay high on the mast; when it goes flat, pump sideways to the wind and look several bumps ahead. From a foil brand's channel.
A brand's short tutorial on the flat water paddle up: a long, narrow board about 30 L above body weight, a big lifty foil, a 70–80 cm mast and a good paddle. Keep the board straight, start with slow long strokes, then raise the cadence and pump-paddle, and keep paddling until you are clear of the water. From the channel of the brand whose gear is shown.