RADICULO AND HIS FOILSTYLE GEAR ENTER THE TOP FOUR

Balz “Radiculo” Müller came off a spectacular performance in windy Fuerteventura and showed no intention of giving up his fourth place in the World rankings. On the contrary, Balz was on a mission to claim a podium spot and stormed through the first rounds of the single elimination on his Foilstyle gear.

The Swiss raised some eyebrows when competing on the foil, so we threw him a couple of questions…

YOUR DECISION TO COMPETE ON FOILSTYLE GEAR AT SYLT RAISED SOME EYEBROWS. WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO USE THE FOIL, AND HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR ANY POTENTIAL CHALLENGES WITH THE RULES?

“For me, using a foil in gusty, light winds is a no-brainer. Initially, I thought foils weren’t allowed in the competition, as I remembered that the riders had voted against them. But the offshore conditions were so challenging that I was lying awake, nervous, the night before the freestyle event was set to kick off. I told myself I’d use the foil anyway and just have as much fun as possible, even if it meant getting disqualified. Just to be sure, I checked the rulebook and, to my surprise, found nothing against using a foil. Overstoked, I started my heats full of excitement and was thrilled to perform some of my new tricks. Unfortunately, the wind was barely strong enough to allow for a fair “fin” competition.

Since I was in the first heat and had the chance to resail several times, we couldn’t finish. However, I’m stoked to have seen big names like Lennart and Yentel also bringing out the foil. I’m confident we’ve now started the foil freestyle revolution! Rule changes are planned for next season—at least that was the word after the freestylers’ meeting in Sylt.”

YOU’VE JUST WRAPPED UP THE SEASON IN FOURTH PLACE AFTER AN IMPRESSIVE SHOWING IN FUERTEVENTURA. WHAT WERE YOUR BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS SEASON, AND HOW WILL THEY INFLUENCE YOUR GAME-PLAN MOVING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR?

“I’d say my biggest takeaway is to have fun and not put too much pressure on the results. I’m definitely not done with freestyle yet—I’m eager to keep improving as a waterman, to keep learning new tricks, and hopefully surprise everyone next season with plenty of new maneuvers. A few are already in the works, and I’ve recently landed some game-changing moves. Exciting stuff—stay tuned!”

FOILFREEK OR FREEK AND WHY?

“I love the FoilFreek for its higher-aspect sail, which delivers incredible power and forward drive while maintaining a super agile feel. I also appreciate how easily it transitions on and off during ducks and moves. And, last but not least, its freaking fast rotations.”

PREDATOR OR PSYCHO AND WHY?

“Of course, we all wish we had that 4WD F1 car that could do it all… but I love both boards. Nothing beats the fin-fun of the Psycho when the wind really picks up. Still, I find myself spending more time on my 95 Predator, especially since I’m even enjoying foiling in storms these days.”

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