The “third dimension” of sailing explodes the visual potential of both still and moving imagery, there are some just outrageous perspectives that let you capture images from beneath a boat, and at such a high speed and with drone it all works together to make it a ripping visual sensation
Christopher J. Museler - New York Times Sailing Corrispondent - FW Content Creator and Moderator of most FW Forums ©Martina Orsini/We Are Foiling Media
Initially considered something of a dangerous discipline, foiling now has no boundaries: you strap on your helmet and... 'Boom!' suddenly you are speeding through the air with the hallmark whistle in your ear. Travelling at speeds of 20-30 knots becomes the norm and allows for all the necessary safety measures.
In a rapidly changing world, even university research is shifting towards the increasingly innovative and technological sphere of foiling: it is becoming increasingly common for naval engineering students to become interested in sailing and are choosing to advance their academic career in aerospace engineering. A cultural change in no small part due to the foiling revolution.
The speed that foiling allows has prompted the World Sailing-recognised classes to develop new course solutions to make the racing more spectacular, hard-fought and technically varied. New formats designed to be exciting and make the rankings immediately clear, especially in the final battles for a place on the podium.
Christopher J. Museler
How do you assess the advent of the foil from a communication point of view, after decades of classic yachting?
It’s really two fold:
- 1 - The “third dimension” of sailing explodes the visual potential of both still and moving imagery, there are some just outrageous perspectives that let you capture images from beneath a boat, and at such a high speed and with drone it all works together to make it a ripping visual sensation; BUT more importantly
- 2 - The type of pilot, the driver/rider, is a special person, fully switched-on, clear-mind fun, all focused people aiming for a new level of performance together as pioneers. So there's a crazy unique atmosphere and electricity with humans around foiling, exploring and learning together.
Sooooooooooo, it’s all there, ready for us to try and capture with new media. Never ending possibilities for us and it all fits perfectly with dynamic ever-changing media formats. But it’s the people's stories in the middle of it all that come first in the experience we want to capture, there’s just a sweet visual palette to help us!
Do you think that foil sailing, which is also increasingly present among young people, can bring more interest from a media point of view?
Like I wrote above, it’s all there for us to capture, and like all watersports, you can tie in threads with any industry: art and science, manufacturing, environmental and social causes, human endurance etc. Certainly, just one great shot or clip brings everyone in, it’s up to the media gurus to take it from there and open peoples eyes to this wider experience, like coming up over the peak of a high sand dune and finally seeing a vast sea and horizon, and you want to jump into the white water immediately!
What are the key points for communicating sailing well and to a wider audience? Has foil given a positive impulse? If so, why?
You need excellent visual creatives and focused journalists to work together on presenting this, like before but you need to have an open mind and observe the people and see where they take you. Start with the immediate “learning something new” experience of the rider. And how Foiling breeds a constant learning comfort. ALWAYS progressing and happy to stumble. You capture that first, then EVERYONE can relate to being “new” at something. At that point you have your audience and you can start building the story and introducing them to technicalities and deeper ideas, take them with you!! Unlike sailing in the past, with its life-long journey of fine tuning, foiling demands an open mind and healthy body…the world is looking for this freshness…start there!