Former Olympic windsurfer Hayley Chan turns to wingfoil at World Beach Games in Bali
- Chan to be joined in Bali this summer by another ex-Olympian in Ho Chi-ho, as well as budding youngster Rafeek Kikabhoy
- The new boardsailing class will make its debut at the World Beach Games in August
Former Olympian Hayley Chan Hei-man will add another new role to her CV when she represents Hong Kong again at the World Beach Games in Bali this summer.
Already a two-time Olympic Games windsurfing representative and Asian Games gold medallist, the 32-year-old has switched to wingfoil, a relatively new class in boardsailing, which will make its debut at the Beach Games.
“I tried wingfoil when preparing for the Tokyo Olympics and found it very exciting because of the speed,” Chan, who retired from windsurfing in March, said.
“The sport also fits the environment of Hong Kong as you do not need strong wind to race and the equipment is quite portable, and easy to carry.
“When I took part in the wingfoil Asian Championships in Pattaya in March, I did not expect to get such good results. All I wanted was to give it a try and make it more popular in Hong Kong.”
Wingfoil is a wind propelled water sport that developed from windsurfing, kitesurfing and surfing. The sailor, standing on a board, holds directly onto a wing. It generates both upwards force and sideways propulsion and thus moves the board across the water. Unlike windsurfing, their wing is hand held and not fixed to the board.