The Progression Project

Erik Antonson

Podcast by Erik Antonson

  1. 168 - Marc Willers

    30 juin

    168 - Marc Willers

    On this episode of the Progression Project, I sit down with Olympic BMX racer and Subi Riders founder Mark Willers (subiriders) Mark's journey took him from representing New Zealand at two Olympic Games to reimagining what foiling could become by combining it with the sport he knows best—BMX. We dive into the highs and lows of chasing an Olympic dream, the mindset required to perform at the highest level, and how that same obsession with progression led him to invent an entirely new way to ride on foil. It's a conversation about creativity, innovation, resilience, and what happens when you stop asking what exists and start building what doesn't.

    1 h 20 min
  2. 167 - Greg Drexler

    21 mai

    167 - Greg Drexler

    Greg Drexler from Boardriding Maui joins the show for a deep dive into style, simplicity, and the evolution of wind-powered foiling. We get into Greg’s roots in windsurfing and kiting, the design philosophy behind BRM, the early days of parawings, why the new S3 became the benchmark, and how stripping gear down to its essence can unlock more freedom on the water. This one is a great look inside the mind of a designer who has helped shape kites, wings, and now parawings with a focus on feel, function, and keeping the stoke alive.

    1 h 15 min
  3. 166. - Guillaume Colin

    24 avr.

    166. - Guillaume Colin

    In this episode of the Progression Project, I sit down with Guillaume Collin (@gcolin.impact), an adaptive surfer, wing foiler, and engineer from the south of France. After a glider accident in 2015 left him paraplegic, Guillaume shares his journey of recovery, acceptance, and rebuilding his life around what’s still possible. We talk about how surfing and foiling brought him back to flow, freedom, and joy, along with the challenges and creativity behind adapting gear to ride at a high level. This is a conversation about resilience, perspective, and finding a new path forward.

    1 h 6 min
  4. 165 - Mala'e Mcelheny

    7 avr.

    165 - Mala'e Mcelheny

    This episode is a deep dive into the current progression of foiling with one of the sport’s most exciting young riders, Mala'e Mcelheny @malae_mcelheny). We talk about how riding has evolved toward speed, flow, and strapless carving, and how downwind foiling is reshaping style across every discipline. The conversation covers everything from race strategy for Molokai to Oahu, gear choices and foil design feel, to wild open-ocean missions in heavy conditions. We also get into how today’s top riders are blending surf, winging, parawing, and downwind into a single skillset, and what that means for the future of the sport. It’s a look at where foiling is right now, where it’s going, and how the next generation is pushing it all forward.

    1 h 19 min
  5. 164 - Kyle from Project Cedrus

    10 mars

    164 - Kyle from Project Cedrus

    This episode of the Progression Project Podcast features a conversation between host Erik and Kyle of Project Cedrus, exploring the rapid evolution of foil equipment and the engineering behind mast design. They dive into how stiffness, drag, and materials like carbon vs. forged aluminum affect performance, why mast design has become a major frontier in foiling, and how different disciplines—from surf to wing to downwind—drive different engineering solutions. The conversation also introduces a new collaboration between Cedrus Mast and Uni Foil, aimed at making foiling more accessible: riders can purchase gear from either brand and receive a free adapter that makes the systems compatible. Along the way they discuss manufacturing challenges, the economics of running small gear companies, and how innovation and accessibility can help grow the foiling community.

    1 h 19 min
  6. 163 - Nic Reeser

    26 févr.

    163 - Nic Reeser

    On this episode of the Progression Project, I sit down with Nick Reeser — a rising force in the world of foiling whose background blends Olympic-level sailing lineage, elite water knowledge, and a relentless drive to push limits. Growing up in a family of competitive sailors and now serving as a navigator in the United States Coast Guard, Nick brings a unique perspective on ocean conditions, performance mindset, and technical progression. We dive into his journey from competitive sailing to hydrofoiling, the crossover between sailing and downwind energy reading, and the story behind his massive Florida downwind run — including the preparation, forecasting, and mental game required to send at the highest level. This conversation explores progression, passion, and what happens when deep water experience meets cutting-edge foil performance.

    1 h 30 min
  7. 162 - Alex Aguera

    28 janv.

    162 - Alex Aguera

    In this episode of the Progression Project, Erik sits down with Alex Aguera, founder of GoFoil and one of the true originators of modern foiling, to put the real beginning of the sport on record. From hand-building the first high-lift foil for Kai Lenny in 2015 to the now-legendary sessions that sparked surf, downwind, and everything that followed, Alex shares the firsthand story behind the viral moment that changed watersports forever. The conversation traces foiling’s Maui roots, the early experiments with Kai, Laird Hamilton, and Dave Kalama, and how curiosity, engineering intuition, and the right environment collided to create an entirely new way of riding waves. Along the way, Alex dives into para-winging, Foil Drive, modern foil design, and what it feels like to watch something you helped invent reshape lives and ocean culture around the world.

    1 h 19 min
  8. 161 - Mike Pedigo

    1 janv.

    161 - Mike Pedigo

    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 why para winging has fundamentally changed what’s possible on marginal days—especially on angled coastlines like Florida. Along the way, they share cautionary tales, Hood River epics, training philosophy, and why being willing to “put the white belt back on” is often the key to unlocking the next level.

    1 h 11 min
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À propos

Podcast by Erik Antonson

Informations

  • Création
    Erik Antonson
  • Années d’activité
    2017 - 2026
  • Épisodes
    169
  • Classification
    Tous publics
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Site web de l’émission
    The Progression Project

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