If you have ever been to San Francisco on a Friday evening, you must have seen or experienced something called hydrofoiling. This is an art where some people get to skim in the pacific waters at dangerous speeds. On every side, there’s always a boat and on the front is a kite. People get to skim in water at speeds above 40 miles per hour. For first-timers, it looks dangerous, unreal and impossible. As you settle, you realize that the process is so smooth such that the participants can even use their cell phones. One of the participants called Ariel Poler explained that it feels like flying when hydrofoiling. However, protective gear is a must and consists of a helmet and body armor. He even compared the experience to snow skiing. There is a connection between extreme water sports and Silicon Valley. In fact, there is a kitesurfing conference circuit every year. This is what has led to the emergence of this sport, a sport that many people have never seen or heard. This has led to a rush between the technologies elites from Silicon Valley as they race to find hydrofoils. For starters, a hydrofoil can be defined as a lifting surface that is usually attached to a watercraft.
Foils were brought to light by Larry Ellison who is the co-founder of Oracle. He managed to achieve this feat by ensuring that they featured in the 2013 America’s Cup. This was followed by a panic related to their safety and cost. However, everything has stabilized as a number of investors have managed to embark on their production. However, with foiling comes speed and danger. John Heineken is one of the leading foilers in the world, and he works for Alphabet Inc., Google sister company. He says that for you to become experienced in sailing, you must be good at sailing. At the same time, you must be able to bring out the high-performance action in you. He says that foiling is one of the greatest experiences you can have. A professional foiler from France visiting San Francisco says that foiling has always embraced technology. However, the Americans had taken the technology to another level. He also lamented that the sport is only for the wealthy. The sport was first introduced to Silicon Valley by Don Montague. Initially, Montague was just a normal guy. Later, he could hang out with the likes of Sergey Brin and Larry Page.
Read full report: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/20/sports/sailing/foiling-a-pastime-worthy-of-silicon-valley.html
Dil Bole Oberoi
