ABOUT US
Since 2021, Foiling Australia has called the pristine shores of Mermaid Beach on Queensland’s Gold Coast home — A world-renowned mecca for surfing increasingly realised as a foiling playground worldwide. As an organisation, our team employs the best locations from a roster of potential spots and uses only top-of-the-range equipment. Therefore, making your step into the realm of foiling an accessible — yet exhilarating — life-changing undertaking!
In truth, it all began as a hobby for us. Like so many others who try the sport, we naturally found foiling was a bit tricky — and there were next to no foilers around to watch and learn from. We know giving it a try could be daunting, so when we say we understand how you feel, we genuinely do. As avid surfers and water sports enthusiasts, the biggest attraction to foiling is that there is no drag once you’re up and flying: no noise, no bumps, no friction. You are literally flying. As the sport has evolved, we find new opportunities in the open ocean, waves, wind and even flat water. And once you have been given a taste of what is possible, believe us, it becomes highly addictive!
We won’t only teach you how to master the basics or improve your skill, but we also ensure you are having fun in a connected, safe, and encouraging environment. Foiling, after all, is our passion, and we want to make it yours.
This is only the beginning of a new sport that presents endless opportunities to ride bodies of water and push the envelope of what is possible. Come along for the ride!
MEET THE TEAM
Sylvain Mitault
Born and raised in the south of France, Sylvain is our head coach and has been living on the Gold Coast for eight years. Before this, he was a surf instructor for six years and has been heavily involved in the surf industry for several years as a sales rep. You could say he has saltwater running through his veins!
As a talented, multi-disciplined rider, Sylvain’s contagious outlook on life, coupled with his passion for foiling and adventure, is a one-off. He loves to share knowledge — in a stress-free step-by-step methodology —where people can maximise their progress at foiling with added style and improved technique.
Trevor Hendy
Trevor is a former Professional Athlete of the highest level: his accolades include winning several WorldIronman Championships, World Series, and Australian championships in the sport of Surf Life Saving. Over the years, he has displayed the ability to constantly find his way through the most challenging ocean situations in pressure cooker moments, showing him as a man who knows how to slow things down and complete any task thrown at him.Trevor is now highly sought after as a corporate, sporting and life coach, mentor, author and speaker, sharing his personal mantra with others: “these are my perfect conditions”. As a life coach and holistic personal trainer, Trev shares his advice on keeping a happy and well-balanced life with us.
Karl Muggeridge
Former Supersport World Champion and Superbike European Champion, and SBK Hall of Fame inductee —makes him one of the most experienced and successful riders in international motorcycling. With over 150races to his name in World Super bike and Super sport, Karl raced at the top in one of the fastest and most extreme motorsports. Travelling the world for 15 years, setting track records, and winning races was his life until retiring at the end of 2012. After choosing to retire from motorsport, he returned to his hometown ofTweed Heads with his wife and two sons. Once surf foiling made its way to Australia, however, Karl was one of the first to see the potential, finding a new adrenaline rush off the track and in the ocean. Today he is now one of the most prominent and capable foilers around the Gold Coast and is also part owner of CloudIX foils.
Jeremie Bernard
Like Sylvain, Jeremie is also a Frenchman who fell for the perfect ocean conditions of Southeast Queensland.Growing up by the coast in the south of France, his love for being in the water was undeniable from a young age. He began windsurfing and surfing at 12 years of age, then kitesurfing when moving to Australia in 2009. It didn’t take long for him to become an early adopter of surf foiling in 2018 — from this point never looking back. He is now 100% of the time on foil!
Jose Fazio
Jose is a lifelong athlete that has competed at the highest level in many different sports and has been involved in the kiteboarding industry for many years as a kiting athlete competing in international snowkite and kiteboarding events. Over the last decade, he has collaborated with Olympic Committees and International Federations whilst these days fully appreciating the incredible foiling capabilities.