We present the JP Australia HydroFoil Slalom S-TEC 2025.
FOIL PERFECTION
Unbelievable! Flying faster and faster with the foil! The fastest foil boards from JP have become even faster - again!
The most important performance-enhancing feature of all these boards this year is their construction: S-TEC gives the boards a new and completely different look and makes the already very light boards even lighter! The boards take off earlier and are easier to control in the air.
The line was reduced to the core sizes 80, 85 and 88. The focus was on efficiency, especially minimizing drag and improving control in the air. To achieve this, the boards feature a flat nose scoop, thin edges at the front and a slightly cambered deck at the nose to optimize airflow. The stance area is flat with raised pads that extend over the edge and provide constant leverage on the foil. Only the main race size, 85, now has a completely new shape.
Weight optimization is particularly important for performance boards. This is why the new and groundbreaking S-TEC construction is also used for JP's race boards. The estimated average weight saving through S-TEC will be up to 0.3 kilos for the HydroFoil Slalom boards. Considering that the previous models were already extremely light, any further weight reduction is impressive!
This is achieved by the following changes:
* No color
* Less rough varnish, this is only used in the standing areas
* Smaller and thinner pads - less EVA and less adhesive
and the important
* Refined, customized lamination process in which fibers are prepared and laminated separately
Durability remains at the proven level, as all important reinforcements are unchanged and in particular through the increased use of Biax-Carbon. Only elements that are not relevant for strength and durability have been reduced or omitted.
The other essential contribution to weight reduction is due to the optimized lamination process. This not only creates a completely new look, but also contributes to increased performance, as the boards are even lighter this year!
What a great feature for all HydroFoil slalom boards!
Compared to slalom races with fins, foiling is now more than just competitive: Already in the first year of the PWA competitions, foil boards predominantly led the ratings. In the meantime, they have taken the lead in all areas of slalom racing - as long as there are no limitations and restrictions due to regulations and rules.
As the PWA only allows one foil board size for its entire season, shaper Werner Gnigler has developed a completely new core size to meet this particular challenge.
HYDROFOIL SLALOM 85
The 85 has been redesigned to optimize airflow around the board to improve top speed and stability in the air.
To achieve this, Werner made the board much shorter and incorporated an unusual, sharp V-edge along the underside of the bow. This allowed the board to be only 2 metres long, making it extremely compact and minimizing drag.
The V-shape helps to maintain straight-line stability for early take-offs, something previously reserved for longer hulls. The sharp V ensures a smooth touchdown and immediately lifts the board back into flight mode without losing balance and avoiding skidding.
The deck is now even flatter in the standing area, which improves and strengthens the rider's leverage on the foil.
The concave cutout at the tail now has a more radical shape to reduce turbulence and control airflow and forces along the board.
The cut-outs are even deeper this year, for even less volume, making it easier to lower the rear when pumping.
The competition models 80 and 88, newly developed for 2024, will remain in the range to cover all foil slalom conditions for lighter and heavier riders. This means that every rider can find the perfect board depending on their weight and riding conditions.
Here are the essential shape details of all three boards:
- Aerodynamic efficiency in the nose area
The boards fly through the air. Therefore, a reduction in drag leads to improved control and speed. The main goal was to achieve maximum efficiency with the following refined shape details:
The nose rocker is flat and the leading edges are thin. To optimize airflow, the nose features a slightly cambered deck that creates a laminar airflow around the hull and balances lift and downforce to stabilize the board in the air. All HydroFoil slalom boards are very short, which minimizes swing weight and improves control at the top end.
- Area of the mast base
In this area the rails are fuller and have hard, sharp edges - the most efficient way to generate lift to get into flight mode and drastically reduce drag on touch-downs, bounce ('re-bounce') and continue flying immediately.
- Deck shape: Recess for the mast box
This deep cut-out lowers the pivot point of the mast foot, closing the gap between the board and the leech. This ensures efficiency and also provides additional control when pushing your limits and in the jibe.
- Deck shape: Stance and power transmission
The most radical change has been made to the deck shape in the stance area: it is now significantly flatter and the new special pads extend slightly further outwards than the maximum width of the rail. The rider can now place their foot in the ideal position without changing the angle of leverage on the foil, which can be the case with rounded edges.
This has also made it possible to install two footstrap pug strips for the rear foot - the inner one for riding in strong winds and space sheet courses, the outer one for upwind to half-wind courses and light winds.
- Deck Shape: Rear aerodynamics
The tail now has a concave cut-out, almost like a small cut-out on the deck, which directs the airflow along the deck. This provides additional control, as the more even, deflected and directional airflow stabilizes the board in the air.
- Large tail cut-outs
When foiling, the cut-outs have two main functions: To reduce the volume in the tail and to reduce drag.
The reduced volume allows the rider to push the tail into the water when pumping so that the foil can immediately develop buoyancy for an immediate start.
All boards feature cut-outs that are individually shaped for the intended use of each board. For occasional touch-downs, the deep cut-outs significantly reduce the wetted area, resulting in less drag - which is essential and important as riders touch down at much higher speeds when surfing - instant 're-bounce'.
- Wide rear
The wide tail provides great leverage on the foil, which is a key factor for fast surfing and allows you to maintain control despite all these enormous forces. An essential detail to find the best compromise between a comfortable stance and efficient power transmission to the foil.
Summary
All of these boards are super efficient and fast as hell. Each one of them offers control in a very wide wind range, so every rider can find the right size/s and performance for their weight and conditions.
The super-fast foil machines: performance, power and control for slalom competition. The stage is set to increase your foil speed! Now with updated technology.
MOST IMPORTANT FEATURES
Purebred competition designs for foil slalom races
Faster and more efficient overall thanks to technology boost
Very light
Excellent control over the foil
Improved take-off and more efficient 're-bounce' (bounce off the water)
Special pads provide more leverage on the foil
Coordinated shape of bow, edge and deck for efficient airflow
TECHNICAL FEATURES
* Full-surface Biax-Carbon deck
* PVC rigid foam board in the entire deck and bottom
* Biax-Carbon reinforcements in the foot strap area
* Glass reinforcements in the central stand and footstrap area
* Completely parabolic edges due to overlapping Carbon and glass layers, additionally reinforced in the foot loop area
* Cut-out on the deck
* Recess in the mast box to close the gap between the board and sail foot
* Large rear cut-outs
* Footstrap scale
* Foil Tuttle Box
