165 - Mala'e Mcelheny

165 - Mala'e Mcelheny

From The Progression Project by Erik Antonson

April 7, 2026 · 1h 19m

About this episode

This episode features a deep dive into the evolution of foiling with young rider Mala'e Mcelheny, discussing speed, style, and the future of the sport.

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.

People in this episode

Host: Erik Antonson

Guest: Mala'e Mcelheny

Topics covered

  • foiling
  • downwind foiling
  • race strategy
  • gear choices
  • foil design
  • surfing
  • skillset evolution

Keywords

  • foiling
  • Mala'e Mcelheny
  • downwind
  • surf
  • winging
  • parawing
  • gear
  • race strategy

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Molokai, Oahu

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