Balz Müller: A Pioneer’s Take on Freestyle, Gear, and the Future of Wingfoil… and Parawing!

Balz Müller is a true artist on the foil—a visionary funboarder who has been pushing the limits of freestyle since the very beginning. Always chasing innovation, he has shaped the history of wingfoil by introducing groundbreaking tricks and inspiring a new generation of riders. His creativity and infectious energy have made him a fan favorite, earning him the TotalWing Award for People’s Favorite Content Creator in 2024. Even if he has taken a step back from competitions, today, he continues to explore new sensations, whether with his ENSIS gear or his SabFoil setup, while sharing his passion through fun videos on his social medias. In this interview, Balz talks about his unique approach to freestyle, his love for innovation, his gear choices, and the future of wingfoil and… parawing!

Photo : @lmcreanum

Hi Balz and welcome to TotalWing! I’m so happy to be interviewing you, because you’re THE pioneer of freestyle foiling! First of all, can you introduce yourself and tell us about your career as a rider?

Thank‘s for giving me the opportunity to share the watersport stoke!

Yey I’m Balz Müller, a swiss waterman who loves experimenting with fins foils, wings boards and sails. My journey started with windsurfing and snowboarding, but I discovered my biggest passion when I transitioned to foiling. The feeling of playing with gravity -foiling over the water keeps blowing my mind.  I love freestyle foiling because it combines creativity, adrenaline, and technical skill. It’s been an incredible ride to watch the sport evolve and be part of the ongoing foil revolution.

Photo : @dudu_levi_isr421

As a pioneer of foil freestyle, tell us everything: how do you come up with new tricks? Instinct, experimentation, planning, or something else?

Wish it, Dream it, Risk it and Learn it 😜

Well It’s a mix of everything, but it all starts with a dream then experimentation and hell lots of crashing. Often inspiration comes from watching other sports, like snow- skate -wake boarding or even Iceskaters and adapting those moves to the foil. The creative process is endless, and the learning process never ends that’s what makes freestyling so exciting!

Photo : @christian.woufi

What motivates you most in freestyle: technique, freedom, or pushing yourself?

Freestyle lets me express myself in ways no other sport can. It’s about pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and having fun while doing it. Of course, mastering the technique and pushing my limits come hand in hand with that freedom, but the pure joy of creating something new and flowing with the elements is what keeps me going.

Photo : @christian.woufi

You were one of the people who laid the foundations of freestyle on the GWA Surf-Freestyle circuit before the category was monopolized by youngsters, but today we don’t see you there much. Have you decided to slow down on competitions? Are you planning to start up again?

It’s true I’ve stepped back a bit from the competition scene. I love competing, but my main focus has shifted to pushing the sport creatively and inspiring and motivating others through my content. Also being a proud father makes it more challenging travelling/ competing all year. Luckily, Eva my wife loves watersports just as much as I do, so we’re spending as much time as possible chasing the elements and sharing the passion for nature and sports with our lovely girls.

Photo : @lmcreanum

But for sure I love Competitions, it’s great for showcasing the possibilities, and pushing us out of the comfort zones but they can be also restrictive when it comes to experimenting new stuff as wild attempts/crashes will not be rewarded. But only like that we progress and create new stuff.

Photo : @danielpankoke

Wingfoil has evolved rapidly in recent years. How do you perceive this evolution and what trends do you anticipate for the future?

The evolution of wingfoil has been mind-blowing! The equipment has become so refined and accessible, allowing more people to join the sport. Freestyle is getting more technical, and crazy innovations keep coming. I think the future will bring even easier, lighter and more efficient gear. And we’ll see the boundaries between disciplines blur. Downwind foiling, wave riding, and even urban environments, rivers, small lakes, will keep expanding the possibilities.

Photo : @lmcreanum

With all your innovative tricks and fun videos, you won our TotalWing Awards for People’s Favorite Content Creator in 2024. How does it feel? Is it important to you to have the support of your followers?

Winning the award is such an honor! It means the world to know that people enjoy and feel inspired by what I do. The hyped Funboarding community is a huge part of my journey—they motivate me to keep pushing and sharing my passion. It’s not just about the tricks; it’s about building a community and spreading the stoke for watersports.

Photo : @lmcreanum

Tell us a bit about your ENSIS gear. Can you give us a complete tour of your quiver?

Absolutely! ENSIS offers ultimate funtoys, all the people involved share the big love for watersports and it’s all about performance, innovation and passion.

I mainly use the Rock’n’Roll Pro in 57l, the compact shape makes it super responsive, while l it is a stable platform to get foiling and landing moves. For lighter winds, downwinding and flatwater popups I use the Waltz 95l. My favourite wing is the Ensis Topspin in 3.6m2. The Topspin is incredibly playful, balanced and powerful.

When it comes to the foils, I use my Sabfoil Balz Pro Line – specially the 808 is my one to go fun foil.

Photo : @sokaphotos

I can’t resist asking you about the Roger parawing from ENSIS, which you haven’t been without for a few weeks now. So tell us everything: how does it work? Does it go well upwind? Does it pack well and is it light when folded?

I love the new Roger and the possibilities coming along, as it combines the best feelings of winging surfing and kiting. You can pack the parawing super compact and surf hands free. Relaunch the light package and pop straight back up on foil. The roger goes upwind well and allows me to do small up-downwind rounds on the lake and finally I can call me a “lake surfer” for real. But also the way it creates new challenges doing maneuvers with it is very appealing. I’m loving the freedom it adds to my sessions!

Photo : @dudu_levi_isr421

How do you see the future of parawing? You’re already starting to freestyle with it, but do you think it’s more of a downwind thing or not?

Parawing has so much potential! Kinda the ultimate watersport discipline. While it’s fantastic for downwind riding, I think we’re just scratching the surface when it comes to freestyle. The unique dynamics allow for entirely new possibilities. I see it becoming a versatile tool, bridging disciplines like foiling, waves, and freestyle in ways we can’t even imagine yet.

Photo : Patrick Wühtrich

As well as wing and parawing, you’re involved in all kinds of water and board sports. How do these disciplines feed off each other? Does changing supports often help you to progress?

Absolutely! Each sport has its own rhythm and challenges, and they all feed into each other. Pumpfoiling helps me with balance and foil control while wind and kite surfing improve my understanding of the elements wind and water. Switching between disciplines keeps things fresh and pushes me to think outside the box. It’s all about staying adaptable and open to new ideas.

Photo : @engadinwind @sailingenergy

I’ll leave you with the last word! Where do we see you in 2025?

In 2025, you’ll find me doing what I love most—pushing boundaries and having fun on the water. I’ll keep exploring new tricks, gear, and styles, sharing the stoke with the community. Whether it’s through competitions, videos, or epic downwind adventures, my goal is to keep inspiring others to join this amazing journey. See you on the water, funboarding!

Photo :@danielpankoke

Thanks a lot Balz for your answers and for sharing the stoke !

Follow Balz Muller:
Official Website / Instagram / Facebook

More infos about ENSIS:
Official Website / Instagram / Facebook

More infos about SabFoil:
Official Website / Instagram / Facebook