Kitesurf365 Podcast
Host: Adrian Kerr
Guest: Finn Flügel, 2025 Freestyle World Champion, Hydrofoil Big Air Vice World Champion
Episode #416 – Released: December 15, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Adrian Kerr sits down with kiteboarding prodigy Finn Flügel. At just 16, Finn has captured the 2025 Freestyle World Title and continues to make a name in both freestyle and hydrofoil big air disciplines. The conversation covers Finn’s journey, his influences, the challenges of the 2025 season, the competitive landscape among young riders, and the future of freestyle and big air in kiteboarding.

Main Topics & Key Insights

Finn’s 2025 Freestyle World Title and the Pressure of a Single-Event Season

• Finn discusses the unique pressure of a season with only one qualifying freestyle event (Taiba, Brazil).
• The need to be perfect: “We kind of knew that we had one event only ... the pressure was on to perform.” (01:45)
• Dreaming of the title since he made his first final in 2023.
• “If I have the chance again, I’m gonna do it. And then this year in Brazil... to win there was, I think, even more special.” (02:18)

Finn’s Riding Style – From Boots to Straps

• Initially rode boots like most freestylers, but switched to straps after a 2022 injury in Brazil.
• “I couldn’t put my foot in the boot anymore... started using some straps... didn’t take them away again.” (03:32)
• Advantages: crashes are less punishing, quicker recovery, more confidence to try big tricks.
• “I can do... all my tricks, all the triple passes pretty much unlocked ... not scared ... that’s a huge benefit.” (03:56)

Brazil 2025: Competition Breakdown & Mindset

• Remarkable consistency: only crashed twice in the entire event (04:30–04:46).
• “First two heats were for sure the hardest... mentally, I was pretty scared of that one.” (04:51)
• Needed to land a KGB 7 on the last trick to progress—did so under heavy pressure.
• Insights into competition strategy with his coach, Nico, especially when faced with the deepest semifinals lineup (Maxim, Arto, Chemo).
• Discussion of specific big scores and how Finn adapted his tactics heat by heat.
• Entered “flow state” during the high-stakes semifinal: “Kind of just everything was perfect, you know, it was my day ... got me hyped.” (09:08–09:38)

The Next Generation – Youth Movement and the Level of Competition

• Adrian notes the emergence of a new cohort in freestyle: “It’s pretty cool to have this younger group come through, right?” (09:38)
• Finn: “We kind of pushed the freestyle again ... such a good balance for big air as well ... we push again because I think this event was just super good for us, for the sport.” (10:07)

Event Schedule & Growth of Competitive Freestyle

• Three freestyle events planned for 2026: Mexico, Germany, Brazil (10:34).
• No Abu Dhabi stop, more focus shifting toward hydrofoil events as well (10:44).

Coaching and Training

• Finn trains closely with Nico of Seven Seas Coaching, credits him for much of his progress.
• Spent “almost 150 days” training together in 2025 (12:08).
• Coaching is still uncommon, especially in freestyle: “Still a pretty crazy sport with a lot of technique ... to not have coaches is quite crazy.” (12:20)

Multidisciplinary Approach: Freestyle, Big Air, Hydrofoil

• Finn loves the variety: “I kind of have to do everything to be on the water every day ... good training for me for all the year.” (12:52)
• Excitement around the growing interest in hydrofoil, with more big names poised to enter the scene (13:18–13:45).
• Debate over foil vs. twin tip scoring in big air competitions, especially in tough conditions like King of the Air (14:16–15:41).

The Freestyle Format & Future Improvements

• Discussion about the strengths and weaknesses of the current freestyle contest format (22:03–23:14).
• Finn suggests tweaks for events held at choppy locations and urges for better combo trick scoring:
  • “For the spot in Taiba ... was really good ... but in choppy spots ... we have to change the format up a bit.”
  • “Combos... all the combos that we saw now was pretty much like, yeah, pretty low score ... what they want to see in the future is to go actually for a switch combo maybe ... that would score huge.”

Tek, Waves, and Unique Event Conditions

• Adrian proposes freestyle comps in big wave settings, referencing innovative riding in China and Colombia (23:14–24:13).
• Finn is enthusiastic: “I would love to go back there [Colombia] ... now I think I would absolutely love the spot.”

Youth Development & Local Egyptian Scene

• Finn acknowledges freestyle is underrepresented in Egypt due to a focus on big air, but sees potential if the scene is pushed (18:56–19:25).

Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On pressure and victory:
  “To get the win there was just wild.” – Finn (01:45)

• On unique riding style:
  “I just got the hang of it and, like, didn’t take them away again [straps]. And, I mean, now it works for me.” – Finn (03:32)

• On coaching bond and training:
  “I want to win the world title with Nico as well, because we trained super hard for that all year... it was just the perfect thing.” – Finn (11:08–12:16)

• On the level of the Taiba semis:
  “I had my easy, my medium heat, my hard heat and I had the impossible heat and I, and I knew I had to do the impossibility to pass... was insane. Was crazy.” – Finn (07:21–07:46)

• On progression in tricks:
  “For my dream trick, I would say blind backside nine...It took me to the summer in Greece in July to land it the first time...so much technique and so much little detail movement.” – Finn (20:15–21:18)

• On freestyle’s future:
  “If we want to push the spot as well, we have to go to some different spots as well. Like to just show it to the people kind of. Like. We can also do like sick tricks and like... not perfect conditions.” – Finn (24:18)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Finn’s season recap / missing King of the Air: 00:43–01:04
• Challenges of a one-event world title: 01:45–02:18
• Early inspirations & belief in himself: 02:18–03:18
• Finn's distinctive style & riding without boots: 03:32–04:12
• Brazil competition mental state & heat-by-heat breakdown: 04:51–08:45
• Youth movement/new rivalries: 09:38–10:29
• Next season’s freestyle events: 10:29–10:46
• Coaching relationship with Nico: 11:08–12:16
• Hydrofoil & big air ambitions: 12:38–14:52
• Foil scoring/landings debate: 14:16–15:41
• Event schedule & qualifying for King of the Air: 16:07–17:11
• Future in the sport / balancing multiple disciplines: 17:40–18:36
• Egyptian scene & freestyle potential: 18:56–19:25
• Freestyle vs. big air trick learning: 20:05–21:18
• Opinions on format & combos: 22:03–23:14
• Competing in heavy conditions (waves, choppy water): 23:14–24:13
• Looking ahead to 2026: 24:40–25:30
• Blank Kite Test experience: 25:47–26:00

Closing Thoughts

Adrian ends by emphasizing Finn’s x-factor and impact on the sport:
“I think you bring X Factor to the sport, man, and I love it.” (26:31)

Finn’s energy, technical passion, and openness about the realities of the tour make this an insightful listen for anyone following kiteboarding, especially as the sport’s new generation rises.