INBOUND – Eleveight Chaser

A new mid-lengther recently appeared from the Eleveight team, dialed fully into glide and fun. It was time to find out more…

So firstly, how does the Chaser complement Eleveight’s existing board lineup?

Well, the journey started with the Evolve, which was our first innovation in creating a proper wingfoil board. Over the years, we’ve fine-tuned shapes, added more sizes, and then came the Evolve DW, a pure downwind board too. Now, in the surf world, the rise of mid-length boards showed that you can actually combine the two worlds of glide and maneuverability, and the Chaser does exactly that. It’s got the smooth glide and efficiency of a downwind board, but with the versatility and playful handling of a shorter, wing-specific shape. It’s built for light wind fun and early planing, with that fast, narrower outline that wingfoilers love, even when it’s barely blowing!

Light wind performance is a key focus in the Chaser. What specific design elements help the Chaser perform so well in these conditions?

Light wind is tricky, and where good design really shows. The Chaser’s volume and how we’ve distributed it are the first key. With 90L and 75L options, there’s plenty of lift and float, but without feeling bulky. Then there’s the outline, which is longer, narrower, and with a low rocker to give it heaps of glide and speed, translating into that easy take-offs and earlier planing. You don’t need to pump like you’re doing a gym session just to get going!

The tail design helps too, as the cut-out shape releases water early, adds glide and stability, and just makes the board feel really smooth through transitions. And to top it off, the Chaser is super light, built in CVC carbon construction with zero flex for direct feedback underfoot.

The Chaser blends downwind board glide with a wing-specific shape. What was the design process behind finding that balance?

It all started with the Evolve DW, which became our ‘test mule' for high-volume, narrow-outlined designs. We had a lot of fun experimenting with bottom shapes and tail configurations to see how far we could push the concept.

The thing with true downwind boards is that they’re amazing once you’re flying, but not the easiest to handle otherwise, as they’re narrow and twitchy. So, for the Chaser, we aimed to bring downwind glide into a board that’s more stable, playful, and easy to ride. The rails were key too, so we crafted them for smooth carving and easy recovery. The result is a board that keeps that addictive glide but actually lets you have fun doing it.

Who did you have in mind when designing the Chaser? Is it purely for intermediate to advanced riders, or could progressing beginners also benefit from it? 

We designed it mainly for riders who have spent time on the foil, but honestly, it’s not an ‘experts only' weapon. The volume and balanced outline make it very accessible, so progressing beginners might also find it forgiving. It’s a board that grows with you, kind of like that friend who’s relaxed when you’re learning, but still pushes you to go faster once you’ve got it dialed in.

Board designer Peter Stiewe refers to mid-length boards as “the new fun boards.” Do you see this as a long-term trend in wingfoiling?

Peter’s been designing boards forever, and he’s great at spotting trends. The ‘mid-length' idea definitely came from surfing, where people realized you can have a board that’s fun to use but still performs.

We’ve translated that spirit into the wing market. It’s all about glide and agility, allowing the rider to maximise on fun. So no, we don’t see it as a passing trend, and mid-lengths are here to stay as they work so well for light wind and mixed conditions.

We had designer Sam Flotat appear in the last issue. What was his involvement in the Chaser? 

Sam is always bringing ideas to the table and testing new gear, including the first Evolve DW prototypes.  He's a classic early adopter for new trends, and we used that experience to give great input for the Chaser’s direction and help shape the final product.

Of course, he also created the beautiful design details, like the carbon fin boxes and that carbon brush effect finish. The man’s got an eye for the details, and he rides what he designs, which says a lot, too!

There’s no question you guys have other irons in the fire right now. What else are you currently working on that you can tell us about?

We are in full swing and have just come back from Sri Lanka, deep in the development phase for 2026. We have invested a lot of work on the new lineup with updated materials and the new wings are nearly done. We’re especially excited about the Pro range, which is going to be a cracker, but my lips are sealed for now.