Piet
Varkevisser.

How did you end up on an eFoil?

Like most of the early riders: I saw someone fly past on holiday. That was in 2019 on Ibiza, home to one of the first eFoil schools. I booked a 20-minute session and rode my first metres above the water.

That silence, the feeling of flying and being able to go anywhere: magic. After those 20 minutes I immediately booked another 20. And then another 20. Totally hooked.

What sports did you do before eFoiling?

All sorts of things on and around the water, like kiting and wakeboarding. I grew up with VHS tapes full of surf and snowboard films and still go snowboarding every year. I've also been doing strength training for years.

Are you a full-time pro?

No, I combine it with a full-time job selling second-hand fitness equipment. My phones never stop, not in the evenings or at weekends either. I've done plenty of Teams meetings with wet hair.

Sometimes, after an intense morning, I go on the water during the day and move work to the evening. Luckily I can work remotely, these days even on the plane's wifi on the way to a race. Work hard, play hard.

Can you make a living from it?

No, and almost nobody can. Internationally, this sport is really just getting started. If you finish in the top six at a big race, the prize money covers your costs. The odd organiser invites the top five and pays for travel and accommodation.

My tip: if you want to go to an international race, contact the organiser. They can put you in touch with your brand's event coordinator, to ask whether equipment is available on site.

When did you realise how serious it had become?

At the SFT World Cup in Shenzhen, this year. Lift delivered 15 brand-new batteries for our race there, with a retail value of over 55,000 euros. I stood looking at them and mostly felt grateful.

Is the picture people have of pro life accurate?

Actually, yes. I often hear: "Are you ever at home?" and "What does your family think?" I'm very lucky that my wife and daughters fully support me in building this sport. When I can, I take them along, but with school that often doesn't work.

How is your race team set up?

Together with Manel Arpa Zuriguel, Carmine Statiano and Antti Koskinen, I set up the eFoil Racing Team. Four riders from four countries, and everyone does something on the side: marketing, content, app design, tinkering and much more. We currently ride for Lift Foils and are actively looking for sponsors, for gear or financial support.

The team also made the eFoil Racing app.

Season rankings

2nd overall in the eFoil Racing League (EFRL), 2025 season

4th overall in the Surf Foil World Tour (SFT), 2026 season

All results: EFRL ranking 2025.

Per race

Which race has stayed with you most?

Two. The Belgium Grand Prix in 2025, the first big event in Belgium. Running from the beach to your board in the water, up on the foil as fast as possible, full trigger to a buoy 500 metres away, round it as tightly as you can and back to the beach. We also rode the first long-distance race there, with top speeds over 53 km/h.

And my first international race, the Dubai eFoil Festival 2024 on the Palm. I rode it on a different board than planned and still finished fifth. That's also where I met Antti in person for the first time. He was already setting up eFoil races back in 2019, and I'd talked him into coming too. Epic.

You rode the eFoil rally down the Danube. How do you prepare for that?

Honestly? Barely. On Wednesday we decided to start on Saturday. On Thursday I picked up ten batteries (thanks, Lift Foils), on Friday I was driving to Munich. Friday night from 22:00 to 01:30 I planned the route on Maps, and on Saturday at 06:45 I headed to the start.

We were missing Manel and a member of the support team, because their flight from Barcelona was cancelled. We found local people at the last minute, and our media guy Jack became navigator, battery swapper and crew chief. In between he still shot footage. Hats off.

And the race itself?

Switch off your brain and ride on character. After just over 100 kilometres I hit some concrete blocks under water: a big dent in my front wing. From then on the board was hard to keep level at speed. After that came a stretch of about 60 kilometres with whirlpools, current and shallows. I could regularly see the bottom, and not because the water was so clear.

My team was ready with a fresh battery every 17 to 20 kilometres: 13 swaps in total. They delivered the real top performance, running through tall grass and over rocks to reach me. After 6.5 hours I finished second, half an hour behind the winner, who already knew most of the route. Only after the finish did my legs give out. Everything before that was adrenaline.

Do you watch what you eat?

On race day I eat as little as possible that I don't know. A good breakfast, a few small snacks around midday, lots of water and as few sugary drinks as possible. I think strength training helps: what's stored in your muscles keeps you going all day.

Do you have rituals?

I used to walk endless laps: checking my gear, checking batteries, checking other people's gear. These days I've found more calm and can enjoy everyone else's races.

Have you ever had a big crash?

On Lake Garda, during a test. We had modified test software to find the limits of the equipment, so the consumer product becomes even more reliable. I wanted to ride full trigger for as long as possible and knew a safety limit would kick in at some point. So I was already braced for impact.

And sure enough: at 59.2 km/h the limit kicked in. The board nose-dives into the water and you get launched. I bounced across the water three times, like a skipping stone. No injuries, just a dent in my ego. And a 500-metre swim back.

Which board, wing and battery do you race on?

It depends on the race. Until early this year I rode the LIFT4 Pro 4'2 and later the LIFT5 Pro 4'4: rock solid, but heavier than other setups. For a few months now I've been riding everything on the LIFTX with the LIFT5 mast, which has a stronger motor than the standard LIFTX mast. The best of both worlds: a light setup with a strong motor.

My wings keep getting smaller. My front wing is usually between 500 and 600 cm², with a 135 cm² stabiliser. Much smaller isn't possible at my weight. "I'm defying physics," Sebastian Lange always says when he sees me ride at 90+ kilos among pros who average 75.

Do you ride a different setup in your free time?

There is no free time. Every quarter of an hour on the water I'm testing something: wings, batteries, software or our own eFoil Racing app. It gives me valuable data on my speed, turns and lap times.

Best tip for a beginner in the Netherlands?

Lots of people are scared of the speed. It works just like on the motorway: first ride a few kilometres in a straight line, a little faster each time. When you then go back to a lower speed on a course, it suddenly doesn't feel fast at all.

Do mind the speed rules on your lake.

What needs to change in the Netherlands?

We have enough riders to hold races, but almost nobody wants to organise them. Since 2023 we've hosted around ten low-key events at my home spot, and two bigger races together with Flying Fish. Great fun, everyone's enthusiastic. But working, racing myself and organising no longer fit together for me. So people need to step up and take over the baton.

What do you still dream of?

An eFoil race through the canals of Amsterdam. Ten or so pro riders, invite only, broadcast live, with drones following the riders. Names like Brian Grubb, Manel Arpa, Justin Chait, Clemens Kresser and, of course, Simon Axmann. That would be next level, and maybe in a few years it won't be a dream any more.