Scottish windsurfer Andy Brown will enter the waters of the Musto iQFOiL World Championships 2026 because the reigning titlist in Weymouth, however to beat an distinctive fleet together with European and Olympic medalists, Brown tells M&F that he’s been bulking as much as be the strongest potential sailor. We caught up with the athlete and his coach to study extra.
Nice Britain is essentially the most profitable crusing nation in Olympic historical past, with greater than 30 gold medals to its title, however Glasgow’s Andy Brown takes nothing without any consideration as he makes an attempt to keep up his crown on the Weymouth & Portland Nationwide Crusing Academy, hosted by the Royal Yachting Affiliation, the place greater than 40 nations will hit the waters with every part they’ve received. Whereas every windsurfer seems to glide with ease, virtually each muscle within the physique is recruited to sail via such intense situations. “It’s a shocking sport,” Brown tells M&F. “Since you appear like you’re cruising however really, your core is tensed, your legs are burning, your forearms are pumped. You want to correctly go for it.”
With a view to go for the 2026 iQFOiL world title, Brown has been coaching on and off the water to speed up previous his rivals, together with numerous hours within the fitness center with the GB Crusing Group’s power and conditioning coach, Will Barnes, who credit iQFOiL windsurfers for the extent of physicality that’s essential to succeed. “After I first began my function, it was extremely eye opening,” says Barnes, as remaining prep received underway.
What’s iQFOiL Windsurfing?
iQFOiL is the high-speed evolution of Olympic windsurfing that was launched by World Crusing on the 2024 Olympic Video games in Paris. Every iQFOiL board makes use of hydrofoil expertise, lifting your entire board out of the water, and with lowered wind resistance, iQFOiL windsurfers can hit speeds of 35 knots (65 kph/40 mph)
To win in Weymouth, surfers will probably be required to navigate a multi-stage race and end within the prime ten by the tip of the qualifying stage. The finalists should then compete in a single day elimination sequence to find out the 2026 iQFOiL World Champion.
Why Andy Brown has Bulked Up for the 2026 iQFOiL World Championships
Throughout gentle winds, the output required from every surfer dramatically will increase as they’re required to pump the sail in direction of them earlier than sending it ahead, making a supply of wind by handbook means. “It’s like rowing upright,” explains Brown of the extremely taxing course of. The profitable sailor tells M&F that he’s been coaching on the water for 25 hours per week forward of the championships, with the fitness center additionally requiring important time funding so that he’s as robust as potential whereas browsing.
“We do normal power coaching for robustness,” shares Brown. “As a result of when you crash, you will get into bother when you’re not robust. And you then go into extra particular drilling classes the place you could be engaged on footwork, or energy, or pace. After which the core of it’s loads of time on the rowing machine as a result of that pumping movement, pushing with the legs and pulling with the arms, is definitely fairly just like what we do out on the water. In iQFOiL, we’ve received a fairly large vary of physique sizes as a result of you’ll be able to set the gear to the way you need. Typically, I’d say you should be on the heavier facet, so about 88 to 90 kilos (194 to 188 kilos) plus.”
How Andy Brown has bulked up for the 2026 iQFOiL World Championships
Brown tells M&F that in coaching for the championships, he was making an attempt to hit a calorie surplus of round 600 energy per day. “Numerous that’s carbohydrates, as a result of we’re fueling for the classes on the water,” he explains.
“The exercises for Andy are complete physique coaching classes,” shares coach Barnes. “Windsurfers focus so much on decrease physique energy and power, to make every pump as straightforward as potential. Key workout routines would possibly embrace barbell RDL’s, or squat variations like again squats, break up squats, or belt squats. For the higher physique, we use each horizontal and vertical pulling actions, weighted pull ups and bench pulls are normally programmed. At this level within the season the intention is power, so we hold reps and units low, 3 units of three to six reps, with round 2 reps in reserve. As we’re so near the worlds, the precedence is sustaining high quality on-water classes.”
Andy Brown’s Profession Highlights
- 2022 Trofeo Princesa Sofia winner
- 2025 Scottish Sports activities Awards “Athlete of the Yr”
- 2025 iQFOiL World Males’s Champion
Andy Brown has constructed up an unbelievable sporting resume and is hoping to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Video games in LA. He’s additionally serving to to develop the following technology of homegrown windsurfers as a mentor for the Royal Yachting Affiliation, however with the largest take a look at of his profession now underway in Weymouth, this athlete is firmly centered on the longer term. “What I actually take pleasure in is the chase of it,” says Brown.
The iQFOiL World Championships happen in Weymouth, England on September 4 to 12, 2026. For extra info click on right here.
To observe Andy Brown on Instagram, click on right here.
