157 - Kai Thompson

157 - Kai Thompson

Author: Erik Antonson October 8, 2025 Duration: 1:16:09
Australian downwind phenom Kai Thompson joins the Progression Project to unpack his breakout 2025 Hawaiian race season—top-five in every event and podiums in the big ones. We dive into the mindset and monster mileage that powered his leap from mid-pack to elite, including back-to-back Maliko missions, 45 km coast runs, and cross-training that would humble most athletes. Kai breaks down reading bumps vs. fitness vs. gear, shares candid lessons from M2M/M2O, and explains why start strategy and consistency win races. We also talk board/foil choices, how the Gator-style downwind boards changed his game, and why the next gear wave will push average speeds past 20 mph. If you love foiling, endurance, and the craft of getting faster, this episode is pure rocket fuel.

Hosted by Erik Antonson, The Progression Project is a business podcast built on the idea that meaningful growth is a deliberate process, not an accident. Each conversation moves beyond surface-level success stories to examine the practical mechanics of advancement-how individuals and organizations actually build momentum, navigate setbacks, and refine their strategies over the long term. Antonson guides discussions that are less about a final destination and more about the incremental steps, the mindset shifts, and the often-overlooked details that collectively define a trajectory. You’ll hear from a diverse range of voices, from seasoned executives and entrepreneurs to thinkers exploring the psychology of performance, all focused on the tangible aspects of moving forward. This podcast is for anyone who views their career or venture as a work in progress and is looking for substantive, nuanced dialogue to inform that journey. The aim is to provide listeners with actionable perspective and a deeper understanding of the forces that enable true progression in the complex world of business.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Progression Project
Podcast Episodes
114 - Zane Schweitzer on Hawaiian Foil Race Season [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:22
Zane Schweitzer is a Hawaiian Waterman. He excels at all surf sports and has been foiling longer than anyone but the strapped crew. In this episode Zane comes on to preview the upcoming Hawaiian foil race season. We get…
113 - Ryan Arzy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:28
Ryan Arzy (@lafoiler) is a foil obsessed coach from Los Angeles that works on Namotu Island teaching surf, wing, downwind, and tow foiling during the Summer and works with Foiling Magazine to write the Friday Pump Newsle…
112 - Alex Hayes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:52
Alex Hayes (@alexhayes) is an adventure sports athlete. He is going to be leading the charge in foil surfing pushing bigger and heavier surf. When he's not foiling he's jumping out of planes or off clips, sending over th…
111 - Zane Westwood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:25
Zane Westwood makes his 3rd appearance on the show and dives deep on all things foil. His new approach to shimming for downwind and prone, what he thinks Adam and I have wrong about plate shims, massive downwind sends, a…
110 - Lewis Samuels [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:49:02
Lewis Samuels, now foilbrained, is a surf journalist known for creating Surfline's Power Rankings and the PostSurf blog. Lewis shares his thoughts on surf culture, social media's influence on the sport, what he loves abo…
108 - Noah Flegel and Austin Tovey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:59
Noah Flegel and Austin Tovey are both multi-sport watermen with extensive accolades in their areas of focus. They are close friends, were college roommates, and are currently leading the charge in progressive foil surfin…
107 - Daniela Moroz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:55
Daniela Moroz might have more time on foil than any other podcast guest. She is the 6x Formula Kite World Champion, 4x US Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, a member of USA SailGP Team and an avid surf, tow and wing foiler.…
106 - Laird Hamilton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29:08
Laird Hamilton is a world renowned waterman. He is a pioneer in big wave surfing, sup surfing, and foil surfing. In this episode he chronicles the early days of foiling, discusses training and flow states, risk assessmen…
105 - Sebastian Junger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:12
Sebastian Junger is the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of THE PERFECT STORM, FIRE, A DEATH IN BELMONT, WAR, TRIBE and FREEDOM. As an award-winning journalist, a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and a special corr…