From the Beginning: The Story of F-ONE

Behind the name, the milestones, and the evolution of F-ONE.

For more than 30 years, F-ONE has been driven by a passion for being on the water, developing innovative products, and sharing that passion with riders around the world. What began in 1994 in the spare room of founders Raphaël and Sophie Salles’ home in the south of France has grown into the F-ONE we know today: An independent, family-owned brand at the forefront of kiteboarding, wingfoiling, foiling and more. From humble beginnings to pioneering some of the sports and gear we love, take a look back at the story behind F-ONE.

Raphaël and Sophie Salles

Raphaël’s blood has probably always been half seawater. A child of two keen sailors, he grew up near Montpellier in southern France, and probably spent more time on the water than on land throughout his entire childhood.

In 1976 at the age of 13, he took up windsurfing. And as they say, the rest is history. By 1981, his professional career had taken off and he quickly became one of the best windsurfers of his generation. Sophie had already entered his life by then, unknowingly signing up for the wildest ride of her own life.

Raphaël was one of the first French athletes to participate in the World Cup series, competing against the likes of Robby Naish. At the time, his sail number was F-1, which stood for his country and his world ranking.

He was undoubtedly part of the glorious years of windsurfing, back when competitions attracted thousands of spectators and were broadcasted live on television. But by the early 1990s, he realized he wasn’t as motivated as before to stay on the professional tour.

His passion for the sport was still very much alive, but he wanted to express it in a different way. Always inquisitive, he had already been spending hours roaming around R&D workshops, brainstorming ways to design the best windsurfing board possible.

So when came the time to retire, he already knew what he wanted to do next.

“I wanted to work in the R&D department of any company but there were no jobs available. So, instead of waiting around, I just decided to start my own company!”

At first, F-ONE focused on windsurfing boards, but the market was already more than saturated. These first years were difficult, as Raphaël and Sophie had to navigate both this new venture and the brutal transition out of a professional sport’s career. Neither of them knew how to manage a business, use a computer, or even write an invoice.

 

In 1994 F-ONE, a nod to his sail number, saw the light of day in the spare room of his and Sophie’s small home in Grabels, a small town north of Montpellier.

From the very beginning and still to this day, Raphaël always relied on instinct and never on business plans. While Sophie was the self-proclaimed back office, he spent most of his time out on the water, his mind constantly reeling with ideas on what the “next big thing” could be. Back then, kiteboarding was still in its infancy, and he naturally couldn’t resist giving it a try. After only a few sessions, he could already tell that this blossoming sport had huge potential. In 1997, F-ONE unveiled its first kitesurfing board, the red 215. The company became the only one to offer such a board on the market worldwide.

 
Red 215

It left everyone speechless, and Raphaël and Sophie struggled to keep up with the demand. They often resorted to scavenging for discarded cardboard boxes outside shops so they could ship their own boards.

As Raphaël traveled around the world to demonstrate what kiteboarding was all about, he started to build a network and to establish trustworthy, long-standing relationships with shops and local retailers. Most of them are still relevant and active today.

“Between us, we developed a strength that few people can imagine,” Sophie said. “We are stubborn, we go for it, and we don’t give up.” Independent yet complementary both professionally and personally, they were ultimately the perfect pair in and out of the office: “In a way, she makes up for all my shortcomings and I for hers,” Raphaël added.

Sensing the tide was about to turn, Raphaël went all in on kiteboarding. The brand’s motto even became “All we do is kiteboarding.” As F-ONE continued expanding its boards’ range, he also wanted to give kite design a try. Back then, the only existing design for the C-Shaped inflatable kite was patented, and F-ONE did not have enough money to license it.

First, RAM-air kites
So, he first focused on RAM-air kites and quickly understood their huge performance potential. By 1999, the ATK was released, followed by the STARTER a year later

…then inflatables
After two years, funds finally sufficed to license the patent, and the MACH1 was eventually launched

…and the TT
In parallel, the twin tips revolution had already started, and F-ONE unveiled its first board of the kind: the TT.

“I have three passions in life: to be on the water, to develop new products, and to share it all with everyone”
What came next?

Soon followed the BANDIT revolution, the first film trip named ADDIKT, the birth of MANERA, and so much more. Follow the link below to continue the story of F-ONE.

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Riding the OG gear 30 years later..?

Throwing back to 1999! In the video below, Matt Nuzzo and the REAL Watersports crew gear up F-One pro kiteboarder Keahi de Aboitiz with vintage kiteboarding equipment, including the original F-ONE Shadow foil kite and classic directional boards, to see if gear from the early days of the sport can still send it.

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