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Ever since he can remember, Eli Liefting has dreamt of sailing at the Olympic Games.
Not once, however, did he imagine doing it on a windsurfer.
Yet, over the past six months, that dream has gained momentum, with Liefting joining a growing list of Kiwis making waves in the international iQFOiL fleet.
In August, the 22-year-old Aucklander achieved a career highlight by claiming bronze at the under-23 world championships at Lake Silvaplana, Switzerland. He carried that momentum into 2025 by securing the overall title at the New Zealand windfoil national championships at Royal Akarana Yacht Club a fortnight ago.
Liefting finished second in the men's division, beaten only by Paris 2024 Olympic silver medallist Grae Morris of Australia, who competed in the event as part of a training camp in New Zealand.
He finished ahead of compatriot Josh Armit, who placed fourth in his Games debut in Marseille last year, and won two of the first races to top the leaderboard after day one of the competition — the fleet's first competitive action using the new sail sizes adopted by World Sailing earlier this year.
The changes mean women and youth women have moved from the 8m² sail to a new 7.3m² sail, while men have switched from the 9m² sail to an 8m² sail. This aims to make the class more inclusive for athletes of all body sizes, enhancing accessibility and easing the transition from youth to senior classes.
"At the start of the regatta, I just wanted to be in the mix with Josh and Grae because these guys are top 10 in the world. I would have been more than happy with third, but after a couple of races, I thought, ‘Hold on, I'm leading here,’" Liefting said.
"I put a lot of emphasis on doing well at this year's nationals, so it was cool that the hard work paid off, but it was still a mix of excitement and frustration. Excitement because I was mixing it with two of the best in the world, but frustration because I knew I had the potential to do even better."
Liefting finished ahead of Paris 2024 Olympian Josh Armit at the 2025 New Zealand windfoil national championships. Photos / Adam Mustill Photography
Liefting’s potential first emerged at just 15, when he and Rose Dickson won the RS Feva world championship in Medemblik, Netherlands.
"I got into Optimist sailing quite late and never really excelled in it, but I started to enjoy the sport when I moved to the Starling and Fevas, and I had some success there," he said.
"After that, I spent a few years in the 29ers, then sailed 18ft skiffs and even Nacras for a while. I was jumping around a lot. I always knew I wanted to sail an Olympic class — I’ve been passionate about that from the start — but I just didn’t know which one."
Like many Kiwi sailors, including Armit and fellow Paris 2024 Olympian Veerle ten Have, Auckland’s 2020 Covid-19 lockdowns played a significant role in Liefting’s shift to iQFOiL.
"Things were turned upside down during Covid. We were in Sydney for the 18s when we got sent home, and I had to isolate for two weeks," he explained.
"I was wondering how to fill the time, and since I’d always wanted to try foiling, I decided to give windsurfing a go. I got a great deal on a kit, tried it out, and loved it straight away. I was at Lake Pupuke every day. Eventually, some guys saw me cartwheeling down the lake and suggested I get better gear and start training with those who knew what they were doing!"
Although windsurfing is now his priority, Liefting still has a passion for skiff sailing. In January, he and rising 49er star Blake McGlashan won the 12ft Skiff Interdominions in their first regatta together, stepping in as last-minute replacements aboard Monkeywrench.
"There’s not much windsurfing happening at that time of year, and with the Moth world championships on, Blake and I decided to jump in. He was incredible in the 12—it was great to use his 49er experience.
"We weren’t expecting to do that well, but we jumped into a borrowed boat and won the whole thing, which was pretty special. Some of those guys put everything into their boats, so to come in and win was unexpected but amazing."
Liefting (left) and Blake McGlashan at the 2025 12ft Skiff Interdominions. Photo / Royal Akarana Yacht Club
A few weeks later, Liefting added the 18ft Skiff national title to his growing list of accolades, taking the title with Adam Mustill and Josh Schon.
A background in traditional sailing has given him an advantage in iQFOiL, Liefting believes.
"Understanding race dynamics in slower boats helps with reading the game," he said. "The windsurfing side is new, but the racing itself comes naturally to me. The biggest adjustment is the speed - everything happens so much faster in foiling."
For now, skiff sailing will take a back seat as Liefting prepares for another European campaign. And while the Los Angeles 2028 Games are still nearly four years away, he has already set his sights on them after witnessing the success of his Kiwi teammates in Marseille.
"I never thought I’d be campaigning for the Olympics on a windsurfer, but Silvaplana was a real turning point for me. I went in wanting to do well, and that event made me realise I could actually be competitive at this level," he said.
"This year will be important. It’s getting more serious, and I realise it will take up more time. I'm working hard — doing everything I can to be the best at this. When you put in the effort and see results, it’s incredibly satisfying."
Before then, there’s a tantalising rematch with Armit at the 2025 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland at the end of this month and plenty of hours on the water with coach Nathan Handley and the rest of the windfoil squad.
"We have such a strong fleet, with lots of youth and juniors coming up. Working with Josh and Nathan as a team to push each other has been really valuable and having the Aussies training with us has also lifted us to the next level as well."
Liefting sees the team-first ethos in the squad as crucial to making his Olympic dream come true.
"My goal is to help get our team to be the best in the world, and hopefully, we can all reach the top together. After that? The Olympics will happen if they happen."
