Yes. A foiling parawing can sail upwind. But that is not the real question. The question riders ask when they hesitate to switch to a parawing is: at what cost to your pointing angle? How many degrees do you give up with every gust, every power adjustment, every transition?
My name is Bruno Sroka. I am a three-time world kitesurfing champion and the founder of SROKA Company. I have sailed kite, wing, and parawing, in all conditions, on all oceans. And I can say it without hesitation: between a classic parawing and our FYNIX SROKA parawing equipped with the PushBar System®, the difference in upwind angle is 2 to 4 degrees. That may sound small. On the water, it changes everything.
This article explains why upwind ability in a parawing is not just a question of the wing, but a question of how you depower the wing. It also shows how the PushBar System® redefines what we thought were the limits of the parawing.
1) The answer in numbers
When parawing on foil, you can sail upwind at an angle of between 35 and 45° to the true wind, depending on the rider, the equipment, and the conditions. This range is where everything is decided: a 2 to 4 degree difference in upwind angle can turn a session from frustrating to totally enjoyable. These degrees are not gained through piloting skill alone. They are lost, or gained, depending on how the bar lets you manage the wing's power.
A useful definition: VMG (Velocity Made Good) is the speed at which you actually make progress against the wind. It combines pure speed and pointing angle. You can go faster at a poor angle and end up with a lower VMG than a slower rider who is better positioned. VMG is the true measure of upwind efficiency.
2) The physics of upwind sailing in a parawing
Three elements determine a parawing's ability to sail upwind: the foil, the wing, and how they work together.
- The foil is the engine. Thanks to its hydrodynamic lift, it converts part of the wing's pull into movement perpendicular to the wind. Without a foil, the board's hydrodynamic drag flattens your pointing angle. With a good foil, energy efficiency rises, and with it your VMG. Our guide details which foil to choose for a parawing.
- The wing is the driver. Its ideal position upwind is at the edge of the wind window, where it allows better upwind progress. If it moves out of this position, efficiency collapses, and so does your pointing angle.
- For a given airfoil, there is an angle of attack where glide ratio is maximum, and a small range around that angle where glide ratio stays close to its optimum. Moving outside this range degrades the lift/drag balance, and therefore your pointing angle.
A parawing therefore sails upwind much better when the foil performs well (aspect ratio, profile), when the wing stays in its optimal position at the edge of the window, and when the angle of attack remains stable during piloting. This last point is where everything is decided. And this is where the PushBar System® comes in. For the full physics of the wing, see how a parawing flies.
3) The real limiting factor: power management
On a parawing with a traditional bar, reducing power means tilting the bar to release part of the rear lines. This action triggers a chain reaction:
- The wing's angle of attack changes (the wing pitches).
- The wing moves out of its optimal position at the edge of the window when you pull on the rear lines.
- Parasitic drag increases because the wing is no longer working in its optimal flow regime.
- Your pointing angle degrades.
Worse: to regain power, you pull the other way. The angle of attack changes again. Every input on the rear lines costs you pointing angle.
And there is an even deeper problem: with a traditional bar, depowering is mechanically limited. Even when you tilt the bar fully, you only cut a fraction of the power. The direct consequence: when overpowered, you suffer. You don't sheet out, you absorb the load, which creates excess power, and your pointing angle collapses if you don't have the physical strength to hold it.
The result accumulates. With every gust and every adjustment, your pointing angle degrades a little more. Over a two-hour session, the gap between perfect piloting and piloting subject to gusts can reach several hundred meters to windward.
With a traditional bar, pointing angle and power are coupled.
4) How does the PushBar System® decouple pointing angle and power?
The FYNIX is the first parawing with true dynamic sheet in / sheet out, thanks to the PushBar System®. The name « PushBar System® » is a registered trademark of SROKA. The underlying innovation is the subject of a patent application filed with the INPI, currently patent pending (brevet en cours).
You no longer pull on the rear lines. You push the bar. The lines slide inside the 32 cm carbon bar: this push, dynamic and adjustable depending on how much force you apply, triggers a specific mechanism. The rear lines release simultaneously and symmetrically, creating a central break in the wing.
This break is not a flaw, it is a function. It locally switches off part of the central lifting surface, which reduces the power generated by the wing. The effect you feel: as if you had just reduced the size of the wing without moving it.
And this is where everything is decided: the wing's overall angle of attack does not change. Its position in the wind window does not change either. The wing stays at the edge of the window, at its optimal glide angle. You cut power without degrading your pointing angle.
Sheeting is modulable and dynamic according to need. A light push reduces power slightly; a firm push cuts it clearly. By pulling on the bar, the wing regains its shape and full power instantly.
It is a paradigm shift.
- With a traditional bar: reducing power = changing the flight geometry = losing pointing angle.
- With the PushBar System®: reducing power = modifying the central camber = keeping pointing angle.
- Pointing angle and power are decoupled. You manage the gust without moving the wing.
The mechanism is explained step by step in our technical analysis of the PushBar System®.
5) The hidden lever: harness compatibility
The PushBar System® is not just a better way to reduce power. It is also, and above all, what makes the harness truly usable with a parawing. Before it, the harness's advantages were not fully exploited.
- Without a harness, the FYNIX SROKA parawing is flown like a standard parawing. You hold the bar in your hands and manage power through pushes. The experience remains comparable to a classic parawing: the PushBar System® works, but you are only using part of its potential.
- With a harness, the PushBar System® fully comes into action and widens the usable wind range. Why? Because on a traditional bar, reducing power requires tilting the bar: an asymmetrical, unstable movement, poorly suited to pressure on the footstraps. You end up fighting your own equipment.
- You hook in, and when the gust arrives, you no longer have to choose between holding the wing and sheeting out: you push the bar, the wing loses power, it pulls less. You keep your pointing angle.
Direct consequence: you can size up. A 4 m² where others go down to 2.5 m². A larger wing means easier takeoff, so a wider wind range and a better usable pointing angle. Everything connects. Discover the SROKA parawing harness with kangaroo pocket.
6) The measured gains
Three gains measured in comparative sailing:
- 2 to 4° of pointing angle upwind. Estimate based on comparative tests between the FYNIX and market parawings equipped with traditional bars. Over a 2 kilometer leg, these degrees make the difference between heading straight back to the spot and sailing an extra tack.
- 4 m² with a harness on the FYNIX where a classic parawing requires 2.5 m². At 20 to 25 knots, same rider, same conditions. That is 60% more area, so easier control in lighter wind and a better pointing angle in the conditions where you usually struggle.
- More consistent pointing angle across the whole session. Because the angle of attack does not change during power management, your average pointing angle stays high from one end of the run to the other, not just at peak moments.
7) Parawing, wing foil, kite: who sails upwind best?
Wing foiling is often presented as the reference for upwind sailing. Recent facts prove otherwise.
At the 2025 Défi Wing in Gruissan, the largest event in the world for the discipline (600 entrants from 25 countries, Tramontane blowing between 20 and 30 knots, seven races sailed), a rider on a closed-cell parawing prototype outperformed everyone in run 2, against the best wing foilers in the world. The performance was ruled out of the rankings, but the result on the water is undeniable. The debate about the future of equipment (parawing, wing, or kite) reopened that day. And the 2026 edition, from May 11 to 13 in Gruissan, confirms the trend: once again, the parawing dominates in strong wind against the world's best wing foilers.
The reason is structural. A high-performance parawing benefits from a better aspect ratio and a glide ratio superior to that of a rigid wing. At equivalent VMG, or even higher in strong wind, the parawing has better efficiency than wing foiling. In light wind, wing foiling keeps a slight advantage. As soon as it blows, the equation reverses.
Kite keeps an excellent pure pointing angle but loses out on portability, ease of launch, and session autonomy.
With the PushBar System®, the FYNIX makes this performance accessible: easier to fly, more forgiving in power management, more efficient in changing conditions.
In light wind, wing foiling keeps the advantage. In strong or gusty wind, the parawing takes the lead. To go further, also read our articles parawing or wing foil: which sport for which profile? and parawing vs wing foil: pros and cons.
8) Technique: how to optimize your upwind sailing in a parawing?
A few simple principles that can turn a session around:
- Body position. Hips engaged toward the wind, eyes focused far along your theoretical course, not on the wing. The foil follows your center of gravity. The more grounded you are, the better your angle holds.
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Wing trim. Let it find its optimal glide angle. Don't constantly sheet in: this is the main beginner mistake, it degrades the flow and pulls the wing out of the window. Good trim is when you feel the wing pulling forward rather than dragging sideways.
- Reading the wind. Anticipate gusts by watching the water's surface. A gust is coming: time to push for your course, not to sheet in. A lull is coming: let the wing breathe, don't force it.
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On the FYNIX with a harness. Hook in early and free your arms for micro-adjustments. This is the hidden advantage of the PushBar System®: you fly more precisely because you no longer have to hang on to hold the parawing.
And most importantly, the counterintuitive part. With the FYNIX, too much power is no longer something you suffer: you push the bar, and you climb upwind better. This is the reverse logic of a classic parawing, where a gust degrades your pointing angle. Here, the gust becomes an opportunity.
Frequently asked questions
Can you sail upwind in a parawing?
Yes, as long as the parawing is paired with a high-performance foil, upwind sailing is effective, consistent, and frees you from the logistical constraints of shuttling.
At what angle to the true wind can you sail upwind in a parawing?
A good rider sails between 35 and 45° to the true wind. Wings equipped with the PushBar System® gain an extra 2 to 4° of pointing angle compared with traditional fixed bars.
From how many knots can you sail upwind in a parawing?
From 12 true knots with a properly sized wing and a suitable foil, upwind sailing becomes perfectly usable.
What is VMG in parawing?
VMG (Velocity Made Good) is the speed at which you actually make progress against the wind. It combines pure speed and pointing angle: it is the true measure of upwind efficiency, regardless of raw speed.
Does the PushBar System® really improve pointing angle upwind?
Yes. The PushBar System® adds 2 to 4° of pointing angle by preserving the wing's angle of attack during power management, preventing the wing from drifting back out of the wind window.
Which parawing size should you choose to sail upwind well?
At 20 to 25 knots, the FYNIX is sailed with a 4 m² wing on a harness, where a classic parawing requires moving down to 2.5 m², which means 60% more area for a better pointing angle and more lift in light wind.
Do you need to be advanced to sail upwind in a parawing?
No, upwind sailing is accessible from the intermediate level, but fine-tuning your pointing angle requires good bar management and the ability to read the spot.
Is a harness essential for sailing upwind in a parawing?
A harness is not essential for sailing, but combined with the PushBar System®, it increases comfort, reduces fatigue, and significantly improves the quality of your upwind angle.
Parawing or wing foil for better upwind sailing?
In strong wind, a high-performance parawing outperforms wing foiling thanks to its excellent aspect ratio and aerodynamic glide. In light wind, however, wing foiling keeps a slight pointing advantage.
About the author
Bruno Sroka, three-time world champion, four-time European champion, and three-time French champion in kitesurfing. Kitesurfing crossing of Cape Horn (2008), English Channel record (2012), France-Ireland crossing of 444 km (240 nautical miles) in 16 h 40 min (2013). Former PE teacher, founder of SROKA Company, a Breton brand of foil, wing foil, SUP, and parawing. Designer of the PushBar System® with Gaël Contal, SROKA ambassador and originator of the idea behind sheet in / sheet out.
