From now on, all Fanatic foiling gear will be branded as Duotone and will be known as the overall brand name for Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Wing Foiling and Foiling.
Press Release: Fanatic X Duotone
Since the establishment of Duotone in 2018, it has garnered immense strength, expertise, and customer acceptance in the realm of Kiteboarding and Windsurfing products. Covering a vast spectrum of watersports, from Wing Foiling to Kiteboarding and Windsurfing, Duotone has become synonymous with innovation and excellence. With Fanatic and Duotone, we had two powerful brands that occupy very similar positions. Fanatic has a heritage of over 40 years, Duotone brings together a huge amount of expertise. That’s why we have decided to offer the products from the performance sector, which were previously under Fanatic under the Duotone brand name going forward in the future, i.e. Windsurf boards, Wing Foiling boards and foils. The logical sequence is that we are phasing out Fanatic in the Windsurf and Wing Foil segment over the next six months.
The Boards & More Group is the global market leader in the water sports segments of Kiteboarding, Windsurfing and Wing Foiling. Boards & More now announces that Fanatic products from the Windsurfing and Wing Foil segment will now be marketed under the Duotone brand name. From now on Duotone will appear as the overall brand name for Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Wing Foiling
and Foiling.
Since we founded the new Duotone brand for our Kiteboarding products in 2018, the brand achieved incredible strength, competence and acceptance among our customers. Duotone already covers a large part of the watersports world, from kites to windsurf sails, to wings for Wing Foiling. We bundle an enormous Know-How at Duotone. That’s why we have decided that going forward we will offer the products from the performance area, which were previously under the Fanatic name to now be under the Duotone brand name, all Windsurf boards, Wing Foil boards and foils, while In the commercial SUP (Stand Up Paddling) sector, the Fanatic brand name will continue.
– Till Eberle, CEO of Boards & More:
A key strategy of Boards & More for the future is to offer not only products but also experiences that provide customers with relevant added value. These already include the Duotone Pro Centers, the Duotone Academy App, Duotone Young Blood Camps, and the Boards & More Save our Playground sustainability initiative. With this announcement, Boards & More Group keeps a consistent brand name throughout the sports in its portfolio.
The Duotone products in the Windsurf and Wing Foiling segments are segmented much more clearly in terms of their fit. In the Windsurfing sector, the development teams of Windsurf boards and sails have been working closely together for years. Dani Aeberli for boards and Marco Lang for sails will transition into important roles as product managers. The complete team will remain from team riders and everyone involved in the design process with the lead designers:
Kai Hopf designing the Windsurfing sails and Sebastian Wenzel designing the Windsurf board. Raoul Joa now takes the helm as Division Manager for Windsurfing and the familiar and successful product lines will be continued under Duotone’s name.
We now embrace a collaborative approach in our development, increasing the crossover integration within the departments. Synergies in the development of different sports bring better products for our customers. This brand family of sports; Kiteboarding, Windsurfing and Wing Foiling is so strong because we have a common platform with the Boards & More Group. Developers, importers, dealers as well as employees in Molln and Oberhaching. Decades of experience and continuity are the cornerstone for innovation, quality and service.”
– Till Eberle:
In the Wing Foiling division, Craig Gertenbach, previously Brand Manager of Fanatic, will take on the new role of Wing Foil Division Manager Sales. Klaas Voget’s new role is Wing Foil Division Manager Product & Marketing. Together they are responsible for the Duotone Wing Foiling Division with wings, boards and foils. The foil range will be maximally compatible across all areas of use: Wing Foiling, Kite Foiling and Windsurf Foiling – as well as Prone Foiling, Wake Foiling, Downwind Foiling and Pump Foiling.
As the requirements for an excellent foil translate across all foil disciplines, for 2024, there will be mast-fuselage combinations that fit perfectly for Kiteboarding, Wing Foiling and Windsurfing – as well as for all other foil areas. In addition, there will be specific front and back wings to fit all areas of use. Everything is compatible. Product excellence will be strengthened and Duotone will be further pushed as a successful foil brand that stands for quality and innovation.
Bringing these product lines under the Duotone brand name offers several advantages for our customers, including bundled expertise, enhanced product performance through development synergies, and a stronger future together.
– Till Eberle