Ian Lauder is the founder of Foiling Freaks, LLC and the creator behind FoilingFreaks.com, an online hub dedicated to hydrofoil board sports. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Ian brings together a mix of technical, creative, and sport-specific experience, with a professional background in software engineering, website and database development, AI-driven automation, design, and professional photography. His goal with Foiling Freaks is to create a community-focused destination that helps riders explore the full range of foiling disciplines, find quality resources, and connect with the broader foiling world.

Ian’s connection to foiling goes back to the early days of modern hydrofoiling. He was part of the original Sky Ski scene on Lake Sammamish in the 1990s, riding with the Air Junkys during the sport’s formative years and spending time with Mike Murphy, widely recognized as a pioneering figure in hydrofoiling. He also served as a principal photographer during Sky Ski’s early era and later worked as a senior photographer for Flight Magazine, documenting athletes, events, and innovations that helped shape the sport. His own riding experience spans multiple disciplines, from early sit-down foils to modern wake, eFoil, freefoil, and dockstart-style riding.

Outside the foiling world, Ian has built a long career in technology and entrepreneurship. His professional timeline includes software engineering work beginning in 1988, a transition into website development and database-driven web systems in 1997, and, more recently, in AI-powered software and content systems.

Ian’s creative background is equally deep. His photography has appeared in a wide range of publications and media outlets, and his work has included official event photography, sports documentation, and long-term visual coverage of outdoor and watersports culture. Alongside his technical work, he has also spent many years teaching rock, glacier, and ice climbing and is among the few to have climbed the 100 tallest peaks in the Pacific Northwest. That mix of judgment, progression, safety awareness, and adventure-driven storytelling informs the tone and mission of Foiling Freaks.

Through Foiling Freaks, Ian Lauder is building more than an informational site. He is creating a platform that brings together discipline guides, community features such as the Foilers Pin Map, and a growing network of resources designed to support riders across every level of the sport. His vision is to make foiling easier to understand, easier to explore, and more connected across its many disciplines and communities worldwide.