It took all day for the anemometer to capture an average of 8 knots, before competitors were sent to the water at 5 p.m. The entire fleet mobilized in minutes after a day of football, sunbathing and snacking, paddling their wings to a teasing wind line.
But it was not to be on day two of the Dogus Marine Formula Wing European Championships, only three riders wound up flying towards the first start before it was abandoned.
Youth is King as Championship Doubles Down on Distance
A 20-foot inflatable motorboat ripping upwind at 24 knots, was the pathfinder that launched all 64 riders together around Snake Island for the opening day long-distance races of the Dogus Marine Services Formula Wing European Championships.
The 2025 Dogus Marine Services Formula Wing European Championships will host a stacked fleet of the world’s top female and male wingfoil racers who have all been spending the spring months tuning their hydrofoils and wings for the racing in Urla, Türkiye. The bar will certainly be raised this season and the latest equipment will be put to the test as old rivalries clash with hottest rookie foilers.
Three times Wingfoil Racing World Cup champion Mathis Ghio of France has won the season opener in Dakhla, Morocco. The women’s competition was claimed by the 2024 series silver medallist Maddalena Spanu of Italy. Both gave dominant performances that will act as an ominous warning to their fellow competitors.
The desert winds blew across the Dakhla Lagoon to provide fantastic conditions for a crucial day of action that would decide the top nine male riders to qualify for the medal series.
The two automatic qualification spots for the Women’s Medal Series final were all but decided by Day 3 but the battle for the remaining places was hard-fought by a handful of riders.
The International Wing Sports Association has become the first non-boat class to be awarded Clean Class status by Sailors for the Sea.
The decision reflects the work done by the class to bring sustainability to the forefront of its events and planning.
“We are incredibly honoured to be recognized as a Clean Class by Sailors for the Sea,” says Mirco Babini, President of the IWSA. “This acknowledgment reflects our unwavering commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility within the sailing community.”
Emily Conklin, Sailors for the Sea’s Program Manager says “Working with this emerging sailing format allows us to bring the Clean Regattas Program and our sustainability initiatives to a broader audience. Sailors of all kinds have the power to make a positive environmental impact, and we’re excited to support WingFoil Racing throughout their international circuit!”
