- Another big breeze day of 25 knots, and seven exhilarating races
- Suardiaz extends the women’s lead
- Mathis Ghio takes the men’s lead despite bladder problems
- Germany's Yannik Holste and Venezuela's 'Golito' squeak into Gold Fleet
- Rafferty Read narrowly misses Gold Fleet but there is a potential reprieve on Saturday
Seven high-wind races made for another exhausting but exhilarating day two of competition in Jericoacoara, the foiling paradise venue for WingFoil Racing World Cup Brazil.
- Big breeze on day one, gusting up to 30 knots
- Long-distance races and rabbit starts kick off the action
- Bastien Escofet takes the men’s lead ahead of world champion Mathis Ghio
- Nia Suardiaz is the women’s leader ahead of world champion Paula Novotna
You would never know he’d been away for six months, but Bastien Escofet foiled right to the top of the leaderboard after a phenomenally windy first day in Jericoacoara at the WingFoil Racing World Cup Brazil.
Not that the French professional has been away from the wing, it’s just that his focus has been on freestyle rather than the racing discipline. “I have been training hard with the other guys like my flatmate Julien [Rattotti], but they have been going faster than me so it’s a nice surprise to be at the top after today,” said Escofet.
4 days of long-distance and short-course racing out of Vila Kalango in Jericoacoara in the north of Brazil
Open competition with a wide array of different wing and foil equipment
Defending men’s and women’s World Champions, Mathis Ghio and Paula Novotna, among the competitors
The final of five events in 2023 to determine who will take this year’s world titles
The WingFoil Racing World Cup Brazil is about to begin, with four days of high speed foiling competition from 6 to 9 December. A world-class field of international competitors is looking forward to competing in a combination of long distance and short course races at one of the most idyllic venues in the world, the oasis of Jericoacoara in the north of Brazil.
Even if this wasn’t the most important event on the wingfoil racing calendar, riders would still fly from every corner of the world to race out of Vila Kalango, the luxury resort that makes the athletes so welcome in Jericoacoara. It takes more than 20 minutes driving by 4x4 through the sand dunes to reach this idyllic seaside village. It’s seclusion is what makes Jericoacoara so seductive.
Perfect onshore breeze of 11 to 14 knots made for a fan-friendly Medal Series climax
Majestic 16-year-old Maddalena Spanu of Italy dominates for victory in the women’s contest
Mathis Ghio wins men’s gold
Ernesto de Amicis storms through three knockout rounds to take bronze
The WingFoil Racing World Cup Sardinia reached a thrilling crescendo as the crowd on Poetto Beach cheered the riders through each round of the Medal Series. In the end Mathis Ghio of France prevailed in the men’s competition and Maddalena Spanu of Italy in the women, but there was plenty of drama that led up to that point.
Another day of tricky offshore wind varying from 8 to 18 knots
Six short-course Gold Fleet races in the men, five for the women
Maddalena Spanu of Italy is one race away from overall victory
Ghio takes the yellow bib from Ratotti in the men
On day three of WingFoil Racing World Cup Sardinia the riders were only returning to shore as the sun was setting over Poetto Beach after another challenging session of races in ever-changing offshore breeze.
Six short-course qualifying races in offshore wind varying from 6 to 28 knots.
Maddalena Spanu of Italy has yet to be beaten in the women’s competition
France’s Julien Ratotti maintains a slender lead in the men
Big improver of the day was Josh Armit with three wins for the Kiwi
The Men are now split into Gold, Silver & Bronze Fleet for Saturday
Six short-course races in offshore winds varying from 6 to 28 knots kept the international riders on their toes - or tipped them into the water - on a dramatic second day at WingFoil Racing World Cup Sardinia.
