WingFoil Racing World Cup China 2024 Day 1

by Andy Rice August 21, 14:43 UTC
19-26 August 2024

Frenchman Bastien Escoffet recorded the highest speed on the first day of the WingFoil Racing World Cup China – 33.0 knots.

In the marathon race, which was held in the tropical paradise of Pingtan Island, 113 participants started with a high-speed hare start on a long-distance course with varied upwind and downwind sections as well as fast finishes in 20 knots of wind.

Kamil Manowiecki was one of the first to leave the start and his decision to go early put the Polish rider on a good line to the first marker, as defending world champion Mathis Ghio explained. “I started somewhere outside the middle of the line,” said the Frenchman, “but Kamil’s decision to go early put him in a good position as we approached the first marker.”

Early victory for Manowiecki

Manowiecki took the first win and a tough battle with the two-time world champion from France followed. “Kamil was really fast with his 6.5 wing,” said Ghio, “but I was happy with my choice of the 5.7. Kamil showed that he can handle the 6.5, because it is not easy. It has a bit more resistance than the 5.7 and has a large wingspan, so you have to be careful not to get the tips caught in the water.”

At speeds approaching 30 knots or more on the reach legs, a small touch of the wingtip can result in a big crash, so Ghio was pleased with the increased maneuverability and easier handling of a smaller wing. “With the 5.7, I can really focus on my pace and have a little more time to look for plastic or other things in the water that I need to avoid.”

Ghio was surprised at how evenly matched he was with Manowiecki on the track, despite their choice of different wings. In the end, however, the Frenchman crossed the finish line a few seconds ahead. Manowiecki finished second, while Italian Francesco Cappuzzo was happy with third place.

“I got closer to the two leaders but made some mistakes on my layline calls,” said Cappuzzo. “One time I tacked too early and had to make two more tacks to get around the marker. And then the next time I went too far and sailed too many extra meters, so I didn’t have enough time in the headwind to close the gap to the leaders. But it was a good race and the course was super busy with 113 riders and a lot of traffic in places.”

Insane speeds

Nia Suardiaz was the leading woman on the race course and right in the middle of the top men in the fleet. “I started quite early with the hare start and was pretty good, just behind Ale (Tomasi), Luca (Franchi) and Alain (Feddit). I pushed more, harder than before, tried to keep up with the guys and get a bit closer to their pace, but they are going at insane speeds. This was one of the most entertaining endurance races I have ever done.”

Reigning world champion Maddalena Spanu was happy to have come through the first race in good shape. “Strong wind is not my favourite condition, I prefer light wind,” smiled the Italian teenager, who finished second in the women’s classification behind Suardiaz. “I crashed a lot, so I’m happy to have finished second and I’m looking forward to the short distance race tomorrow.”

With 113 competitors from all over the world and a prize purse of US$60,000, the WingFoil Racing World Cup China is shaping up to be one of the most competitive events to date in this rapidly evolving sport.

This competition is closely watched by the rest of the sailing world to gain insight into the latest technical and methodological developments in an ever-evolving sport.

While there was much debate at the recent Olympic Regatta in Marseille about the pros and cons of different racing formats, the WingFoil Racing World Cup is attracting a lot of interest due to its innovativeness and willingness to test new ideas. The ‘Golden Ticket’, a way to keep the competition open to anyone until the last day of the regatta, has already gained recognition among competitors as a fun but fair way to shake up the racing.

Because of the speed of wing foiling at this level – riders can drift over the water at more than 30 knots – traditional refereeing from the ribs is often impractical, so the medal series in Pingtan this Sunday will be officiated by aerial drones. That means no boats on the water and no sailor-initiated protests.

The results of today’s marathon race will be used to sort the competitors into smaller, more balanced fleets for the short-distance races over the coming days. The 80 men will be split into four flights and the 33 women into two flights. It will be a different style of racing compared to today’s long-distance training and an opportunity for the other riders to see if they can challenge the current leaders for the yellow bibs.

Results Men

1. Mathis Ghio, FRA – 0.5 points
2. Kamil Manowiecki, POL – 1.0 pts
3. Francesco Cappuzzo, ITA – 1.5 points

Results Women

1. Nia Suardiaz, ESP – 1 point
2. Maddalena Spanu, ITA – 2 points
3. Orane Ceris, FRA – 3 points

For more information and full results visit wingfoilracing.com/2024europeans.