Mathis Ghio – 2025 WingFoil Racing World Cup Morocco

Features / Sat 26th Apr, 2025 @ 12:00 pm

Features
Mathis Ghio - 2025 WingFoil Racing World Cup Morocco

When it comes to wingfoil racing, few names are as dominant as Mathis Ghio. Fresh off his latest World Cup win in Dakhla, Mathis sat down with Jen Tyler to talk about his season opener, the evolution of the sport, and what keeps him pushing the limits!

Congrats on the win, Mathis! How does it feel to kick off the 2025 season with a victory in Dakhla?

Thanks a lot! It feels amazing to start the season with a win, especially in a place like Dakhla. The energy here is unique, and to begin the year on such a strong note gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the tour.

You only needed one more race to secure the title—what was going through your mind?

Honestly, I was trying to stay as calm and focused as possible. I knew the job wasn’t done yet, so I focused on my start, positioning, and maintaining a clean pace. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to win the first race, as I crashed on the last tack due to a too-large lift setup on my foil. That meant I was on equal footing with the second, who had won this race. I understood my mistake, quickly returned to the beach, reduced the lift, and then returned to racing mode. The second race was pure adrenaline, and I was letting my body do what was needed, as I was almost in automatic mode. When I crossed the finish line in first, it was a mix of relief, adrenaline and pure joy.

How did Dakhla’s conditions compare to other venues on the tour? Did anything catch you by surprise?

Dakhla is always special—steady wind, flat water, but this time the wind was a bit lighter than expected on the first two days. That definitely challenged us to be more precise with gear choice and tactics. For the last three days, the wind returned to normal, marking the first event of the past year where the wind exceeded 20 knots. It was a pleasure to race in such strong wind conditions. On the last day, the wind was even stronger, and we used our 5 m wings for the first time in a race!

What was your strategy going into the final, especially with such strong competition?

My main goal was consistency. With guys like Kamil pushing really hard, I couldn’t afford any mistakes. I aimed to get a clean start, focusing on speed and angles—sail smart, not overpush, and manage the fleet. That was my main goal as I knew I had the speed and capacities.

Can you tell us about the Ozone gear setup you used in Dakhla? Is there any piece of equipment you’re particularly stoked on this season?

Yes, sure, I was riding the Ozone Fusion V1 and the Levitaz R6 foil. The Fusion’s performance in both light and strong winds was a significant advantage in Dakhla—it’s super efficient and stable, which helped me stay fast and in control throughout the fleet. The R6 foil felt incredibly smooth and reactive. I’m really stoked on that combo this season—it gives me the confidence to push hard in any conditions. I’m now eager to race with the brand-new Fusion V2 Ultra-X wings from Ozone, showcasing how well we’ve worked on them to create the perfect weapon for racing.

Kamil Manowiecki pushed you again this year! Francesco Cappuzzo and Julien Rattotti also had strong moments. Who else are you keeping an eye on this season?

Yeah, this event was pretty intense—we did almost all the races in a group of three with Kamil and Francesco. We’ve really been a step ahead of the rest of the fleet lately, and the level between us is super tight. Julien Rattotti is also one to watch—he’s really strong when it comes to the medal series and always manages to pull off huge comebacks on the last day. That kind of pressure performance makes him super dangerous. My French teammate Bastien Escofet has been showing some excellent skills while training in Dakhla, but struggled to express himself during the competition. I’m sure that he will be able to come back stronger for the next event.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from your time on the tour so far?

Patience and resilience. Not every race goes your way, and staying mentally strong through the ups and downs is key. You learn to focus on the long game, not just the next start line. Winning races is great, but staying consistent is even better. It is almost useless to switch between race wins and top 10 finishes if you want to finish first at the end of the day. That is basically what allowed me to stay in first place from the 3rd day to the end of the event, when Francesco and Kamil were winning some races but making too big mistakes on the others, while I was staying in 2nd place almost the whole day.

Looking ahead, what are your goals for the rest of the 2025 season?

The primary goal is to stay ahead and continually improve. Every event is a chance to grow and test myself. I want to keep pushing the limits of what’s possible in WingFoil racing—and have fun doing it. Next, I will be flying to Urla for the Formula Wing European Championship mid-May. That will be both fun and stressful to return to this special place and race with a limited amount of gear.