The GWA Youth Wingfoil World Championships in La Palma
Last week, the GWA Wingfoil World Tour hosted an exciting event – the Youth Wingfoil World Championships. This thrilling competition took place over four days on the stunning island of La Palma in the Canary Islands.
Young stars from nine different countries came together, hoping to claim victory in the Surf-Freestyle and FreeFly-Slalom divisions. The age groups included U14, U16, and U19.
The competition kicked off with the FreeFly-Slalom battles on the first day. Despite lighter winds, the athletes skillfully manoeuvred through the challenging course, which had been moved slightly further offshore.
On the second day, the roles were reversed as the Boys’ U14, U16, and Men’s U19 Surf-Freestyle divisions took centre stage alongside the women’s U19 contest. The athletes showcased their skills in winds of about 20 knots.
The fourth and final day presented a different set of challenges with a slalom course. Each course featured a demanding pump track where athletes had to rely solely on their skills without the assistance of the wing’s power. The presence of a harmless hammerhead shark swimming alongside the track added an extra element of excitement and a touch of nervousness among the young competitors.
Overall, it was an incredible four days of action in both disciplines. We are thrilled to witness the growth of this new sport and the emergence of a new generation of professional wingfoilers. A big thank you goes out to the media, crew, and the Spain Wingfoiling League for making this event possible. Until next year!
The Winners
Boys’ U14 Surf-Freestyle
1 Ezio Bastianelli (FRA)
2 Leon Schiel (GBR)
3 Benjamin Castenskiold (DEN)
Boys’ U14 FreeFly-Slalom
1 Leon Schiel (GBR)
2 Ezio Bastianelli (FRA)
3 Benjamin Castenskiold (DEN)
Boys’ U16 Surf-Freestyle
1 Clément Hamon (FRA)
2 Axel Gerard (FRA)
3 Luca Vuillermet (FRA)
Boys’ U16 FreeFly-Slalom
1 Axel Gerard (FRA)
2 Clément Hamon (FRA)
3 Mahe Thébault (FRA)
Men’s U19 Surf-Freestyle
1 Chris MacDonald (USA)
2 Malo Guénolé (FRA)
3 Noé Cuyala (FRA)
Men’s U19 FreeFly-Slalom
1 Malo Guénolé (FRA)
2 Martin Tieles (ESP)
3 Noé Cuyala (FRA)
Women’s U19 Surf-Freestyle
1 Nia Suardiaz (ESP)
2 Lily Buden (USA)
3 Enoha Laurent (FRA)
Women’s U19 FreeFly-Slalom
1 Nia Suardiaz (ESP)
2 Lily Buden (USA)
3 Enoha Laurent (FRA)
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Photos: Samuel Cárdenas
Words: Ian MacKinnon
