GWA Wingfoil World Cup announced for Tauranga, New Zealand
by Waterbourne Charitable Trust 4 Oct 2022 12:05 AEDT
Wing foiling - Takapuna Beach © Armstrong
The Waterbourne Charitable Trust is hosting the first ever GWA Wingfoiling World Cup in the Pacific thanks to the support of Armstrong Foils and Tip Top Ice Cream.
The Tip Top GWA Wingfoil World Cup presented by Armstrong Foils will take place on March 4-11th, 2023 in Tauranga, New Zealand.
The NZ World Cup event will be the first event of the 2023 World Tour, where male and female athletes will be able to compete in the freestyle and racing disciplines. The GWA World Tour is the highest level of wingfoiling in the world, attracting athletes from around the globe to be crowned world champion in both freestyle and race.
Event director Laurence Carey said: “Being able to host both the freestyle and race world cup in Tauranga at the same time is a huge milestone for the sport in New Zealand. This will provide a huge opportunity to see the sport for its full potential, whilst showing how amazing Tauranga is for beach lovers”
“Wingfoiling is the fastest growing watersport in the world, so to provide local riders the opportunity to compete against the top 100 men and women wingfoilers in Tauranga, will be very special for the sport in New Zealand.”
It is because of this rapid growth over the last three years that it is predicted the sport will become Olympic in the near future where we are seeing renowned NZ athletes taking up the sport including like Peter Burling (Olympic Gold Medalist), Jo Aleh (Olympic Gold Medalist) and many more.
Currently on the world tour, there is one New Zealand athlete (Jeremiah McDonald) where McDonald is currently ranked 21st in the world. McDonald has said
“I am so excited to show how awesome Mt Maunganui is in New Zealand, where it has some nice waves and flat water options for all wind directions”
“This event is huge for the sport and its exciting to see so many young guys and girls getting into the sport both in New Zealand and around the world”
Having an event in New Zealand, will provide the opportunity for more kiwis to compete against the best and showcase the groundswell of skill in New Zealand. Carey has said
“We will also have an event for athletes who do not qualify for the World Cup to race in a long distance race. We are doing this to provide as many opportunities to learn from the international sailors”
The World Cup event will be held within the wider Waterbourne beach festival. The eight day festival also features paddle boarding, beach volleyball, and international musicians at both free and ticketed concerts.
EVES, an Industry leading real estate company partnering with Waterbourne and also adding to the unique experience, with the EVES New Zealand Paddle Boarding Championships.
EVES Real Estate has a long history of community support, firmly believing in giving back to and supporting the local community. Event organiser Carey says “to have EVES onboard with the same vision as the Waterbourne Charitable Trust is great! They understand the importance of being sustainable whilst providing everlasting experiences for the community.”
Carey says of the Waterbourne festival, held March 4 – March 11th , “With more than 30,000 attendees expected, this is going to be a huge benefit to the local economy”… “it is great to finally have international acts back in New Zealand, where we are looking forward to announcing our artists later in the year”
Nelita Byrne, Manager: Venues and Events, Tauranga City Council “We are thrilled to be hosting Waterborne Beach Festival in Tauranga this March. With the festival incorporating an array of sporting events, beach activations and live concerts, there will truly be something for everyone. It’s events like these that add to the vibrancy and economic growth of the city while showcasing all Tauranga has to offer”
None of this could be possible without the fantastic support from EVES, Tip Top, Moa Breweries, Squid Group, TECT, Tauranga Council, Vodafone New Zealand, Armstrong Foils, Bullet Espresso and Tourism Bay Of Plenty.