2025 WingFoil Racing World Cup Morocco Day 4
by WingFoil Racing World Cup 22 Mar 2025 14:06 PDT
19-24 March 2025
2025 WingFoil Racing World Cup Morocco © IWSA media / Robert Hajduk
The desert winds blew across the Dakhla Lagoon to provide fantastic conditions for a crucial day of action that would decide the top nine male riders to qualify for the medal series.
The two automatic qualification spots for the Women's Medal Series final were all but decided by Day 3 but the battle for the remaining places was hard-fought by a handful of riders.
In the Men's competition Julien Rattotti of France started the day staring into the abyss in ninth place, just a point away from missing out on automatic qualification to the medal series. "I'm not the best here in strong winds" said Rattotti staring out at the whitecaps, "I'll do my best but it's going to be close".
It certainly was close with just 3 points separating eighth from tenth. Rattotti fought hard all day against the winds and his doubts eventually sneaking into tomorrow's Medal Series ahead of New Zealand's Jeremiah McDonald thanks to better results.
The competition format means the top two riders after Day 4 qualify automatically for the Medal series. To add even more spice, the leader is given a two-point lead in the final, second place is given one point. It led to a gargantuan battle between the leading bunch.
France's Mathis Ghio, aiming to win his fourth successive world title this season, was made to work very hard to hold his top spot. Closely beaten into second place in all four races of the morning session Ghio must have wondered if wasn't to be his day. The fact is that Kamil Manowiecki and Francesco Cappuzzo were on fire, pumped by the wind, waves and adrenalin. Ghio came back in the afternoon session taking a couple of victories to finish 7 points clear at the top. Poland's Manowiecki will join him in the final. Italy's Cappuzzo will have to fight it out in the semi-final.
The extraordinary form shown by 18 year old Maddalena Spanu of Italy continued in the women's fleet. She's yet to lose a race here. Greece's Emilia Kosti has shown maturity in her racing in Dakhla to take second overall and qualify straight to the final. Like Kosti, Anais Mai Desjardins is a relative rookie to the circuit but the French rider's experience in kites has helped her in Morocco's feisty conditions. She finished third overall and progresses straight to the semi-final where she'll face Spain's Iset Segura.
The Spanish rider was pushed all the way by three other athletes determined to move up the rankings to improve their prospects in the medal series. Vaina Picot from the French Territory of Guadeloupe had to settle for fifth place, just a point behind Segura. She'll face Charlotte Baruzzi in the quarter-final. As the Womens fleet comprises ten riders, all riders will compete in the medal series.
For the men who didn't qualify today there is one last chance on Sunday in the 'Golden Ticket' race. The concept is simple; the winner of one single long distance race goes through to the medal series.
More info and full results available here.