GWA Wingfoil World Cup returns to Fuerteventura
by Ian MacKinnon 27 Jul 03:44 PDT
28 July - 2 August 2025
Nia Suardiaz - GWA Wingfoil World Cup Fuerteventura 2024 © Svetlana Romantsova
The battles for the Surf-Freestyle and FreeFly-Slalom world titles are set to move up a gear when the GWA Wingfoil World Cup Fuerteventura returns to the Spanish island for five days of intense competition.
The Surf-Freestyle discipline's tour reaches the third stop of a scheduled five at Playa de Sotavento, where the reliable, strong breezes will once again ensure thrilling action at the 37th Fuerteventura World Cup.
Big upsets at the second stop at the Tarifa Wing-Pro have made the title fights unpredictable. Dane, Benjamin Castenskiold, just 13, took a remarkable first win in Tarifa at only his second senior World Cup, while Spain's Mar de Arce took her first Surf-Freestyle victory when she got the better of reigning world champion, Nia Suardiaz.
Castenskiold turns 14 this in a few days and became eligible to compete in World Cups, landing a fourth podium at his first senior competition in the notoriously windy, Leucate, France, in April.
The Danish teenager tops the rankings heading to Fuerteventura after the reigning, two-times world champion, Chris MacDonald, of the US, could finish only joint fifth in Tarifa when he failed to reach the final.
Overhauled world champions
At Mondial du Vent, in Leucate, MacDonald had looked unbeatable and took the win, putting the American from Hood River, Oregon, on course for his third successive world title.
But in Tarifa the Austrian twins, Aleksander and Tomas Acherer, again overhauled MacDonald, picking up where they left off at last year's final stop in Brazil. In Tarifa Aleksander Acherer took second place, with Tomas in third, reversing their previous order.
In the expanding women's field, Mar de Arce and Nia Suardiaz sit equal top in the rankings with one victory and one second place apiece. But for De Arce it was her first win over Suardiaz, who was almost undefeated for two seasons, hinting of a possible changing of the guard.
The historic Fuerteventura World Cup that is hosting the wingfoil Surf-Freestyle and FreeFly-Slalom events is staging its 37th running this year and is hugely popular because of its good breezes, turquoise waters and a stadium-like setting.
Each stop vital
The FreeFly-Slalom discipline also reaches the mid-point of the season, with Fuerteventura set to be the second stop of three for 2025. With no discards available, each stop will be vital for those with title hopes.
Suardiaz is also hoping she can land a third successive title in FreeFly-Slalom. She opened her 2025 account at the first stop in Leucate with a win, just ahead of France's Kylie Belloeuvre and Mar de Arce.
In the men's FreeFly-Slalom contest, Italy's Francesco Cappuzzo, is also hoping to keep his bid for a third successive title on track in Fuerteventura after he got the victory in Leucate.
But the French pair of Julien Rattotti and Bastien Escofet are snapping at the world champion's heels, sitting second and third in the rankings. Italy's Alessandro Tomasi lies in fourth overall, with Oscar Leclair (FRA), who has won World Cups, seventh in the rankings.