Mar de Arce challenges Nía Suardíaz's reign at the Gran Canaria Wingfoil World Cup
by Gabinete de prensa 9 Aug 02:53 AEST
Ni´a Suardi´az (Tarifa), current Wingfoil Surf-Freestyle World Champion © Lukas K Stiller
The east coast of Gran Canaria will set the stage for the ultimate showdown to determine the new queen of Wingfoil Freestyle. The Gran Canaria GWA Wingfoil World Cup 2025 — the final stop on the world tour following the cancellation of the Brazil event — will officially decide this year's world champion.
All eyes are on the head-to-head between defending champion and world number one Nía Suardíaz, and her fiercest rival, current number two, Mar de Arce.
Tarifa's own Nía Suardíaz arrives in Gran Canaria carrying the weight of defending the crown she claimed last season. Her explosive style, technical mastery and unwavering consistency have kept her at the top of the circuit — but this year's battle won't be straightforward. Fellow Tarifa native Mar de Arce has been riding a wave of momentum after a standout season, capped by a pivotal result in the recent Fuerteventura event.
At the previous stop in Playa de Sotavento (Fuerteventura), 15-year-old German prodigy Marie Schlittenbauer stunned the field by clinching her maiden tour victory, dazzling the judges with flawless execution and perfect 10s on key tricks. Pre-event favourite Suardíaz could only manage fifth, banking 580 points — a result that dramatically cut her lead in the standings.
Meanwhile, Mar de Arce finished ninth in Fuerteventura but remains in striking distance thanks to her earlier victory in Tarifa (1,000 points) and a second-place finish in France (870 points). She now stands as the prime contender to dethrone the champion.
World ranking: all to play for
After three events in the 2025 world tour, Suardíaz leads with 2,450 points, closely followed by Mar de Arce on 2,290. Both have a clear path to the title in Gran Canaria. If Mar wins here (1,000 points) and Suardíaz finishes third or lower (770 points or fewer), Mar will be crowned the new world champion. Conversely, if Nía takes first or second, she will retain her title regardless of her rival's result.
Schlittenbauer, buoyed by her Fuerteventura triumph, could also break onto the podium with another win — provided her closest rivals falter. At just 15, she poses a genuine threat to the Spanish duo. Adding further intrigue, France's Manon Dupé, currently third in the standings, is also capable of springing a surprise.
Countdown to the final battle at El Burrero
Competition at El Burrero beach has already delivered four electrifying qualifying rounds, showcasing the exceptional standard of women's Surf-Freestyle this season. Highlights have included Suardíaz's immaculate backflip and Schlittenbauer's powerful Palau Frontside-frontflip combination.
The fight for podium places will be decided this Friday in the semi-finals and the grand final. Heat one will feature Viola Lippitsch (Austria), Bowien Van Der Linden (Netherlands), Manon Dupé (France) and Mar de Arce (Spain). Heat two will see Allegra Caffi (Italy), Zara Maillard (Switzerland), Marie Schlittenbauer (Germany) and Nía Suardíaz (Spain) go head-to-head. With such a stacked line-up, El Burrero is bracing for an unforgettable climax.
The Gran Canaria GWA Wingfoil World Cup 2025 is organised by Club Deportivo Canakite Experiences, Club Náutico El Burrero and Ingenio Town Council, with sponsorship from the Tourism and Sports Departments of the Gran Canaria Island Council, support from the Canary Islands' Sports Ministry, and collaboration from the Royal Canary Sailing Federation and Ahembo's 7UP brand.