Audi 2025 WingFoil Racing World Cup Türkiye - Overall
by WingFoil Racing World Cup 17 Aug 2025 13:10 PDT
13-17 August 2025
Double Gold for Italy in Istanbul - Audi 2025 WingFoil Racing World Cup Türkiye fiinal day © IWSA media / Robert Hajduk
Italy's Alessandro Tomasi and Maddalena Spanu claimed top honours at the Audi 2025 WingFoil Racing World Cup Türkiye, delivering standout performances in a variety of testing conditions on the Bosphorus.
Golden ticket drama sets the stage
The final day kicked off with the all-important Golden Ticket race - the last chance to qualify for the medal series. Conditions were the lightest of the week, with just 12 knots skimming across Istanbul's historic shoreline.
A first attempt to get the race away failed soon after the start due to lack of wind. But it wasn't long before the breeze filled in enough to release the riders a second time. It wasn't long before New Zealander Sean Herbert, who finished tenth in qualifying, took control of the race and never looked back. However, there was drama yet to come.
Once ashore Herbert was informed by race officials they'd disqualified him because of a starting infringement in the earlier abandoned race - he had passed in front of the 'rabbit' boat. Rabbit starts, when riders must pass behind a starting boat, are black flag starts meaning no second chances.
The decision opened the door for Hong Kong's Tsz Hei aka Hugo, who had finished second, so snatched the golden ticket instead.
Tsz Hei didn't stop there. Riding high on momentum, he stunned the field in the opening medal series round, finishing first. The other qualifier was second-placed Ernesto De Amicis - the young Italian dedicating his performance to his grandfather, who sadly passed away the day before.
Medal Series: a battle of champions
The quarter-final saw Frenchman Oscar Leclair take the win, with De Amicis once again winning through in second. That set the stage for a high-octane semi-final, stacked with the sport's elite - including reigning World Champion, Mathis Ghio.
Normally a fixture in finals, Ghio found himself in unfamiliar territory, needing to battle through the semi. He rose to the occasion, using the biggest sail he'd rigged all week to power through the lighter breeze. Ghio won it ahead of Francesco Cappuzzo - both going through as the leading pair.
Waiting for them on the start line were Italy's top qualifier Alessandro Tomasi and Poland's Kamil Manowiecki. As the final got under way, Tomasi made the best of the start and led to the first mark, with Ghio locked onto his tail. The duel between the frontrunners gave way to another tussle behind, with Manowiecki and Cappuzzo matching each other tack for tack.
Halfway up leg 3 of 5 Tomasi tacked early - a move that proved decisive. It left Ghio floundering in the wash of some passing safety boats and struggling to get back into the race.
The Italian, in clean air and flat water, surged ahead to build an unassailable lead and storm to gold. In a dramatic final dash, Manowiecki grabbed silver, while Cappuzzo secured another Italian medal with bronze.
Women's Final: Spanu seals the hat-trick
With two riders in the women's final - Vaina Picot and Anais Mai Desjardins - France was guaranteed a medal. However, all eyes were on Italy's defending champion Maddalena Spanu, who as top qualifier, started the final with a 2 point advantage. The final is a first to three. Just 15 years old and competing in her first World Cup final, Picot showed nerves of steel to win Race 1 - the final would go to at least another race. Spanu remained composed. She dominated Race 2 from the outset, showcasing the form that's made her a force all season. Leading from the first and flying across the water, Spanu sealed her third World Cup title of the year, strengthening her grip on the overall rankings ahead of the next round in China. Greece's Emilia Kosti claimed silver after a consistent series, while Picot's earlier victory was enough to earn her a well-deserved bronze - and announce her arrival on the world stage.
We're coming back!
It was a statement weekend on the racecourse for Italy, with double gold and a bronze from Cappuzzo proving the depth of their wingfoiling talent.
Behind the scenes it was announced the WingFoil Racing World Cup will return to the Fenerbahce Sailing Club in 2026!
Results and more information here.