High aspect prototype hydrofoils and wings were under the feet and in the hands of the best wingfoil racers in thew world this week. And the open racing has become the test bed for a growing industry and sport.

New foiling generation

Pianazza and Manowiecki are at the tip of the spear in a new discipline and represent a new generation of foilers. The two took different paths to their victory but both shared the elite DNA of Olympic IQ racers.

“The level is higher and higher I’m seeing,” said Pianazza who races both IQ and wingfoil. “I do both. I believe they are complimentary but I’m not relaxed on the wingfoil equipment since you make a small mistake you can fall. But my IQ background prepares me for a long week of racing.”

Pianazza is missing the next wingfoil world cup event to complete her physical therapy studies, but aims to compete in the full 2025 tour. She added that if more IQ foil girls come it can be a string fleet and a bigger fleet.

Manowiecki, as full time student this year, was also on an IQ Olympic pathway but one year ago took the brave step to leave the comfort of the Polish national team and commit 100 percent to wingfoil racing.

“In Turkey I found out my speed was not there and within one day had to change my mindset and technique, since then I’ve been improving all the time,” said Manowiecki. What changed since Turkey ? “The belief. The belief of everyone who believed in me. My sponsors starting from my parents and my mom pushing me.”

Going the distance

Dramatic and grueling long distance races kicked off the event and split the men’s fleet into multiple groups. On and off breezes and a textured sea defined the week and Pianazza and Julien Rattotti (FRA) were drawing precise lines with their razor thin foils on their way to the top of their fleets early in the week.

Leads changed daily as the men navigated a tight Gold fleet series and the women continued as one fleet through Saturday.

The stage was set Sunday for an exciting elimination medal series where event leader Manowiecki and tour leader Mathis Ghio (FRA) had their spots in the finals. Pianazza was first into the finals and Maddalena Spanu (ITA) scored several bullets to sit in second.

Double semifinals in both men’s and women’s were filled with riders in overall positions third through ninth. The final spot in this series was filled with the winner of the high stakes Golden Ticket Race, the one massive fleet race for one women’s and one men’s spot in the medal series.

Lucie Belbeoch (FRA) hammered around the course to take her Golden opportunity and won her ticket to the semis.

The men’s finish was the most dramatic of the event. Romain Ghio (FRA) was extending on the final leg of the Golden Ticket distance race, kicked over on the edge of his foil carving away to the finish ahead of Bastien Escofet (FRA) when he exploded in a ball of whitewater 100 meters from the finish. Escofet flew buy, grabbing his spot in the semifinals leaving Ghio to suffer with the agony of defeat.

Fizzling Finals

By Sunday, any rider hopes of victory over Manowiecki and Pianazza were crushed when the breeze faded. Only one wild women’s Semifinals Race, won by Marta Monge (ITA) was sailed before riders were sent to shore.

Manowiecki’s precision and mastery of the light conditions gave him the championship and Pianazza, riding borrowed equipment, showed another level over tour leader Nia Suardiaz (ESP) and the chasing pack.

Second place was enough for Mathis Ghio (FRA) to keep a firm grip on the world title heading into the Jeri WingFoil Racing World Cup in Brazil, while Maddalena Spanu (ITA) showed that she “has arrived,” and has room above her head for a future win after her second place here in Cagliari.

That’s a wrap for the Wingfoil Racing World Cup Italy here in Sardinia. With slick new wings and foils, and razor thin margins around the course, the world will have to wait until December in Brazil to see what “next level” really looks like.

RESULTS MEN

• 1. Kamil Manowiecki POL
• 2. Mathis Ghio FRA
• 3. Francesco Cappuzzo ITA
• 4. Alessandro Jose Tomasi ITA
• 5. Julien Rattotti FRA
• 6. Nicolo Spanu ITA
• 7. Mateo Dussarps FRA
• 8. Luca Franchi ITA
• 9. Oscar Leclair FRA
• 10. Bastien Escofet FRA

RESULTS WOMEN

• 1. Manon Pianazza FRA
• 2. Maddalena Spanu ITA
• 3. Nia Suardiaz ESP
• 4. Karolina Kluszcynska POL
• 5. Charlotte Baruzzi ITA
• 6. Marta Monge ITA
• 7. Emilia Kosti GRE
• 8. Iset Segura ESP
• 9. Orane Ceris FRA
• 10. Lucie Belbbeoch FRA