From the 19th to the 24th of July 2024, the GWA hosted its Wingfoil World Cup in Fuerteventura, Spain, featuring FreeFly-Slalom and Surf-Freestyle disciplines. The event had strong conditions, with winds gusting over 30 knots, making it a challenging competition for the riders. Sofia Marchetti represented ENSIS on the water in both disciplines.
FreeFly-Slalom
The FreeFly-Slalom event took place over the first two days, featuring a unique course where riders navigated a downwind section with a "pump foil" segment, relying solely on their hydrofoils without the aid of wings. The conditions pushed the riders to their limits, resulting in impressive speeds and tight races. Racing is not Sofia's primary discipline, but she surprised us all with a 6th place finish.
Surf-Freestyle
The Surf-Freestyle competition kicked off on day 3, with riders showcasing their skills through a series of trick attempts. The judging criteria focused on height, power, explosiveness, amplitude, and technical difficulty, emphasizing quality over quantity. Sofia performed exceptionally well but was unfortunately knocked out earlier than expected, partly due to a judging error.
Full Steam Ahead
“During my heat, I was penalized for some misjudgments. A crash by my opponent was deemed valid, causing me to lose my heat. I protested to get some clarity, but unfortunately, it was already too late as the subsequent heats had already concluded.”
Despite the disheartening error, Sofia is excited and looks forward to the freestyle event in Brazil, where she plans to give it her all.Thank you for representing ENSIS on the water. we look forward to seeing you at the next one!
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