Wingfoil World Tour Tarifa 2023
Starting on the 11th of October, nine women and 29 men registered to showcase their skills at the 9th GWA world tour stop. This time, it was a pure SURF-FREESTYLE event hosted at the wind sports mecca, Tarifa.
With only one more event to be hosted in Brazil for the year, this event was pivotal for athletes wanting to claim the FREESTYLE world champ title. The riders came to battle, bringing tricks that had never been seen before in competition. Christina and Giulio were representing ENSIS, putting up fierce competition and pushing their limits.
ENSIS at the Wing Foil Competition
Tarifa and the Levante wind lived up to their reputation with strong winds on the first two days of the event, reaching upwards of 30 knots, and small kickers that allowed riders to perform massive manoeuvres. The SURF-FREESTYLE followed the same format as previous events, with the only change being that the top 4 tricks were scored instead of 3. Riders were allowed a total of 8 trick attempts and were on a “flag-system” sequentially giving each rider a chance to attempt their trick.
The GWA Tarifa World Cup began with the women’s division. The skill level of the ladies has skyrocketed in the past year. ENSIS rider Christina, using a 2.6 SPIN and ROCK’N’ROLL PRO 47, had a strong first heat, beating a previous world champ and advancing straight to the semifinals. She was knocked out in the semifinals and placed 5th overall. The women’s division was completed on the first day.
The men were up next, and the competition was fierce as riders fought for the title. Guilio, on a 3.1 TOP SPIN and ROCK’N’ROLL PRO 47, placed second in his first heat, landing an impressive 720, but unfortunately, he was knocked out in the following heat. The men’s freestyle was completed on the second day of competition. Thank you, Giulio and Christina, for representing ENSIS at the GWA Wing Foil World Cup. Both riders are in great spirits and are ready to push their riding even further, watch this space.
Wing Foil Skill level skyrocketing
We had initially believed that new tricks were becoming less frequent, but once again, the bar has been raised. Earlier this year, we witnessed the first ladies backflip in competition, and now, at Tarifa, another first for the ladies division, we have seen the first ever one-handed backflip, also known as the “PALAU” flip , where the wing remains engaged in the wind. The women in this sport are truly pushing the boundaries, and it is incredibly thrilling to witness their progress.
Not only have the women impressed, but the men have also brought something new to the table. They have introduced the mobe-handle pass, a backflip with a handle pass behind their back, which draws inspiration from wakeboarding and kitesurfing. This move is visually impressive and captured a lot of attention. It makes you wonder how much further wingfoiling can evolve.
Conclusion Wingfoil World Cup Tarifa 2023
Tarifa was a fantastic stop for a freestyle competition, and we hope to see another one hosted there next year. The wind was great, and the event was able to conclude in just two days, leaving space for a mini competition on the 13th to push innovation.
Thank you to Christina and Giulio for representing ENSIS, being passionate, and pushing themselves and their skills. With only one more stop for the GWA, in Brazil, the year of competition is nearing its close. We are excited to see the riders push the boundaries of the sport.
Interested in wingfoiling?
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