The 2026 Wingfoil World Tour reached its conclusion in Fuerteventura, with the iconic Playa de Sotavento once again providing the perfect stage for a week of high-level competition. Hosting both the Surf-Freestyle and FreeFly-Slalom disciplines, the event not only crowned its final event winners but also decided four world championship titles after a season of close racing and progression.
Surf-Freestyle titles decided
The biggest intrigue surrounded the men’s Surf-Freestyle title race, where Denmark’s Benjamin Castenskiold arrived with work still to do. Under pressure, the reigning champion delivered when it mattered most, winning the Fuerteventura event to successfully defend his world title.
American Luca Vuillermet finished second at the event ahead of France’s Axel Gerard, while Hawaii’s Rocco Makana narrowly missed the podium in fourth after entering the event with world title aspirations. The result secured Castenskiold’s second consecutive Surf-Freestyle world crown.
The women’s championship had already been mathematically decided before the event, with Spain’s Nia Suardiaz wrapping up the 2026 world title earlier in the season. However, the event itself still produced an exciting final, as American Zoe Trudeau claimed victory ahead of Austria’s Viola Lippitsch, with Suardiaz finishing third and Spain’s Sofia Ginzinger fourth.
2026 Surf-Freestyle World Champions
Men: Benjamin Castenskiold (Denmark)
Women: Nia Suardiaz (Spain)
FreeFly-Slalom goes down to the wire
If Surf-Freestyle provided the spectacle, FreeFly-Slalom delivered the drama.
The men’s championship came down to a final showdown between Italy’s Francesco Cappuzzo and France’s Bastien Escofet after both riders entered Fuerteventura separated by only a handful of points.
Escofet looked in control early in the decisive final, but Cappuzzo responded with a perfectly timed tactical move to take the opening race. When Escofet crashed after the first mark in the deciding run, Cappuzzo capitalised to claim both the event victory and his first GWA FreeFly-Slalom World Championship. Italy’s Alessandro Tomasi completed the event podium ahead of Sebastiano Zorzi.
The women’s FreeFly-Slalom title was equally competitive. France’s Kylie Belloeuvre held off Spain’s Nia Suardiaz in a tense final to secure both the event win and the 2026 world title, with Mar de Arce completing the overall championship podium.
2026 FreeFly-Slalom World Champions
Men: Francesco Cappuzzo (Italy)
Women: Kylie Belloeuvre (France)
A fitting end to the season
Fuerteventura once again lived up to its reputation as one of wingfoiling’s premier venues, combining reliable trade winds with high-stakes championship racing. Across both disciplines, the event highlighted the sport’s increasing depth, with established champions successfully defending their crowns while new names continued to push the level higher.
With four world champions now crowned, attention will soon turn towards the 2027 season as the world’s best wingfoilers prepare for another year of Surf-Freestyle innovation and high-speed FreeFly-Slalom racing.