2024 WingFoil Racing World Cup Brazil – Day 4
by Andy Rice, December 6, 16:32 PST
December 3-7, 2024
Bastien Escofet (right) sharing a joke with race officer Mirco Babini – 2024 WingFoil Racing World Cup Brazil © IWSA media/ Robert Hajduk
One notable trend in equipment over the last year has been the increase in board sizes. On day four of the Wingfoil Racing World Cup Brazil, we witnessed part of the reason. Known for its consistent winds, Jericoacoara unfortunately fell short in providing enough breeze for both men’s and women’s fleets to race.
For wingfoil racing to establish itself as an Olympic sailing discipline in the future, athletes must be ready to compete in winds of six to seven knots. There’s a growing expectation on the Wingfoil Racing World Cup circuit to race under marginal foiling conditions. One method to encourage earlier foiling is by opting for higher volume boards.
Board Size – Bigger is Better
Bastien Escofet, currently sitting fourth overall in the men’s fleet, shares his perspective on board size. “I’m using a 5’3 Gong Racer board, which is quite long,” says the French pro and Gong team rider. “It’s an 80-litre board and I’m 77kg, providing slightly more volume than my weight. I’m not well versed in the science behind it, but I appreciate the length of the board, as it offers more stability in the air. I initially thought it would be the opposite: as we lean into the wind, I expected the wind would push the nose down, but it actually feels more stable.”
With the expectation that the fleet might race in lighter winds by 2025, Escofet thinks he could use the 5’6 Gong Race board in softer breezes. This 95-litre board is currently used by Italian teammate Francesco Cappuzzo, who is heavier than Escofet.
Not Going Back to Small
While Escofet rides a 5’3 board (160 cm), top female competitor from Poland, Karolina Kluszczynska, utilizes a 140cm board custom-made by Puls with 60 litres of volume. “I weigh around 60 to 63kg, so my board is slightly less than my weight, but it works well for me,” says the Polish athlete, who also coaches on the iQFOiL windsurfing circuit. “It feels comfortable in both light and strong winds, and I don’t face much difficulty getting onto the foil in lighter winds compared to the smaller boards.”
A season ago, some competitors used boards as small as 35 litres, but Escofet states he won’t revert to such tiny sizes. “I used to freestyle on 35 litres, but wow, I’d never ride something like that now,” he laughs. “Sometimes I have to use my teammate’s 55-litre board, and I dislike it. Now, I freestyle on a 65-litre board and am considering a 72 for next year.”
Mast Length
Regarding mast length, Kluszczynska is riding a 107cm Chubanga. “I have used it for over a year and am quite satisfied with it,” she mentions. Escofet, conversely, is on a 109cm Gong mast, expecting to transition to a 112cm next season.
Foil Set-Up
Kluszczynska has been on the same Chubanga foil setup and doesn’t foresee changes soon. “I think it’s 550 square cm in front and perhaps 180 on the tail. Don’t quiz me on the precise fuselage length, but I think it’s about 60cm.”
As a team rider, Escofet is attuned to the equipment he uses, as he regularly provides performance feedback and data to the Gong team. “I’m using 540 on the front, as Francesco does, with 180 on the back. The fuselage is about 60 to 61cm, shorter than what we’ve had in recent seasons.”
Fuselage Length: Speed vs. Stability
Escofet describes the trade-offs between longer and shorter fuselage lengths: “The fuselage generates significant drag, so shorter means less drag and increased speed, but you sacrifice stability. A longer fuselage facilitates pitch and yaw control [vertical and horizontal movements] through the water. We have a small winglet on either tail fin for enhanced directional stability.”
“We also incorporated a dihedral shape on the front wing that provides more stability compared to a flat design. In the first version of the foil, we lacked sufficient tail fin angle, making it fast but unstable at higher speeds. Therefore, we enlarged the tail fin, necessitating a 3cm mast shift backward to restore balance.”
Where are Wings Headed?
The last year has seen the emergence of double-skin, or double-profile wings. Gong was among the early brands to innovate with a semi-double-profile wing showing improvements in speed and upwind angle. This season’s top two male riders – Mathis Ghio (FRA) and Kamil Manowiecki (POL) both achieved great results with full double-profile wings from Ozone. However, a new rule for the 2025 season may require a see-through window to reduce blind spots and collision risks.
This new window regulation will challenge brands designing full double-skin wings. Conversely, some semi-double-profile wings already have windows, so for them, it’s business as usual.
Getting Stiffer
Despite the Ozones dominating the men’s circuit in 2024, Escofet claims his semi-double-profile Gong wing offers good upwind efficiency while providing enhanced feedback and easier handling. “Francesco and I are testing prototypes that will go into production for next season,” says Escofet. “We’ve added battens to enhance rigidity across the canopy, allowing us to ‘cut off’ the wing’s corners for reduced water drag and taper the tube thickness at the outer ends.”
“I prefer the semi-double-profile because it’s better for starting and for tacks and gybes [compared to full double-profile]. It feels very powerful, and I appreciate this design since it allows for better wind sensitivity, making downwind usage easier.”
Escofet has various wing sizes, ranging from 3.5 to 6.5 square metres. “If I had to choose only two wings, it would certainly be the 5.0 and 6.0,” he says. Kluszczynska uses Zaoli wings from 4.5 to 6.5 square metres, and she is currently on standard single-skin wings but soon will switch. “The next Zaolis will have battens and a double skin, and I’m excited to test them. I hope it’ll yield improved upwind speed, but I believe technique is still the most crucial factor for us women. For me, refining my tacks, gybes, and board handling offers the most potential for improvement.”
Golden Opportunity
Meanwhile, back to this week’s racing. Saturday’s highlight is the long-distance ‘Golden Ticket’ race to determine who can finish first. The first man and woman to finish will receive their Golden Ticket, granting them the 10th and final spot in the 10-rider Medal Series. From there, it’s onto the Semi-Finals to see which ones advance to the four-rider Finals.
In the women’s division, Nia Suardiaz (ESP) and Maddalena Spanu (ITA) have clinched their spots in the Finals as top qualifiers. The same applies to the men with Kamil Manowiecki (POL) and Francesco Cappuzzo (ITA), while defending World Champion Mathis Ghio sits in third and must battle through the Semi-Finals.
It’s an exciting situation, with many inspired by last year’s dramatic final day at Jeri 2023 when Venezuelan star Gollito Estredo started the day in 14th place, won the Golden Ticket, and ultimately claimed the bronze medal. Anyone can still emerge victorious.
Results Men:
1. Kamil Manowiecki POL
2. Francesco Cappuzzo ITA
3. Mathis Ghio FRA
4. Bastien Escofet FRA
5. Alessandro Jose’ Tomasi ITA
6. Julien Rattotti FRA
7. Oscar Leclair FRA
8. Romain Ghio FRA
9. Nicolo Spanu ITA
10. Jeremiah McDonald NZL
Results Women:
1. Nia Suardiaz ESP
2. Maddalena Spanu ITA
3. Orane Ceris FRA
4. Mar De Arce Sanchez ESP
5. Iset Segura ESP
6. Marta Monge ITA
7. Karolina Kluszczynska POL
8. Bowien Van Der Linden NED
9. Paloma Gutierrez BRA
10. Charlotte Baruzzi ITA
Further information and results available here.
