NEWS: WINS AND PODIUMS IN DENMARK!

The fifth round of the Wing Foil World Tour of Surf-Freestyle and Freefly-Slalom ended in Denmark with a harvest of wins and podiums for our team riders!

The team opened strong on the first day of the waiting period with a 100% GONG final in the Surf-Freestyle category, where the reigning World Champion, Malo Guénolé, faced his team mate Bastien Escofet, the current world number 5. In conditions which finally allowed the scoring of waves, our team riders reached the final thanks to performances in wave riding which were at the level of their talent in Freestyle. A high level of versatility that earned them solid scores round after round. In the final, the champion maintained his rank with two excellent scores of more than 8 points for a FS7 and the best wave ride of the event. Malo’s brilliant victory in the first true Surf-Freestyle conditions of the year tightens the general ranking before the last two events in Tarifa and Brazil.

Tow-in session

The absence of wind during the third day of the waiting period was an opportunity for all the riders on tour to demonstrate their skill set in glassy waves. Towed into the wave, the participants were judged on two waves for a maximum score of 20 points. Our team riders put on an insane show of carves and airs during this event organized for fun only. Performances which earned them first, third and fourth place finishes. Malo was in a league of his own with a score of 19 points! In his element, the champion scored a perfect 10 point ride for a wave displaying an almost complete repertoire: solid carves, a backside 360, a frontside 360, an air and a snap to conclude! He is joined on the podium by his teammate Clément Hamon in third place, just ahead of Bastien Escofet who finishes just off the podium.

The competition resumes in Freefly-Slalom

On the 5th day of the waiting period, the competition resumed in Freefly-Slalom in a timid wind of 10 to 12 knots. Bastien started strong with a second place while our team rider Julien Rattotti had a terrible start with a 14th place! He tells the story: “The starts are very tense and everybody is going for the limit. If you don’t bring your A-game, you’re gonna end up far behind. I only made small mistakes and I pretty much finished last on my first run. I switched gears from the second heat on and everything came my way. I finished 3, 3, 2, 3, 3, 2, 1, 3 in the following finals! I had excellent speed when reaching with my 600 Ypra-S S and my Fluid H 38 stab. I didn’t make any mistakes in the maneuvers. The pumping section was quite physical with the 600 but you have to give it your all. I am super happy with this result, especially with the way I competed. My starts were really good and my finishes were systematically very strong, always super close to the top. Can’t wait to be in Brazil.” Julien Rattotti.

The race for the Freefly-Slalom title

The final victory goes to Francesco Capuzzo who joins Titouan Galea, now both first in the Freefly-Slalom ranking. Bastien, 3rd in the championship, is still in the race with his 4th place in Denmark but he will have to win in Brazil and hope for a counter performance from his two rivals. He explains: “Julien, Francesco and Titouan were all performing super strongly in this event. Julien had an impressive speed and consistency. Hats off to him. For my part, I started very well with a second place in the first final. In the second final I unfortunately got hit by another competitor… For the rest of the event I was very careful during the starts. We saw with Titouan and Francesco that anything can happen… They ruined one of their finals when crashing into each other at the start. Everything can happen until the finish line, be it in the elimination heats or the race for the title. I still have a small chance in the championship, so it will be game on in Brazil.” Bastien Escofet.

 

See you in Morocco

There are two events left in Surf-Freestyle with Tarifa from October 11 to 14 and Brazil from November 22 to 26. In Freefly-Slalom everything will be decided with the last event in Brazil. Until then, our team riders Malo, Bastien and Julien will be in Morocco next week to train in the waves of Dakhla which will determine the first ever Wing Foil World Champion in Wave riding!