2024 WingFoil Racing World Cup Brazil - Day 2
by Andy Rice 5 Dec 14:35 NZDT
3-7 December 2024
Riders to the storm - 2024 WingFoil Racing World Cup Brazil day 2 © IWSA media / Robert Hajduk
It's the oldest cliché in the Book of Wind Sports, but for day two of the WingFoil Racing World Cup Brazil, it was yet another case of 'It's not normally like this."
For a venue in this Equatorial region of Brazil, the desert idyll of Jericoacoara is feted and celebrated for its consistent winds and hot weather.
However, not long after today's short course races got into start sequence, the rain clouds gathered and cast their wicked spell on the competition. With wind shifts of up to 50 degrees, the warm rain put paid to any hope of completing fair racing.
Welcome to the pleasure rain
Back to shore for an afternoon of waiting in tropical paradise. For the international riders, especially those from Europe, there are worse ways of spending a rainy afternoon in December. As Polish rider Karolina Kluszczynska describes the warm precipitation in northern Brazil, it's 'Pleasure Rain'.
Kluszczynska is one of the familiar names competing near the front of the women's fleet, currently led by Spain's Nia Suardiaz who made the best of her freestyle skills on day one to come out ahead after three long distance races.
Further back in the women's fleet are riders who are venturing on to the Wingfoil Racing World Cup for the first time this season. For some, the event in Jericoacoara is their first time competing in an international fleet.
Racing for Spain
While Suardiaz is looking well placed to take the women's world title for Spain for the first time, another Spanish rider is showing great promise. Mar De Arce Sanchez is pleased with her results from the first day, although the 21-year-old is mostly focused on having fun. "I come from a windsurfing background but after two years learning wingfoiling this is my first time in a big race like this," said Sanchez, who splits her time between Tarifa in the south of Spain and Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands.
"I came from a background of racing on Bic Techno windsurfers and I know this is the best wingfoil racing there is, so I wanted to be here to test out my level and I'm super stoked that I got two 5th places in the first two races. You learn a lot in this environment because you're just trying to push yourself to be at the same level as the other girls."
Baltic or Brazil?
Competitors are flocking towards wingfoiling from all kinds of watersports. German rider Jette Koep comes from a traditional boat sailing background. "I came from Optimists through other dinghies and then to 49er skiffs for an Olympic campaign. But I didn't race for long because it was really expensive and we didn't have really the infrastructure to train. Now I'm just enjoying the wingfoiling, having fun, enjoying the ride. It was a long way to come to Brazil from Europe but it's definitely been worth it. Normally in December I would probably not get more than four days on the water because it's always too cold or not windy enough. So to be here is great, and I don't even need to wear a wetsuit."
Another German rider, Jelena Duwe, can relate to not needing to wear a wetsuit. Unlike most of the fleet in their teens or early twenties, Duwe is proof that you can be older and still have a great time on the circuit. "It's my 37th birthday next week, and at the top level the riders are much younger. But I don't really care about the age and if I've got any chance to to race with young blood like we see here, then I think that's a great opportunity.
"This is my first time in Jeri and I think it's like racing in paradise, especially here in Vila Kalango. I would say to anyone wondering whether to come or not, just do it! It's fun, it's safe here and you'll have a lot of fun."
Chasing Czech dreams
Like the German riders, for Kristyna Chalupnikova from the Czech Republic, it's an easy decision to fly to the warm weather of Jericoacoara in December. "In the Czech Republic it's actually quite difficult to train because we don't have an ocean. We don't have even big lakes and especially at this time of year, it's winter there. So it's around zero degrees, not really good for wingfoiling. That's why we get to come to places like this."
Two years ago the women's world title was won by another Czech rider Paula Novotna. While Novotna hasn't competed on the circuit this season, Chalupnikova draws inspiration from the former World Champion's achievements. "She is a big inspiration and motivation to me, and it's something I want to show people, that if you work hard you can achieve special things." With the 19-year-old juggling her studies for a law degree with her commitment to wingfoil racing, she has a lot on her plate but she's loving the challenge.
Cold feet in Chile?
There's another rider who is a practising lawyer yet manages to find the time to go wingfoiling most days from her home in Chile. However, Josefa Asalgado admits she had to pluck up some courage to make the trip to Jericoacoara. "For many months I was dreaming about going to the event, but I was like, 'Am I gonna embarrass myself? Am I gonna make a fool of myself?' It took a lot of support from friends and family telling me to just go there and learn.
"So it took a couple months of convincing myself to come. And now that I'm here, I'm not frustrated or embarrassed. I know I'm improving. I know I'm learning, and this is what I came for. So, I'm happy about being here and happy and proud of myself that I made the choice to come.
Zero regrets for Josefa
"Anyways, I'm learning so much and there's always the first time for everything. I mean, you'll never be 'ready'. If you don't start coming, you'll just be even more behind. If you don't jump in and get a up to speed with all the other girls, you'll never reach their level. Just decide to go, and get rid of the embarrassment and just risk it. Come have fun. Nobody's judging.
"The other riders, they have been super friendly, to be honest. I was training here last week for a couple of days and Maddi Spanu [reigning World Champion] and her family took me in since day one. They gave me tips and showed me how to fix my gear. I've learnt so much from them, and everyone on this circuit is just so friendly and super welcoming. I have no regrets about coming to Jeri."
Racing picks up again on Thursday with the plan to hold eight short-course races for the women's fleet and the two men's qualifying fleets.
Results Men
1. Kamil Manowiecki, POL
2. Mathis Ghio, FRA
3. Francesco Cappuzzo, ITA
4. Julien Rattotti, FRA
5. Alessandro Jose' Tomasi, ITA
6. Nicolo Spanu, ITA
7. Bastien Escofet, FRA
8. Luca Franchi, ITA
9. Oscar Leclair, FRA
10. Romain Ghio, FRA
Results Women
1. Nia Suardiaz, ESP
2. Maddalena Spanu, ITA
3. Orane Ceris, FRA
4. Iset Segura, ESP
5. Karolina Kluszczynska, POL
6. Marta Monge, ITA
7. Mar De Arce Sanchez, ESP
8. Bowien Van Der Linden, NED
9. Jelena Duwe, GER
10. Jette Koep, GER
More information and results