The GWA Wingfoil World Cup Tarifa was the penultimate event in this five stop season of the GWA Wingfoil World Tour. The final climax will run at Taiba in Brazil, 16 – 20th November.
48 men and 15 women registered to participate in Tarifa last week with a very promising ‘Levante’ wind forecast. The action really delivered with incredible performances from all of the top athletes.
Plus we already have our first World Champion of the season…
WOMEN’S ELIMINATIONS
We have seen phenomenal evolution in women’s wingfoiling this season, and this event was no exception. After her win in Tarifa, Paula Novotna already has such a lead that she is confirmed now as our 2022 GWA Wingfoil Surf-Freestyle World Champion.
There is still one final event of the season to run in Brazil next month, so the remainder of the women will be working for an opportunity to advance up the ladder in our season finale.
TARIFA PODIUM FINISHERS:
3rd Place Women: Bowien van der Linden (NED)
The 2021 Surf-Freestyle World Champion took a break from competition for most of this year, but made an impressive comeback in Tarifa to claim a podium position. Such is the short life of the sport, Bowien only entered her first wingfoil competitions for fun last year, and found herself as World Champion at the end of the year in 2021.
2nd Place Women: Nia Suardiaz (ESP)
Still just 15 years-of-age, Nia Suardiaz exploded onto the wingfoil scene this year, winning her first event in Leucate, France at the start of the GWA Wingfoil World Tour season. In early October she also became the GWA U19 Youth Wingfoil World Champion in both the Surf-Freestyle and Surf-Slalom disciplines. Suardiaz is disappointed not to have been able to force a showdown for the World Tour title with Paula Novotna at the final round in Brazil, but she is still lying in second position in the Surf-Slalom slalom discipline, so still has a world title chance when both disciplines will run at the final event in Brazil.
Winner Women: PAULA NOVOTNA (CZE)
After over 15 years as a professional kiteboarder and now wingfoiling athlete, Czech Paula Novotna claimed her first world title at the GWA Wingfoil World Cup Tarifa on Friday morning in a final against season-long rival, 15 year-old Spandiard, Nia Suardiaz. Having shown some nerves in the quarter finals on day two, Novotna straightened her head overnight and approached the semi-final and final with incredible consistency. Nothing too extreme, but focused on safety and pressurising her opponent into mistakes.
WOMEN’S FINAL RESULTS:
1 Paula Novotna (CZE)
2 Nia Suardiaz (ESP)
3 Bowien van der Linden (NED)
MEN’S ELMINATIONS
On the men’s side so many young riders are now constantly pushing so hard, achieving incredible results alongside the more experienced competitors. One thing is very clear, the sport is evolving at an incredibly fast pace.
TARIFA PODIUM FINISHERS:
3rd Place Men: Camille Bouyer (FRA)
A rising all-round watersports star in France alongside his twin brother, Julien, Camille Bouyer has been one of the most consistent performers on tour this year. While also currently lying in third overall in the Surf-Slalom discipline, the French rider remains in contention for a final podium place at the end of the Surf-Freestyle season, too.
2nd Place Men: Malo Guenole (FRA)
The French 17-year-old took his first event win in round three in Lanzarote in this his rookie year on tour. Athletic and with incredible vision for progressing new manoeuvres, Guenole was already an Instagram sensation before stepping foot on tour. He’s certainly proved his freeride credentials stand up to competition and is now within a chance of claiming the Men’s Surf-Freestyle world title in Brazil – though he would need to win that event and for current tour leader, Gollito Estredo, to finish fourth.
1st Place Men: XAVI CORR (ESP)
Boosted by the support of his hometown, 15 year-old Spaniard Xavi Corr has completed an incredible month. Earlier in October he was crowned GWA U16 Wingfoil Youth World Champion in both the Surf-Freestyle and Surf-Slalom disciplines, but this first full world tour event win is surely the sweetest for him. Although early season results on tour didn’t go his way, and he’s not in contention to claim the World Title at the end of the season, any event win in Tarifa, the windsports capital of Europe, is already a career highlight.
MEN’S RESULTS:
1 Xavi Corr (ESP)
2 Malo Guenole (FRA)
3 Camille Bouyer (FRA)
See heat ladders, liveticker heat info and more here on the live page on the GWA Wingfoil World Tour website.
GWA WINGFOIL WORLD TOUR
Report: Gemma Hamaini
Photos: Samuel Cardenas
Videos: Julien Leleu
