Winners crowned in nuking conditions in Leucate
On day four of the GWA Wingfoil World Cup Leucate the Tramontana winds kicked in again, with gusts reaching up to 57 knots.
The Surf-Freestyle women geared up to face the tough conditions head on, ready to battle it out on the water.
In the women’s semi-final we had Mar de Arce (ESP) putting on an amazing show for the crowds landing a very impressive Frontside 3 Combo. Mar was going nearly twice as big as her competitors showing that she is one to watch for the future events. It was a close battle for second between Sofia Marchetti (ITA) and previous world champion Bowien van der Linden (NED), but Marchetti managed to take the second-place spot and secure her place in the final.
Despite Arce’s efforts, it wasn’t enough to dethrone the unbeaten Nia Suardiaz in the final, who nailed a Backflip 360 combination and emerged triumphant once more, claiming the title in the GWA Surf-Freestyle category at the Mondial du Vent.
In the men’s semi-finals the French competitors were on fire, Noé Cuyala of France emerged victorious, flawlessly executing his hallmark Frontside 1080, securing his first semi-final victory, and earning a place in his final. Hot on his heels was fellow Frenchman, the young Axel Gerard (FRA), who nailed an impressive frontflip 360, ensuring his advancement to the men’s Surf-Freestyle Finals. In the second semi-final heat, with French competitor Bastien Escofet (FRA) elevating the game with his sky-high backflip grabs. However, he fell short against the skill and prowess of Malo Guenole (FRA) and Chris MacDonald (USA), both of whom delivered exceptional performances, setting a high bar for the competition.
In the final it was Chris MacDonald who stole the show scoring a perfect 10 for a huge frontflip into three consecutive front 360 rotations. Chris MacDonald once again proved he is the champion, exiting the water with dry hair and a top heat score of the competition at 29 points.
Women
1 Nia Suardiaz (ESP)
2 Mar de Arce (ESP)
3 Sofia Marchetti (ITA)
4 Christina König (GER)
Men
1 Christopher Macdonald (USA)
2 Noé Cuyala (FRA)
3 Axel Gerard (FRA)
4 Malo Guénolé (FRA)
The FreeFly-Slalom competition started with two exhilarating elimination rounds. In the men’s division, Alessandro Tomassi from Italy clinched the victory in the first elimination, narrowly edging out Bastien Escofet from France, who took a close second.
Escofet, determined for redemption, returned in the subsequent elimination rounds with a fierce performance that secured him the top spot.
On the women’s side, Nia Suardiaz demonstrated her versatility and dominance not just in Surf-Freestyle but also in the Freefly-Slalom discipline by winning the first elimination. Her performance underscored her exceptional skills across different disciplines.
Relive the GWA Wingfoil World Cup in Leucate, France by following the live scoring and live ticker on the GWA website. For all the competition updates and behind-the-scenes moments, check out our Instagram.
