TV News Advisory: 100 athletes from 5 continents to battle for Formula Wing world titles in Istanbul
The world’s best Formula Wing athletes have arrived in Istanbul for the 2026 Formula Wing World Championship, with around 100 competitors from five continents battling for the men’s and women’s world titles.
Hosted by Fenerbahce Sports Club, racing begins on Tuesday 11 August and concludes with the Medal Series on Saturday 15 August.
Türkiye will field the largest team at the championship with nine men and seven women, while Hong Kong brings a six-man squad. China’s three female entries include teenage sensation Yana Li, winner of the opening Wingfoil Racing event of the 2026 season in Hong Kong. France and Italy bring Europe’s largest teams to the championships with 13 and 11 athletes respectively.
The full entry list is available on the Formula Wing registration page.
Daily reports and championship information will be available via the IWSA website.
Live coverage with commentary by Alec Wilkinson will be available on YouTube on Friday 14 August and Saturday 15 August.
Defending champions under the spotlight
France’s Mathis Ghio returns as men’s defending champion after winning the inaugural Formula Wing world title last year. He arrives in Istanbul with plenty of attention following his recent switch from long-time foil supplier Levitaz to Chubanga, with many eager to see whether the equipment change can help him rediscover his dominant form.
Italy’s Maddalena Spanu defends the women’s title after claiming victory in Sardinia last year. A specialist in strong winds, she will be hoping Istanbul’s famous summer Poyraz breeze delivers the same conditions that helped her win the World Cup event here in 2025.
Racing format
The women will compete in a single fleet, with the top nine progressing directly to Saturday’s Medal Series.
The men will begin in multiple qualifying fleets before advancing to Gold Fleet racing, where the top nine overall will earn places in the Medal Series.
Equal equipment, equal opportunity
Formula Wing is raced on registered series-production equipment approved and listed by World Sailing, with equipment limits designed to ensure a level playing field.
For the championship, each competitor may register a maximum of two wings, one board, one foil mast and two foil glider systems.
The format gives every athlete the same equipment allowance and ensures that the battle for the world title is decided on the water.
A world-class venue
The championship is hosted by Fenerbahce Sports Club at the Fenerbahce Lefter Kucukandonyadis Sports Centre in Istanbul.
After successfully staging a Wingfoil Racing World Cup event in 2025, the club welcomes another major international championship.
Supported by Dogus since 2016, Fenerbahce’s sailing department has become Türkiye’s leading Olympic sailing club. The venue also plays a key role in grassroots sport, attracting around 2,000 young people every weekend.
Conditions
Athletes are expected to race in Istanbul’s traditional summer Poyraz northerly wind, producing flat-water racing with water temperatures of around 26°C. Air temperatures are forecast to reach 30–32°C, with high humidity adding to the challenge.
Major new partnership with Škoda
The championship is sponsored by Škoda, marking the first time the company has been involved in a sailing event in Türkiye.
The partnership adds a major international brand to an event bringing together elite athletes from across the globe and highlights the growing profile of Formula Wing and wingfoil racing.
