TV News Advisory: New Stars and Old Rivals Set Up for Battle on the Aegean Sea

TV News Advisory: New Stars and Old Rivals Set Up for Battle on the Aegean Sea

The 2025 Dogus Marine Services Formula Wing European Championships will host a stacked fleet of the world’s top female and male wingfoil racers who have all been spending the spring months tuning their hydrofoils and wings for the racing in Urla, Türkiye. The bar will certainly be raised this season and the latest equipment will be put to the test as old rivalries clash with hottest rookie foilers.

Doors Open in Women’s Fleet
With the absence of Spain’s reigning World Cup champion Nia Suardiaz, the door is wide open on this azure offshoot of the Aegean Sea for new riders to claim the top of the podium. Though fellow Spaniard Iset Segura spent 2024 chipping away at the top three with some of the fastest recorded speeds, it is the young Italian Maddalena Spanu and her mastery of course strategy who has set herself up as Suardiaz’s heir apparent. She won March’s Wingfoil Racing World Cup Morocco where Suardiaz was absent. Morocco was also a proving ground for riders climbing the ranks including Greece’s Emilia Kosti who was second and Anais Maii Desjardin of France who was third. The pair should be pushing Spanu hard throughout the championship.

Though the male riders have been quicker to adopt some of the latest equipment trends, 2025 looks to be a leveling-up year for the women as more of the riders use the highly technical double-profile wings and start matching the men with their foil tuning and advancements.

Log Jam Atop Men’s Fleet
There’s no denying it, every day at this championship will see a battle between Kamil Manowiecki of Poland and Frenchman Mathis Ghio. Though Ghio has mostly gotten the better of his rival, Manowecki has used his Olympic windsurf team ethos to methodically take wins off the hyper-quick Ghio. Relentless and less emotional, the Pole will be looking to break the stalemate at this championship.

Despite the log jam at the top of the men’s fleet, it’s a fact that any rider in the top ten can surely win the European Championship. Julien Rattotti of France and Italian Francesco Cappuzzo have both won championships. And even sharp Frenchman Oscar Leclair who has been frustrated after poor performances in Türkiye will be back and is considered by his competitors to be one of the fastest wingfoilers on the planet.

Host Venue – Urla and the Pro Sailing Academy
Nestled close to Izmir, Urla is a scenic coastal town renowned for its ideal wingfoiling conditions, offering consistent winds and open waters. The Fenerbahçe Sports Club, in partnership with the Pro Sailing Academy, is hosting this prestigious event at its top-tier facilities. The academy, recognized as a hub for high-performance sailing training, has cultivated a strong reputation for preparing elite athletes. With world-class infrastructure and a commitment to excellence, the venue sets the stage for an unforgettable championship.

A growing tourist destination, and influenced by watersports athletes who care deeply about their environment, the region has worked hard to clean up floating trash that gets blown into this corner of the Agean Sea with dredgers.

Anticipation builds for what promises to be a high-stakes competition. Who will rise, who will falter, and who will carve their name into history? The answers will unfold in Urla, Türkiye, from May 20 to 24, 2025.

Results will be updated live, racing will be tracked and the final days will be live streamed on FaceBook and YouTube.

MORE INFO AND FULL RESULTS

NEXT EVENTS
World Cup Switzerland
10 - 14 June 2025
Silvaplana [SUI]

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World Cup Turkiye
13 - 17 August 2025
Istanbul [TUR]

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Text Credits: IWSA Media
Photo Credits: IWSA Media/Robert Hajduk
Video Credits: IWSA Media/Robert Hajduk