GWA Wingfoil World Tour Tarifa : summary and results !

The GWA Wingfoil World Cup Tarifa was the penultimate event in this five stop season 2022 of the GWA Wingfoil World Tour. The final round will run at Taiba in Brazil, 16 – 20^th November. 48 men and 15 women registered to participate in the event that delivered a perfect ‘Levante’ wind all the week. Height, amplitude and rotation were on the menu for each heat of this competition with a high level of freestyle, where lean landings were crucial part of the scoring. The riders also demontrated good speed as they entered and exited their tricks, making this GWA Tarifa a great show.

Photo : Samuel Cardenas

Women’s Elimination

We have seen incredible evolution in women’s wingfoiling this season, and this event was no exception. Paula Novotna already has such a lead that she is confirmed now as our 2022 GWA Wingfoil Surf-Freestyle World Champion. However, there is still one final event of the season to go in Taiba, Brazil next month, so the remainder of the women will be working for an opportunity to advance up the ladder in the overall ranking.

Photo : Samuel Cardenas

3^rd 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. 

Photo : Samuel Cardenas

2^nd Place Women: Nia Suardiaz (ESP)

At 15 years ord, Nia Suardiaz exploded onto the wingfoil scene this year, winning her first event in Mondial du Vent, Leucate, France at the start of the GWA Wingfoil World Tour 2022 season. In October she also became the GWA U19 Youth Wingfoil World Champion in both the Surf-Freestyle and Surf-Slalom disciplines. Nia is disappointed not to have been able to force a final showdown for the World Tour title with Paula Novotna at the final round in Brazil, but she is still in second position in the Surf-Slalom slalom discipline, so still has a world title chance as both disciplines will be run at the final event in Taiba. 

Photo : Samuel Cardenas

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.  

Photo : Samuel Cardenas

WOMEN’S FINAL RESULTS: 

1. Paula Novotna (CZE) 
2. Nia Suardiaz (ESP) 
3. Bowien van der Linden (NED) 

Photo : Samuel Cardenas

Men’s Elimination

On the men’s side, it has been amazing here to see so many young riders pushing hard – the results are almost the same as the Youth World Cup – and achieving incredible results alongside the more experienced competitors. One thing is very clear, the sport is evolving at an incredibly fast pace, and become more spectacular to watch with every event.

Photo : Samuel Cardenas

3^rd 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.  

Photo : Samuel Cardenas

2^nd 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, 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. 

Photo : Samuel Cardenas

1^st 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. 

Photo : Samuel Cardenas

MEN’S RESULTS:

1. Xavi Corr (ESP) 
2. Malo Guenole (FRA)
3. Camille Bouyer (FRA) 

Photo : Samuel Cardenas

You can find all the rankings of the GWA World Tour here. / Original report by Gemma Hamaini.

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