GWA Wingfoil World Cup Tarifa 2022 | Event Summary

Saturday 15th October, 2022.
Words: Gemma Hamaini
Photos: Samuel Cardenas

For the final day of competition in Tarifa, we held a prize giving ceremony at Bibo Beach, with perfect weather and a light levante breeze blowing. The event was successfully completed in three days with perfect wind conditions.

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 – 20^th November. 

48 men and 15 women registered to participate in the event that delivered a very promising ‘Levante’ wind forecast. The most successful riders performed their tricks with height and amplitude, demonstrating good speed as they entered and exited their tricks. Clean landings were crucial part of the scoring.

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 Brazil next month, so the remainder of the women will be working for an opportunity to advance up the ladder in our season finale.

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. 

2^nd 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 final 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 Elimination

On the men’s side, it has been amazing here to see so many young riders pushing hard, 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. 

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.  

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, 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. 

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. 

MEN’S RESULTS:

1 Xavi Corr (ESP) 

2 Malo Guenole (FRA)

3 Camille Bouyer (FRA) 

We would like to thank the organizers, athletes, crew and spectators for making this a memorable event once again, and we look forward to returning next season.

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