Remarkable performances from leading wingfoilers in Morocco’s challenging conditions
GWA Wingfoil World Cup Dakhla 2024 powered by Armstrong Foils
29 Sept—06 Oct, 2024 | Oum Lamboiur, Dakhla
The Moroccan point-break at Oum Lamboiur again challenged the athletes at the GWA Wingfoil World Tour stop in Dakhla, with the small waves and patchy breezes making for difficult heats.
But on day two of the GWA Wingfoil World Cup Dakhla Powered by Armstrong Foils, the leading riders demonstrated their ability to pick waves and work the swells on offer to the full.
Tour leader, France’s Malo Guénolé, winner of the opening stop in Cape Verde’s huge swells in February, showed his versatility as he crushed the smaller waves. Britain’s Francesca Maini is new to the wingfoil Wave tour, but scored the highest heat total in the women’s contest.
The second day of the competition at the Oum Lamboiur spot at Dakhla’s Westpoint Hotel saw the 24 men and 11 women from 12 nations around the world close out the men’s Round 1, while the women reached their semi-finals.
Multiple SUP world champion, France’s Benoit Carpentier, got the measure of the small waves early on and cruised to victory in the opening heat. The Frenchman eased past the first Japanese rider on the tour, Kapono Fukuda, though he lives to fight again.
‘Dakhla feels amazing’
France’s Hugo Marin, runner-up in last year’s Wave world championship, was looking forward to another outing in Dakhla, where he won three years ago.
“It’s super-nice to have a long wave where you can perform all sorts of manoeuvres,” he said, ahead of his first heat. “Yes, I won here three years ago, but I’m not sure if the riders are all the same level now, which makes it even more difficult to get a result here. Even though I’m a backside rider here in Dakhla, it’s always amazing.”
Marin lost out in the heat to the Canadian, Jeffrey Spencer, and the windsurf wave rider, Baptiste Cloarec (FRA). But Marin and Cloarec will get another chance to progress in the second round.
Spencer told how much he had enjoyed his warm-up session on his Dakhla debut. “It was a quick warm-up session before the comp, just to feel out some foils,” he said. “[The conditions] are small, obviously, but it’s long and you can make loads of turns, so it’s good to get out there.”
The US’s Otis Buckingham was in strong form when he got the better of the teenaged Corsican Noé Cuyala (FRA) and his compatriot, the big wave surfer, Clément Roseyro.
Struggled in the conditions
Malo Guénolé was returning from injury after dislocating his shoulder in a Surf-Freestyle competition in the summer. But he showed no hint of any after affects when he racked up the day’s highest wave score—9.0—that helped him easily win his heat.
“I injured myself in mid-July in Fuerte during the comp,” said Guénolé. “I dislocated my shoulder, but we worked out a lot for it and now I feel 100 percent. I’m ranked number one for this event so I’m feeling pretty confident, but a little bit nervous, as usual. I’m ready to send it, though.”
In the women’s competition Spain’s Mar de Arce had a strong opening heat to progress, but came up against Bowien van der Linden (NED). The Spaniard gave Van der Linden a run for her money, but the former world champion found a strong wave near the buzzer and won the heat.
Tour leader, Elena Moreno (ESP), seemed to struggle in the smaller conditions but did enough to eke out the win and advance to the semi-finals. Francesca Maini will join her in another semi-final after the young Briton slayed a couple of waves in her heat.
The only wingfoil discipline title to elude Spain’s Nia Suardiaz, 17, is the Wave world championship. Now she will meet Moreno in the semi-final where a win could give the young Spaniard a leg up in her quest.
The stage is set for further wingfoil battles, with better swells and more breeze forecast for the coming days. Be sure to join us.
words: Ian MacKinnon
images: Zakaria Taberkant
Event information
- Location: Oum Lamboiur, Dakhla
- Dates: 29 September—06 October, 2024
- All event information here.
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Spot Info: Dakhla, Oum Lamboiur
Dakhla Oum Lamboiur set at the point where the Westpoint hotel is situated. The town sits on the edge of the Sahara desert. North-westerly swells wrap around the point producing a long right-handed break with hollow sections that run into the sandy bay. The northerly breezes can be tricky under the point, but punchy and strong on the inside towards the beach. Westpoint is on the end of a long promontory at the head of Dakhla’s shallow, flatwater lagoon, which gets breezes of 20 to 30 knots nearly all year round
Weather
Dakhla at the end of September/early October has a dry climate. The air temperature during day can be between 24°C the highest temperatures and lowest of 18°C. The water temperature of the sea is around 20°C, so bringing a wetsuit is recommended. Sunrise is approximately 08.00 and sunset is 20.00.
Wind
North winds blow side offshore at Westpoint with 15 to 25 knots.
