Spain’s Elena Moreno won her first first wingfoil Wave world title after a banging start with a win over Moona Whyte in Ponta Preta that set her up for the season. Just back on the water after a three-month injury lay-off, Moreno, 31, is looking forward to the 2025 season, but realises the new rules that allow the use of the wing in the wave will be challenging. Yet, from her home in Fuerteventura, the Canaries, she told Ian MacKinnon she doesn’t feel any pressure as she wingfoils for fun and earns her living from her full-time job—as a firefighter.
Ian MacKinnon: Now you’ve had a few months to reflect on winning the world title, how does it feel?
Elena Moreno: I am pretty happy now about that. I know that winging is rising super-fast and we have to see how much. I think this year it’s going to be tough with the new rules.
IM: Did you ever dream that it would be possible to win the world title before the beginning of the season?
EM: Before the start of the season, no. I do this for fun, because sport in general is my passion. So winging came pretty strongly to me. It’s an incredible sport. But I didn’t think about winning the title before Cape Verde. That win made me reflect and want to finish the season because I’m one of the oldest on the tour. Winning in Cape Verde was a good chance to try for the title. Because I know that it’s going to be difficult for sure this year.
IM: Winning against Moona Whyte in the final was a big deal. How did you feel about that?
EM: So, I don’t think about my opponent. I try to focus on doing the best I can do. To push myself. With Moona, I admire her. So for me being on the water with her, alone, in such a good wave, that is what I appreciate most.
‘Almost a family’
IM: What about the conditions in Cape Verde? They were some of the biggest waves ever seen last year and you ended up on the rocks several times. How did you feel about those?
EM: I remember the first competition in Cape Verde, when I got there I was very green. I had been winging only for a year. I went down on the rocks and I was watching it. I was telling all my friends I don’t even see a way of surfing [let alone winging]. Surfing is more my comfort zone. I love big waves and I am used to riding at a rocky spot. But it was pretty difficult to see myself riding on those waves. But little by little you got a bit of confidence.
IM: At 31, getting the world title, has it made a big difference to your your life?
EM: Not at all. I feel the same, but I also want to feel the same. I’m not gonna be a different person for having any title. I do it because it is a passion and I am really enjoying it. I’m gonna still keep doing it as long as I enjoy it. I don’t have a big pressure. I don’t consider my myself a professional winger or sports’ person because I don’t live from winging. I’ve got my my work.
IM: What is your work?
EM: I am firefighter. At the station we work for 24 hours on duty and then we have four days to recover. So, those 24 hours we have to train; to be ready. You have to live with your teammates; with your workmates. It’s almost a family, because you spend 25 percent of your life with your partners. It’s a job that I love and I have still to learn a lot. So it’s definitely my passion.
‘Can’t think selfishly’
IM: So, let’s go back to the new rules for the Wave discipline. From this year riders will be allowed to use the power of the wing in each scoring wave, opening up big possibilities. How do you feel about that?
EM: Selfishly, I think to myself it’s going to be pretty hard because all the younger girls are doing Back-flips and stuff. They’re doing lots of tricks that today I cannot do. But we cannot think selfishly. This sport is really a passion for me. This is going to push the limit of everything. There are going to be tricks that we can’t even imagine now. It’s going push the level, and we all have to come out of our comfort zone.
IM: Many of the youngsters, their background is freestyle first and foremost. So, it plays to their strengths?
EM: I mean the girls, they are young and they’re doing an incredible job. I consider them professionals, not me. I just do a few stops and do it because I am a passionate about. But they really are professionals. So, I think for them, for their careers, it pushes the limit of winging in general. It’s going to be fantastic to see what, or where, we can get to.
images: Svetlana Romantsova / Lukas K Stiller / Chris Besson / Zakaria Taberkant
