Trend sport foiling: Breathtaking races in the indoor pool
24.1.2025
Translation: machine translated
World première: Indoor World Cup races in pump foiling and wing foiling were held for the first time at the international boat show in Düsseldorf. The sporting level, the international field of participants and the enthusiasm of the audience show how strongly the young foil sport has already developed.
Two World Cup contests were held at the boat and water sports trade fair "Boot" in Düsseldorf: indoor pump foiling and indoor wing foiling. Both water sports traditionally take place outdoors. Wingfoiling with a wind-powered wing on the sea or on windy lakes, pumpfoiling on rather calm waters.
International field of participants with the stars of the scene
24 athletes were invited to the debut of the indoor championships on the first weekend of the event, including participants from Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, the USA, New Caledonia and French Polynesia. The youngest participant was 14 years old, the two oldest in their 30s.
Watching the stars of the foil scene live in a 60 x 20 metre pool was a highlight for the trade fair audience. A total of around 1,500 spectators watched the action from the edge of the pool over the three days of the competition. They cheered on and cheered at the spectacular manoeuvres in the elimination races. Some of the finishes were so close that the photo finish had to decide.
The demanding course with narrow buoys and shallow water depth presented the athletes with very special challenges. In addition to top sporting performances, there were also some crashes - especially when foilers took full risk to get the last fractions of a second out of their performance.
Carving and sprinting with leg power and balance
In pump carving, the aim was to complete several laps on a tight slalom course. The drive comes solely from their own muscle power, the rhythmic up and down movement of their legs. After the preliminary heats were limited to two laps around the buoys, the aim in the final was to complete three laps as quickly and technically cleanly as possible.
Source: Daniel Pankoke
While some athletes found the course very strenuous, Swiss rider Balz Müller, one of the pioneers of foil racing, was delighted with the extra challenge: "It's such a great playground here and the atmosphere is fantastic, we could do six laps for all I care."
Staying on the foil in shallow water while building up speed required skills and physical fitness at the highest level. Not only that: "The mental strain is extreme," said Balz, who has already won several World Cup races and titles. "One small mistake and you're out."
Swiss woman wins the first indoor pump track World Cup
Switzerland's Sarah Spalinger won the women's race after three runs against Austria's Viola Lippitsch. When she started foiling three years ago, the doctor from Zurich would never have dreamed that she would ever take part in a World Cup race and also win, she said in an interview after the race.
Source: Siri Schubert
In the men's event, the German Benjamin May won the first ever World Cup title in indoor pump foiling. He prevailed over Titouan Galea from New Caledonia. "It was a brilliant race, the slalom course was perfect and everything was right for me," he said. "And then to win in front of a home crowd that was so into it was something very special."
Source: Siri Schubert
Wind turbines provide pressure in the wings
The pump-foil races were followed by the wing-foiling competitions. To gain speed, the athletes were pulled the first few metres onto the course with a wakeboard lift. Then 84 wind turbines pressurised the wings so that they could float over the water on the foil.
Source: Siri Schubert
Nia Suarez from Spain won the women's event. "Racing in a pool was absolutely new and exciting," commented the young woman, who secured the world titles in Big Air, Surf Freestyle and Freefly Slalom from the Global Wingsports Association (GWA) last year. "The energy, the atmosphere and the challenges of an indoor course make this contest unforgettable," she says.
In the men's competition, 16-year-old French rider Axel Gerad won the final just ahead of Balz Müller. Balz had been in the lead until the last run, but Axel Gerad secured the Indoor Wingfoil World Cup title and 5000 euros in prize money in an impressive finish over the last few metres.
Source: Siri Schubert
Debut of the new Surf Foil World Tour and start of the GWA season
The Indoor Wingfoil Gold Cup race was the kick-off of the GWA Wingfoil World Tour. The indoor pumpfoil championship was the first contest of the newly founded Surf Foil World Tour (SFT). The SFT combines five disciplines: Downwind Foil, Surf Foil, Wake Foil, Pump Foil and E-Foil, i.e. the non-wind-powered foil sports. "Interest in the disciplines is growing and we want to set up something of our own here," said Tour Manager Tom Hartmann.
Further competitions, albeit outdoors, are planned in the USA, France and the Cape Verde Islands. "The aim is to give these sports the attention they deserve," said Tom Hartmann. In this respect, the debut at the world's largest boat and water sports fair has already reached a milestone with the enthusiastic audience.
Header image: Siri Schubert
Siri Schubert
Senior Editor
Siri.Schubert@digitecgalaxus.chResearch diver, outdoor guide and SUP instructor – I love being in, on and around water. Lakes, rivers and the ocean are my playgrounds. For a change of perspective, I look at the world from above while trail running or flying drones.
