The top tricks from the Gran Canaria Wingfoil World Cup

Viola Lippitsch - Day 01- GWA Wingfoil World Cup Gran Canaria © Lukas K Stiller

The Surf-Freestyle wingfoil discipline is one of the most spectacular in watersports, blending a hydrofoil board - a submerged fin with wings that lifts the rider above the water - with a handheld inflatable wing to harness the wind.

Unlike windsurfing or kitesurfing, there's no mast or fixed lines, giving riders the freedom to launch jumps and spins from any position.

Surf-Freestyle showcases the sport at its most daring, with aerial manoeuvres, multi-axis rotations, lightning-fast direction changes and pinpoint landings - a discipline demanding strength, body control, refined technique and a flair for creativity.

At the 2025 GWA Wingfoil World Cup in El Burrero, Ingenio, the most crowd-pleasing and highly scored moves included backflips (backward somersaults), frontflips (forward somersaults) and 360 Shiftys, which require wing and board to twist in opposite directions mid-air. Riders also pulled off advanced tricks such as the backmobe - a reverse rotation paired with a mid-air handle pass - and the intricate palau, a multi-rotation sequence requiring absolute control of the wing from take-off to landing.

While Denmark's Benjamin Castenskiold claimed the Surf-Freestyle world title, it was France's Axel Gerard who stole the technical spotlight, earning a perfect 10 from every judge for a towering double frontflip. Castenskiold's consistency, however, sealed his crown, with each of his three scoring runs marked by rock-solid landings.

In the women's division, Germany's Marie Schlittenbauer emerged as the new world champion and current world number one. In the final, she earned her highest score of the day - an 8 - for a dramatic frontflip off the wave's lip. Her game plan was clear: secure three high-value waves before risking a rare double palau, which she ultimately failed to land.

Austria's Viola Lippitsch also turned heads with a frontside 360 palau, earning strong marks to claim third place behind Tarifa-born, Gran Canaria-based Mar de Arce.

Spanish strength in surf-freestyle

Spain's Mar de Arce and Nía Suardíaz currently hold second and third place in the world rankings for Surf-Freestyle. In Gran Canaria, De Arce impressed with her adaptability and creativity, particularly when throwing palaus and backflips into her runs. Suardíaz, meanwhile, is known for her explosive yet fluid style, delivering technically precise and cleanly landed tricks such as backflips with standout execution.

Moves performed with maximum height, flow and control typically earn the judges' top marks, with scores reflecting not just technical difficulty but also innovation and personal style. Some riders are now pushing the boundaries further by linking two or three tricks into a single aerial sequence. The technical standard has risen sharply in recent seasons, with new variations adding even more spectacle to each event.

The Gran Canaria GWA Wingfoil World Cup 2025 was organised by Club Deportivo Canakite Experiences, Club Náutico El Burrero and the Ayuntamiento de Ingenio, with sponsorship from the tourism and sports departments of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria and the Canary Islands Government, alongside partners including the Real Federación Canaria de Vela and Ahembo's 7UP brand.