2026 Wingfoil Racing World Cup Calabria - Overall
by Alec Wilkinson 13 Jul 12:18 BST
Alessandro Tomasi and Vaina Picot were crowned champions at the Wingfoil Racing World Cup in Calabria after mastering a dramatic final day in which they were challenged by the weather as well as their rivals.
Cloud cover and intense heat smothered the usually dependable thermal breeze in Gizzeria, forcing organisers to abandon the earlier rounds of the Medal Series. With only around 10 knots of wind eventually arriving, the competition was condensed into semi-finals and winner-takes-all finals to decide the fourth World Cup event of the season.
For Tomasi, it was the perfect conclusion to an outstanding week. The Italian had qualified directly for the men's final alongside New Zealand's Sean Herbert, meaning each required just a single race victory to secure the overall title.
Tomasi's decisive surge
Five riders contested the men's semi-final, with Italians Francesco Cappuzzo, Gregorio Pugliese and Tomasi facing defending World Cup champion Mathis Ghio and fellow Frenchman Thomas Proust for the two remaining places.
Cappuzzo made the strongest start, but by the first leeward gate Ghio and Proust had established control. Cappuzzo fought back impressively, overtaking Proust on the second upwind leg to secure qualification alongside Ghio, who crossed the finish line first. Proust felt aggrieved by the Italian's overtaking manoeuvre but the race officers judged it to have been fair.
The final quickly developed into another tactical contest. Ghio and Herbert opted for the beach side of the course from the start, searching for the stronger breeze that had often paid dividends during the week. Yet when the fleet converged at the first mark it was Tomasi and Cappuzzo who held the advantage.
Ghio split away once more on the second lap and briefly regained the lead after finding better pressure near the shoreline. It proved only a temporary advantage.
Tomasi had demonstrated throughout the regatta that few riders could match his pumping efficiency in light conditions and the Italian steadily reeled in the Frenchman before powering past to take a the victory and with it the event title.
"I always knew pumping and a good start would be key," said a beaming Tomasi to media waiting ashore. "It has been such a good week for me in conditions I love."
Looking ahead to next month's Formula Kite World Championships in Istanbul, where he is the defending champion, he added: "I won the World Cup there last year, on the same waters where we're having the Worlds in August so let's hope I can win in Turkey again."
Picot completes dominant week
The women's competition followed a similar pattern, with five riders contesting the semi-final after the earlier Medal Series rounds were cancelled.
Italy's Charlotte Baruzzi led initially after an encouraging start, but Spain's Iset Segura found more speed on the second beat to move ahead and book her place in the final alongside Baruzzi.
They joined top qualifier Vaina Picot and defending World Cup champion Maddalena Spanu in the decisive race.
Picot, who had narrowly missed victory behind Spanu at the previous World Cup in Switzerland, left no doubt this time. The 16-year-old French rider accelerated clear from the start and already held a commanding lead by the first mark.
Behind her, Segura and Spanu fought briefly for second place, with the Italian prevailing, but neither could threaten Picot, who completed one of the most commanding performances of the week.
"I'm so happy," Picot said. "I loved the light conditions. I was so stressed before the final. Now I'm going to have a holiday in Guadeloupe, where I'm from, and then come back rested for the Formula Kite Worlds in Turkey."
The Wingfoil Racing World Cup will head to Sardinia in September, where the battle for the 2026 season titles resumes.