A bold start for Foiling Week 2025
by WeAreFoiling 25 Jun 04:09 NZST
22-29 June 2025
Switch One Design - Foiling Week 2025 © Martina Orsini / WeAreFoiling Media
The twelfth edition of Foiling Week has kicked off with a consistent schedule and strong support from the global foiling community.
The opening phase of racing has already delivered record-breaking numbers: 131 registered athletes in the WASZP class, marking the highest turnout ever at Foiling Week for this class, and 32 boats on the water in the Switch One Design fleet, the largest ever gathered.
After six races, the WASZP leaderboard is led by Spain's Pablo Astiazaran Perez-Cela, followed by Italy's Federico Bergamasco and the UK's Peter Cope. In the 6.9 division, Italy's Olivia Castaldi leads the standings.
In the Switch fleet, after six races, the UK's Finley Dickinson is in first place, followed by Switzerland's Matteo Paulon and Italy's Francesco Bertone Fresia in second and third positions respectively.
Tomorrow marks the start of the ETF catamaran races. On Thursday 26 June, the first BirdyFish World Championship will begin, featuring 11 teams representing six nations. The same day will also see the Moth fleet take to the water, with an exceptionally high level of talent — a strong preview of the World Championship scheduled in July at Fraglia Vela Malcesine.
The second half of the week will feature the Pump and E-foil board program. From Friday at 07:00, a three-day window opens for the possible Downwind Race from Malcesine to Campione.
On Saturday and Sunday, top athletes Noé Cantaloube and Matteo Ceredini from the North International Kite & Foil Team are expected on the water.
The 2025 edition offers the most comprehensive trials programme to date, with nine different types of boats and boards available for testing. BirdyFish is providing both its proven two-person boat (until the start of the Worlds) and its brand-new single-handed version. IODA and NIKKI are designed for younger sailors. More experienced sailors can try the "D", the first foiler in the Devoti Sailing range, and the popular Switch One Design. Also available is the Pegasus by FOIL.ONE, winner of the latest Foiling Award in the production motorboat category. Board lovers can test KETOS FOIL pump models and various FOIL DRIVE options. Participants are advised to check dates, times and availability via the online form.
Visitors will also have the chance to try an AC40 simulator developed by the designers of Emirates Team New Zealand. In parallel, the Foiling Week Cup contest has been launched, open to national teams of four sailors and inspired by the Deed of Gift, the founding document of the America's Cup.
Throughout the week, a dedicated clinic for foiling Race Officers will be held, organised by Foiling Week in collaboration with World Sailing and led by Foiling Week Principal Race Officer Tim Hancock from the UK.
As both Event Sponsor and Technical Partner of the Moth class, Gottifredi Maffioli will present a new, groundbreaking product on the evening of 26 June during the Summer Lightness Party organised together with Dyneema.
As part of the Foiling Week 2025 Social Theme, #regeneration, two initiatives have been organised by Biodesign Foundation. Vox Maris, taking place on 25 and 28 June, is a workshop focused on creating bags from discarded or abandoned fishing nets. On 29 June, after the races, a lakebed cleanup session will be held in front of Fraglia Vela Malcesine in collaboration with Atlas Diving Club.
One week into the event, several guests of the Foiling Sport Congress — taking place on 30 June and 1 July at Fraglia Vela — are already in Malcesine, drawn by the action on the water, the onshore activities, and the networking opportunities provided by the platform developed by The Foiling Organization.
Confirmed attendees include representatives of major international sailing and foiling events, World Sailing and other national federations, professional teams, leading companies and key figures from the foiling world. The event has received official patronage from FIV, the Italian Sailing Federation.
Foiling Week is made possible thanks to the support of:
Comune di Malcesine, Fraglia Vela Malcesine, World Sailing, FIV - Federazione Italiana Vela, Royal Varuna Yacht Club, Gottifredi Maffioli, Slam, Vakaros, Biodesign Foundation, Cariboni, North Sails Group, North Technology Group, Ronstan, Persico Marine, Garmin, Pindar by Manuport Logistics, Birdyfish, Nikki, Devoti Sailing, Ketos, Foil Drive, IODA, Foil One, Onix, Stiegl, Speck Stube, Tinazzi
More information at wearefoiling.com