A new generation steps up at the 2026 GWA Wingfoil World Cup Mondial du Vent
by Wingfoil World Tour 28 Apr 05:18 NZST
21-26 April 2026
The GWA returned to Leucate, France for the 29th edition of the Mondial du Vent — the opening Surf-Freestyle stop of the 2026 season.
A total of 24 men and 20 women representing 12 nationalities registered for this iconic season opener, all eager to showcase their progression after an off-season of training and set the tone for the battles ahead in 2026.
Last season saw newcomer Benjamin Castenskiold claim the overall crown alongside Marie Schlittenbauer, who unfortunately had to sit out the first stop as she continues her recovery from injury. Also absent from Leucate were Mar de Arce, Aleksander Acherer, and Ancor Sosa, each still on the road to recovery.
Widely recognised as France's longest-standing watersports event, the Mondial du Vent faced a challenging wind and weather forecast this year. In response, the sports crew made the tough call to shorten the competition ladder by cutting the seeding rounds — starting the men's competition from Round 4 and the women's from Round 3. This streamlined format helped conserve valuable time and gave the event a stronger chance of reaching a complete result.
The Surf-Freestyle action finally kicked off on day three of the Mondial du Vent, taking advantage of the week's most promising wind window. Men's Round 4 opened proceedings, with the top two riders from each heat advancing to Round 5, while the bottom two were eliminated from the competition.
The major upsets came thick and fast from the very start — and at the first event of the season, that's exactly what makes it so unpredictable. One of the freestyle frontrunners, Malo Guenole, was eliminated in Round 5 after Nathan Berger and Tom Acherer surged ahead with standout scores. Several other top names also bowed out at the same stage, including Axel Gerard, Bastien Escofet, and reigning World Champion Benjamin Castenskiold, who struggled to find his usual rhythm in the lighter wind conditions.
Final day of action
The final day of the Mondial du Vent began before sunrise, with crew and riders heading out early to make the most of a light Tramontana. Men's Round 5 kicked off at 7am — and the drama started from the very first heat. Freestyle frontrunner Chris MacDonald missed three trick attempts during his heat and did not land his normal higher-scoring tricks, costing him his shot at a final spot. Charlie Loch, continuing his impressive comeback from last year's injury, pushed hard but couldn't quite lock down his place either. Instead, it was the young guns Luca Vuillermet and Nathan Berger who powered through to the final, the first one for both riders.
The second semi-final was every bit as intense, with all four athletes locked neck and neck right down to the final trick. Rocco Makana edged ahead to seal his place in the final with 24.60 points, closely followed by Tomas Acherer. Noe Cuyala missed out by just a fraction of a point, with Sacha Pallier rounding out the heat just behind him.
The finals hit the water at 8am, with the wind still holding but the pressure mounting to wrap up the competition before conditions deteriorated. From the opening seconds, Tomas Acherer and Rocco Makana broke away to establish a clear lead, while Vuillermet and Berger struggled to land their signature high-scoring tricks. By the midway mark, Vuillermet had begun clawing back momentum and closing in on the leaders — but his decision to switch to a smaller wing mid-heat backfired as the wind dropped slightly soon after. Berger, meanwhile, couldn't find his rhythm either, crashing on five of his trick attempts.
Acherer, on the other hand, was on fire. Completely unfazed by the lighter conditions, he posted a stunning 26.63 — the highest heat score of the entire event — to claim victory at the first Surf-Freestyle stop of the 2026 season. Rocco Makana sealed second place for his first-ever podium, with Luca Vuillermet rounding out the top three in what was also a debut podium finish.
Final Men's Results:
1st - Tom Acherer
2nd - Rocco Makana
3rd - Luca Vuillermet
4th - Nathan Berger
Female battles in Leucate
With the wind holding steady, attention turned to the women's division, which got under way from Round 2. A standout early performance came from Ava Segersten, who landed every one of her trick attempts on her Surf-Freestyle debut to post the highest overall score of the round. Another newcomer to the World Tour, Sofia Ginzinger — fresh from the Junior World Championships — also set the bar high straight from her opening heat.
By 10.30am the women's semi-finals were under way, with some exciting new names in the mix. Ava Segersten was clearly determined to make her mark at this event, storming into the semis with another standout performance — capped by an impressive 9.17-point Front Flip to close her heat. With that, she sealed her spot in her first-ever Surf-Freestyle final, joined by Sofia Ginzinger. Allegra Caffi and Leonie Tröndl pushed hard but fell just short of the top two.
The second semi-final saw Nia Suardiaz in fine form, landing a solid array of tricks to ride confidently through to the final, with Manon Dupé close behind her. Kylie Belloeuvre put together a strong heat but couldn't quite break into the top two, while Zara Maillard unfortunately crashed her final trick attempts and was unable to advance.
The women's final brought together a fascinating mix — two experienced GWA athletes in Nia Suardiaz and Manon Dupé, set against two complete newcomers to the World Tour, Ava Segersten and Sofia Ginzinger. Nia wasted no time asserting herself, bringing her A-game from the very first trick. By the midway point she had built a commanding lead, and even after crashing her final three attempts in the dropping wind, the win was already hers. Ava Segersten followed up her dream debut with second place after an outstanding performance throughout the day. Third went to 12-year-old Sofia Ginzinger — the youngest female competitor in the event — with Manon Dupé rounding out in fourth.
Final Women's Results:
1st - Nia Suardiaz
2nd - Ava Segersten
3rd - Sofia Ginzinger
4th - Manon Dupé
This first stop has offered a true glimpse of what's to come in the Surf-Freestyle discipline this season — a wave of hungry newcomers, fearless performances, and a level of riding that's growing at an exponential rate.