Suardiaz and MacDonald Dominate Surf-Freestyle Division in Leucate

The world’s top wingfoilers descended on Leucate, France, ready to battle it out at the iconic Mondial du Vent—a long-standing event that brings together Wingfoiling, Windsurfing, Foiling, and a full lineup of beachside activities for the public on La Franqui beach.

The action kicked off immediately as the powerful Tramontana winds swept in, setting the stage for an intense opening to the competition. Rounds 1 and 2 featured a wave of fresh talent, all eager to make their mark and advance through the early stages.

GWA Wingfoil World Cup France
16-21 April, 2025 | Mondial du Vent, Leucate-La Franqui

Women’s Division – Surf-Freestyle at Mondial du Vent 2025

The women’s division at this event featured a full fleet of 20 athletes, showcasing not only the depth of talent but also the growing popularity of wingfoiling among female riders. Many young newcomers stepped up to the international stage, proving that the sport is gaining strong momentum within the female community.

Round 3 delivered standout performances from several top contenders. Kylie Belloeuvre, a proven talent in both FreeFly-Slalom and Surf-Freestyle disciplines, secured a solid heat score of 13.40. Mar de Arce impressed with an equally strong 14.33, but it was Nia Suardiaz who stole the spotlight. She landed a clean toeside Palau scoring 8.05 points, contributing to an impressive overall heat score of 17.42—the highest of the round.

The semi-finals took place late in the day, with winds blowing around 25 knots—ideal conditions for high-performance action.

Semi-Final 1 brought together Viola Lippitsch, Zara Maillard, Kylie Belloeuvre, and Mar de Arce, all vying for just two spots in the final. Each athlete had seven trick attempts, with their top three scores counting. Despite a slow start with two crashes, Viola Lippitsch recovered well with strong final trick attempts and secured her place in the final. Mar de Arce maintained consistency throughout, earning a heat score of 15.70 and advancing alongside Lippitsch.

Final female showdown

Semi-Final 2 featured Manon Dupe, Sofia Marchetti, Bowien van der Linden, and Nia Suardiaz. Dupe, a rising star with strong performances earlier in the event, struggled to land the tricks she needed. Marchetti, coming off a successful 2024 season, showed she’s a serious contender once again. With three solid scores on the board, she edged out Bowien van der Linden by the narrowest of margins. Meanwhile, Nia Suardiaz remained untouchable from start to finish, confidently securing her spot in the final alongside Marchetti.

The Final Showdown took place in front of an enthusiastic crowd on La Franqui beach, with the first Surf-Freestyle final of the 2025 season bringing together Viola Lippitsch, Sofia Marchetti, Mar de Arce, and Nia Suardiaz. The heat was tight through the first half, with all four athletes separated by just a few points. While Nia held a slight lead, the others were right on her heels.

Despite a few crashes, Nia Suardiaz found her rhythm and extended her lead, claiming her third consecutive victory at the Mondial du Vent. Mar de Arce secured second place with a strong overall performance, though she was left wanting more after missing a few of her bigger tricks. Sofia Marchetti rounded out the podium in third—an excellent start to her season—while Viola Lippitsch finished in fourth after an impressive showing throughout the event.

“I’m so happy to take the win here Leucate once again, what a great way to start the season,”said Suardiaz. “I haven’t been training that much freestyle so I’m really happy that I could still land my tracks. The level of the women is so good right now.”

Surf-Freestyle Women’s Results:

1st – Nia Suardiaz (ESP)

2nd – Mar de Arce (ESP)

3rd – Sofia Marchetti (ITA)

4th – Viola Lippitsch (AUT)

Men’s division

Round 3 raised the bar, as the level of riding reached new heights. Standout performances came from Benjamin Castenskiold, Tomas Acherer, Malo Guénolé, Xavi Corr, Axel Gerard, Luka Vuillermet, Chris MacDonald, and Aleks Acherer—all of whom won their heats and advanced directly to Round 5. The rest were left to battle it out in Round 4. Current World Champion Chris MacDonald delivered one of the most explosive tricks of the event—a Frontflip to Frontside 7 combo that scored a massive 9 points.

One of the biggest highlights of Round 4 came from rising French star Clément Hamon, who was absolutely on fire. He landed two tricks in the 9-point range, including a double Palau and a Backflip to Backside 3, racking up an incredible heat score of 26.7 points—the highest of the day.

The intensity ramped up in the Quarter Finals, as the pressure to advance reached new heights. Thirteen-year-old Benjamin Castenskiold, one of the youngest competitors on tour, impressed with multiple tricks in the 8-point range, securing his place in the Semi Finals. Tomas Acherer joined him, topping their heat with three strong scores.

Despite a strong start to the competition, Clément Hamon couldn’t find his rhythm in the Quarter Finals. While he did land a spectacular 9.17-point Palau Backloop, his remaining scores weren’t enough to carry him through. This opened the door for Aleks Acherer and Axel Gerard, who capitalized on the opportunity and advanced to the next round.

Bastien Escofet and Xavi Corr also earned their spots in the Semis, while crowd favorite Malo Guénolé made an unexpected early exit. The final two to progress were Chris MacDonald and Luka Vuillermet, who outperformed Nathan Berger and Ezio Bastianelli in a tight Quarter Final heat.

Freestyle fiasco

The Semi Finals delivered pure adrenaline, with the Tramontana wind gusting over 40 knots. Semi Final 1 brought an exciting matchup between the Acherer twins, Xavi Corr, and Luca Vuillermet. The Austrian brothers went trick-for-trick, each locking down a spot in the final with razor-thin margins. Aleks sealed his win with a massive 9.3-point combo of Palau to Frontflip. Corr and Vuillermet were eliminated.

In Semi Final 2, Axel Gerard and Bastien Escofet bowed out as Chris MacDonald and Benjamin Castenskiold delivered flawless runs, earning their place in the final with calculated precision and consistent execution.

The Final was a high-stakes showdown featuring defending World Champion Chris MacDonald, Tom and Aleks Acherer, and first-time finalist Benjamin Castenskiold. The Acherer twins remained neck and neck in points, pushing each other with every attempt. Benjamin opened strong but struggled to maintain momentum, crashing his final five tricks and finishing in 4th place.

Chris MacDonald faced fierce pressure from the twins but rose to the occasion, landing a jaw-dropping 9.85-point Palau to Frontside 7—one of the highest-scoring tricks of the event. That secured his victory at the season’s first Surf-Freestyle event and reaffirmed his dominance on the world stage.

“I’m stoked to wind this first event of the season,” said MacDonald. “I landed all my best tricks. It’s great to ride in the final with these guys, the level was really crazy. Now I’m ready to defend my title for this season.”

Surf-Freestyle Men’s Results:

1st – Chris MacDonald (USA)

2nd – Tom Acherer (AUT)

3rd – Aleks Acherer (AUT)

4th – Benjamin Castenskiold (DEN)

words: Gemma Hamaini
images: Lukas K Stiller

Event Information

• Location: Leucate, France
• Dates: 16-21 April, 2025
• The official Race Notice and event schedule can be found here.
• All event information is here.

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