Second stop of race for Surf-Freestyle crowns set to kick off in Tarifa with contests wide open
GWA Wingfoil World Cup Tarifa 2026
24-27 June, 2026 | Valdevaqueros
The second stop of the GWA Wingfoil World Tour in the Surf-Freestyle discipline is set to kick off in the iconic setting of Tarifa, Spain, with the title races wide open and all to play for.
Reigning GWA Surf-Freestyle World Champions, Denmark’s Benjamin Castenskiold and Germany’s Marie Schlittenbauer, are back in the pack after the opening stop and will be eager to get their campaigns on track at the Tarifa Wing Pro.
The young Dane, Castenskiold, still just 14, struggled to find his groove in the unusually light winds during the opening stop at Mondial du Vent, at Leucate, France, in April. He finished in ninth overall and has work to do in Spain if he is to retain his crown.
Schlittenbauer, 16, was forced to miss the opening call in Leucate as she was recovering from surgery. But she will return in Spain, one of four of the season’s remaining stops, giving her the chance to discard the score she missed in France.
Order shaken up
A full line-up of 28 men, from 12 countries, will take to the water in Tarifa, which is usually graced by westerly Poniente breezes or cranking easterly Levante wind. The women’s fleet will be 17-strong, coming from eight countries.
But the results from Mondial du Vent have already shaken up the order this season. Former Surf-Freestyle World Champions, the US’s Chris MacDonald, and Malo Guénolé, of France, were both out early, hurting their ranking points for the season.
A crop of up-and-coming new names profited from the stumbles of the Old Guard in France. The final saw Austria’s Tomas Acherer take the win, ahead of twin-brother Aleksander, who will be out for much of the season recovering from injury.
But Italy’s Rocco Makana took the second podium step in a breakout moment for him, while the US’s Luca Vuillermet and Spain’s Nathan Berger boosted their standings with third and fourth place finishes.
More predictable
The women’s line-up was more predictable. Multiple World Champion, Spain’s Nia Suardiaz put herself back at the top of the rankings with a dominant performance at Mondial du Vent.
One of her key rivals, countrywoman Mar de Arce, will again be out with injury. But the US’s Ava Sergersten and Spain’s Sofia Ginzinger were another pair who moved up the rankings with breakthrough performances, when they finished second and third at the first stop.
More established riders like Switzerland’s Zara Maillard and Austria’s Viola Lippitsch will be hoping to get their campaigns back on track in the likely stronger winds of Tarifa. Join us here for all the action.
words: Ian MacKinnon
images: Samuel Cárdenas
Event information
- Location: Valdevaqueros
- Dates: 24—27 June, 2026
- All event information here.
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