Returning Champions Hold Nerve

Heart stopping, blast reaching finishes were the day’s defining moments in the Grand Finals of the 2025 Formula Wing European Championships as repeat champions were crowned.

A week punctuated by finicky winds and critical lead changes ended in 20-plus knot, oscillating offshore winds with a hardened group of 10 medal series finalists in both the women’s and men’s fleet, all hungry to make it to the podium.

Golden Wings
With the qualifiers producing the top nine men and women for Saturday’s Medal Series, the day began with the prized Golden Ticket race for the final spots. The remaining women’s and men’s fleet raced together in a single winner-takes-all long-distance race.


© IWSA media/Robert Hajduk: Charlotte Baruzzi [ITA] battled through the all-fleet long-distance race to snatch her Golden Ticket into the medal series

It was France’s Romain Ghio and Italian Charlotte Baruzzi who snatched the Golden Ticket and the last places in the men’s and women’s medal series.

The French Hammer
Mathis Ghio of France and Poland’s Kamil Manowiecki, first and second in the qualifiers, were into the first-to-three wins Grand Final, the Frenchman with two bonus wins for dominating the qualifiers and Manowiecki with one bonus win.


© IWSA media/ Robert Hajduk: Francesco Cappuzzo [ITA] feels the love after grinding his way up to the podium

The man of the match in the medal series was Italy’s Francesco Cappuzzo who had the longest path to the grand final. The two-time European champion ground his way up from the repechage, taking names and winning races.

The men’s grand final was one for the ages. Manowiecki blazed inches ahead of Ghio with an ultra-tight port tack start. The Pole had a confident upright posture and held the lead around most of the course until Ghio pounced.


© IWSA media/ Robert Hajduk: On top for much of the championship, Mathis Ghio [FRA] claimed another title in a dramatic pass on there final leg

High on the last layline to the final mark, Ghio hammered over the top of Cappuzzo and rounded the last mark scratching at Manowiecki. Legs straining and inches away, the Frenchman dusted Manowiecki with his foil spray and launched an adrenaline-fueled 10-foot air over the line to win yet another title.

“The big difference was the layline. It’s one of the easiest, but at the same time it’s the worst mistake to make in the final,” said a drenched and relieved Ghio. “I was using the small wing, and it wasn’t the case all week long. It was just about pushing it for the last reach to claim the win.”


© IWSA media/ Robert Hajduk: France, Poland and Italy represented on the men’s championship podium

Manowiecki won the silver while Cappuzzo clinched a well-earned bronze. Italy’s Ernesto De Amicis, winner of the under 19 group, had his moments of brilliance leading the fleet earlier in the week and was fourth overall, making a powerful statement for the youth contingent in the championship.

Match Point Down to the Wire
The women’s medal series was no less dramatic than the men’s. Emilia Kosti of Greece and Maddalena Spanu of Italy had a slow start to the event as Italy’s Marta Monge was dominant until halfway through the qualifiers.

The Greek and Italian wound up each winning a day with nearly straight bullets and dominant starts heading into Saturday’s medal series.


© IWSA media/ Robert Hajduk: Maddalena Spanu [ITA] goes full-send at the finish after holding off Emilia Kosti’s [GRE] last charge

The early rounds saw Iset Segura of Spain following Cappuzzo’s lead, making it all the way to the finals from the quarter finals with crashes and comebacks.

Kosti had two bonus wins heading into the grand final and a win in the first race would secure her first European title. But Spanu had other plans. With one bonus win, she attacked the fleet on the first beat of the first race and clinched a win putting her on match point with Kosti.


© IWSA media/ Robert Hajduk: Maddalena Spanu [ITA] hugs her brother Nicolo after a hard-fought grand final

The Greek came firing back but even a last-minute charge on a thumping final reach couldn’t topple Spanu’s powerful form, and the Italian won her second European title.

“I’m so tired but I’m so happy,” said Spanu whose father Mateo coaches her, but who was at home checking in each day, instead. “I’m happy also that I’m alone. All the races before have been close to home, so I’m happy for this win on my own.”

Poland’s Karolina Kluszczynska, hovering in the top five all week, used her consistency to win the bronze behind Kosti’s silver.


© IWSA media/ Robert Hajduk: The women’s podium represents the fruits of multiple year campaigns by the Italian, Greek and Polish riders

The Formula Wing European Championship in Urla showcased a fantastic week of racing and an even more intense and entertaining medal series.

Adapting to new developments in equipment, and dramatic, innovative formats, this week’s riders are proving that Formula Wing is the place for the most extreme and competitive wing foil racing in the world. 

RESULTS WOMEN

RESULTS MEN