Unstable winds and high-pressure racing produced a gripping Day 4 at the Wingfoil Racing World Cup in Hong Kong, China as qualification battles intensified and rising stars seized their moment on a demanding racecourse.
With just 14 knots of shifty breeze sweeping across the harbour, conditions tested every aspect of the fleet. Lead changes were frequent, splashdowns costly and strategy under constant review as riders fought for one of just nine guaranteed places in Sunday’s medal series.
Proust writes his own story
France’s Thomas Proust was the clear standout. The 19-year-old, the youngest member of the French team, delivered a breakthrough performance by claiming his first-ever World Cup race win, and then backing it up emphatically. Proust closed the day with an astonishing five victories, riding with confidence and attacking flair.
“This shows all my hard training through the winter worked,” said Proust. “I trained every day, even when it was only five degrees at home in La Rochelle. I worked so hard.”
Compatriot Julien Rattotti continued France’s strong showing, adding a race win of his own and maintaining consistent top-five finishes throughout the day. However, his progress took a hit in the final race when a crash at the start, after getting caught in traffic, cost the Nice-based rider valuable points at a critical stage of qualifying.
© IWSA media/Robert Hajduk - Julien Rattotti of France
Local interest was led by Hong Kong’s Rafeek Kikabhoy, who made full use of his home-water knowledge. The two-time Asian champion delivered a string of top-five results.
In the women’s fleet, China’s Yana Li continued her impressive transition from youth to senior competition. The 16-year-old Youth World Champion pushed more experienced rivals throughout the day, collecting six top-three finishes and underlining her medal credentials.
“I actually felt I could have done better,” Li said. “Better tacks and better starts, that’s what I’ll focus on in the medal series.”
© IWSA media/Robert Hajduk - Yana Li of China put in an impressive performance
Sunday’s medal series will crown the men’s and women’s champions, with a revised race format awaiting the qualifiers. But after a day of unpredictable conditions and standout performances, the racing in Hong Kong has already delivered a clear message - nothing will come easily.
Editor’s note:
Sunday’s Medal Series will be the first time Wingfoil Racing adopts a new format. What remains the same: the top nine qualifiers go through to the medal series and the tenth spot is decided by a long distance race for the Golden ticket. The top two riders in qualifying go straight through to the grand final. The Grand Final is won by the first rider to take two wins.
What’s changed: the top two riders who qualify straight to the grand final each starts with a bullet, meaning they only need a single win to take the title. The riders who qualified through the medal series start with no bullets so need to win two races to take the title.
The change means the maximum number of races needed to decide the grand final is now just three (reduced from 6 in the past).
The repechage race has been scrapped from the medal series, meaning 5 riders will now compete directly in the quarter-final and semi-final.
