The Ensis Engadinwing 2024 Formula Wing Europeans kicked off Tuesday in breathtaking Lake Silvaplana.
With 55 riders from 14 countries registered to race, newly crowned Marathon world champions, Bastien Escofet of France and Maddalena Spanu of Italy claim first wins of the event in the Marathon race.
Silvaplana delivered the perfect wind window to complete an epic three lap marathon race. The gusty conditions that mountainous venues like these often cook up, made for a nail-biting dual with Frenchman Bastien Escofet managing to claim the first victory of the event!
A devastating course error in the final lap resulted in Julien Rattotti finishing further back in the fleet allowing for Italy’s Luca Franchi to claim a victorious second place, with Britain’s Rafferty Read taking third.
Fresh from her Marathon Worlds triumph, Maddalena Spanu has barely had a moment to catch her breath before clinching another marathon race victory! Well in the mix amongst the men, even knocking on the door of the top 20 overall.
Close behind was her Italian teammate, Marta Monge, who scored an impressive second place despite struggling with a broken ligament in her ankle.
Wednesday is the first day of qualifying races on the beautiful Lake Silvaplana. The final series is scheduled for Saturday 15th June.
The Formula Wing marks a significant milestone in wingfoil racing as it introduces limitations to the equipment each rider is allowed to use at an event.
This means a rider can register only 1 board, 1 mast, 2 gliders and 3 wings within size categories (6m and larger, between 4.5m and 6m, and less than 4.5m).
The riders had to make some tough decisions: should they choose the fastest gear possible, or play it safe with a bigger glider and board combination? This choice could be critical in determining whether they can get up and foil in the lighter winds that Lake Silvaplana is famous for.
Day 1 Leading Results Men
1. Bastien Escofet FRA 0.6 pts
2. Luca Franchi ITA 1.4 pts
3. Rafferty Read GBR 2.0 pts
Day 1 Leading Results Women
1. Maddalena Spanu ITA 2.0 pts
2. Marta Monge ITA 4.0 pts
3. Hayley Chan HKG 6.0 pts
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