First Parawing World Cup

Leucate, France

by Viola Lippitsch

The premiere Parawing World Cup marked a historic moment for the sport, bringing together the world’s top athletes for the very first event of its kind. We’re proud to see our rider secure an impressive 3rd-place finish, showcasing determination, skill, and consistency throughout the competition. After an exciting week on the water, she shares her personal thoughts, experiences, and key takeaways from this milestone event.

The first Wingfoil event of the season in Leucate, France, already felt like an adventure before it even began. Coming from Vienna, I spent around 15 hours driving through Europe in the van, chasing the start of a new competitive season and the energy that comes with it. Arriving in Leucate after such a long trip and still managing to get a solid session on the water immediately reminded me why this place is so special.

The next morning, however, things looked completely different. Surprisingly, there was almost no wind. After checking the forecast, it became clear that the entire week would bring barely more than five knots far from ideal for competition. Anyone who knows Leucate also knows how unusual this is. Normally, the spot is famous for its extreme wind conditions. Last year, we competed in winds reaching up to 65 knots, while this year we were struggling to even get enough pressure into the wing.

Despite the difficult conditions, the atmosphere at the event stayed positive. Unfortunately, there were several injury-related absences on both the men’s and women’s sides, but one thing that stood out in a very positive way was the incredible number of female riders competing this year. It was inspiring to see the women’s field growing so much and showing how fast the sport is developing internationally.

Another major highlight was that Leucate hosted the very first Parawing World Cup ever. Since the wind barely exceeded 10 knots during the week, we started almost every day with parawing races. The format was extremely exciting: two downwind sections where riders had to stash the parawing during the course. It added a completely new tactical and technical dimension to the competition.

On the final parawing day, the course format was changed again. This time, we raced an upwind section followed by a long downwind stash zone, finishing directly on the beach. Even under very light conditions, the first freestyle rounds were also able to run, which already gave everyone a taste of the main discipline.

The final day of the event started incredibly early. At sunrise, we were already on the water starting the first heats. Finally, the wind switched into the typical offshore Leucate direction instead of the onshore conditions we had during the previous days. The wind also became stronger and more consistent for the women’s competition, creating much better conditions overall.

Mentally, I actually felt very prepared going into my heat. Unfortunately, things did not go the way I had imagined at all. I missed some of my basic tricks and simply could not score enough points to advance into the next round. Of course, it was disappointing in the moment, but I am not going to let that bring me down. This is only the beginning of the season, and mistakes are part of the process.

What made this event even more challenging was the fact that it took place only one week before my final exams back home. Every evening after competition, I was sitting with my math books until 11 PM studying for my Matura. Because of that, I also had to leave the event earlier and could not stay for the prize giving ceremony.

Still, I am incredibly proud to have finished in 3rd place at the very first Parawing World Cup ever. That result means a lot to me and gives me huge motivation for the upcoming events. I already know what I need to improve and how I can prepare better for the next competitions especially on the freestyle side.

In just a few more months, school will finally be over, and then it will be all about training, training, training with full focus on progressing as an athlete and pushing myself to the next level.

Overall, an amazing achievement! We congratulate you wholeheartedly, Viola.

Photos: © Lukas K. Stiller / GWA Content Pool