At 1,800 metres above sea level on the icy waters of Lake Silvaplana, the air is thin and the breeze is shifty. But none of that seemed to faze Kiwi wingfoiler Sean Herbert, who shocked the fleet at the Wingfoil Racing World Cup in Switzerland by finishing Day One at the top of the leaderboard, with two wins and a photo-finish over the reigning European champion.
It was his first ever World Cup regatta.
A mountain debut with altitude and attitude
The scene on Lake Silvaplana is surreal. Glacial water at 12°C, flanked by snow-dusted peaks, with wind that funnels unpredictably through alpine valleys. For a first-timer at this level, it’s an intimidating venue. But Herbert, who only stepped into the international wingfoil scene this year, made it his playground.
He opened the event with a 46-second win in Race One—a lifetime in foiling terms—then followed it up by beating French powerhouse Mathis Ghio in a drag race to the finish in Race Two. And this wasn’t a soft fleet. The 54-strong international line-up includes the best wingfoilers from Europe, Asia, and the Pacific.
But it was the New Zealander, with North Foils gear beneath him and a Rocket Lab engineer’s mindset in his head (he is a composite laminator at Rocket Labs when not on his board), who came out on top.
Born on the breeze
Herbert’s success in Switzerland may seem sudden, but it’s anything but accidental. The 23-year-old has been a dominant force in New Zealand for years. He’s a former O’pen BIC World Champion, a three-time Starling Nationals winner, and a force in Waszp and Moth fleets.
In early 2024, he swept the New Zealand Wingfoil Triple Crown and then clinched the National Wingfoil Championship in a display of consistency and confidence. Those close to the Manly Sailing Club already knew what he was capable of.
Now the world does too.
Manly made
Sean’s sailing pedigree is shaped not just by talent but by place. Manly Sailing Club, perched on Whangaparāoa Peninsula north of Auckland, has long been a cradle of elite New Zealand sailing.
Sir Russell Coutts, five-time America’s Cup winner and Olympic gold medallist, trained at Manly. His son Mattias Coutts, a rising star in foiling circuits, now flies the same burgee. So too does Sam Meech, Olympic bronze medallist and one of NZ’s most consistent Laser sailors.
Manly isn’t just a club—it’s a proving ground. It has become a hub for high-performance foil sailing, regularly hosting national events and pushing the boundaries in everything from Optimists to iQFoils and Moths. That environment has shaped Sean into a sailor who thrives when the stakes are high and the wind is tricky.
Speed meets science
Off the water, Sean’s career is no less impressive. A qualified electrical engineer, he works at Rocket Lab, where precision and performance are part of the daily brief. That background feeds into his sailing—particularly in foiling, where millimetres of adjustment and micro-decisions make or break a race.
“I think that analytical side helps,” he said in a recent interview. “Understanding how the foil behaves, reading the load, knowing what the gear’s doing—it definitely gives me a bit more control.”
He’s not just relying on natural feel. He’s tuning, tracking, adjusting. And when the wind shifts off a Swiss ridgeline, that technical edge makes all the difference.
The wingfoil rise
Wingfoiling, still a relatively new discipline in international sailing, is gaining serious traction—and Sean Herbert is now at its forefront. With boards reaching speeds over 34 knots and courses tight enough to challenge the best tactical minds, it’s a sport that rewards adaptability, fitness, and fierce concentration.
Sean brings all three. And while many of his competitors have been racing the international circuit for years, he’s turned up as the “rookie” and promptly knocked the established order off balance.
This performance in Silvaplana proves New Zealand’s wingfoil programme—still young—is producing talent capable of competing at the highest level.
What’s next?
As the Wingfoil Racing World Cup continues through the week, all eyes are now on Sean. Whether he can hold his lead through the medal rounds remains to be seen—but regardless of the final standings, his arrival on the world stage is undeniable.
Closer to home, Sean is also eyeing a strong showing at the Moth World Championship, set to be hosted at none other than Manly Sailing Club later this year. It’s a chance to showcase his speed and skill in front of the home crowd—on familiar waters, with world-class competition.
His schedule is now split between wingfoil and Moth campaigns, with no signs of slowing down.
Lessons for the rest of us
For Kiwi sailors watching from home—whether cruising in the Gulf or racing club nights in Pauanui—Sean’s story is a reminder of how far New Zealand’s home-grown sailors can go. The pathway from club fleets to world podiums is short if the drive is there.
His journey also reinforces just how much foil sailing has changed the game. Quick reflexes, gear familiarity, and a willingness to embrace new formats are opening doors for a new generation.
And while wingfoil might still feel like a fringe sport to some, performances like this one are putting it firmly on the map.
Silvaplana surprise — but not for long
What Sean Herbert achieved on Day One in Switzerland might have stunned the international fleet—but back home in Manly, it probably raised few eyebrows. Those who’ve raced him knew he had this in him.
Now, the rest of the world does too.
