Consistency proved the difference when Maddalena Spanu claimed victory at the WingFoil Racing World Cup in Silvaplana, Switzerland. The Italian sailor from Porto Cervo’s youth development programme finished ahead of France’s Vaina Picot and China’s Yana Li in what turned into a dramatic final that came down to nerve, timing, and fortune in equal measure.
Racing across three days in unstable Alpine conditions, Spanu accumulated three wins, seven second-place finishes and two thirds to secure her spot in the Medal Race. That steadiness paid dividends. While Picot topped the provisional leaderboard heading into the final, it was Spanu’s ability to stay composed through the opening 15 races that proved decisive.
The Medal Race itself nearly didn’t happen. Race organizers delayed the start by hours as they waited for wind to fill in properly. When competitors finally launched at around 4.30 p.m., the breeze remained treacherous, shifting constantly and threatening to shut down racing entirely. Yana Li led off the starting line with Picot in second and Spanu third. The Italian sailor kept her nerve as the leaders battled the unpredictable conditions. Approaching the leeward gate, Picot lost her foil and fell, dropping back. That sent Spanu into second place, chasing hard after Li.
Just before the finish, Li also went down. Spanu crossed the line victorious.
“The wait for the Medal Race was long, and it required complete focus,” Spanu said. “I went out determined to give my best. Vaina and Yana’s falls were completely unexpected. The breeze kept shifting, so it was critical to make the most of what was there. When I crossed the finish line, I couldn’t quite believe it. Pure elation.”
The result caps a strong stretch for the Porto Cervo programme, which has built a reputation for developing young talent across Olympic foiling, wing foil racing, and offshore sailing. Spanu’s win underlines what sustained preparation and consistency can deliver against a global field. For New Zealand sailors tracking the development of foiling disciplines, the performances emerging from this corner of Sardinia are worth watching closely.
