New Zealand has added another major international sailing medal to an extraordinary weekend on the world stage, with Sean Herbert claiming a career-best silver medal at the WingFoil Racing World Cup in Gizzeria, Italy, overnight.
The Manly Sailing Club rider finished runner-up behind Italy’s Alessandro Tomasi in the winner-takes-all final, eclipsing the bronze medal he won at the 2025 World Cup in Switzerland. It continues an outstanding run of international results for Herbert, who also claimed bronze at last year’s World Championships.
Fellow Kiwi Kosta Gladiadis, meanwhile, continued his remarkable European campaign, finishing ninth overall and second in the under-19 standings to extend his impressive season.
The double success came on the same day Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush successfully defended their 49er European Championship title in Eckernförde, Germany.
Sean Herbert finished second overall, his best World Cup result and his first podium of the season. Photos / Robert Hajduk, IWSA Media
Herbert has firmly established himself among the world’s leading wingfoil racers over the past two seasons, and Sunday’s silver medal marked another significant milestone in his rise.
Having opened the year with fifth at the Formula Wing European Championships before recording back-to-back sixth-place finishes at the previous two World Cup events in Türkiye and Switzerland, the 24-year-old finally converted his consistency into a podium spot.
Herbert qualified directly for the final after an impressive qualifying series alongside eventual champion Tomasi, meaning both riders required just one race victory to secure the overall title.
Light and unpredictable winds forced organisers to abandon the earlier rounds of the medal series before the competition was condensed into semi-finals and a single winner-takes-all final.
The final developed into a tactical battle, with Herbert and France’s Mathis Ghio opting for the stronger breeze closer to shore while Tomasi and fellow Italian Francesco Cappuzzo found an early advantage. Although Ghio briefly moved into the lead on the second lap, Tomasi’s superior pace in the light conditions proved decisive as the Italian powered to victory, leaving Herbert to secure an outstanding silver medal.
Kosta Gladiadis continued his breakthrough European season with a top-10 overall finish – and a second place in the under-19 division. Photos / Robert Hajduk, IWSA Media
For Gladiadis, another top-10 finish continued a remarkable sequence of performances across Europe.
The 18-year-old has now delivered elite results at every major international regatta this season. After finishing third in the under-19 division at the Formula Wing European Championships in Naples, he broke into the overall top 10 at the World Cup in Switzerland before defending his Formula Wing Youth World Championship silver medal just two weeks ago.
His result in Gizzeria, coupled with second in the under-19 standings, further reinforces his status as one of the sport’s brightest young talents.
The World Cup circuit now heads to Sardinia in September for the next round of the 2026 season.
Final results and standings here.
Originally published by Yachting New Zealand.
