New Zealand kitefoiler Hugo Wigglesworth has successfully defended his Hydrofoil Big Air world title, producing a clutch performance in brutal North Sea conditions to go back-to-back at the GKA Kite World Tour’s World Championship event in Sylt, Germany.
The 19-year-old Aucklander entered the four-man final as the reigning world champion and had to withstand a fierce challenge from Germany’s Finn Flügel and Spain’s Lorenzo Casati before claiming another world crown.
With the finalists trading the lead throughout a closely fought final, Wigglesworth saved his best for the decisive moments, posting two scores in the nines to claim the win ahead of Flügel, with Casati third and Germany’s Marten Koblischke fourth.
It caps another outstanding season for Wigglesworth, who burst onto the international scene last year by winning the opening Hydrofoil Big Air event in Sylt before going on to claim his maiden world title in Abu Dhabi in his first season on tour.
Kiwi Hugo Wigglesworth claimed a second consecutive Hydrofoil Big Air world title in Germany. Photos / Lukas K Stiller
Wigglesworth had already underlined his credentials in the semi-finals, producing an outstanding score of 36.44 points as relentless height and clean execution carried him through to the medal-deciding final.
He faced a strong field in the final, with Casati making the early running after landing a series of big attempts. But the contest remained wide open, with the four riders separated by small margins and repeatedly exchanging the lead.
Wigglesworth held his nerve when it mattered most, finding the scores required to move to the top of the standings.
The result continues a remarkable rise for the young New Zealander, who took up kitefoiling as a youngster and has rapidly established himself among the world’s best Hydrofoil Big Air riders.
Wigglesworth saw off stern challenges from Germany’s Finn Flügel and Spain’s Lorenzo Casati. Photos / Lukas K Stiller
The Sylt event brought together a full international fleet for the one-off 2026 Hydrofoil Big Air World Championship, alongside the final Kite-Surf event of the season.
The opening two days were disrupted by persistent offshore winds, but conditions improved on day three as the wind shifted direction and delivered the full-power conditions required for the competition to get into its stride.
The GKA Kite World Tour now heads to Brazil for its final stop of the season.
Click here for more information and complete results.
Originally published by Yachting New Zealand.
