The Maloja wind arrived earlier than expected today, bringing a spectacular day of high-speed racing on the flat, glacier-fed waters of Lake Silvaplana. The thermal breeze, which set in before the 10:30 skippers’ meeting, allowed the race committee to make the most of the clear morning window. They completed a grueling eight-race program across two sessions before the forecasted thunderstorms rolled into the valley. As the opening series concludes, the leaderboard has narrowed down to a high-stakes duel between established titans and local favorites, setting the stage for the decisive Medal Series.

Men’s Fleet: The battle of the Italians
With the qualifying series concluded, the men’s fleet was consolidated into a single Gold Fleet today, leading to intense and close-quarters racing. The day was characterized by a relentless battle for supremacy between Italy’s Alessandro Tomasi and Francesco Cappuzzo, who managed to pull away from the rest of the pack. Former contenders Mathis Ghio (FRA) and Kamil Manowiecki (POL) found it challenging to match the pace of the leading Italians and consequently lost considerable ground.

The drama reached its peak during the seventh race of the day when the overall leader, Tomasi, started experiencing muscle cramps. Realizing he was out of contention for the podium in that particular race, Tomasi made a bold tactical decision to retire and conserve his energy for the final race. Meanwhile, his rival, Cappuzzo, finished in 9th place in this race, which wasn’t enough to capitalize on Tomasi’s retirement. Despite this setback, Francesco Cappuzzo remained unimpressed and went on to win the final race of the afternoon. Although Cappuzzo made a late surge, Tomasi’s third-place finish in the final race was sufficient to keep them tied on points. In a tie-break, Tomasi managed to retain the yellow bib.

Women’s Fleet: Picot’s Dominance vs. Spanu’s Persistence
In the women’s competition, Vaina Picot (FRA) continued her season-long display of technical perfection. Over the course of 15 opening series races, Picot has been nearly untouchable, carrying a net score of just 12 points into the final day. However, the Maddalena Spanu (ITA), proved she remains a formidable threat. Spanu claimed a convincing victory in the first race of the afternoon session, signalling that she is ready to defend her Silvaplana crown.

Under the scoring format of the World Cup Series, both Picot and Spanu will enter tomorrow’s Grand Final with equal points – one win by each of them is enough to win the overall event. The fight for the final podium spot remains a three-way toss-up between Yana Li (CHN), Iset Segura (ESP), and Charlotte Barruzzi (ITA), which will be decided during tomorrow’s high-pressure Medal Series.

A Fusion of Tradition and Technology
While the athletes pushed the limits of modern foiling technology on the water, the village of Silvaplana offered a contrast in classic engineering. The International Ferrari Dino Meeting brought a collection of elegant vintage cars to the heart of the village, allowing competitors and officials to admire automotive history before and after the day’s high-octane racing sessions.

The Road to Gold: The final day outlook
Tomorrow brings the decisive conclusion to the 2026 ENGADINWING WingFoil Racing World cup. The schedule begins with the spectacular Golden Ticket Race for the men’s fleet, where all riders outside the top nine will battle in a single long-distance race for the final spot in the Medal Series. Alberto Citzia (ESP) who currently holds the crucial tenth position and will face immense pressure to defend his place in the medal series.

For the women, the entire 10-competior fleet will compete in their Medal Series, starting with Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals, offering a path for any rider to advance to the Grand Final. All eyes remain on whether Picot can seal the deal or if Spanu will use her chance to score another victory at the lake.

Follow the final day of action through social media updates and live tracking on the event website: https://wingfoilracing.com/2026worldcupsui