Formula Wing European Championship Naples 2026

Julien Rattotti and Vaina Picot are the new Formula Wing European Champions

From April 8 to 12, the IWSA Formula Wing European Championship took place in Naples, Italy—a World Sailing International Class event that brought together the best wingfoil racers.

Over 100 participants from 16 nations competed on the buoy course in the Gulf of Naples for the European championship titles in this discipline.

During the event, 12 races were completed in the women’s division and 13 in the men’s fleet. The final day was windless, so the final round could not be held, and the results from the previous days determined the final standings.

France proved to be the dominant nation of the regatta, securing both European championship titles as well as a total of four medals.

In the women’s competition, 16-year-old Vaina Picot delivered a remarkable performance to become the youngest Formula Wing European champion. The rider from French Guadeloupe dominated the week, winning nine of the 12 races and excelling in the challenging, shifty conditions. In between hugs from her proud parents, Picot said, "I’m so happy. The conditions were super tricky all week but I managed to adapt well and that is very satisfying."

Defending champion Maddalena Spanu was forced to play catch-up throughout much of the regatta. While the lighter winds did not suit her style, the Italian rider showed grit to secure the silver medal.

The men’s title went to Julien Rattotti, whose victory reflected a winter of focused preparation. The French rider demonstrated exceptional consistency across the series, finishing almost exclusively inside the top two despite a brief dip in form on the penultimate day.

He adds the Formula Wing European title to his Wave world title and seemed unable to process his achievement, "I need to stop for a moment, my brain can’t understand what’s happened. I’m so happy. I phoned my dad in Cannes. He said he had to rush home to tell all our friends!"

Home support was rewarded with a strong performance from 17-year-old Ernesto de Amicis, who claimed silver to give Italy a second runner-up finish.

The event as a whole was also a source of pride for the teenager who is a Naples sports ambassador. "It’s been fantastic that Naples has put on such a great show. My dad was involved in the organisation of this event and the Savoia yacht and rowing club has been a great host."

Seconds before the start of a race, the wing foilers are lined up at the starting line

France’s medal haul was further strengthened by bronze medals for Thomas Proust and Kylie Belloeuvre, underlining the nation’s depth across both fleets.

The event concluded with a medal ceremony held on a balmy spring evening along the seaside promenade, as the sun set behind the island of Ischia.

The international wingfoiling circuit will return to Italy in early July with the Wingfoil Racing World Cup in Gizzeria, Calabria. But there’s plenty of action before then in countries like Turkey and Switzerland (the exact dates are not yet listed in the IWSA regatta calendar - the website currently states, "there are no up-coming events").