The freestyle surfing season opens at the Mondial du Vent.
GWA Wingfoil World Cup France
April 21-26, 2026 | Mondial du Vent, Leucate
The GWA season kicks off with the first races for the 2026 Surf-Freestyle World titles at the legendary Mondial du Vent in Leucate, southern France, famous for the strong Tramontane winds that fuel the action.
Last season, Surf-Freestyle saw a turnaround when 14-year-old Benjamin Castenskiold of Denmark and 15-year-old Marie Schlittenbauer of Germany took the titles for the first time after a season of close battles.
Castenskiold is ready to defend his title when the Surf Freestyle competitions begin at the 29th Mondial du Vent. Last season, Castenskiold was defeated by then-World Champion Chris MacDonald of the United States in extreme conditions in France. However, the young Dane went on to win two of the four World Cup events that year. Schlittenbauer will be unable to participate in the Lecuate competition because he has been unable to train for several months following surgery during the season break, but he intends to compete in the other six Surf Freestyle competitions on the schedule.
