Young Azzurra, Maddalena Spanu è vicecampionessa mondiale Formula Wing
The athlete from the Young Azzurra programme claimed silver at the Formula Wing World Championship in Istanbul
Istanbul, 15 August 2026. Maddalena Spanu, an athlete from the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s Young Azzurra programme, took home silver today at the Formula Wing World Championship in Istanbul, Turkey. At the conclusion of five days of racing, the world title went to France’s Vaïna Picot with Maddalena finishing in second place, reaffirming her position as a leading international competitor in the sport.
The World Championship saw the two athletes go head-to-head from the very first day in a fleet of 24 riders. Maddalena found her swing over the course of the event, posting four wins out of five races on day three. Consistent performances allowed her to hold onto second place, while closing the gap on the French sailor to secure direct entry into the Grand Final. Today, at around 2.10 p.m., the four finalists competed in sustained winds of 18 knots, with gusts of up to 30. Maddalena got off to an excellent start and led up to the first mark. Her French rival’s tactical choices paid off on the downwind leg, however, enabling her to cross the finish line first and clinch the world title.
“Right from the first day, it’s been a close battle with Vaina. We’ve had a really intense week, where every leg of the course put us to the test. I’m delighted to see that the standard of competition is rising all the time; it’s a major incentive for me and for all the athletes who love and practise this sport. Naturally, my goal was to retain the world title I won last year. I fought right to the finish today - when Vaina overtook me on the penultimate leg, I gave it everything I had to close the gap. It wasn’t enough to win the title, but I’m still very pleased with the result. Being Formula Wing world vice-champion is a significant achievement, one I’m proud of and which also gives me fresh motivation to keep working hard and aim even higher. I still have so many goals I’d like to achieve, and I always tell myself that this is just the beginning.”
With today’s silver medal, Maddalena has cemented her place among the leading figures in WingFoil on the international stage, in a season in which she took victory at the Defi Wing in Gruissan, first place at the World Cup in Silvaplana, and currently sits second in the WingFoil World Cup rankings.
The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda congratulates Maddalena Spanu on her excellent result.
For further information please contact the YCCS Press Office.
