New World Cup series presented in Düsseldorf – World elite of pump foilers compete for the first title of the Surf Foil World Tour
Düsseldorf, December 18, 2024 – The global water sports scene will experience a highlight right at the start of 2025. Together with boot Düsseldorf, the Surf Foil World Tour (SFT) will officially kick off its first season. At the trade fair, which will take place in Düsseldorf from January 18 to 26, 2025, the pros of the big surfing family will gather to celebrate the start of the “SFT Surf Foil WorldTour – boot Düsseldorf 2025” on the XXL pool in Hall 17. They will show off their skills on the first weekend of the world’s biggest water sports trade fair. On January 18 from 11:00 a.m., foiling pros from all over the world will first compete for a place in the final before showing what they can do once again on January 19 to secure their place on the winners’ podium.
The newly founded Surf Foil Tour has set itself the task of uniting the non-wind-driven foil disciplines under one roof and giving the new sport a professional structure and platform. With no less than five disciplines, every surf foil rider will find the ideal competition on the tour and the chance to present themselves to a worldwide audience.
The line up of pump trailers at boot Düsseldorf
The athletes qualified for the main event include the “who’s who” of the German and international scene. They were selected by the SFT in an invitation process.
The following drivers have been confirmed so far:
Finn Flügel, the talented German kitesurfer, is traveling from El Gouna. Titouan Galea from New Caledonia and Naumi Eychenne from Tahiti are making the longest journey. Noah Flegel comes from the USA. It’s hard to imagine boot’s XXL pool without Balz Müller, who comes from Switzerland, as does Robert von Roll, who will be at the trade fair for the first time in 2025. Julian Hünting will also be competing in the contest.
This was our interview with Balz Müller from the last boot:
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Foiling as the future of water sports
Petros Michelidakis, Director of boot Düsseldorf, is full of anticipation about the first World Cup in Düsseldorf: “We are delighted to be able to host this event at the trade fair as a partner of SFT. This is a fantastic sign for the surf sports sector. With the high level of attention and media presence, we are offering the tour an ideal environment for the first tour event.”
“Foiling represents the perfect balance between athleticism, technology and sustainability,” says Dr. Jørgen Vogt, CEO of the Surf Foil World Tour. “Our vision is to create a platform that not only highlights this incredible sport, but also inspires a global audience to engage with water sports in a transformative way.”
Pool at boot Düsseldorf requires maximum precision when pumping
In the Düsseldorf exhibition halls, professionals from all over the world compete in the discipline of pump foiling on the pool, which is only one meter deep. The first challenge is choosing the right equipment to avoid getting stuck on the floor in tight bends. After the dock start, speed and riding technique are required above all else on the XXL pool. The SFT has opted for a simple one-on-one competition format. Two people compete directly against each other, with the faster one progressing to the next round.
Even more action on the XXL pool
In addition to the start of the Surf Foil World Tour, other world-class contests with international surf stars will take place. Wingfoilers will compete in Düsseldorf at the first “GWA Indoor Wingfoil World Cup – boot Düsseldorf 2025″ (18/19 January 2025), while wakeboarders will glide and jump over the water of the 60-metre-long pool at the “Pooltastic Wakeboard Masters – boot Düsseldorf 2025” (24/25 January 2025). Windsurfers will compete in Düsseldorf at the FPT Indoor Tow-In Freestyle – boot Düsseldorf 2025 (January 25 / 26, 2025). The pros of the SUP and skimboard scene will take to the water and show off their tricks at the “EuroTour SUP Indoor World Cup – boot Düsseldorf 2025” (January 25/26, 2025) and the “European Skimboard Masters – boot Düsseldorf 2025” (January 19, 2025).
About the Surf Foil World Tour
The Surf Foil World Tour is dedicated to celebrating the art and innovation of foiling. By combining excellence with sustainability and global reach, the tour is poised to redefine the future of watersports and inspire a new generation of athletes and enthusiasts.