We at F-One are very fortunate to have an awesome group of young groms on our US national wing team. They are so much fun to watch both on and off the water, and off too! They keep pushing each other, and in the process of pushing the sport too. Nico Ostermann stated, “I promised them I would take them to the GWA youth World Cup in La Palma, one of the Canary Islands, and they joined their teammates and buddies that are on the international team: Christopher MacDonald (from Hood River) and Luca Vuillermet (from Santa Monica) and others: Leon, Noe or Ezzio. F-One had arranged for the team to stay together and it was awesome. The level of riding is pretty incredible, they got to rub elbows with the very best. It was a fantastic personal experience for all of them.” After the GWA the group went to Lanzarote for a few days, which was a back up plan to make sure we would get great wind no matter what. It’s always super windy in Lanzarote, and the conditions there are world class (ask the Groms!). Many thanks to Nico Delmas (F-One coach), Chloe and the F-One team back in France for helping with this amazing trip!
Insights from the Groms
“The time I spent in La Palma was absolutely amazing. Getting to train with Nico Delmas, and being pushed by all the groms that are at such a high level was an absolute blast. Going into my first freestyle heat I was definitely really nervous, but even after landing my first trick I was able to calm down and just go through the motions that we were training, getting second in my first heat, and then 1st in my second heat I was super stoked to make it to the third round. Where unfortunately I was eliminated in a really close heat. But overall the competition was an absolute blast and a great learning opportunity.
Then we were off to Lanzarote, which is now my absolute favorite wing spot. With such nice waves and wind lasting all day it was incredible. Getting to be there with all my friends training and just sending it on the water was so much fun. Overall this being my first time at a big event and in Europe in general I was very excited, and it definitely lived up to all my expectations. Thanks Nico so much for putting this all together it was an amazing trip that I will never forget.” – Patrick Kissinger
“After 3 long days of intense training led by Nico Delmas, and hours upon hours of time on the water along with the entire F-One team, I competed at the GWA Youth World Cup located on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands. This competition gathers the best youth from around the world, some of whom are at the top of the GWA world rankings. Battling these professional riders in freestyle and racing has been an incredible experience for me to watch first hand how wingfoiling has evolved and the heights it has reached. I was honestly extremely surprised by my own growth right before and during the event, landing a trick I had never done before in my 3rd round heat and finishing 7th overall in racing.”
“Then, we headed to the island of Lanzarote to enjoy incredible wave riding and some great wind. These great conditions right after the competition helped us all work on tricks discovered during the heats, like the combos that score for a ton. All in all, this trip has proved to be a fantastic adventure with many learning opportunities, enjoyable moments, and good vibes. Thanks to all those at F-One and Manera, the team, Nico Delmas, my parents, and everyone else who helped along the way for making this incredible experience happen.” – Morgan Ostermann
“My trip to the Youth World Cup in La Palma in the Canary Islands was an amazing experience. It was my first time traveling so far away from home. First I flew from Maui to San Francisco. Patrick was already there staying with Nico, Courtney and Morgan. A day later we all flew to La Palma. That was a long journey but we made it. We had 3 days to get used to the spot before the comp. It was really cool to be with all the F-One riders and our coach Nico Delmas. The comp was very intense because everyone is riding at such a high level and a lot of the riders already have a lot of international event experience. I’m stoked to have been able to compete. I ended up 9th (3rd in my quarter final heat) in freestyle. It was really awesome to be part of this event. I got to meet so many cool people and made a lot of new friends! Can’t wait to do more GWA comps!”
“Once we were done in La Palma, Nico took us to Lanzarote for 3 days. The conditions were amazing, perfect wind and waves. Noe Mercier and Chris MacDonald were also there with us. We were winging until super late, one day we got out of the water at 10 PM! We were all pushing each other to go big and after a few crashes I was able to land a double backflip! I will remember this trip forever, thank you everyone that made it all possible.”
– Liam Coralle
“Traveling with the F-ONE America team to La Palma in the Canary Islands was a blast! The few days prior to the event we were able to train hard in the variable conditions and attempt to master our tricks that we planned to perform in the competition in the days to come. I was able to get lots of tips from the F-ONE coach, Nico Delmas, and he helped me improve on a lot of my tricks and get them more consistent. While the low wind made freestyle tough for me, I performed well in the freefly slalom racing, placing 5th in the U19 division, and just one point from 4th and the podium. While my goal going into the event was to be on the podium, I am happy with my results in my first big international competition. I’m super grateful to be able to travel to this event, having had so much fun and learning so much. I’d like to thank F-ONE America, Manera America, Nico Delmas, the St. Francis Sailing Foundation, the Belvedere Cove Foundation, and of course, my parents for their support and for helping me compete.” – Morgan Headington
& Thats a wrap! Thank you to everyone involved, and to our athletes for always bringing their best. We are already looking forward to next year!
Image Credit: Nico Ostermann