F-ONE America athlete Zoe Trudeau recently traveled from Hood River, Oregon to La Franqui, France to compete on the GWA Wingfoil World Tour. From visiting the F-ONE headquarters in Montpellier to competing on the world stage, the trip offered valuable lessons both on and off the water. Zoe shares her experience from the event, the realities of competition life on tour, and what she learned from competing alongside some of the top riders in the sport.
“We decided to visit the F-ONE headquarters in Montpellier. We toured the warehouse and got to meet members of the F-ONE team. It was exciting and inspiring to see everything that goes into the planning, development, and production of the gear! Seeing the behind-the-scenes process gave me an even greater appreciation for the work that supports athletes on tour.
Back in La Franqui, we finally got some offshore wind the next morning. I was able to get in about two hours of practice and training before the wind dropped again later in the day. The next few days were a mix of hiking, dock starting, registration, and waiting on the changing forecast. Registration included receiving athlete jerseys, taking photos, reviewing competition brackets, learning the flag system, and going over the official trick list before the overall event briefing.
Because the wind was so variable throughout the event window, most competition days followed a similar schedule. I would start schoolwork in the morning, attend a riders meeting around 11:00 a.m., and then spend much of the day on standby waiting for conditions. On a couple days when competition was called off early, our group drove to Leucate to go kart and bowl, which ended up being a really fun way to break up the waiting.”
“On the final day of competition, we had our official women’s heats after an early riders meeting. Before our division started, we watched the men’s semifinals and finals. I competed in the first women’s heat of the day, and overall I felt really good about my performance. I landed my three tricks — Palau, combo, and 360 — and was finding good positioning in the competition zone to work with the wind conditions.
In my second heat, I started strong with solid scores on my Palau and 360. On my final attempt, though, my foil breached while I was building speed for my last trick, and the attempt ended up being scored as a jump in the system. Even with that setback, I learned so much from competing at this level and gained a better understanding of what it takes to perform on tour.”
“One of the biggest lessons I took away from the event was how important organization and quick decision-making are as an athlete. The wind picked up rapidly before my first heat, and being able to adjust wing sizes quickly and stay prepared can make the entire competition process smoother. It was also incredible to witness the level of riding on both the women’s and men’s sides in person, along with seeing the first-ever parawing events held on the world tour.
I’m incredibly grateful to my parents, Julee and Rene, for all of their support throughout the trip and competition. I also want to thank F-ONE and MANERA for providing the gear support that allows me to compete on equipment I trust completely. This event pushed me outside my comfort zone in the best way possible, and I’ve already started training back home in Hood River to work on new tricks and hopefully compete on tour again later this year.”
A bit more about Zoe
What is your favorite gear setup?
I enjoy riding my 47L rocket carbon and 85cm carbon mast and 630 escape from F-One as well as the new strike quadX, ideally in a size 3.5 m.
Do you have any favorite memories on the water you would like to share?
A couple favorite memories include riding in La Ventana Mexico and at the Hatchery in the Gorge- both are amazing spots with great swell and wind. One of my favorite sessions was a recent one at the hatch where it was smooth wind for the most part and I was able to practice 720s, backflips, Palau, 360s, and everything in between. It’s always a blast on the water especially when I get to ride with friends!