Italy and France shared all six medals at the 2026 Formula Wing World Championship in Istanbul, with Alessandro José Tomasi and Vaina Picot claiming the men’s and women’s world titles respectively. Italy completed the event with two silver medals through Francesco Cappuzzo and defending women’s champion Maddalena Spanu, while France added bronze medals thanks to Thomas Proust and Kylie Belloeuvre. The outcome on the Bosphorus confirmed the growing rivalry between the two leading nations in one of sailing’s fastest-growing disciplines.

The championship was decided on Saturday through the now well-established Medal Series format. The day opened with the Golden Ticket Race, a long-distance contest awarding the final place in the knockout stage. Spain’s Alberto Citzia secured the last berth in the men’s draw, while China’s Liuyi Xiao did the same in the women’s competition.

Citzia appeared determined to make the most of his opportunity and crossed the finish line first in the men’s quarter-final. However, he was disqualified for failing to give sufficient room to another competitor at the start. Victory was therefore awarded to France’s Thomas Proust, who advanced to the semi-final alongside Italy’s Gregorio Pugliese.

The semi-final produced more drama. Julien Rattotti was forced to alter course and slow down, while Poland’s Kamil Manowiecki had to take avoiding action after the start. Neither rider recovered to challenge for victory. Pugliese capitalised on the situation, winning the race ahead of Proust and earning the final place in the Grand Final.

Awaiting him were Alessandro Tomasi and Francesco Cappuzzo, the top two riders from the qualifying series. Both entered the Grand Final with the one-bullet advantage, meaning they already had one race win credited. As the world title would go to the first rider to reach two wins, either Italian needed only a single victory in the Grand Final to become world champion.

Cappuzzo chose the left-hand side of the course in search of stronger pressure, while Tomasi split to the right, where he found the better breeze. The 23-year-old from Lake Garda quickly took control of the race, steadily extending his lead before crossing the finish line first. That victory, combined with the one already credited under the format, secured his maiden Formula Wing world title.

“Winning the world title is incredible. I’ve won other events that meant a lot to me, but crossing the finish line first at a World Championship is something completely different,” Tomasi said after the final.

For Cappuzzo, it was a second consecutive world silver medal. The Sicilian rider congratulated his training partner immediately after the finish despite the disappointment of once again coming so close to the title.

“Of course I’m disappointed to miss out again, but losing to Alessandro makes it a little less bitter. He’s a great guy and sailed a fantastic race. I gave everything and I feel so good physically that I can’t really be sad. After all, it’s still a World Championship silver medal.”

The bronze medal went to Thomas Proust.

Picot succeeds defending champion Spanu
The women’s Medal Series saw China’s Meijuan Xiao and France’s Kylie Belloeuvre progress through the knockout rounds to join Vaina Picot and Maddalena Spanu, who had qualified directly for the Grand Final as the top two riders after the qualifying series.

Here too, the one-bullet advantage proved decisive. Like Tomasi in the men’s fleet, Picot only needed one Grand Final victory to secure the title. It was Spanu, however, who made the stronger start and led the opening stages of the race. Picot overtook the defending champion on the downwind leg and, once in front, controlled the remainder of the race despite having battled health issues throughout the week in Istanbul.

The victory gave the French rider her first Formula Wing world title, while Spanu added a world silver medal to the crown she won in 2025.

“A silver medal at a World Championship is something to be happy about. I fought hard with Vaina and it has been a long and demanding week here in Istanbul,” Spanu said after the final.

Kylie Belloeuvre completed the women’s podium with bronze.

The final medal table perfectly reflected the balance of power between the sport’s two dominant nations. Italy claimed one gold and two silvers through Tomasi, Cappuzzo and Spanu, while France collected one gold and two bronzes thanks to Picot, Proust and Belloeuvre. The men’s Grand Final further underlined Italy’s depth, with three of the four finalists – Tomasi, Cappuzzo and Gregorio Pugliese – racing under the Italian flag.

The Istanbul championship also reinforced the impression that Italy and France have emerged as the benchmark nations in Formula Wing, a discipline widely regarded as a strong candidate for inclusion in the Olympic programme for Brisbane 2032. While the Medal Series deliberately reduces the advantage built during the qualification rounds, it once again delivered a spectacular finale worthy of a world championship.

Giuliano Luzzatto