San Francisco, CA (June 24, 2025) – The 2025 U.S. Wingfoil Championship brought three days of exhilarating racing to the West Coast, showcasing the excitement surrounding this newer discipline in sailing. The second running of this championship drew some of the best Wingfoil athletes from across the world to San Francisco, CA – the U.S. Wingfoil Mecca – to vie for the crown.
The picturesque St. Francis Yacht Club provided the perfect setting for this event. Sailflow provided readings of strong, consistent winds from 15 to 30 knots that challenged competitors, but brought the action. 41 Wingfoil athletes competed under the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge in multiple formats: Windward-Leeward courses, Slalom courses, and a Long-Distance race.
After a qualifying series and medal round, New Zealander Sean Herbert emerged as the clear victor, winning all but one of the races. His speed and board-handling were his strong suit this week, well deserving of victory.
“The U.S. National [Championship] was a great opportunity for me to put into practice everything we’ve learned overseas. I was happy to have the classic San Francisco breeze and beautiful weather for the whole event,” said Herbert. “The America One team has been putting in a lot of work over the last couple months, and it’s really showing now in the results. It’s great to have three of us up on the podium, and we’re now looking to build up to the Worlds in Italy later this year; we’re ready to take the Europeans by storm!”
While Herbert won first place overall, the National U.S. Wingfoil Champion title went to second place JP Lattanzi as the highest placing U.S. competitor. In positions two through four, JP Lattanzi, Kai Mirel, and Johnny Heineken battled it out throughout the weekend, finishing only points away from each other.
In the Women’s division, Erika Heineken snagged the win with fierce style and consistency. She was closely trailed by Zoe Trudeau in second and Yuri Namikawa in third.
“It was a wildly windy regatta, a lot of hanging on for dear life and trying to keep the wheels on,” said Heineken. “We always like to see more women out here [in the Wingfoil class]. It’s a very supportive fleet, and a great place to progress and feel comradery among all the sailors – hopefully next year we’ll see more women out on the water!”
“The 2025 F4 Foils Summer Wingding – U.S. Wingfoil Championship – wrapped up successfully, kicking off with an exciting Freestyle day on Thursday,” said Felix Weidling, Race Director at St. Francis Yacht Club. “We awarded five GWA wild cards in total and were thrilled by the incredible support from our sponsors. A major highlight was the new knock-out series format, which kept the racing thrilling right to the end. We’re planning two Wingding events for next year – and we’re especially excited that US Sailing has already selected St.FYC to host the US Nationals in 2026. Wingfoiling is evolving rapidly, and we’re proud to be at the forefront of the sport in the United States. A huge thank-you goes out to all the volunteers whose energy and dedication made this event possible.”
St. Francis Yacht Club did not disappoint with top notch race management and onshore activities. Competitors were treated daily to post race socials that included raffles, food, Goslings Rum and Ginger Beer, and Polar seltzer water, courtesy of our national sponsors. For full results, click here.