Since the early days of the WASZP class, the UK has boasted the biggest and most active domestic WASZP fleet, recently enjoying over 55 boats at the last two national championships. On top of that, the Brits have regularly performed at the top of the international fleet. In 2022, Sam Whaley took silver at the WASZP Games and Ross Banham the same at the Europeans. Banham went on to finish the season as world number one on the WASZP global rankings and has since had opportunities to join professional programs working towards the Youth Americas Cup alongside Hattie Rogers, who through WASZP and SailGP Inspire, has also earned a spot on the Great Britain SailGP team. The talent at the top of the UK fleet is unquestionable, but there’s so much more to the British outlet with a very competitive masters’ fleet and a huge base of club sailors who joined the swarm for a new challenge in a fun and friendly class. There is something for everybody.
With all the success of the UK fleet to date, it is about time a major event headed to British shores and there is no better venue that the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy! Well-known as the venue for the 2012 Olympic Games and the home of the British Sailing Team, Portland harbour offers one of the world’s best foiling venues. The harbour provides a protected racetrack from all wind directions and a clear run for the prevailing westerly breeze that gets funnelled between the mainland and the isle of Portland. The Academy facility is truly world-class and particularly friendly to foilers, with easy launching and acres of space inside and out.
The 2025 WASZP Games will take place from 10-20 July and is set to be huge! The British fleet alone is expected to field more than 80 boats. With the additions from the numerous other fleets around the world, over 200 foiling boats could be hitting the water at the event, smashing previous records and becoming one of the biggest foiling events in history.
The WASZP_X Games will be included as part of the overall WASZP Games. The WASZP_X is the junior WASZP class that allows kids as young as 11 to go foiling and access a global foiling race circuit. By the time the 2025 Games arrives, there will be a truly international fleet of junior frothers fighting it out for the junior titles in the smaller rigs!
The Green Fleet, a coached fleet for newcomers to the class, will also be in action after making a smashing debut in 2022, ensuring the event is truly inclusive and accessible to everybody willing to give it a try! Additionally, open daily debriefs and Q&A sessions with the fleet leaders ensure everybody has the opportunity to take their foiling to the next level.
“I am super excited to have the WASZP Games coming to Weymouth in 2025! It’s going to be a great opportunity for the UK to show just how good Weymouth is for foiling with 200+ WASZPs ripping out on the harbour” says Sam Whaley, UK Class Chair. He goes on to say, “the locals aren’t bad either”, which could refer to the pubs or the sailors; probably both.
The 2025 WASZP Games is pinned to be one of the biggest spectacles that dingy sailing has ever seen – a true festival of foiling that welcomes sailors of all ages, sizes and skill-levels to have an absolute blast on the water. With over two years before the event, there is no better time to join the swarm and put the 2025 WASZP Games in your crosshairs!
In the lead-up to the Games, Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy will host a EuroCup event from 22-25 August 2024 to give sailors the opportunity to test the waters. The rest of the global WASZP calendar is shaping up nicely for relentless foiling action all over the UK, Europe and the world as the swarm spreads! There are so many awesome opportunities coming out of the class right now for sailors across the board and it’s just getting better and better.
Stay tuned for more news on events as they come, but for now, get your hands on a WASZP and don’t look back.
