The inaugural WASZP All-Stars Invitational launches tomorrow in Pensacola, bringing together the very best foiling sailors in the world for what promises to be an exciting and progressive event in WASZP sailing.
This first-ever edition marks a major milestone for the class. Designed to showcase the highest level of performance, it aims to push the boundaries of dinghy foiling while highlighting the athleticism, skill, and speed of WASZP sailors.
A total of 15 athletes will compete, consisting of 8 men and 7 women, vying for a $10,000 prize pot. This talented lineup includes multiple world titles, age-group championships, European, America’s and Asia-Pacific titles, and numerous national championships.
Racing Begins March 17–18
Racing will take place in Pensacola on March 17 and 18, featuring an innovative format that tests sailors across all aspects of dinghy foiling performance. Competitors will race on a variety of course types, including Slalom, SailGP-style, Distance, and conventional courses. With no discards, every race counts and consistency, speed, and adaptability will be key for victory in this inaugural All-Stars showdown.
A Pathway to the Big Leagues
Several athletes come to Pensacola with SailGP Inspire experience, and victory could open the door for them to participate in the SailGP league. Sailors from New Zealand, France, Switzerland, and Canada are competing in this event, holding invitations from their respective SailGP teams. Winning the WASZP All-Stars Invitational may allow these sailors to join their national teams for an event later this season, providing a glimpse into professional sailing at the highest level.
This reflects the role WASZP sailing is playing as a high-performance pathway into professional foiling leagues, reinforcing its position at the forefront of dinghy foiling.
The Athletes
Men’s Fleet:
- Hippolyte Gruet (France)
- Gavin Ball (USA)
- Andrew Chisholm (Canada)
- Flinn Olson (New Zealand)
- Pablo Astiazaran (Spain)
- Nick Schuler (Germany)
- Alexandre Grognuz (Switzerland)
- Louis Tilly (Australia)
Women’s Fleet:
- Pearl Lattanzi (USA)
- Bridget Conrad (Australia)
- Louise Metenier (France)
- Julia Gebhard (Germany)
- Liv Häggström (Sweden)
- Sol Lopez Navarro (Spain)
- Grace Poole (Canada)
The men will race using the 8.2 rig, while women will compete with the 7.5 rig, ensuring competitive racing across both fleets.
Place Your Bets!
WASZP fans can get involved by backing their favourite sailors and engaging on social media, sharing predictions and highlights throughout the event. With world-class sailors and cutting-edge formats, the WASZP All-Stars Invitational is set to deliver exciting racing.
Follow WASZP socials for updates, highlights, and stunning footage capturing the action on the water in Pensacola this week.
The 2026 WASZP New South Wales State Championships were run from the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) over the weekend of 14 /15 March in conjunction with the annual Pittwater off the beach regatta.
The fleet headed out in the face of a poor forecast on Saturday where a race was started in marginal conditions. After some early foiling, things faded and the day’s only race was shortened after one and a half laps. Despite that, it was all drama! Louis Tilly was over the line but restarted, Will Troop snatched defeat from the jaws of victory with a navigational error, leaving Max Nicholson to win, except that he was over at the start as well! Alas, Tilly was first on the scoreboard.
A Pittwater Perfect day broke on Sunday with a steadily increasing sea breeze making way for five excellent races. Racing was tight through the 16-strong fleet. Some were newcomers to WASZP racing, whilst the top sailors were polishing up for the All-Stars Invitational in Pensacola. There were three different race winners and the results were tight across the board.
Max Nicholson from Woollahra Sailing Club was first junior, whilst Jervis Tilly (fourth overall) came in first Super Master. The overall podium consisted of Mina Ferguson in third overall, also taking the women’s title, Will Troop second overall, and Louis Tilly on the top spot with first youth and his third New South Wales state championship.
On accepting the trophy, Louis Tilly gave a special thanks to his home club: “I would not be standing here without all that the club does for me – thank you.” A lot of incredible WASZP racing happens on big stages, but it is the clubs that form the bedrock of our sport, and WASZP is grateful to all those clubs that embrace the class and allow our sailors to maximise their dinghy foiling.
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