Old Dog, New Wings

Sicily has a vintage, old style charm which sits in contrast to the evolving, high octane sport of wingfoiling. But that’s not to suggest that the two don’t pair together very well indeed, as Cabrinha’s Marketing Manager James Boulding, a self-professed “grumpy old kiteboarder”, freely admits after a recent visit…

Words & Photos: James Boulding

Tucked at the toe of Italy’s boot, Sicily is more than just Europe’s largest island – it’s a windswept paradise that’s fast becoming a must-visit destination for wind lovers in the know. Bordered by three seas, the Tyrrhenian, Ionian, and Mediterranean, this rugged, sun-drenched island offers a dynamic playground of flat-water lagoons, wave spots, and reliable wind conditions that rival the more famous kite hubs of Tarifa or Dakhla.

Thanks to its unique geography and microclimates, Sicily enjoys a variety of wind systems, with the ever-consistent Maestrale and Scirocco winds providing ample stoke for kitesurfers and wingfoilers almost year-round. The island’s west coast, particularly around the Lo Stagnone lagoon, boasts thermal winds that kick up like clockwork from spring to autumn, making it a training ground for pros and a haven for beginners alike. Though possibly more well-known for kiteboarding due to the shallow lagoons around Lo Stagnone, the steady winds and flat conditions are enticing for beginners who can take advantage of the calm conditions and schools offering wing lessons with short masts to master the early stages of learning. A stage that can take many hours in tougher conditions is made simpler here, allowing students to progress quickly. Once past this stage, the beautiful and rugged coastline offers a wide range of amazing locations to master a sport many have grown to love.

In the summer months, Sicily basks in classic Mediterranean warmth, with daytime air temperatures ranging from 28°C to 35°C (82°F to 95°F). The long, sun-soaked days are complemented by warm sea temperatures that hover between 24°C and 27°C (75°F to 81°F), making wetsuits optional for much of the season. These ideal conditions, paired with steady thermals driven by the island’s varied terrain and surrounding seas, create perfect sessions from midday until sunset.

Having spent many trips to Sicily kiteboarding, this was my first with the sole focus being on wingfoiling. Although a bit hesitant to begin with, I was quickly assured of the potential after chatting with my friend and now resident Sicilian Alberto Rondina (Alby for short), who runs a kite and wing school in Lo Stagnone. It was entirely a last-minute venture due to a cracking forecast and the always enticing thought of a proper fill of local food and wine! With so many easy and reasonable flight options, last-minute trips are ever so simple, with my decision to travel there through to landing all happening within 24 hours. Packing my bags full with Cabrinha’s new Mantis APEX wings and Union foils, I made the short two-and-a-half-hour flight, arriving like Santa at Christmas.

Also joining us for a few days was an old friend from Sardinia, Markinio Orru, one of the OGs of Italian kiteboarding, another one with lifelong scars from two-line Wipikas and a plethora of stories throughout the ages. Without any jetlag to contend with, we hit the water without hesitation to make the most of the late summer evening. The consistent steady winds allow progression for all levels and gave Alby the chance to get to grips with an entirely new setup with ease. Opting for a handlebar setup over handles, he effortlessly started rolling through a variety of new one-handed tricks with a style and ease that’s often sidelined in the fast-evolving world of freestyle wingfoiling.

I’ve known Alby for well over a decade and we’ve spent many kiteboarding trips together over the years. I first met him as he was competing on the PKRA freestyle tour, often topping the podiums, challenging for world titles, and winning national titles. I’ve always been surprised at his level of skill and style across all the wind sport genres. Sessioning in the Sicilian sunshine together with our aching backs and creaking knees made me think a lot about the directions and intersections of the fast-progressing foil disciplines we see today.

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Competitive wing foiling is starting to follow a familiar trajectory seen in sports like snowboarding and surfing, where the early days were all about progression, speed, and who could do the most spins, style be damned. With the competitive average age in the low teens, the progression of modern-day freestyle wingfoiling is firmly in their hands. Fast, technical rotations, on and off-axis, leave little time for much else, and the quest for the next NBD (Never Been Done) often involves going for an extra 180. The fast progression, the endless energy, the backflips off knee-high chop, it’s got all the hallmarks of a sport dominated by kids who still think sunscreen is optional. Remember the early 2000s in snowboarding? Riders hucking double backflips in oversized pants. Or the early surf comps, where it was all about wave count, not whether you looked like you were dancing or drowning. There are some big similarities with the history of freestyle kiteboarding in this regard, and possibly even some with the direction Big Air kiteboarding is heading. New board sports and genres have always had a history of repeating similar pathways trodden. But as with surfing, snowboarding, and every board sport that came before, there comes a moment when youthful chaos starts giving way to seasoned style. The younger crowd might be all about speed and sending it skyward, but it’s the older riders, the ones with years of glide and carve in their blood who bring real flow to the game.

So before I tip fully into “back in my day” territory and trigger a mass eye-roll from the younger readers, I’ll try and get things back on track with Alby… boosting to the moon, backlit by a big glowing red sun as it makes its final descent to the horizon.

That night we put the world to rights and delved deep into some of the local food and wine in the beautiful old city of Marsala, a city where history flows right into the sea. Ancient stone walls, weathered by centuries of salt air and sun, still stand proudly along the waterfront, marking where the old city once met the waves. There’s an excellent downwinder from the lagoons in Lo Stagnone to the city. Launching from the Lo Stagnone lagoon, you catch the prevailing Maestrale winds and let them carry you south. This stretch is like something out of a postcard. Quiet beaches, crumbling watchtowers, and the iconic silhouette of windmills rising above vast salt pans. As you pass the historic salt distilleries, still producing by age-old methods, the smell of sea air mixes with the earthy tang of sunbaked salt.

Awakening the next day to Scirocco winds, we were greeted with clear skies and a clean early morning breeze, good signs for a full day of wind. Making haste, with slightly fuzzy heads from overindulgence the night before, we headed out to a stunning spot offering flat turquoise waters with incredible backdrops. Wing design has progressed at pace over the past few years, and I believe that Cabrinha’s new Mantis APEX sets a new benchmark in the high-performance freeride category. It’s a lightweight, stiff wing that literally does everything and can be used by everyone. It’s got a new hybrid Aluula airframe with responsive HTD-lite wingtips, and it’s exceptionally stable due to the stiff frame, with amazing low-end performance that gets you on foil fast, and with ease. Against the sparkling turquoise waters, these wings almost seem to be a natural extension of the sea itself. A brilliant blue and vivid green that mirrors the shifting hues of the Sicilian ocean. Riding without a care in the world, we spent the day exploring the coast, taking breaks only to hydrate and munch on juicy local fruits.

Wingfoiling unlocks a unique sense of freedom that’s hard to match. The exceptional efficiency of new cutting-edge hydrofoil systems makes coastal exploration simple with a vast range of uses. We spent the day putting to the test Cabrinha’s new Prestige wings, part of the all-new UNION system that’s just launching soon. What really stands out is the unbelievable amount of glide and ease of use for such high-aspect wings. These highly efficient, yet agile and playful foils do the work underwater while you concentrate on things above. And when it’s time to play and free the tips through the turn, they breach and easily re-engage with zero complaints and very little disruption.

Foiling has become so diverse in just a few progressive years – waves, freestyle, Big Air, downwind – it is constantly evolving, and the pioneers of each discipline are pushing things forward at an incredible pace. What never changes, though, is the fun and stoke that sharing sessions with a good group of friends brings. It’s the funny crashes, the mini wins, the mastering of a slightly weird new jibe or tack. The nod to another foiler on the water as you silently glide by each other, both in the know of what joy it can bring. It keeps things interesting, and the feeling like we’re constantly learning as the goal posts of the sport also move. Ultimately that’s what it’s all about. And for that, we’re all hooked!