The ETF26 Series made history this week, hosting its first-ever Grand Prix at Campione del Garda, on the shores of Lago di Garda in Italy. Under the aegis of EUROSAF, the event carried the prestigious title of European Championship, bringing together seven boats and eight nationalities for four days of intense foiling competition.
A challenging lake
Lake Garda lived up to its reputation. Conditions were predominantly light throughout the event, with tricky thermal shifts and lake effects putting the crews’ ability to read the water to the test. One full racing day had to be cancelled due to a violent thunderstorm, but the fleet bounced back to complete a full programme of 15 races, with the boats flying upwind and downwind in full foiling mode whenever the breeze allowed.
Team Pro takes the title
After 15 races, Tim Mourniac, Benjamin Amiot and Pierre-Yves Durand lifted the European Championship trophy under the banner of Team Pro, finishing with 20 points and a commanding lead over their rivals. Blueshift Sailing Team and Entreprises du Morbihan pushed hard until the very last race, ultimately separated by just one point for second and third place, with 39 and 40 points respectively.
Final standings
🥇 Team Pro 🇫🇷 — 20 pts
🥈 Blueshift Sailing Team 🇫🇷🇧🇪🇸🇪 — 39 pts
🥉 Entreprises du Morbihan 🇫🇷 — 40 pts
4️⃣ Team Sport Bams 🇫🇷 — 63 pts
5️⃣ Sansin Racing Team 🇨🇦🇦🇺🇳🇿 — 69 pts
6️⃣ K-Challenge Akademy Blue 🇫🇷🇳🇱 — 70 pts
7️⃣ K-Challenge Akademy White 🇫🇷🇮🇹 — 74 pts
The stories of the fleet
This event marked the highly anticipated return of K-Challenge Akademy to the ETF26 circuit, this time with two boats. K-Challenge Akademy Blue brought together young French sailors from the Youth America’s Cup campaign, while K-Challenge Akademy White fielded an all-female crew from the Women’s America’s Cup programme, a strong signal of the class’s commitment to developing the next generation of foiling talent.
Team Sport Bams recorded their first-ever race win on the ETF26 circuit, a milestone moment for a team that joined the championship in 2026 and has been building momentum ever since. Sansin Racing Team, representing Canada, impressed the fleet with their consistency across the full event, confirming their place as a serious contender on the international stage.
What’s next
The ETF26 Series doesn’t stop here. In just two weeks, the fleet heads back to Lago di Garda for the Foiling Week, and with the memories of this European Championship still fresh in everyone’s minds, the tension between the teams is set to reach a whole new level. Same lake. Same rivals. Very different stakes. Don’t miss it. 🇮🇹🌊
