Young Blood Meets Pro Team 2025

Over four action-packed days, 20 invited kids aged 12 to 18 got everything on hands what they need on their journey to becoming Wing Foiling Professionals - from contest preparation to being valuable ambassadors.

Our six pro riders - Tom & Aleks Acherer, Benjamin May, Mar De Arce, Marie Schlittenbauer and Nia Suardiaz – who are mostly teenagers themselves, passed on their experience to the national Young Bloods. Leading groups alongside oour pro coaches Michi Rossmeier and Franco Lattazio, and with support from the experienced coaches and World Cup riders Lukas Lam and Leonie Trondl, they all had the chance to grow themselves on and off the water.

Blessed by a strong Levante, all together they spend a lot of time on the water pushing each other to reach new heights. We have never seen such an impressive level of riding and quick progression as we did during the past four days at Valdevaqueros. The next generation of Wing Foilers is definately ready!

The day kicked off at 8.30 a.m. with Franco Lattazio knocking at each tent, waking up all participants for the warm-up training session at the sports field. Alter fueling up with breakfast, we started with introducing the whole team and different groups, setting expectations for the next four days. To focus on mental strength, Franco and psychologist Sandra Prol developed a specialized motivation workbook. They explained the various questions and allowed time for reflection.

Even with the light Poniente wind, the youngsters couldn’t wait any longer to jump into the water. Some set off with their Wing Foiling gear, while others took the chance to go tow-in foiling behind the motorboat and jet ski that we had hired to get the most out of the day.

The evening training session was quite challenging for some kids, highlighting areas for improvement, especially flexibility. Overall, the first day of camp was packed with energy, motivation, and focus—an ideal kickoff for the inspiring days ahead.

Everyone woke up expecting the Levante to kick in today. But before going to the beach, we still had group work and a surprise prepared for the camp attendants. But before heading to the beach, we had group activities and a surprise for the campers. Philipp Becker from Duotone Kiteboarding shared insights on what it takes to be a valuable ambassador for the brand, while Michi ran a technical workshop with another group. It was great to see Pros like Aleks Acherer getting their hands on the same boom with the youngsters discussing different ways of executing Palaus or Backmobes. Special guest Andrea Principi, the Kiteboarding King of the Air, provided personal insights into the life of a pro athlete and answered questions in his inspiring way.

During the afternoon water session, all lenses were on the Young Bloods. In groups of 4-5 riders, they had to organize to be featured by our video- and photographers, who provided tips on what to consider during a photoshoot. After dinner, everyone was tired, but too excited to miss out on our video night. We gathered in our meeting tent to watch the day’s action together, going to bed with fresh ideas on how to improve their tricks for the next day.

After breakfast Paula Novotna shared her Social Media Tips & Tricks in an online workshop as she just came back to the harbor after a boot trip in Egypt. With even stronger Levante winds in the forecast, the goal for the day was to spend as much time on the water as possible, so the first Wing Foiling Session started already at 11 a.m. The energy was high, and we witnessed an incredible level of riding, playful yet powerful at the same time!

After lunch break, Benjamin May led a workshop on contest preparation, encouraging everyone - from World Cup competitors to future champions - to share their ideas and contributed his valuable experience. On the second session everyone made sure to have their WOO devices, which they received in the welcome package, set off for the big air session. The mission was clear: to shake up the top rankings of the WOO Worlds and compete for Duotone prizes for the highest jumps in the men & women category.

On the fourth day the whole crew set off from Valdevaqueros beach for a downwinder all the way to Bologna northwest of Tarifa. Accompanied by a safety boat equipped with walkie talkies and cell phones, the youngsters were not too intimidated by the wild ocean and pulling off backflips or Paula 720ies two kilometers away from shore. Gathering for a beach lunch at the beautiful beach of Bologna before shuttling back to Valdevaqueros for a final freestyle session, that already revealed some signs of exhaustion.

At the closing session in the evening, everyone shared their experiences and learnings from the passed days, before the riders voted for the two winners of the ION progression award: Kalle Dinant and Jara Herraiz. Congratulations, well deserved!