Langkawi Regatta Adds Wing Foil with 25 Entrants; Races Begin Feb 8

The Langkawi International Regatta Perdana (LIRP) will stage a Wing Foil category for the first time as the 22nd edition gets under way, organisers say. Twenty-five riders have confirmed entries for the new class, which joins eight established fleets as 298 sailors from 10 countries compete across Langkawi waters from Feb 8 to Feb 12.

Regatta director Mohd Afendy Abdullah framed the Wing Foil addition as a modernization of the event designed to widen appeal and lift spectator interest. He described Wing Foil as combining elements of surfing and windsurfing with a non-attached wing to create a high-speed, dynamic race, and said the move aligns with developments in modern water sports that are rapidly gaining international recognition. Mohd Afendy also expressed hope that young national sailor Sharifah Nadiah Wafa Syed Mohd Thalal Wafa of Perlis can step up and challenge the international field.

The new class will sit alongside eight existing categories: Optimist, Laser Standard (ILCA 7), Laser Radial (ILCA 6), Laser 4.7 (ILCA 4), International 470, International 420, Windsurfing and 29er. With almost 300 athletes on the entry list, organisers say Langkawi is among the earliest regattas to include Wing Foil as an official event, positioning the island as an early adopter of foil-driven disciplines in regional regatta calendars.

Names already on the entry list for the Wing Foil field include Ghio Romain of France and American Paul Dickey, signalling a small but international turnout that should produce aggressive, spectator-friendly racing. Organisers expect consistent winds in the 10 to 15 kilometres per hour range during the race window, conditions the regatta team judged to be well suited for foiling wings and close-course matchups.

For foil surfers and local followers, Wing Foil at LIRP meaningfully widens the menu of on-water action. The format promises short, high-intensity heats that are easier for beach spectators to follow than long-distance courses, and it creates new exposure for riders moving from traditional boards to wings and hydrofoils. For Malaysian sailors such as Sharifah Nadiah Wafa, the class also offers a platform to test gear and tactics against international opponents.

Expect tight, fast races over the first half of the regatta as crews and solo riders adapt to foil trim and wing handling in Langkawi’s steady seabreeze. Coverage and results will matter for anyone tracking the sport’s growth in Southeast Asia; if the Wing Foil debut draws the crowd and entries organisers are betting on, other regional regattas could follow Langkawi’s lead in the coming season.