Pierre Mortefon wins IFCA foil world title after final-race decider

Pierre Mortefon sealed the IFCA foil world title in the very last race at Leucate, turning a tight week on the water into a championship decision that went right down to the final heat. The French rider left the 2026 Grand Slam Fin & Foil Worlds with the crown after a close battle that stayed alive until the end, on a course that demanded fast reads, controlled risk and a setup he could trust.

The title race unfolded from April 22 to 26 in Leucate-La Franqui as part of the 29th Mondial du Vent, with IFCA describing the event as its Grand Slam Fin & Foil Slalom World Championship. The championship was built to test more than raw speed, with changing conditions and elimination-style racing used to decide the titles. IFCA said 10 new world champions were awarded across fin and foil divisions, while Mondial du Vent organizers also validated the windsurf IFCA Worlds within a program that included GWA wingfoil and SFT parawing competition.

Mortefon was never far from the front. In the day-3 foil men’s standings, he sat first ahead of Matteo Iachino, Amado Vrieswijk, Benoît Merc and Jordy Vonk. That kind of position control mattered in Leucate, where a single mistake could shuffle the leaderboard. A separate Mondial du Vent update showed how quickly the order could flip, with Vrieswijk winning the second foil world-race round ahead of Iachino and Mortefon. For racers watching the week develop, the message was clear: nobody could coast on one good heat.

Mortefon said the week also served as a hard test for new racing gear, and that was as important to the result as his line choices. He thanked North Sails and FMX Racing for the work on his sails and boards, and said the feeling on the water was excellent throughout the event. For ambitious foil racers, that is the takeaway from Leucate: championship speed starts with confidence in the setup, not just a fast gust or one lucky gybe.

His form stretched beyond foil, too. Mortefon finished fourth in fin slalom after only one elimination in that discipline, a useful reminder that consistency across formats is what separates a title contender from a one-race specialist. In Leucate, Mortefon did not just survive the pressure. He managed it, adapted to the changing conditions and closed the door when the final race arrived.