Genoa solidifies its status as the global foiling capital, celebrating 2025’s top athletes and innovations at the prestigious ninth Foiling Awards.
The ninth edition of the Foiling Awards has concluded in Genoa, an international event that has firmly established itself as the premier celebration of the best athletes, projects, products, and events in the global foiling world. This year’s gala gathered more than 200 distinguished guests, including delegates from the concurrent World Foiling Congress, elite athletes, journalists, and key representatives of the marine industry. This record attendance reflects the growing prestige of Genoa, which is increasingly recognized as the “Foiling Capital” of the most dynamic and technologically advanced sector in waterborne mobility.
Blue economy and strategic expansion
The evening took place in the heart of Genoa’s Porto Antico, hosted by Greta Eline Poclen, Head of Science at We Are Foiling, and Eurosport commentator Zoran Filicic. The President of the Liguria Region, Marco Bucci, welcomed the international delegation, emphasizing that for Liguria, the sea is a bridge for communication rather than a barrier. He highlighted that the “blue economy” represents the future of jobs and sustainable living, thanking the global community for choosing Liguria as their meeting point. Luca Rizzotti, President of The Foiling Organization, outlined the strategic development of the We Are Foiling ecosystem. He placed significant emphasis on the success of the World Foiling Congress and the central role of Foiling Week, scheduled for Malcesine on Lake Garda from June 27th to July 5th, 2026. Rizzotti also announced a major international milestone: the city of Pensacola, Florida, has secured hosting rights for the next three years (2027–2029), establishing a permanent North American home for the sport.
Sporting excellence
The awards were determined by a massive global turnout, with over 7,000 members of the foiling community casting their votes for 104 nominees across 13 categories. In the sporting highlights, the Female Sailor Award was won by Moth World Champion Victoria Schultheis of Malta, while the Male Sailor Award went to French Moth World Champion Enzo Balanger. The Sailing Team Award was presented to the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team, represented on stage by Olympic gold medalist Ellie Aldridge. A major announcement on the sporting side featured Giulia Conti -winner of the first Puig Women’s America’s Cup with Luna Rossa- who joins the We Are Foiling team as Head of Performance. Her role will be pivotal in developing new training programs to nurture the next generation of foiling talent.
The Triumph of Bluegame BGF45
A significant milestone for the commercial sector was the victory of the Bluegame BGF45 in the Production Motor Boat category. This award underscores how foiling technology is successfully transitioning from experimental racing into high-end commercial production. The BGF45 was recognized for its ability to combine luxury with the efficiency and reduced environmental footprint that foiling provides. In other production categories, the Flyte took home the Production Sailing Boat award, while the Penguin Princess Fast Crew Boat won for Commercial Vessel, proving that foiling is revolutionizing industrial maritime transport. For personal recreation, the Fliteboard Race dominated the Boards and Water-Toys category.
Sustainability and future impact
The commitment to a greener future was represented by the Sustainability Award, won by Avel Minilab for their Sustainable Hydrofoils. In terms of pure innovation, Evolo secured the Innovation Technology award, while the Ferrari Hypersail won in the Project category for its visionary design. The Future Impact Award, judged by a specialized international jury of marine journalists, was assigned to the Gitana 18 (collected by skipper Charles Caudrelier). This award recognizes the project with the strongest potential to scale and fundamentally change the future of the sector. Additionally, a Special Award was presented to Nikolas Plytas for his world-first “double loop” on a foiling board, an achievement that pushed the boundaries of extreme sports. The climax of the evening was the presentation of the Forlanini Award, named after the Italian foiling pioneer Enrico Forlanini. This prestigious trophy is assigned to the “best of the best” among all category winners. The honor went to France’s Enzo Balanger, crowning an extraordinary 2025 season.
With the close of the ninth edition, Genoa has solidified its role as the annual junction where sport, technology, and the marine industry converge to shape the future of flight on water.
