Please select your home edition
Edition
Selden 2020 - LEADERBOARD

New WASZP Rudder makes its North American debut at Foiling Week Pensacola

by Marc Ablett 27 Feb 16:01 GMT

With Foiling Week Pensacola officially under way, excitement is buzzing as WASZP sailors get the first opportunity to test the newly designed rudder foil, introduced in late 2024.

The highly anticipated update is already being hailed as a game-changer by sailors and enthusiasts alike.

Returning to the U.S. in 2025, Foiling Week Pensacola promises an unforgettable showcase of high-performance sailing. With the largest fleet of the event, 40+ WASZP competitors from around the globe are battling it out for the North American Championship—making this the biggest WASZP fleet assembled in North America to date.

Competitors from around the world have rolled into town, preparing for a thrilling week of racing starting Thursday. However, the standout feature this year is undoubtedly the new rudder foil, which has been making waves within the foiling community. Sailors who've tested it are already calling it a "game-changer" due to its faster speeds, smoother maneuvers, and overall enhanced performance.

"Faster speeds, easier maneuvers, and simply improved performance make this new rudder a no-brainer,"says Tyler Bjorn, WASZP North American Class Manager. "The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and the satisfaction from sailors worldwide is a true testament not only to the product's quality but also to the passion that designer Andrew McDougall brings to the WASZP class."

The WASZP has taken the foiling world by storm, becoming arguably the most popular foiling dinghy globally, with nearly 2,000 boats distributed worldwide. The class continues to set attendance records year after year, and 2025 is no exception, with over 210 competitors already registered for the International WASZP Games later this year.

As the WASZP North American Championship unfolds in Pensacola this week, all eyes are on who best takes advantage of the new rudder's performance. Will it live up to the hype? Early reports say yes—and with this fleet's talent and determination, we're in for an unforgettable week of foiling action.

Stay tuned for daily updates and results as Foiling Week Pensacola continues to make history.

Listen Podcast

Related Articles

WASZP UK Start of Seasons event at Datchet
A fleet of 42 boats arrived, many trying the new rudder for the first time A fleet of 42 boats descended on Datchet Water for the 2025 WASZP UK Start of Seasons - a great turnout for an early-season event and a promising sign for the fleet this year! Posted on 1 Apr
Foiling Race Coach course at the WPNSA
Launched by the Andrew Simpson Performance Academy, WASZP & RYA Last weekend marked an exciting step forward for foiling coaching with the first-ever RYA Foiling Race Coach course. The course was run at the AS Performance Academy, based at WPNSA, in collaboration with the WASZP class. Posted on 19 Mar
No more excuses
2025 is all about the club sailors, the weekend warriors, the open meeting stalwarts I was wondering if things were going to slow down in sailing after the huge events of 2024, namely the Olympics, America's Cup and Vendée Globe but, if anything, they've speeded up. Posted on 17 Mar
Rooster 2025 Event Line-up: Supporting the Action!
Ssupporting the sailing community is at the heart of what Rooster do At Rooster, supporting the sailing community is at the heart of what we do. In 2025, we're proud to be backing a fantastic line-up of events - helping them not only take place but also thrive. Posted on 17 Mar
Switzerland takes Foiling Week Pensacola title
Micha de Wreck clinched the win as four nations battled on the final day The 2025 WASZP North American Championships at Foiling Week Pensacola delivered high-octane action and showcased the class's growing popularity, with over 40 WASZP sailors from seven countries taking to the waters of Pensacola Bay. Posted on 17 Mar
19 Winners Crowned at Foiling Week Pensacola 2025
Nineteen winners have been crowned and the inaugural Foiling Week Pensacola Nineteen winners have been crowned and the inaugural Foiling Week Pensacola has come to a close after seven days of racing, community events, and social engagements. Posted on 4 Mar
Foiling Week Pensacola reaches halfway mark
As USA's Given wins Kite Foil Regatta The kitefoil regatta officially hit the books as the first regatta of Foiling Week Pensacola and was joined by a host of other special events to complete an impressive opening program for the inaugural week of festivities. Posted on 28 Feb
227 entries for the 2025 WASZP Games!
We spoke to Duncan Hepplewhite of SailingFast about the upcoming event at the WPNSA Mark Jardine spoke to Duncan Hepplewhite of Sailingfast about the WASZP Games 2025, which is being held at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) in July. Posted on 28 Feb
Foiling Week flocks to Pensacola
With high-speed racing and community events The world-renowned Foiling Week is set to make a splash for the first time in Pensacola, Florida in an exciting expansion following 11 successful editions in Lake Garda, Italy. Posted on 24 Feb
The new season begins at Sailingfast!
This past weekend saw them at the WASZP End of Seasons Duncan and Emma at Sailingfast have started 2025 in the same way as they finished 2024, supporting sailors up and down the country to ensure they spend more time on the water. Posted on 22 Jan