The fourth leg of the WingFoil Racing World Cup, held in Gizzeria, Calabria starting from July 8, concluded today. Among the riders in the women's category was Maddalena Spanu, part of the YCCS Young Azzurra program, who finished in second place. France's Vaina Picot took first place, while Iset Segura rounded out the podium in third.

The competition began Wednesday, July 8 with four long-distance races where Maddalena capped a string of second-place finishes with a victory. The next three days were marked by light winds due to a high-pressure system over the Italian peninsula; nevertheless, a total of 16 races were completed before the start of the Medal Series. The Young Azzurra athlete held onto her second place in the standings and qualified for the final.

Today, the fleet had to wait ashore until around 3:30 PM for the north-westerly wind to fill in at 9–11 knots, with gusts reaching 13 knots: enough breeze for the semi-finals and the final to be run. Maddalena took to the water ready to face her direct rival, Vaina Picot, alongside Charlotte Baruzzi and Iset Segura. She started determined and challenged the French athlete, but Picot managed to pull away and extend her lead, ultimately crossing the finish line first.

“This week of competition was characterised mainly by light winds and I tried to make the best of the conditions. Looking back a year, I am very satisfied with how much my light-wind performance has improved. Competing against Vaina and all the other athletes motivates me to keep improving. Today’s second place finish gives me an extra motivation ahead of the Formula Wing World Championship which is taking place in Turkey in less than a month,” said Spanu.

The next event on Maddalena’s schedule is the Formula Wing World Championship in Istanbul, Turkey, taking place from August 10 to 15.

On July 1st the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda launched the "Call for Young Sailors" initiative, part of the Young Azzurra program. Aimed at young Italian sailors aged 18 to 25, this initiative seeks up to four athletes to select to join the Young Azzurra program. Up to ten additional athletes will have the opportunity to participate in regattas organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. Applications are open until September 30, 2026 and full details are available at www.callforyoungsailors.it.