Longread: Wings Over the Lagoon — How Dahab Hosted the Wingfoil Elite at Five Squares
Dahab is a place where the wind doesn’t just blow; it breathes. This year, our station, Five Squares (5sq.center), transformed into a true arena for modern-day gladiators—the masters of the wingfoil. These recent competitions were more than just a race for medals; they were a manifesto of freedom, speed, and technological progress in water sports.
The Spirit of Competition: Why It Was Legendary
Wingfoiling is the youngest and fastest-growing discipline in the sailing world. Just five years ago, it seemed like an exotic hobby, but today in the Dahab Lagoon, we see dozens of riders soaring above the turquoise water on hydrofoils.
The day of the competition turned out to be a classic Dahab day: clear skies, crystal water, and that perfect “crisp” wind that people travel thousands of miles for. Participants began gathering at the station early in the morning. The atmosphere was a mix of pre-start jitters and friendly banter. Preparing the gear is a ritual in itself: pumping up the wings, checking the hydrofoil bolts, and choosing the right wing size for the current forecast.
The Race Flow: Tactics, Balance, and Grit
The racecourse was designed to test all the skills of the participants: the ability to take off (foil) as quickly as possible, precision in rounding the marks, and speed on upwind and downwind legs.
Spectators on the shores of the Ganet Sinai Hotel witnessed an incredible sight: as soon as the start signal was given, the silence of the Lagoon was cut by the whistle of hydrofoils. In wingfoiling, there is no engine noise or crashing waves—it is a silent flight that looks like magic from the shore. However, inside each heat, intense passions were boiling. The battle at the turns was board-to-board, where the slightest error in balance led to a splash-down and the loss of precious seconds.
Our Champions: The Faces of Victory
This year’s results showed that in wingfoiling, experience in “reading” the water is just as important as athleticism.
Grandmaster Sergey Viktorovich Pavlenko (🥇 1st Place): Sergey is a living legend of our station. His victory is a triumph of technique over pure strength. He read the wind shifts as if he were controlling them himself.
Hassan Assabali (🥇 1st Place): Sharing the top step of the podium, Hassan proved that local spot knowledge combined with daily training makes a rider nearly invincible.
Nikola Topić (🥈 2nd Place): Our guest from Croatia brought an international level to the race. His riding style is aggressive, precise, and very stable. We are always happy to see such high-level competition!
Andrey Malygin (🥉 3rd Place): Andrey demonstrated an enviable will to win. His bursts of speed on the straightaways had the fans cheering.
We must also mention the other finalists: Fedor (4th place), Grisha Jaza (5th place), and Egor (7th place). Each of them contributed to the overall energy of the day. The gaps between the finishers were minimal, indicating a high average level of training at our school.
👑 Queen of the Lagoon: Special congratulations go to Alena Pankratova (🥇 1st Place among women). Women’s wingfoiling is a blend of grace and incredible endurance. Alena competed on equal footing in the overall standings, proving that the “wing” knows no gender boundaries.
Dahab: The Cradle of Wingfoiling
Why did the competition take place here? The Dahab Lagoon is a unique natural stadium. The shallow water near the shore allows for safe starts, while the consistent wind in the central part provides ideal conditions for speed tests.
The Five Squares center, operating since 2003, ensured complete safety: rescue boats were on standby, and experienced judges recorded every move. We use only top-tier equipment (JP, Tabou, Cabrinha), and many participants competed on the center’s gear, which once again confirms its high performance and maintenance standards.
Thank you to all participants for the atmosphere, the emotions, and the high level of riding! You’ve shown once again why Dahab is the perfect place for wingfoiling. Ready to fly? Book your session at 5sq.center!
