1st-ever U.S. WingFoil Championship sets sail in SF

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The first-ever national championship for WingFoiling is being held in the San Francisco Bay. U.S. Sailing began sanctioning the event and says the sport has grown so much in popularity that they decided to hold a championship.

"This event is really unique," said Makani Andrews, one of the competitors. "The other sailing disciplines there is usually a sail and a mast connected to a boat but we are physically holding our wings in the air and it lets you do a lot of things like freestyle and also racing."

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WingFoiling is a combination of wind and kite surfing along with hydrofoiling. Athletes hold a sail while balancing on a board that rises out of the water.

"The foils had improved year over year and also regular kind of free ride and freestyle kite surfing utilizes this inflated tube technology," said Geoff Headington, the Race Director who is with the St. Francis Yacht Club. "At one point maybe about a decade ago, the idea came about to put these two technologies together."

The event runs from Friday through Sunday. There will be several races each day, but on Sunday, the top 20 will compete for the title of national champion.

On Friday, before the first race, each competitor was busy inflating their sails and getting their foils ready for the weekend. Athletes from all came to San Francisco to compete.

"I got involved through wingclub Hawaii," said Mani Pahuatini, another competitor. "I first got involved with windsurfing. That transitioned to formula kite for one year and now WingFoiling, so it's great."

As the sport grows in popularity, the athletes think this sport can one day be in the Olympics.

"This sport has been one of the fastest growing sailing disciplines ever," Andrews said. "hopefully one day it makes it into the Olympics."