PWA Professional Hydrofoil Windsurfing Shanghai International Invitational Tournament kicks off

China News Service, Shanghai, November 7 (Reporter Miao Lu) The 2026 PWA (World Professional Windsurfing Association) Professional Hydrofoil Windsurfing Shanghai International Invitational Tournament and the 8th Shanghai Windsurfing Masters (Qingpu Station) officially kicked off on the 7th at Yuandang Lake, Qingpu District, Shanghai. This is the first time this professional event has landed in China.

This event is a PWA special invitational competition, with a total of 55 players from 13 countries and regions participating. The competition schedule lasts from November 7th to 11th. The competition event is freestyle hydrofoil, with three major categories: professional group, master group and amateur group.

This competition, known as "Flying on the Waves," relies on underwater wings to generate lift to lift the sailboard out of the water, creating a visual feast of flying in the air and flying close to the water. As the official representative of PWA, Willy came to Shanghai for the first time. The water town of Qingpu left a deep impression on him. "Previously, most of our events were held in open water or near the beach. This year, we held the event in a lake for the first time, which is very unique."

Luka, a contestant from Curacao, shared his experience in participating. "When racing on the lake, although the wind will be smaller, the hull is more stable and better suited for our control."

In addition to the professional category of this event, domestic retired athletes and windsurfing enthusiasts will also compete in the Masters and Amateur categories of the Shanghai Windsurfing Masters. The extension of professional events downwards and the integration of popular events upwards will further promote the popularization and development of hydrofoil windsurfing projects in Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region.

In addition to the competition venue, the organizing committee has also carefully created two cultural tourism tour routes: on the afternoon of November 8, contestants will visit the local scenery of Qingpu and visit Qingpu Outlets, Panlong Tiandi, and Zhujiajiao Ancient Town to immerse themselves in the Jiangnan water town; on the afternoon of November 11, they will start a Shanghai-style cultural tour. Athletes from all over the world will visit Shanghai landmarks such as Yuyuan Garden, Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, and the Bund to experience Shanghai’s open and inclusive urban charm.

This event is hosted by the Professional World Windsurfing Association (PWA), China Sailing and Windsurfing Association, Shanghai Sports Federation, and Shanghai Qingpu District People's Government.