Istria eFoil Race Recap

Istria eFoil Race Recap

The inaugural Istria eFoil Race took place on May 23, 2025, in the picturesque coastal town of Fažana, Istria, Croatia. This event marked a significant milestone as the first international eFoil competition held in Croatia, attracting riders and enthusiasts from across the world.

In the women’s category we had 3 ladies from Croatia and New Zealand while in men’s category there were 14 men from 8 different countries.

The race unfolded against the stunning backdrop of the Adriatic Sea, offering participants and spectators breathtaking views. The racecourse was set in close perimeter from the beach so the spectators could follow the competition within short distance. There were total of 15 buoys set across the bay with some fast sections and technical parts to challenge each competitor for their technical skills in turns and flow.

The weather conditions at the beginning of the race day were not ideal, rain and strong wind stopped the riders lounge set up at the big tent on the beach and presented rather challenging conditions in terms of cold but Lull eFoil Team persevered and managed to start with training runs and time trails. The atmosphere of strong spirits and enthusiasm of the entire team and the riders made it all possible. Later in the day mother nature took a turn in our favour and gave us sun, while the wind dropped down so conditions for eFoiling were more favourable.

Resaults of qualification rounds:

Istria eFoil Race had great battles in the final rounds among all competitors.
In the women category we saw consistent riding performance from Croatian Morena Makar (Croatia) which secured her 1st place and became the first Istria eFoil champion. 2nd place went to Marija Moro (Croatia) and 3rd place to Kelly Knight (New Zealand).

In the man’s category we saw a great battle in the small final where Nick Baumgartner (USA) took 3rd place and Ivan Dobrila (Croatia) finished at 4th place.
In the big final we had Manel Arpa Zuriguel from Spain and Tom Court from UK, both of which were the fastest riders in qualifications too.
In the first lap they crossed finish line almost at the same time and we’ve been ready to watch amazing battle between those two fastest riders. Unfortunately, later Tom Court made a mistake and crashed which gave Manel a fair advantage. Tom was pushing hard to compensate the lost time but at the end of 3rd lap Manel with his great eFoiling skills secured the win and became first Istria eFoil Champion.

We must underline that for most of the competitor this was the first time they raced and the progress over the 3 days we spent together on the water was astonishing.
Martin Norl tried eFoil for the first time ever just 2 days before the race and made 3rd place in the qualification run with just 9 seconds slower timing then the race winner - amazing fact how somebody doing a professional snowboarding can quickly adapt to new sport. Great job Martin!!! 

The Istria eFoil Race was a part of the broader Weekend Outdoor Festival, celebrating various outdoor sports and activities. Attendees enjoyed not only the thrilling races but also explored local gastronomy, participated in outdoor adventures, different panels and experienced the rich culture of Istria.
Beyond the competition, participants were taken to visit Brijuni National Park, panoramic rides along the coast, evening entertainment and engaging eFoil panel discussions, fostering a sense of community and shared passion among eFoil enthusiasts.

The success of the Istria eFoil Race has set the stage for future editions, promising to become a staple in the international eFoil racing calendar. 
With its unique blend of competitive spirit, community engagement and the enchanting setting of Istria Croatia, the event is poised to attract even more participants and spectators in the coming years.

Lull eFoil would like to thank all the riders, entire Lull eFoil crew and race judges, Efoil Racing League, Weekend Outdoor Festival, Fažana municipality and Tourist Board, Fliteboard, Red Bull Croatia, Fabula, Ecoflow Croatia, DJ Luca Montecchi, Trapan Vinery, Croatian Red Cross - Istrian emergancy water rescue unit, Sonic print productions, Studio 11, Sara Šijan, Istrian Craft brewery Big Joseph, Monada Cola, Atelje Rozman, Ljube video production, Multitask web studio, Luxidia, Adriatic Sailing, Istarski.hr and Apartments Brioni for their cooperation and support.