The race for the 2026 SFT Pump Foil World Championship is heading for a spectacular conclusion.
From September 4–6, the world’s leading pump foil athletes will return to the shores of Lake Traunsee, Austria, for three days of racing, community and celebration as the SFT Pump Foil World Cup Traunsee decides the 2026 men’s and women’s World Champions.
Following a memorable debut in 2025, the Surf Foil World Tour returns to Traunsee for a second year — again with championship titles on the line.
And with the rankings still very much alive, nothing is settled yet.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP COMES DOWN TO TRAUNSEE
Leading the men into the season finale is Switzerland’s Edan Fiander, the defending SFT Pump Foil World Champion.
Fiander arrives in Austria with 6,910 points, but France’s Titouan Tournus remains within striking distance on 6,230, while Austrian Jurij Scheibler sits third with 5,865 points and will have the added motivation of racing in front of a home crowd.
The women’s championship is even tighter.
Germany’s Marnie Bertram leads the standings with 6,380 points, just 225 ahead of Switzerland’s Sarah Spalinger on 6,155. Behind them, Carla Eiben, Viola Lippitsch and Lena Oberperfler complete a strong top five.
With the final points of the season still to be decided, every start, every turn and every metre above the water could make the difference.
SIMPLE IN CONCEPT. BRUTAL IN EXECUTION.
There is something uniquely captivating about pump foiling.
No sail. No wing. No motor.
Athletes generate and maintain their speed entirely through their own movement, rhythmically pumping the foil to remain above the surface while racing around a technical buoy course.
At World Cup level, what looks almost effortless from shore is anything but.
Pump foiling demands an exceptional combination of endurance, balance, technique, efficiency and tactical awareness. As equipment and riding techniques continue to evolve, the margins between the world’s best are becoming increasingly small — producing faster racing and closer battles.
Traunsee offers spectators the opportunity to see that progression up close.
A WORLD-CLASS ARENA IN THE AUSTRIAN ALPS
Few sporting venues offer a backdrop quite like this.
Set within Austria’s spectacular Salzkammergut region, Lake Traunsee is surrounded by dramatic Alpine peaks and deep blue-green water, creating a natural amphitheatre for the championship finale. The event returns to the Rindbach Recreation Area in Ebensee, where spectators can watch the racing from close to shore and experience the speed and physicality of pump foiling firsthand. Last year delivered sunshine, glassy water and outstanding conditions for the athletes. In 2026, the SFT returns hoping for another classic early-September weekend on the lake.
MORE THAN A WORLD CUP
Part of what made Traunsee special in its first year on the SFT calendar was everything happening around the racing.
The World Cup forms part of Lakeventure Traunsee, bringing together international athletes, the Austrian foiling community, families and spectators for a weekend built around watersports and life at the lake. The Austrian Wingfoil Championships will once again run alongside the Pump Foil World Cup, adding even more action to the weekend and creating a true foil festival atmosphere.
For experienced foilers, it is an opportunity to watch some of the world’s most technically advanced riders at close range. For families and newcomers, it is an easy introduction to one of watersports’ fastest-growing disciplines — with world-class competition unfolding just metres from the shoreline. That combination of elite sport and an accessible, welcoming community is exactly what makes Traunsee different.
ONE LAKE. TWO WORLD CHAMPIONS.
A full season of racing now comes down to one final weekend.
Can Edan Fiander defend his place at the top, or can Titouan Tournus close the gap when it matters most?
Can Marnie Bertram hold off Sarah Spalinger in a women’s championship separated by just 225 points?
And can Austria’s home athletes turn local support into a breakthrough performance on one of the biggest weekends of the season?
From September 4–6, the answers will come on the water.
The SFT Pump Foil World Cup Traunsee is back. The World Championship is on the line. And by Sunday evening, the 2026 SFT Pump Foil World Champions will be crowned.
Stay tuned for highlights, results, and behind-the-scenes coverage throughout the week.
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👉 For schedules, event information, rankings, and final results, visit the event pages on surffoilworldtour.com/events