La Dolce Vita

Three riders have found their respective sweet spots on Lake Garda – a place where the Italian “sweet life” meets world-class wingfoil conditions…

Photos: Marco Manfrini

Chiara Pandora Socin

Waking up to the aroma of freshly baked croissants and hot coffee as the sun slowly rises from behind Monte Baldo, with the Peler morning wind gradually strengthening. At Lake Garda, there's no better way to start the day than on the water.

Peering out the window, you see the first wingfoilers setting up their foils to catch the early northern gusts, riders radi-tating excitement as they stand on a board for the first time, and shop signs reading “Closed for wind”. Life at the lake revolves around it…

Enjoying a warm croissant in the car as you head towards the “big parking lot” in Malcesine, watching the lake's sur-face ripple more and more, you already know it's going to be an incredible session. Every day feels the same, yet each outing is unique; the Peler and the unique landscape that skirts the water never gets old.

Usually, the morning wind blows from 8am till 11am, de-pending on the season and the sunlight. As the sun climbs higher, at around midday, you spot the “wind line” com-ing from the south, skimming across the water – the Ora is arriving again (usually between 12pm and 1pm). Now the better spot is toward the north of the lake at Conca d’Oro in Torbole. Here the anticipation is palpable, because no one wants to miss the initial gusts. The lake ripples as I set up my foil; it's time to head into the water again. Some prefer the Ora over the Peler, and anyone who claims otherwise is lying!

“Of course, let’s not forget the proper coffee, lovely Italian food and sunset beers that you’ll find on every corner. “

In the water, you reunite with friends – “stesso posto, stessa ora”. The youngsters practice freestyle upwind from Con-ca d’Oro, while the more conservative dart back and forth amidst the stunning scenery I am lucky enough to call my home. The best kind of home.

The best days are when the Ora stays steady until the evening. With friends, you relish a beautiful sunset from the water, knowing that an ice-cold Aperetivo is waiting for you back on shore. This is the sweet life on Lake Garda.

Stefan Spiessberger

Everybody has them – those memories on family holidays when we were little. Year after year we kept setting up camp at the north end of Lago di Garda. It was paradise for me as a little kid. Climbing, biking, windsurfing. Not a day went by that we didn’t spend outside doing all kinds of sports. At the time I didn’t think about it much, I just loved to move and to try out everything. Once my windsurfing got to a plan-ing-level, I got hooked on wind sports. I guess it was when I was around 12. The lake and our summer holiday got pro-gressively more exciting for me than it already was. Working on Duck Jibes, Air Jibes and trying little Backloops once the Ora kicked in properly.

Then I picked up kiting. And as it happens, kiting on the shores of Lake Garda is not the easiest. I metaphorically kind of lost the lake out of my sight a little bit. Additional-ly, I started to travel to all those perfect freestyle kitespots and it didn’t seem too fun anymore spending time there. A few years went by (10 or 12 probably) and wingfoiling came around. I jumped on that train and a lot of good came with that. A few weeks on the wing and the first images of Lago di Garda emerging with that new and fresh energy that wingfoiling created immediately, I knew this was the time.

Wingfoiling took me back to the place that created my pas-sion for water sports in the first place. With that fresh take on every spot around the globe, the Italian lake turned in-stantly into my favorite short-trip destination again. Not only all the memories from back in the day, but also the enthu-siasm around the sport itself make this place a very special one. Of course, let’s not forget the proper coffee, lovely Ital-ian food and sunset beers that you’ll find on every corner. Being windy almost every single day, there is plenty of talent around the lake. And it is great to see a sport attracting so many young people. It keeps it fun, and the progression go-ing. Lake Garda has it all.

Rocco Sotomayor

I was born in Maui and moved to Torbole on Lake Garda when I was six years old. Growing up as a local in Torbole, I have always been very fortunate to enjoy the exceptional wind conditions at Lake Garda on a daily basis. My journey began right there when I was six years old, windsurfing with Techno Class 293. After that at about 13 I moved on with IQ Foiling where I won some international competitions. The consistent winds and stunning scenery of Lake Garda provided the perfect playground for my development. I was basically training every day.

I discovered wingfoiling about two years ago and found a new passion that perfectly complemented my windsurfing skills. Pretty soon I got hooked and was training and prac-ticing new freestyle moves every day. It was simply more attractive and more fun than foil racing across the lake on those huge windsurf boards. I stopped windsurfing slowly and realized that wingfoiling was what I wanted to do. The lake offers the perfect conditions for this sport, even better than it is for windsurfing. The small chop is perfect for jump-ing, like little ramps, which make it so much fun.

I am grateful to be able to leave all my gear at Hotel Parad-iso, which is located right on the beach in Torbole. This spot is perfect for both morning and afternoon winds. After school, I ride my bike there, inflate my wing, and head out onto the water. This routine allows me to seamlessly integrate my training into my daily life, making the most of the fantastic conditions Lake Garda offers. Another perfect spot is the Duotone Pro Center in Torbole, where you can rent gear and take boat lifts. The wind blows there regularly in the morning and afternoon.

For the Peler wind however, Malcesine or Al Pra (both fur-ther south than Torbole) are usually the better options. The wind is stronger at those spots and there is even a little wave there. So, if I can get a ride with someone there, I prefer those spots for the morning sessions.

Living and training in Torbole has shaped me into the ath-lete I am today, and I am grateful for the incredible wind conditions and supportive community that make this place truly special. Last year, I competed in my first wingfoiling competition – the GWA Youth World Cup in La Palma. This year again I’m participating in the GWA Freestyle World Cup in Fuerteventura and Jeri in autumn! These experiences have fueled my passion and drive to continually improve and rep-resent my hometown on the world stage.

Training here at Lake Garda as a professional rider, I have the unique advantage of harnessing the lake's renowned winds to push my limits and refine my techniques. Lake Garda is more than just a training ground; it's a place where I connect with nature and experience the thrill of the sport every day.