From Vieste will host the 2026 Windsurf Grand Slam from September 23rd to 27th, 2026., one of the most important events of the national windsurfing season. For five days, the Gargano Sea will be the competition ground for the finals and Italian championships in various specialties, with athletes from all over Italy, water trials, freestyle, and events open to the public.
The event will take place at Umbramare Camping Village, On the Vieste-Peschici coastal road, a location that has always been a reference point for windsurfing and water sports enthusiasts. A stretch of coast particularly suited to these disciplines and now well-known by enthusiasts who choose Vieste to experience the sea through sport too.
The Grand Slam represents the final stage of the Italian Windsurfing Championship and will bring some of the best Italian athletes to the water competing in the Formula Windsurfing, Slalom Fin, Slalom Foil and Freestyle specialties, in both senior and youth categories.
Great Italian windsurfing returns to Vieste
Vieste has a long-standing relationship with wind sports. The unique shape of the coastline and the presence of breezy days have favored windsurfing, kitesurfing, wingfoiling, and sailing over the years, especially along the beaches north of the city.
From September 23rd the show will be entrusted to the athletes of the Windsurf Grand Slam. The event is promoted by Gargano Sailing Club in collaboration with the Italian Sailing Federation (FIV) and the Italian Windsurfing Class Association (AICW).
It begins Wednesday 23 September With athlete registration at 8:30 a.m., the skipper's meeting at 9:30 a.m., and the Italian Formula Championship trials starting at 11:00 a.m. Trials will continue on Thursday, September 24th.
From Fin Foil to Freestyle: the program from September 25th to 27th
The program will get underway on Friday, September 25th. After the registration of the athletes and the press conference at 9.00, at The Fin Foil Championship trials will start at 11.00, while from 2:00 PM the public will be able to watch the freestyle demonstrations. The official presentation is scheduled for 7:00 PM at the Vieste Town Hall.
On Saturday, September 26th, we'll start again at 8:30 a.m. with athlete photos and at 11:00 a.m. with the Fin Foil trials. From 2:00 p.m., there's more freestyle action. The day will continue directly at Umbramare: from 6:30 PM to midnight party with live music at the Umbramare Bar and at 20.00 pm official dinner at the hotel's restaurant.
The final day of Sunday September 27 includes the skipper meeting at 9.30, the Fin Foil tests from 11.00, the Freestyle from 14.00 and finally the awards ceremony at 17.00 pm.
Provisional program of the event
Day 23/09
08.30am Athlete Registration
09.30am Skipper Meeting
11.00 am Start of the Italian Formula Championship trials
Day 24/09
09.30am Skipper Meeting
11.00 am Start of the Italian Formula Championship trials
Day 25/09
08.30am Athlete Registration
09.00 am Press Conference
09.30am Skipper Meeting
11.00am Start of the Fin Foil Championship Trials
14.00pm Start of Freestyle Exhibition Rehearsals
7:00 PM Official Presentation of the Municipality of Vieste
Day 26/09
08.30am Athlete Photos
09.30am Skipper Meeting
11.00am Start of the Fin Foil Championship Trials
14.00pm Start of Freestyle Exhibition Rehearsals
6:30 PM / 12:00 AM Party with LIVE Music at Bar Umbramare
8:00 PM Official Dinner at the Umbrmare Restaurant
Day 27/09
09.30am Skipper Meeting
11.00am Start of the Fin Foil Championship Trials
14.00pm Start of Freestyle Exhibition Rehearsals
17.00 pm Awards Ceremony
Umbramare, a seaside location for the Windsurf Grand Slam
The heart of the event will be Umbramare Camping Village, along the coastal road connecting Vieste to Peschici. The village will serve as the athletes' base and regatta site for five days: in the event's promotional materials, it is listed as the venue for the finalists in the senior and youth categories.
The choice of this area allows us to combine great sport with the promotion of the area. Those who come to Vieste to follow the championship will be able to take advantage of the opportunity to learn about the beaches of Vieste, visit the historic center of Vieste and discover the Gargano at a particularly pleasant time of year.
From 23 to 27 September 2026, therefore, coloured sails, foils and windsurfing boards will once again be the protagonists on the sea of Vieste, for five days to follow directly from the beach of Scialmarino.
