For all of us, China was a completely new experience. We arrived in Shenzhen — the world capital of manufacturing and technology — without really knowing what to expect. What surprised us the most was how tropical, green and beautiful the city actually was. Beyond the skyscrapers and factories, we discovered an incredible atmosphere, amazing food and, above all, some of the most welcoming hospitality we’ve ever experienced. The Chinese community made us feel truly at home from day one.

The event location was also something special. The organization found a remote hotel with its own private beach, creating the perfect environment for racing, training and building team spirit. It felt isolated from the chaos of the city and allowed everyone to fully focus on the competition and the experience together.

The entire Lift team came to China with one clear objective: lead the podium in both the Challenger and Pro divisions. But beyond the results, this event once again showed the true strength of our community. Every rider, engineer and team member worked together as one big family.

One of the most exciting moments of the weekend was the massive Enduro race, where nearly 50 riders started together in an intense group race format. Seeing such a huge pack of riders charging into the first turns was something special for the sport. Multiple Lift riders managed to lead the race from the front, creating an incredible visual spectacle all the way to the finish line and showing the strength and depth of the team across every category.

In the Challenger Division, Sebastian delivered an incredible performance to secure the win thanks to his consistency, clean technique and smart riding. He competed on the Lift X 4’3 paired with the Lift 5 mast, running the folding propeller V1 — his personal favorite setup — together with the 74 Havoc front wing and 26 Flow rear wing.

Vlad also delivered an amazing performance, securing third place in Challenger. He mainly rode the 4’3 setup but decided to switch to the 4’7 Florence Edition for the final. His setup included the 74 Havoc combined with the 21X rear wing, similar in feeling to the 21 Light setup.

In the Pro Division, the level was simply insane. Carmine, Alex Tete, Antti, Piet and Manel all fought through the elimination rounds in some of the closest racing we’ve ever seen.

Piet lost against Justin in the semifinals but still secured an impressive third place overall while also taking first place in the Masters category. Piet rode the 4’4 setup with the Lift 5 mast, using the 100 Surf front wing paired with the 21 Flow rear wing. A key part of his setup was the new Lift5 battery adapter, allowing the Lift5 platform to run nearly at the same weight as the Lift X setup. Reducing the overall weight made the board feel significantly more agile and reactive — especially on tighter race tracks and during wave riding conditions — while still maintaining excellent power delivery and stability.

Manel secured the overall victory after an incredibly close final, winning by only 0.5 seconds. His setup for the event was the 4’7 Florence Edition combined with the 72 CX and 21X rear wing — a setup that delivered both speed and stability under pressure.

Antti, Carmine and Alex Tete also performed at an extremely high level throughout the competition. Unfortunately, Alex couldn’t secure his position against Manel in the quarterfinals, while Antti and Carmine also narrowly missed their opportunity to advance further. But this is racing — margins are incredibly small and every heat pushes the sport to a new level.

What made the biggest difference for all of us was not only the equipment, but the team spirit behind it. Having the Lift and engineering teams directly on the beach gave us huge confidence throughout the event. Every technical issue, adjustment and setup change could be solved immediately. It genuinely felt like a Formula 1 team environment — riders and engineers working together toward one goal.

We truly believe that unity creates strength. This sport is evolving incredibly fast and we encourage all riders and brands to continue building strong teams and communities around eFoil racing. The future of this sport is massive, and the opportunities ahead are endless.

Whether you are a beginner, a freerider, a racer or simply curious about flying above the water, there will always be a place for you in this sport. The categories, disciplines and possibilities will continue growing over the next few years, and that’s what makes eFoiling so exciting.

China was more than just another competition for us. It was another step toward building the future of eFoil racing together.

See you at the next stop. ⚡️🏁

Shenzhen, China — More Than a Race