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Sean Herbert has continued his rise through the global wingfoiling ranks - a journey that began in an O’pen BIC in Auckland 14 years ago and has now seen him join one of the top performance sailing programmes in the United States.
The 23-year-old Kiwi last week added the 2025 US wingfoil championship title to his growing list of achievements, just days after announcing himself on the world stage with a bronze medal at his debut Wingfoil Racing World Cup event in Silvaplana, Switzerland.
Competing for the first time in the World Cup series, Herbert impressed across four days of racing on the scenic alpine lake, consistently challenging the sport’s elite. Despite tricky conditions on the final day, he earned his place in the medal race and secured third overall behind France’s Mathis Ghio and Poland’s Kamil Manowiecki.
Herbert, who sails out of Manly Sailing Club, launched his campaign in style - winning the opening two long-distance races in a 50-strong fleet, including a commanding 46-second margin over Ghio in the first race.
A few days later, Herbert dominated the US national championships at St. Francis Yacht Club, winning 14 of 15 races in strong breeze. Discards of 1 and 2 underlined his consistency and control.
Herbert began sailing aged nine after his family spotted the O’pen BICs (now O’pen Skiffs) out of Manly on the Whangaparāoa Peninsula.
“Initially I was uninterested, but my brother took to sailing so I followed,” Herbert said. “The brotherly rivalry ultimately fast-tracked my sailing and made me competitive in racing fast.”
He soon became an O’pen BIC world champion and remains the only sailor to win three Starling national titles. Since switching to foiling, he has claimed Waszp victories at SailGP Inspire events and won back-to-back New Zealand wingfoil national titles.
“I consider wingfoiling a pathway outside traditional yachting, and I’m really enjoying the process,” he said. “Switzerland was validation that I’m heading in the right direction - now I’ll keep chipping away.”
Sean Herbert finished third overall at his World Cup debut in Switzerland. Photos / IWSA Media/Robert Hajduk
Wingfoiling, he said, is booming.
“It’s not just the numbers in the fleets, but also the quality. In the top 10 at Silvaplana was JP Lattanzi, a training partner and another new face to the tour. We both came through similar pathways and are now pushing the front of the fleet, showing how those learnings transfer.”
Herbert recently joined America One Racing’s wingfoiling programme led by top US coach Leandro Spina.
"I’ve been fortunate to come in as an ‘international talent’ over the past couple of months, taking part in two training camps in Hawaii before the World Cup,” Herbert said. “We structured our training around what we expected in Switzerland - and it paid off.”
Now back in New Zealand, Herbert is preparing for the next stage of his international campaign.
“I’m home for a short time to train and keep developing the gear. That’ll be key for the next World Cup in Turkey in August, as well as events in China, Italy and Brazil,” he said. “Standing on the podium in Silvaplana was rewarding… but I want to win a World Cup and build towards the championship.”
