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English windsurfer, Emma Wilson will return to the waters at the Musto iQFOiL World Championships 2026, where she hopes to defend her title and build momentum for the Olympic Games in LA. But while Wilson makes iQFOiL windsurfing look like a breeze, torn ligaments and broken bones tell a different story.<\/p>\n
In an exclusive chat with M&F Hers,<\/em> the fit female and her coach explain why she\u2019s been leaning into lower body work as part of her prep, and why injury prevention is paramount for keeping her head above water.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a full body experience,\u201d says Wilson of being a Bonafide warrior of the waves. \u201cI guess that\u2019s why we go to the gym so much as well.\u201d Indeed, gym work may provide a critical base for building muscle and strength, but another key component of resistance training is how it supports injury prevention\u2014a subject that Wilson knows only too well. \u201cYou need to be really fit,\u201d says the sailor. \u201cIt\u2019s like a balance between getting strong and heavy, but also you\u2019ve got to be able to pump and go max heart rate, every race.\u201d Pumping the sail when winds are light puts a serious strain on the limbs, however, and Wilson has torn ligaments in her forearms as a result. \u201cI was super lucky with the surgery both times,\u201d she explains, proving so by returning to the water with little off.<\/p>\n Back in 2022, Wilson competed with a broken toe and even made it to fourth place at that year\u2019s World Championships. But having taken the title in 2025, Wilson is following her coach\u2019s advice to maintain her winning ways. \u201cEmma has been working really hard in the gym in the lead up to these world championships,\u201d says GB Sailing\u2019s strength and conditioning lead, Will Barnes.<\/p>\n iQFOiL is a faster version of Olympic windsurfing, first introduced by World Sailing at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The iQFOiL windsurf board utilize hydrofoil technology, meaning that when the conditions are right, the entire board lifts out of the water. With less wind drag, iQFOiL windsurfers hit speeds of 35 knots<\/a> (40 mph).<\/p>\n To claim victory in Weymouth, surfers will be required to navigate a multi-stage race and finish in the top ten by the end of the qualifying stage. The finalists will then compete in a single day elimination series to determine the 2026 iQFOiL World Champion.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHer primary focus has been to increase the strength in her lower body,\u201d explains coach Barnes. \u201cIn a typical session Emma will complete a bilateral exercise like a leg press and\u00a0 then a unilateral exercise, for example a split squat into hip thrusts. I can guarantee there a very few athletes out there who are able to do all that and still go out on the water for hours of pumping that same day!\u201d<\/p>\n While Wilson has been building her foundation, she hasn\u2019t neglected the rest of her body, particularly her arms. \u201cThe main focus in the gym after these surgeries is making sure Emma\u2019s grip is as strong as possible in order to limit the strain of gripping onto the boom on water,\u201d explains Barnes, pointing out that the GB sail athletes are also supported by a team of physiotherapists. \u201cAll our IQ athletes have put so much work in this past year, and I\u2019ve never seen them so locked in,\u201d says the coach. \u201cI\u2019m incredibly proud of all of them and can\u2019t wait to see them show the rest of the world what they are capable of once again.\u201d<\/p>\n For Wilson, physiotherapy has been an important part of the recovery process, but she adds that sleep is very underrated. \u201cIf I get a good night\u2019s sleep, I\u2019m perfect. And, if I don\u2019t, I\u2019m so grumpy,\u201d she jokes. Of course, being out in the water with the wind on your face is certain to encourage some sound sleep. \u201cYou get back home, and you\u2019re exhausted anyway,\u201d she shares. \u201cI do some stretching, and then I go to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n With two Olympic Bronze medals behind her, a World Championship in the bag, and a second shot at the World title now underway, Wilson is looking ahead to Los Angeles without taking her eyes off the current wave that she\u2019s riding. \u201cI\u2019m super excited,\u201d she tells M&F Hers.<\/em> \u201cHaving the World Championships at home this year, for me, it\u2019s a once in a lifetime opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n The iQFOiL World Championships take place in Weymouth, England on September 4 to 12, 2026. For more information click here.<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n To follow Emma Wilson on Instagram, click here.<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nWhat is iQFOiL Windsurfing?<\/h2>\n
How Emma Wilson Has Trained For the 2026 iQFOiL World Championships<\/h2>\n
\u00a0Emma Wilson\u2019s Career Highlights<\/h2>\n
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