If you travel to northwest Denmark to go wingfoiling, you can’t miss Hanstholm.
As part of Cold Hawaii, as the region in northwest Denmark is known, Hanstholm has been a household name in the water sports scene for decades.
The town is known for its large fishing port and the impressive nature of the adjacent Thy National Park. The town offers historical insights through the bunker complex, which was part of the Atlantic Wall during the Second World War.
Depending on the wind direction, there are two spots for wingfoiling in Hanstholm. To the west of the long jetty is the Fakir spot and to the east is the fish factory spot.
Fish Factory
At the fish factory in Hanstholm you can go wingfoiling in winds from WSW to NW. The long breakwater offers appropriate protection from the waves from the west, so that the shorebreak here is of little consequence.
Its name is no coincidence, because not so long ago there was actually a fish factory on land here, which gave the area a very special flair with its beguiling smell.
The start is more or less directly at the pier. For the first 50 m, however, you should push your equipment up with a foil, as there are still a few stones or concrete blocks hiding under the surface of the water. Even if you think it is deep enough, you will notice a rock in the water as you ascend. The opening in the pier offers a point of orientation, from there the shallows are actually over.
Depending on the height, the waves start to turn around at the end of the pier and come up. With luck, you can ride them down to the beach. The more westerly or southerly the wind is, the cleaner the waves run and the gustier it is. The waves often start to break towards the beach, so that they run from the pier to the beach as a round wave. Perfect for wingfoiling.
If the wind picks up (from around force 7) and with it the waves, they start to break further out. The spot is then only recommended for very experienced wingfoilers.
A certain level of wingfoiling skill is a must!
If you want to wingfoil at the fish factory in Hanstholm, you should at least be able to jibe safely. On good days, there are more than 40 people on the water here. You should have your equipment under control so as not to run anyone over.
There are also often many surfers waiting to ride a wave near the beach. It’s better to get out of the wave too early than too late. A foil on someones body is not a good thing for anyone involved.
