Ever since the GWA tour stop with the World Cup in September 2023, the spot Hvide Sande has been a household name in the world of wingfoiling.
The small town is located on the west coast of Denmark, nestled between the North Sea and Ringkøbing Fjord. Hvide Sande was founded in the 1930s as a fishing port. The name “Hvide Sande”, which means “white sands”, comes from the characteristic white dunes that characterize the region. Over the decades, Hvide Sande has developed from a simple fishing village into a popular vacation resort.
The spot is located directly south of the harbor pier. Theoretically, anything from north to west to SSE is possible here. However, the best wind direction is NNW from the right. The waves are then sorted by Hvide Sande’s long pier and are perfect for wingfoiling. Due to the protection of the breakwater, the water is free of wind chop and only the waves bend around the corner. These then come up on an outer sandbank without breaking immediately and are therefore ideal for foiling. Nevertheless, even in these conditions there is a shore break that needs to be overcome, which is not quite as violent as at other North Sea spots, but still requires a certain amount of experience. Of course, the wave height and therefore the shorebreak varies with the wind strength, as is typical in the North Sea.
Access
The best entry point is right next to the pier. Due to the cover, the wind is a little gusty in this area, but the shorebreak here is the most moderate.
Once you’re out there, you shouldn’t get too greedy and want to ride the waves right to the end. That’s when the white water zone starts and you’ll get wiped out quicker than you’d like. Sometimes it takes a very long time to get back on your wingfoil board or you have to let yourself be washed up on the beach and start the walk of shame back to the pier.
NW is also still rideable, but the waves are then not quite as clean. All other wind directions are only recommended in light winds and – usually associated with this – very small waves. Otherwise, the North Sea quickly shows its chaotic side in these wind directions.
Parking
You can park directly behind the dune in a large parking lot. There is a café and toilets here. You can even park your motorhome overnight for DKK 160 (as of May 2024).
Alternative
If the conditions for wingfoiling on the North Sea side in Hvide Sande are too fierce, there is an alternative spot in Ringkøbing Fjord. Just south of Hvide Sande is the access to the Westwind surf station with a paid parking lot and meadow for setting up. However, you should bring a shorter mast and be prepared for a slightly longer walk through the water until the water is deep enough for wingfoiling. Actually, almost all wind directions are possible here.
Update 10.06.2024. We got another tip from Falco. “There is a trick for the spot on Ringkøbing Fjord, Station Westwind Syd, for mast lengths up to around 75 cm, which I had the locals explain to me. In case of doubt, this saves valuable running and life time, because yes, you really do have to run a long way.
Right next to the station is Render Havn, a small fishing harbor. Along the entrance/exit of the harbor, the water is slightly deeper than all around. If you take advantage of this and pump yourself directly onto the foil, you can fly over the shallow part with a little skill. Otherwise, the rule of thumb is that it is deep enough for all common mast lengths after the fishing traps.
