COROS for windsurfing and wingfoiling: pick the mode, match the filter
COROS is the odd one out among the four sync manufacturers: alongside the windsurfing mode that Garmin, Suunto and Polar carry as well, it is the only one with a speedsurfing mode. Neither sits on every COROS, though. Whether your watch offers windsurfing or only flatwater decides what you start on the water — and which value belongs in the activity filter in WindSportTracker. This is where most COROS sessions get lost, not at the GPS.
Which COROS has which water mode
| Mode | Available on |
|---|---|
| Speedsurfing | APEX Pro, APEX 2, APEX 2 Pro, VERTIX, VERTIX 2, VERTIX 2S |
| Windsurfing | APEX Pro, APEX 2, APEX 2 Pro, VERTIX, VERTIX 2, VERTIX 2S |
| Whitewater | same model group |
| Flatwater (SUP, kayak) | additionally PACE 2, PACE 3, PACE Pro, NOMAD, APEX |
| Rowing | same as flatwater |
The line runs between the outdoor range and the running range. A PACE does record water sports — but as flatwater, not as windsurfing. That is a different label on the same GPS track, not a loss of accuracy.
The activity filter has to match the recording
In WindSportTracker you connect your COROS account on the Profile page and choose which activity types are accepted. That filter compares the activity type the watch sends — not the sport you want to analyse later. So:
| Watch | Recorded on the watch as | Filter in WindSportTracker |
|---|---|---|
| APEX Pro / APEX 2 / 2 Pro / VERTIX range | windsurfing | windsurfing |
| same watch, custom mode created | custom mode | custom |
| PACE, NOMAD, APEX | flatwater | flatwater |
If the filter does not match the activity type, the session simply never arrives. No error, no notice — it stays at COROS. When a recording is missing, this is the first place to look.
You set the actual sport afterwards in WindSportTracker. A wingfoil session recorded as flatwater on a PACE is analysed as wingfoiling as soon as you set it that way — with flight time, touchdowns and manoeuvres instead of SUP numbers.
What the speedsurfing mode is good for
The speedsurfing mode on the APEX and VERTIX range shows your speed on the wrist while you ride. For a glance between two runs that is exactly right — and inside the COROS world it ends there: a summary, but no single run you can verify on map and chart.
There is a verified side to it too. VERTIX 2, VERTIX 2S, APEX 2 and APEX Pro 2 appear on the GPS-Speedsurfing device list, which means they count as verified for record entries. That makes COROS the only watch brand playing in that league alongside the dedicated loggers.
In WindSportTracker the same file turns into the detail view: speed over 2 s, 5 s, 10 s and 500 m, Alpha 250 m, every run separately on the map, plus jibes with a success rate and the gear comparison across the season.
Wingfoil, parawing and pump foil on a COROS
None of these has a COROS mode. Two workable routes:
- Use windsurfing (APEX/VERTIX range) and switch to the real sport in WindSportTracker. Filter: windsurfing.
- Create a custom mode and set the filter to custom. Worth it if you want the disciplines separated inside the COROS app as well.
On a PACE, flatwater stays the route. All that matters is that filter and recording match — the analysis afterwards depends only on the sport set in WindSportTracker.
What stays visible on the watch
While you ride you see COROS data fields: speed, distance, time, heart rate, plus alerts for distance, pace and heart rate. You configure those in the COROS app. Live displays from WindSportTracker — planing and flight phase, spoken top speed — only exist when recording directly with a phone, an Apple Watch or a Wear OS watch.
On battery: the outdoor COROS models are built for long GPS recordings, and a normal surf day is uncritical. Map display and full brightness cost noticeably more than the GPS itself.
Frequently asked questions
My session never arrives — why? Almost always the filter. Check which activity type the watch sent (windsurfing, custom or flatwater) and whether exactly that one is enabled in WindSportTracker.
Can I still analyse wingfoiling from a PACE? Yes. Record flatwater, set the filter to flatwater, then select wingfoiling in WindSportTracker. The analysis is identical to a recording from a VERTIX.
Do I need the speedsurfing mode for Alpha 250? No. Alpha 250, the 500 m window and the individual runs are computed by WindSportTracker from the track, whatever COROS mode you chose.
Does a COROS session count on GPS-Speedsurfing? For VERTIX 2, VERTIX 2S, APEX 2 and APEX Pro 2 yes, they are listed as verified devices. Other models run in the fun ranking.
What happens to the activities in the COROS app? Nothing. WindSportTracker copies matching sessions, the originals stay at COROS.
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