Emerging Talent

The 2025 PWA World Tour delivered no shortage of standout performances, but a new generation truly announced themselves this season. In this video, Ben Proffitt counts down the top five breakout moments and riders of the year, highlighting the sailors who made the biggest leaps, broke into new territory, and firmly put themselves on the radar for 2026.

From Femke van der Veen’s (Starboard / Severne) breakthrough season across Slalom X and Foil Slalom, to Živa Batis (Flikka / GUNSAILS) making an instant impact on her Freestyle debut, this list celebrates progression across multiple disciplines. John Soukos’ (WeOne / Challenger Sails / PATRIK Foils) consistency in Sylt earns him a place inside the top ten for the first time, while Fabian Wolf (Starboard / Severne Sails) shows just how dangerous he can be with a full Foil Slalom campaign. Takumi Moriya (Severne Windsurfing) continues to underline why he is one of freestyle’s brightest young prospects, and Sol Degrieck’s (Severne Windsurfing) rise in the women’s wave fleet culminates in a maiden World Cup victory that feels like just the beginning.

These moments are not just highlights, they are signs of what is coming next. The level is rising, the field is getting deeper, and the future of the World Tour is looking stronger than ever.

If you missed the previous link - here it is - https://youtu.be/u9rS39a1wc4?si=MlhiS6o-Am5N0Zc9

Let us know in the comments if there were any breakout performances you think should have made the list, and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more exclusive PWA content as we head into the 2026 season.