PATRIK: "Please welcome Mister Alession Stillrich. Lean back, grab some snacks and enjoy the first session on his new gear."

Following his 2024 challenge, an extreme crossing of nearly 400 kilometres across the North Sea, 2026 marks the next step. Where that challenge was a battle against the elements and perfect timing, The Challenge Race Against Time is a test of pure endurance. For 24 consecutive hours, day and night, Bob will windsurf without stopping to reach a minimum distance of 800 kilometres. 

Once again, Bob will push his physical limits to raise awareness for children with a muscle disease. Because this challenge cannot be carried out on just any day, we are working with a so called wind window. This wind window is open in week 24 and 25, with June 11 and 12 as the ideal dates. And weeks 26 and 27 as back-up dates. 

This year, main sponsor Howden plays a crucial role in enabling the challenge and ensuring that funds can be raised in support of the cause. 

About the Charity 

‘Spieren voor Spieren’ (translation: muscles for muscles) is committed to defeating all muscle diseases in children. Proceeds from fundraising activities are used quickly and effectively to accelerate diagnosis and improve treatments for children living with a muscle disease. Under the motto “Healthy muscles support sick muscles,” the foundation is supported by many current and former elite athletes who actively contribute to its mission. 

About Lucas 

At the heart of the campaign is Lucas (11), the child ambassador of the challenge. Lucas lives with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a progressive muscle disease that causes his muscles to become weaker over time, eventually losing their function altogether. As long as there is no effective treatment or medication, time is slowly running out for Lucas’ muscles. As his mother Debby puts it, “While time moves forward, Lucas continues to fall behind.” It is, quite literally, a race against time. 
 

We also discussed how he got into the sport, his battles with Philip Köster over the years in Pozo, the filming of 4 Dimensions and Minds Wide Open with Andre Paskowski and whether he's thinking about retirement as he enters his 25th year on tour... 

You can either watch or listen to the first episode on YouTube or Spotify.

Thule and Ghiretti put on a masterclass in wave knowledge and critical aerials, maximising the potential of every set wave. In the semi-finals, Köster suffered multiple heavy wipeouts and a gear change, leaving the German superstar floundering as the youngsters surged ahead, proving they could compete with — and beat — the sport’s elite. The crowd watched in stunned silence as the moment sank in.

The final saw Thule open strong with solid aerials, but it was Ghiretti’s triple aerial wave, scoring 8.73 — the highest single-wave score of the competition — that lifted him into second place, solidifying his reputation as one of Australia’s most promising young talents. 

Meanwhile, Julian Salmonn (Naish / Naish Sails) from Germany, who had multiple 14+ point heats and impressive wave 360s earlier in the day, also fell victim to the heavy conditions in the final and finished fourth after several wipeouts.

In exciting news, windsurfing fans might get to see more of Jaeger Stone in 2026.  

“I’ll consider travelling to a couple of events this year. I definitely won’t be doing the full tour, but events like Fiji and Chile have been on my radar for a while and hopefully I’ve got a little bit more flexibility with work this year. Chile is somewhere that I would really love to visit anyway and I’ll be very interested in attending that event for a few years now that the event looks like it gets bigger and better every year, so we’ll see if that happens.”

Rising Star Kenyon Outshines the Veterans

In a breakthrough performance, seventeen-year-old Junior World Champion Sarah Kenyon (Severne Windsurfing) from Geraldton, Australia just did the unthinkable, beating highly experienced pro women in solid waves at Margaret River.

With her strong surfing background, Kenyon found the longer, cleaner waves and was able to perform multiple tight snaps and a small aerial to just edge out world number eight, Margaret River’s Jane Seman (Severne Windsurfing) by 0.06 of a point.

“I was really excited to win here, because it’s dream that I didn’t think I’d get to for so long”, said an ecstatic Kenyon. “To do it this early was pretty special to me. I didn’t think I could do it, but once you put your mind to do it, you can do anything.”  

The well composed rider drew on her experience and love for the break to secure the win over much more experienced competitors.  
 
“I’ve spent heaps and heaps of time in Margaret River and the wave is really hard to know when to hit the lip. The time spent there really helped me to read the wave. Margaret River is a break I love to sail, I just don’t get as nervous. I’m excited to watch the other girls and guys ripping, so I just get excited to push myself. And the waves looked so sick, it just makes you want to go out there.”  

Runner up, Seman charged hard and attacked the heavy lips throughout the competition, but wasn’t able to find the longer waves that offered multiple scoring opportunities in the final. Juggling event organisation and competition, she was ecstatic for her protégé. 

“My motivation for running this event is to help the youth, so they can watch and learn from the top pros at home. People like Jake and Sarah just improve so fast and have such a good read on waves.”

“I really love sailing with Sarah as she always wants to get better and just goes for it. This is just the start for her, and I really feel she will become one of greatest ever female wave riders.”  

Former world wave champion, Karin Jaggi (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails) showed excellent consistency with powerful turns on the large waves of Margaret River to take third place, while Maria Andrés (Hot Sails Maui) chose some of the largest waves Margaret River had to offer and used her trademark power carves to make her way into the final - eventually finishing fourth. 

The finals day replay is available here to watch:
https://www.youtube.com/live/bq2faStk5CA?si=4jgLgEhyN3C6uPlk

Pro Men’s

1st Jaeger Stone (AUS | Severne Windsurfing)
2nd Jake Ghiretti (AUS | Severne Windsurfing)
3rd Simon Thule (DEN | PATRIK / PATRIK Sails)
4th Julian Salmonn (GER | Naish / Naish Sails)

Pro Women’s

1st Sarah Kenyon (AUS | Severne Windsurfing)
2nd Jane Seman (AUS | Severne Windsurfing)
3rd Karin Jaggi (SUI | PATRIK / PATRIK Sails)
4th Maria Andrés (ESP | Hot Sails Maui)

Master's

1st Ash Nicol, Perth Australia
2nd Jonah Desforges, Perth Australia
3rd Peter Kenyon, Geraldton Australia
4th Ivan Zecca, Margaret River, Australia

Pro Junior Boy's

1st Jake Ghiretti (AUS | Severne Windsurfing)
2nd Max Ford (AUS)
3rd Josh Ledger (AUS)
4th Tyler Wallrodt (AUS)

Junior’s

1st Max Ford
2nd Nikiforos Ford
3rd Ines Callenaere

Grand Master’s

1st Paul Jackman
2nd Mark Slade
3rd Richard Hall
4th Darren Clark

Photo Credit: Scotty Bauer

The competition will run from 31 January to 8 February at Margaret River, with early forecasts pointing to powerful three-metre swells and ideal wind conditions expected mid-week, particularly on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Defending champion and multiple-time world wave title holder Philip Köster (Severne Windsurfing) returns to Margaret River following a standout performance in 2025. He will be challenged by Julian Salmon (Naish / Naish Sails), last year’s runner-up and current world number 11, as well as first-time Australian competitors Alessio Stillrich (Bruch Boards / Bruch Sails) and Takuma Sugi (Tabou / GA Sails / Black Project Fins), currently ranked 17th and 18th respectively.

“I saw footage from last year and was really excited to see such a bowly, powerful wave,” said Sugi. “I decided to come after hearing how epic Western Australia is from my brother.”

Denmark’s Simon Thule (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails), one of the tour’s fastest-progressing sailors, returns for his third season at Margaret River after pushing Köster close in a semi-final last year.

The international stars will face strong Australian competition, including former world number three Jaeger Stone (Severne Windsurfing) and rising talent Jake Ghiretti (Severne Windsurfing), the reigning U21 World Pro Junior Champion. Ghiretti is currently recovering from a recent concussion and remains hopeful of competing, pending medical clearance.

The women’s division features a world-class field, including Maria Andrés (Hot Sails Maui) and Sybille Bode (Goya Windsurfing), alongside Margaret River locals and experienced world tour sailors Karin Jaggi (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails) and Jane Seman (Severne Windsurfing), as well as reigning Junior World Wave Champion Sarah Kenyon (Severne Windsurfing).

“This is a dream come true for me,” said Andrés. “Western Australia has been on my bucket list for many years. I’ve heard so much about it, and it’s something I’ve wanted to experience at least once in my life. This felt like the perfect opportunity.”

The event will feature a livestream on finals day, available at:

www.youtube.com/@world_wave_tour

Hey William, congrats on a great season, which is arguably your best performance to date on the World Tour. In 2021 you finished third overall, but then there was only one event and it was a mix of both Fin and Foil… whereas last year you earned a top ten finish at all three events to finish fifth overall - how happy were you with your performance last season?

“Hi! I’m obviously super happy with the outcome. As you said, I finished 3rd in 2021 and we only had one event in Israel. I’m happy to confirm that I’m a top contender, especially this season with three events and no event discard, so there really wasn’t much room for mistakes. We still had three great events with pretty much all kinds of wind conditions, so it shows my versatility and confirms that the training is paying off."

If we go back a little bit, in 2024 you had to race without any sponsors and still managed to finish 12th overall - can you tell us a little bit how you coped with that situation both mentally and financially?

"2024 was not that easy, yes. I have nothing to complain about, but I approached the season differently. I was racing with my 2023 gear, so I really had to take care of it. I’m usually someone who sails a lot all year long. This time I had to save the gear, not use it too much, but still keep training. I had no spare in case of breakage or a crash, and I even ended up borrowing some masts to finish the last event.

On the financial side, I had to run the season on a very limited budget, with only a few extra windsurf industry sponsors, just enough to make it to the most important events. But in a way, it was a good experience. It helped me put things into perspective, stay more motivated than ever, remember that nothing is guaranteed, and enjoy even more my place among the best windsurfers in the world. Since then, I feel like I’ve never enjoyed windsurfing this much.”

Last season you joined the PATRIK Team, how did that move come about and how much of a benefit do you think it was to you to go from being without sponsors to then being part of team very much on the ascendance in the sport…

"Yes, in 2024 I was already pushing to join the Patrik Team, but it was too late and there was no room for me. I really wanted to join that team because I already felt, beyond their strong momentum and the very good gear they were making, that the overall spirit and team atmosphere were really motivating. I already knew Patrik [Diethelm] a bit, as well as his staff, and they are very human, connected people. They are understanding, they push you to be your best, but in a very human way.

Looking at the whole picture, I had the feeling this was exactly the kind of environment I needed to feel good and fully express myself. So I told myself, OK, racing is one thing, but I’m going to show them my value and how motivated I really am. To give myself the best chance, in July 2024, after months of work, I started the PATRIK Pro Shop Bretagne together with Alexandre Cousin.

Then in 2025, the door finally opened for me to join the team. Still at an entry level, with one clear mission: show them that they made the right decision. From the very first jump on the gear, I felt it straightaway -, this is going to be a good one. The style of the gear was fitting my sailing 100%.

So I trained hard to know the gear at 110%, every detail, every condition. At that point, I could fully focus on myself without even thinking about the equipment. The engine was running by itself, and I just had to drive it."

Are you also involved in the equipment development side with PATRIK? If so, what is it about the development side of things that you enjoy?

“I was a little bit involved in the R&D in 2025, but I didn’t want to come in too quickly, and I had full confidence in the team working on it. Alex is one of my best friends, I know exactly how he feels on the water and how good he is at testing and developing gear. So I mainly helped him with speed testing and as a sparring partner.

At the end of the season, I got an amazing reward from PATRIK, being invited to Australia after the last event in Japan to finish and conclude the latest racing sail development. That was the best reward I could get, and I enjoyed it so much. For 2026, I will be much more involved in the R&D, which makes me super happy.”

In Brittany you also have your own shop, right? How do you find balancing running your own shop and training to compete on the World Tour? Are you always just training at home and do you have any training partners?

“Yes, as mentioned, I run together with Alex the PATRIK Pro Shop Bretagne. It’s an online shop, but we differentiate ourselves with our unmatched knowledge of the gear and the sport in general that we are so passionate about, and that we run at a professional level for many years. 

I am super reactive and available for customer requests, and I can advise them on the exact gear they need because I know the gear better than anybody, and I have so much on-the-water experience that I can easily feel the type of profile of the customer. 

Then I give as much value as possible to them, tips, coaching support, tuning guides. My goal is to provide them with a complete customer experience, from saving time to trim and set up their gear from the first sessions, to keep progressing forever.

Besides, I try to be as active as possible on the beach with advice, demos, etc. I am there anyway, so I just take time to share with the community.

On land, that’s a full-time job, but a very good match with the pro windsurfing career, both on land and on the water.

I am mainly training at home, but still moving a lot across Brittany, and several times a year to the south of France, where we have very good training camps.”

You’ve been very foil focused for the last five years, but next season you are planning to compete on the fin again - what made now the right time for that? And despite not competing on the fin recently - have you still been sailing a lot on the fin?

“Yes, that’s going to be a challenge. I haven’t sailed on fin for five years. When I was in Australia with Patrik, we sailed and tested a lot of slalom fin gear. The first sessions, I had to adapt myself a bit, but I always try to be a complete windsurfer, and I’ve done slalom for so long that it came back relatively quickly. Five years ago, it was also with another brand, so on top of that I had to adapt to new feelings, but I enjoyed it so much.

After two weeks, Patrik asked me: “Would like you to go back racing on fin? Do you want to?”. Even though I didn’t feel 100% competitive, I didn’t even hesitate. I just love windsurfing no matter the discipline, so it was a no brainer.

As I said, to be the best in windsurfing, I’ve always believed you have to be very polyvalent. Slalom, wave, foil, fin, flat water or heavy seas, you need to be complete, and when you love that, it’s not even an issue. Just look at Antoine Albeau.”

As someone who has been so focused on foil then also switching to the fin - what are the main differences you feel between the two different disciplines and which do you enjoy the most?

“The sailing position is pretty different. On the foil, you are only pushing on the front foot, and on slalom it’s the opposite. The gybing is also the most difficult part to adapt. On the foil, it is completely effortless with no speed lost, so you just focus on your trajectory. With the fin, if you hit the chop badly, then you immediately stop. The good thing is that the racing part is the same, so I just have to readapt my sailing.

Honestly, I enjoy both. Even though the last years I enjoyed a lot developing the foil gear and pushing the limits, every year we were faster, could hold on in harder conditions, and kept evolving constantly. While in slalom fin, the evolution every year is very, very small.”

After your best season yet - what are your goals for 2026?

“My goal for 2026 is to keep spending as much time on the water, and even more. Enjoy my comeback on fin, and a top 10 result would be awesome. On the foil, I will keep training to secure my top five and my Speed Foil world title. All around, I want to share even more with the windsurfing community, and my last goal is to transmit as much energy as I can so that people are crazy about windsurfing and don’t go into winging :). Haha, (joke).”

When you aren’t training / racing are you wave sailing or freesailing?

“Yes, as I said before, I am completely mad about windsurfing, so in the wintertime I don’t miss any wave sessions, surfing, and even a few times a year winging :).”

Away from the water what are your other passions / hobbies?

“I have to be honest, outside of watersports I don’t have many hobbies. I just try to spend and give the little time I have outside the water to my family, enjoy nature, and develop myself to be a better adult and learn something every day.”

Thanks, William. Have a great winter and good luck for the coming season. 

Hey Pierre, congrats on your new move to North Windsurfing, after a turbulent year with sponsors last season it must feel great to have that sorted nice and early this time round? 

“Thanks! It’s a really nice moment for me to finally announce it. It’s been a crazy year, with ups and downs. I am really happy with how I handled the whole year and with my results last season. I kind of needed a big break and I didn’t sail much in the last weeks, just enjoyed a few waves. But I thought and discussed a lot.

It’s a big move, a big change, and I was not really expecting it right after Japan. But I was really seduced by the project, the ideas, and the motivation. This was a key point and made me move. Having strong support and big expectations is something I really appreciate.
I was also looking for stability and a solid project for the coming years. The last seasons were very successful, honestly, but the instability took a lot of energy. Now I felt it was important to set a good base to keep pushing forward with strong goals at the highest windsurfing level.”

At the start of your career you unlocked a lot of major accolades with North - how does it feel to be returning to the brand where it all began?

“I spent the biggest part of my career under the North Sails colours. I got my first interesting contract there, then my first photoshoot, my first race win, my first event victory, etc. So for sure, it feels special.

I think the brand has always been a strong character in the windsurfing world. It’s also well known for being at the very top in sailing and yachting. Having such a big machine behind you and feeling that level of support again is great. Of course, it adds some pressure, but I’m ready for it.
The other day my father was still wearing an old hoodie from that period, it made me smile. The circle is about to be complete, but it will be truly complete when we achieve success together again.”

How does it feel stepping back on to North equipment? 

“This logo is iconic and it’s special for me. It moves forward and changes after all those years. For sure the arrival of the foil redefined and changed a bit the overall concept of the sails - even on the fins. So it’s different compared to seven years ago. We are already in the process with the equipment and sails. The plan is to be on top quickly and it will work. I am impressed by the quality of all the accessories, booms and all details of the gear.” 

What are your goals for 2026?

"It’s clear, be on top in the two racing disciplines. It’s a big challenge, but I think I showed last year that I am ready for challenges. Now being supported by a strong team will be an advantage and I want to show them we make a good choice working together. On top of that, even if the last years were not the easiest I enjoy WINDSURFING a lot. It’s the best sport in the world, in the water and I want to keep the flame alive.”

Thanks, Pierre. Congrats on the move and good luck for the season ahead. 

This episode features huge upsets, generational clashes and history-making moments. From Bodhi Kempen (Duotone Windsurfing) taking down nine-time world champion Gollito Estredo (Tabou / GA Sails), to all-out WeOne and GUNSAILS team warfare between Steven van Broeckhoven (WeOne / GUNSAILS) and Jacopo Testa (WeONE / GUNSAILS / AL360), and the unforgettable Women’s Double Elimination showdown between Maaike Huvermann (Severne Windsurfing / Maui Ultra Fins) and Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins).

And at number one, a heat that redefined what is possible in competition freestyle, as Lennart Neubauer (Starboard / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins) dropped a record-breaking performance in Sylt.

Let us know via our channels if you agree with the order, subscribe for more PWA content, and stay tuned for everything coming in 2026.

Also, as a passionate fan, we’d love it if you could help support the sport by simply giving us a follow us on our Social Media Channels. For those of you that already have - a massive thank you

- Facebook: @PWAWorldTourWindsurfing
- Instagram: @pwaworldtour  
- LinkedIn: @PWA - Professional Windsurfers Association
- YouTube: @pwaworldtour

Hey Justine, now you’ve had a bit of time to reflect how does it feel to have successfully defended your world title?

"Hello! It took me over a month to realise that I had that second world title in the pocket. I now feel proud to have done it twice in a row, and with two different teams. It was a big challenge to switch to PATRIK and try to do it all over again, but I’m very happy that I could give PATRIK their first world title!"

You don’t like doing things the easy way do you… heading into the final day in Japan you held a healthy lead, and given how consistent you had been all season it looked kind of like you had things wrapped up… Can you try and talk us through the emotions on that final day? After finishing third in Elimination 3, which was a totally fine result, things really turned into a rollercoaster ride… what exactly happened with you thinking you had been disqualified from Elimination 4 Winners’ Final, which turned out not to be the case?

"I had a hard time sleeping the night before, just like in previous years. But I woke up confident and excited for the day. I made a mistake in the first race of the day, but overall I was still feeling good mentally.

The chaos started when I misunderstood the committee boat. I had what I thought was a perfect start on my watch, but they called us over early. I knew I was the first one on the line, so I went back towards the starting boat, and the committee made a cross with their arms, which I interpreted as “you’re out.” I went back ashore and was then told that I was actually not over early. I went back out, but it was too late. My mistake was not waiting for a clear, official signal that I was disqualified.

"I also think this situation raises questions about how over-earlies are handled. I spoke with the committee later in the day, and on the video my start was perfect. We train all year long to nail perfect starts, and when you finally make one at a crucial moment of the season, it gets cancelled. Maybe the committee could call over-earlies later in the race, after video review, to ensure fair racing for everyone. That result then really changed the dynamic of the world title race - you were still in control, but now things weren’t clearcut - what was going through your head heading into the fifth and final elimination? I was angry when I came back ashore. That situation, at such a key moment in the title race, was very hard to digest. I had brought my dad with me to Japan to help with logistics and stress, and he really helped me reset mentally, because we still had one last race to do. We managed to refocus, and I went back out very determined and hungry to finish on a high."

Obviously the wind was absolutely cranking in the last elimination - was that the main reason for your fall at the third buoy?

"I went out with the small kit, which I was the right choice. The semi-final was going really smooth as had a healthy lead without pushing to the max. Getting closer to the third mark, I saw a big gust coming down. I saw it coming and still the gust just lifted me up, I managed to get it back together but then it went up again and threw me downwind of the buoy. I tried to get back on the board but I first had to do upwind reaches to make it around the mark – I was done…"

What happened next was one of the hardest sporting moments to watch ever I think as you went from being almost guaranteed becoming world champion at the start of the day, to now being forced to abandon the last race in the semifinals… what was going through your head at that point as the title race was then completely out of your control… Did you watch the last Winners’ Final or you couldn’t bare to watch?

"After my crash I didn’t have any emotion for a moment. I was in complete disbelief of what just happened… I came back ashore, talked a bit with my dad and then started to think that it was done - that I had lost it. It was a hard moment as I couldn’t make sense of the day. I watched the final, but I had no idea of the points. I knew I was third for this event and I was not aware that Blanca [Alabau] could win the event in the last race. So, I did watch it while derigging, but I had no idea that this race would decide the outcome of the world title…"

Could you believe it when the media came over to tell you that you had actually still won? What were those emotions like?

"Rafa came over with a camera while Mae Davico was by my side trying to get a smile back on my face. Rafa had told me that I could still win it, but I didn’t believe him. Mae saw the PWA crew coming towards our tent and told me it might be happening. At that moment, I was completely overwhelmed by my emotions. I froze until Katrine [PWA Event Manager] told me that I had won. I had to ask for confirmation before I finally broke down in tears—out of relief, after such an emotional rollercoaster. It was the most intense emotional moment of my life."

Do you think that having such a big lead heading into the final day may have made you a bit too relaxed?

"It might have played a role. I’m still not completely sure what led to this scenario. I wasn’t relaxed the night before—I barely slept. I focused on sticking to all my routines in the morning to keep the pressure on. But it’s now two years in a row that I’ve made mistakes on the final day of the world title race, so that’s something I’m working on with my mental coach. It’s an incredibly intense moment, and not an easy one to manage. I still need to find the right tools to handle it properly until the very end."

After an absolute rollercoaster of a day - how did you celebrate?

"It was actually the year I celebrated the least since I started on tour. I felt more angry at myself than proud of the title. We attended the official ceremony, then went back to the hotel early to pack our suitcases, as we were leaving the next morning. I did celebrate later at home with my neighbours, friends, partners, and family—but it still took me over a month to truly realise that I had secured that second title."

Overall 2025 was another great year for you  with one world title and a vice-world champion in Slalom X – what did you learn from 2025 and what are your main takeaways? 

"2025 was a good season in terms of results. I was really excited to start a new partnership with PATRIK, and I’m proud that I could give them those titles in our very first year together. I’m happy to continue working with this amazing team next season.

The biggest lesson of this year was about my mental health. This summer, I went through a complete burnout from training and competing. I worked extremely hard over the past few years to reach this level, but along the way I forgot to take time for myself. For two months, I couldn’t train the way I usually do—both my body and my mind were exhausted. In August, I was even considering stopping my career after Japan. I took time away from my board to find my motivation again, and now I’m hungry for 2026. But I also had to change some aspects of my project to make sure I protect both my body and my mind in the coming seasons. That’s the biggest lesson of my career so far."

There’s quite a bit of time before the next World Tour event - what will you be up to between now and then?

"First, I took proper rest with no physical activity at all. Then I went training in the mountains, discovered new activities, and from February onwards I’ll be back to a proper training rhythm in Hyères. The main goal is to enjoy training while building a solid base for 2026."

Thanks, Justine. Congrats once again on your second world title.

Hey Vincent, congrats on your new role with North - can you tell us a little bit more about your new position? 
 
"Most people in the watersports scene know me because of my racing background. I won my first PWA slalom heat in Hvide Sande in 2016 and finished second in Sylt in 2017. I stepped back from the international tour a few years ago and since then focused more on national events. 

What many people don’t know is that I hold two Master’s degrees — one in Sports Science and one in Management. Alongside my sporting career, I worked as a consultant, which gave me a strong understanding of the business world as well. 

With my new management role at North Windsurfing, I now have the opportunity to combine both of these worlds. And I can say this clearly: we are aiming high." 
 
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think “North Windsurfing” was created in 2022, but aside from the Wave scene there’s been a slow introduction on to the World Tour scene in other disciplines… it sounds like that’s about to change though - please could you tell us a little bit about North’s new plans and the updated structure of the company? 
 
"That’s exactly right — and this is why I was brought in to drive that change. Our wave sails are already performing at an incredibly high level, and the same is true for our freeride sails. This season, we will clearly demonstrate that the famous North racing DNA is back and fully alive. 

Together with the existing team at North, with Pieter Bijl, and backed by the full power of the North Action Sports Group, we are probably the only brand that is truly innovating — not only in terms of team and athletes, but also across product development, technology, and events."
 
What made now the ‘right’ time to try and build more momentum around the brand? 
 
"As a world-leading brand in sailing, performing at the highest level across multiple watersports, it was a natural ambition for North to also bring windsurfing back into a strong position. With changes in leadership at group level, windsurfing moved back into clear focus — and that’s exactly where we are now." 
 
There is a rumour, that you have already made a couple of very high profile signings, which is a clear statement of intent - how excited are you and the Team about capturing two of the biggest names in the sport? 

"Our intent is clear. We want to be back on the racing course, winning events and titles. While the new signings for North are still under wraps, I can say that I couldn’t wish for more passionate or more professional athletes. We’ve already been working closely with both of them for some time on our new sails, making sure they have exactly what they need to perform at the highest level and fight for victories. 

With our deep know-how from yacht sailing and advanced technologies that no one else brings to the windsurfing market, we are confident that our equipment will be truly outstanding." 
 
Do you and the Team have specific goals for the season ahead? 
 
"We want to perform at the highest level of racing in the PWA. At the same time, we are chasing speed records in both fin and foil disciplines. We will compete with our top riders at IFCA events, and with our newly built national team, we will also be strongly present on the national racing scene. Germany, Italy, Holland, Baltic… people will see us."  
 
You yourself are a top racer… do you think you’ll be competing at any events in 2026? 
 
"Obviously, my focus has shifted now, but I will definitely still compete in selected events. Windsurfing is my passion, so I’ll continue to spend time on the water — supporting testing when needed and, of course, simply enjoying the best sport in the world."

Thanks, Vincent. Good luck with your new role and to North for the coming season

Lisa Kloster upon joining the Starboard Team: "I’m super stoked to join the Starboard team. In summer 2025 I only had a few days to adapt to the Ignite before the PWA stop on Fuerte and straightaway I landed on my first podium with it! That already says a lot. The board gives me so much speed and control, whether it’s flat water or heavy chop. Riding switch, accelerating, popping for big moves just feels easier. I’m really proud to ride for one of the best brands in the sport and be part of such a strong team.

Starboard Marketing Manage, Martin Ferrand: "We’re excited to welcome Lisa Kloster to Starboard, a rider whose commitment to progression and performance aligns perfectly with our vision. We look forward to supporting her next chapter on the PWA World Tour."

U15 Boy's Oceania Youth Wave Titles Results

1st Max Ford, 14, Margaret River
2nd Robbie Cobill, 13, Perth
3rd Ash Antonas, Perth
4th Nikiforos Ford, 12, Margaret River

U13 Girl's Oceania Youth Wave Titles Results

1st Zara Gill, 9, Perth
2nd Lily Roberts-Holder, Perth
3rd Zoe Ledger, Perth

U15 Girl's Oceania Youth Wave Titles Results

1st Ines Callenaere, 13, Perth
2nd Zara Gill, 9, Perth
3rd Cora Murphy, Perth

From rising Japanese talent Takuma Sugi (Tabou / GA Sails / Black Project Fins) and Takumi Moriya (Severne Windsurfing), to heavyweight clashes between Jacopo Testa (WeOne / GUNSAILS / AL360), Adrien Bosson (Duotone Windsurfing / Maui Ultra Fins), Lennart Neubauer (Starboard / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins) and Dieter van der Eyken (Severne Windsurfing), plus an intense women’s final showdown between Maaike Huvermann (Severne Windsurfing / Maui Ultra Fins) and Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins), these heats set the tone for one of the most progressive freestyle seasons yet.

Part 2, featuring the Top 5 Freestyle Heats of 2025, drops soon. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss it. Which heats do you think should be in the Top 5?

• The Riders  Lineup:
Featuring Paris 2024 Gold Medalist Tom Reuveny, Olympic medalist Shahar Zubari, 2025 vice-world champion Tamar Steinberg (Future Fly), Tomer Shamgar (Future Fly / Point-7) – PWA-WWT world class rider, and multi-national and world title holders Yoav Omer and Yoav Cohen, Arnon Dagan, Eyal Shelef & more.

• The Action:
The industrial backdrop of Kiryat Haim provided a radical stage for high-performance wave sailing, with athletes pushing the limits

• Technical Excellence:
The event utilised the LiveHeats platform and professional on-site judging to ensure world-class standards in extreme conditions.

You can see the event highlights @ https://youtu.be/_FK1KHgpK5E?si=NKT_8-Kw_4iBUYaN

Final Results:
• Open:
1st Eyal Shelef 2nd Tomer Shamgar  3rd Yoav Omer
• Women:
1st Tamar Steinberg 2nd  Juliana Shelef
• Youth:
1sr Yahli Palti 2nd   Yoad Shaham
Seniors:
1sr Gadi Mintz 2nd Amit mekel 3rd Yosi Salomon

"Seeing Olympic champions and PWA pros charging massive lips next to local heroes in these raw conditions proves the strength of the Israeli windsurfing scene," said producer Moran Tapiro.

Supported by:
Subaru Strauss & Sons, Rosen Insurance, Rosen & Meents, Freegull, Haifa Sailing, and B.G Surfing.
Media Contact:
Moran Tapiro
Event Producer
Morantapiro@gmail.com
+972529243163
www.justsurfil.com

Picture Credits @moshemenagen 

You can see the event highlights @ https://youtu.be/_FK1KHgpK5E?si=7GnnSLWg2GYyPCRe

Bodhi Kempen on joining Duotone Windsurfing: "I’m super stoked to join the Duotone team, it’s an amazing opportunity. The first feeling on the gear felt great, a lot of of power and it just instantly felt right."

Alexander Hasch, Head of Marketing Duotone Windsurfing, on signing Bodhi Kempen: "We are stoked to welcome Bodhi, a rising star, to the team. Despite his young age, he has already made a name for himself in the international freestyle community with his high-energy sailing style, explosive tricks and strong presence. Bodhi plays a key role in the new generation and is known for his powerful jumps, technical precision and consistency in complex manoeuvres. He combines creativity with athleticism.“

Sixteen-year-old Escribano, from Tarifa, Spain, delivered a commanding performance to claim both the U18 Grand Final event victory and the U18 World Championship title, capping off an outstanding international campaign.

“It feels amazing — I don’t even have the words,” Escribano said. “I’ve worked for years for that trophy. I came here with my dad and had to miss school classes for this, but it was all worth it. I’m so happy to be here and to win.”

Escribano set the tone early on in the final, landing a perfect backloop and a huge pushloop, before shifting focus to composed wave riding to secure the title. It was clear that he has enjoyed Geraldton’s conditions and atmosphere.

“Geraldton and The Spot are perfect places to windsurf,” he said. “The atmosphere is so good with all the kids everywhere and everyone happy all the time. I made a lot of friends here and I’m super happy to win the world title.”

Japan’s Ryoma Sugi (Duotone / North Sails) finished runner-up in the U18 division before returning to the water to claim an impressive victory in the U21 Boy’s Final. A relaxed and confident Sugi thrilled spectators with precise forward and backward rotating loops and sharp snaps in the waves.

“That was so fun,” Sugi said. “I didn’t feel as much pressure in the U21, so I could relax and just enjoy it. I’m really happy to win that division.”

Australia’s top-ranked junior boy, Tyler Wallrodt (Severne Windsurfing), completed an exceptional event with third-place finishes in both the U18 and U21 divisions, showcasing massive forward loops and stylish wave riding.

“To compete against the best in the world my age and still finish third in the world is pretty unreal,” Wallrodt said. “It’s definitely motivated me to push harder, but making friends with people from all around the world has been the biggest highlight.”

Also impressing was a focused 12-year-old Isaac Gill, who demonstrated exciting future potential by reaching the U18 Boy’s Final with loops and wave riding well beyond his years. 

In the Junior Girls, Geraldton local Sarah Kenyon was crowned 2025 Junior Girls World Wave Champion, sealing the prestigious title in front of a home crowd. The 17-year-old finished second in the Grand Final to Japan’s Natsuki Wakasa (Goya Windsurfing) (16), but her result was enough to secure the overall world title thanks to two crucial event wins earlier in the season.

Kenyon concluded the season with 37,000 points out of a possible 40,000, finishing just 115 points ahead of Wakasa in the final world rankings.

“It feels so good to win the title here in Geraldton, where all my friends and family are,” Kenyon said. “Becoming World Champion has been a goal of mine for a long time, and I’ve trained really hard to get there.”
Kenyon’s campaign was built on aggressive, surf-style wave riding, using her local knowledge to select and attack the best waves with multiple powerful snaps. In the final, however, Wakasa’s consistency — combining clean forward loops with strong wave riding — earned her the event win.

Japan continued its strong showing with Nozome Sakai claiming third place, while 13-year-old Ines Callenaere finished fourth.

Kenyon returned to the water determined in the U21 Girl’s Final, lifting her performance to claim victory. Wakasa finished second, with Germany’s Helena Lale (Severne Windsurfing) completing the podium in third.

The event capped off a thrilling week of elite junior windsurfing in Geraldton, highlighting the next generation of global talent and celebrating a home-grown world champion on Australian waters.

The event was supported by the City of Greater Geraldton, with funding assistance from the Western Australian State Government through Royalties for Regions.

U18 Girl’s Grand Final Results

1st Natsuki Wakasa (JPN | Goya Windsurfing)
2nd Sarah Kenyon (AUS | Severne Windsurfing)
3rd Nozomi Sakai (JPN)
4th Ines Callenaere (AUS)

U21 Girl's Grand Final Results

1st Sarah Kenyon (AUS | Severne Windsurfing)
2nd Natsuki Wakasa (JPN | Goya Windsurfing)
3rd Helena Lale (GER | Severne Windsurfing)
4th Ines Callenaere (AUS)

U18 Boy’s Grand Final Results

1st Javier Escribano (ESP | Goya Windsurfing)
2nd Ryoma Sugi (JPN | Duotone / North Sails)
3rd Tyler Wallrodt (AUS)
4th Isaac Gill (AUS)

U21 Boy’s Grand Final Results

1st Ryoma Sugi (JPN | Duotone / North Sails)
2nd Javier Escribano (ESP | Goya Windsurfing)
3rd Tyler Wallrodt (AUS)
4th Jake Ghiretti (AUS | Severne Windsurfing)
 
U18 Girl’s Final World Rankings for 2025 

1st Sarah Kenyon (AUS | Severne Windsurfing)
2nd Natsuki Wakasa (JPN | Goya Windsurfing)
3rd Sol Degrieck (BEL | Severne Windsurfing)
 
U18 Boy’s Final World Rankings for 2025 

1st Javier Escribano (ESP | Goya Windsurfing)
2nd Ryoma Sugi (JPN | Duotone / North Sails)
3rd Tyler Wallrodt (AUS)

Morgan Noireaux: "A lumpy bumpy west swell day at Hookipa just the way I like it. Bigger west swell means the current sweeps through the line up making it pretty messy. There are always some diamonds in the rough which is what makes it so fun.

I was sailing my 83 JP Ultimate wave prototype and my 4.5 Neilpryde Combat HD."

You can see one of Morgan Noireaux's latest Ho'okipa sessions @ https://youtu.be/ycCW_QvZE5M?si=QJNP_rPz6SyvSoXJ

From next-generation duels in Sylt to high-wind chaos in Fuerteventura, this list captures the intensity of modern racing where every position matters. You will see tactical masterclasses, fearless gybes under pressure, full-fleet mayhem and season-defining clashes where championships hung in the balance. Whether it was the fight for qualification spots, climbing back through the fleet, or the final race of the season delivering pure drama in Japan, these moments showcase why racing remains one of the most exciting disciplines on the tour.

Let us know in the comments which racing moments stood out for you, and if there are any you think deserved a place in the top five. Subscribe to the channel for more PWA content as we look ahead to an even bigger 2026 season with new venues and more action on the horizon.

You can see the Top 5 Best Racing Moments from 2025 @ https://youtu.be/bp6nX64OeI0?si=UEF-rDJgkTjJjzLj

Stay tuned to the PWA Channels for all the action and updates! 

www.instagram.com/pwaworldtour/ 
facebook.com/PWA.World.Tour.Windsurfing
www.tiktok.com/@pwaworldtour

To stay up to date with the Junior World Wave Grand Final you can also follow their dedicated event pages:

- Instagram: @oceaniayouthtitles
- Facebook: @oceanyouthtitles  

Bertrand Litou, the master shaper behind Black Cobra: "First of all I'm super happy to join the PWA for the coming season and grow my brand. And how else to do it but with a young and fast rider with potential for the future! What I like about Cyril is his determination, his commitment, and his desire to win. I admire his training discipline and the desire to push himself to always be at his best, both physically and mentally. This is a huge quality that makes him a complete athlete."

Cyril Evrard on joining Black Cobra: "Having a new sponsor is always something exciting but this time is even more so, because it's new brand with a new goal and big ambitions and I am proud to be the the first brick of this project. When I talked with the Boss/Shaper, Bertrand Litou, we were completely aligned… we want to win - that's it! The board feels amazing and extremely fast and I can't wait to unleash the horse on the water ;)."

You can find out more about Black Cobra @ https://www.blackcobra-foiling.com/

George Grisley: "Is your New Year's resolution to take your windsurfing to the next level in 2026. Here are my five tips to help you progress no matter what your favourite discipline is.

For anyone looking for online coaching in 2026, make sure to sign up to my Patreon account, where you can get feedback from me directly as well as access to exclusive and ad free content, BTS, chat rooms, super slow motion footage and more. The goal is to create a community to discuss, learn and show you more of my life beyond social media."

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.

Hey Jordy, this season you improved by one place in the overalls for both Slalom X and Foil Slalom (3rd and 6th respectively) - how happy were you with your overall performance?

“Very happy of course. I always feel like I can do better, but turning that feeling into results doesn’t always happen, this year I clearly did. And especially breaking the ‘no podium curse’ finally in Tenerife felt very rewarding. 

“As my last PWA podium was in Korea 2019, it took a long time stepping on it again, while finishing 4th plenty of times. Maybe the way it happened going over early in the last race [in Tenerife], which luckily didn’t get run afterwards, wasn’t the most pretty way to do it….. But I feel like I deserved that beautiful trophy after coming so close before and after being forced to quit in Fuerteventura!” 

For the first time in your career you also earned your first overall podium - how does it feel to finally achieve that as maybe it feels like a long time coming having got so close in Fin Slalom before the changes to the format…

"When we were doing regular slalom on the fin before Covid I was definitely on the rise finishing 4th  overall in 2018 and 2019. Afterwards it took me longer to adjust to the foil than some others, so looking at pure fin slalom performance, I believe the rule changes combining with foil in 2021 really came at the worst time for me. Actually still now I believe my ‘fin level’ is still better than my foil level. “Once foil and fin got split again I was straight on my way to the podium in 2024; until the last gybe, in the last elimination of the last race of the year…. This one hurt! But I showed once again that I’m definitely a podium contender. To finally make it happen this year, even with missing out on the last day in Fuerte, really feels good! I always kept believing it was just a matter of time, turns out it was like this. ☺”

This season also sees you record your best result in the Foil Slalom - how satisfying is it for you to have made significant steps forward on the foil in the last few seasons?

“Definitely happy to step up my foil game as well, I think there’s still enough to gain as I started the season strong with fourth in Guadeloupe and simply wasn’t sharp in Japan anymore, but with the second baby arriving in summer maybe it’s not too crazy that I had other things on my mind too… but I want to work on making sure I keep my performance all year, in Guadeloupe I was taking risks and had some solid starts… that was missing in Sylt and Japan. Enough to reflect on and learn from for next year.”

What was the highlight of your season?

“My good run of form in Fuerteventura! The event and conditions were amazing and from day two to day four I think I was in the form of my life. I was flying down the first reach in every final arriving 1st or 2nd at the first mark, won back-to-back finals for the first time in my career and I simply felt confident in my sailing like I never did before. I’m sure the fact that we were racing in 30 degrees, 25-35 knots of wind, sunshine and light blue waters were helping too…. the event was an absolute dream!"

What do you think about the new rule changes for racing next season? 

“Let’s maybe break down the rules changes a bit to show you my thoughts! (Editor’s note: That would be great, thanks Jordy.) Slalom X is changing from two boards and three sails for the season to two boards and three sails for each event opens up the opportunity to race in a bit lighter winds as well, Which I think is a good thing. In Tenerife we were often on the edge a lot, or missed out on racing, while with bigger gear we could have been full on. “Reducing sails for Foil Slalom I believe is right, we can create a huge wind range out of three sails, so I’m sure three sails are enough to cover all conditions and this makes it cheaper as well having two sails, masts, booms etc less equipment to travel with. I’m not a fan of reducing foil parts, they are light and easy to transport and can help us out so much creating power in light winds or gaining control if necessary in high wind. Especially since we are going 8.0 in 2027 and basically not having a 4.6 anymore as well…  “The last thing I’m not a fan of are combined events, I’ve done a couple of those now and I basically hate it every time. Foil only guys are not happy because they don’t race so much, Fin only guys are not happy because they don’t race so much and guys who do both are getting tired swapping between different sailing styles and having to bring more gear. Looking at the calendar for 2026 I don’t think we will have combined events, so that’s at least awesome to see. ☺ Simply more events for each discipline would be amazing.”

What does your winter training schedule look like?

“I’ll be spending my winter on Tenerife again, due to some law changes it’s not allowed to put anchors anymore for the TWS Pro Slalom Training, but I still see Tenerife as my perfect winter destination to train. “I’m heading there 5th of January and will be staying I guess until end of March. Plenty of other guys will be there so I’m sure we will have a great time training anyway. Spending time on the fin, foil, gym, bike and catch up on some family time. Looking forward to it already! 

“Thanks.”

Thanks, Jordy. Have a great winter.

Maciek Rutkowski: "After the World Cup racing season ended I headed "down under" for some waves! Didn't score anything big, but the fun was off the charts! 

Used JP Ultimate Wave 101 and NeilPryde Combat HD 5.3 and 4.7. 

Thanks to Paul van Bellen for awesome drone work and the girls Justyna Sniady and Anna Sokolenko for filming from the beach!"

You can see Maciek Rutkowski's time down under @ https://youtu.be/CUpCRZkYWQk?si=CvNd7uz-kL2Xj28c

SQ, another season is complete and you managed to bag yourself another three world titles - where does this one rank in overall seasons for you?

“I guess result wise it must be top two if I can compare it to last year. Last year I felt a little bit more in control to be honest. This year even though I felt more in tune with my gear and was happy with my sailing, I feel like the field was stronger in all disciplines, so it was really challenging.” 

You now boast an incredible 28 world titles and counting next to your name - what keeps Sarah-Quita Offringa motivated to not just keep competing, but to strive for more world titles?

“I feel like I was challenged to be my best at every contest, by competitors and conditions. So I was always coming out of the contest thinking about what I needed to improve, and that’s what made it really fun this year. As long as I feel improvement is necessary and feasible, the motivation is there!”

Out of your Slalom X, Freestyle and Wave world titles this year, is there one that means more to you? And if so, why?

“Freestyle meant a lot. Maaike [Huvermann] really pushed me to my limits, seeing her land spock konos and having such a solid heat strategy also made me re-think my heat strategy and step outside of my box. So it was an experience to feel that that kind of pressure to perform after she beat me in the double and forced the super final. Finally waves also meant a lot to me, because we competed in a big variety of conditions, Chile, Pozo, Tenerife, Sylt, Hawaii and to come out victorious then is really a treat!”

Bjørn Dunkerbeck is the most decorated sailor in windsurfing history with 42 world titles - If you were able to keep winning two or three world titles per season that record then possibly becomes within your reach - is that something you’ve ever thought about/considered?

“I think John Skye has been the one that has been joking for years now that I should go for Bjørn’s title haha.. A few years ago I would always mark the end of my competitive career… but now it’s like every year I just see how it goes and I’m quite excited for the following year, so I’ll just keep at it for as long as I enjoy it and see where it gets me.”

You’ve been getting more and more into filming and photography… should JC be watching out for his job? 

“Hahah I did some interning at JC’s school of photography this year. I think he’s inspiring and it’s fun to see him go about his job! I love the galleries that he puts together, I think he’s really good at anticipating what’s going to happen and telling the story of the day in photos. He’s capturing emotions, actions and bystanders from all different angles. I hope I can apply for the internship again next year haha.”

What does your offseason look like?

"Pretty quiet for the moment! My knee has been bothering me this season so I took some time to figure out what it is. And it seems like I’m already on the right path to recovering well."

Thanks, SQ. Congrats once again on another stellar year. We hope you had a great Christmas and happy New Year.

Racing continues to go from strength to strength, and in 2026 the PWA is proud to be working in closer collaboration with IFCA as both organisations take a shared step towards a stronger and more unified international racing structure. With nine events now spread across Europe, the Caribbean and Asia, the partnership is driven by a mutual desire to deliver a clearer, more stable global calendar while safeguarding the long-term health of the sport. By aligning event dates, technical frameworks and key sporting principles, the collaboration helps reduce calendar clashes, avoid unnecessary duplication and provide greater clarity for riders, organisers and manufacturers alike. Above all, it ensures that athletes can plan their seasons with confidence, event organisers can build sustainably, and the sport continues to develop in a coordinated and credible way for the benefit of the entire windsurfing community.

Additionally, for the first time on the PWA World Tour there will be a Foil Freestyle event in Qatar. This will be an exhibition event whilst we move towards official world titles in the future. 

Below you can find all the dates for the 2026 PWA World Tour Calendar.

Unified Windsurf Wave Tour

Australia
• 2026 Margaret River Wave Classic ★★★★
• Dates: Jan 30 – Feb 08

Hawaii
• 2026 Maui Pro ★★★★★
• Dates: Mar 30 – Apr 04

Gran Canaria
• 2026 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup ★★★★★
• Dates: TBC

Tenerife
• 2026 Tenerife Wave & Slalom Grand Slam ★★★★★
• Dates: Jul 31 – Aug 09

Germany
• 2026 Citroën Sylt Windsurf World Cup ★★★★★
• Dates: Sep 25 – Oct 04

Hawaii
• 2026 Aloha Classic, Maui ★★★★★
• Dates: Oct 19 – Oct 30

Chile
• 2026 Chile Grand Final ★★★★★
• Dates: Nov 14 – Nov 29


Racing

France
• 2026 IFCA Grand Slam Worlds Fin and Foil - Leucate, La Franqui, France 
• Dates: April 20 – April 26

Aruba
• 2026 Aruba Hi-Winds Pro and Youth Slalom World Cup (Slalom-X) ★★★★★
• Dates: May 13 – May 18

Germany
• 2026 IFCA Foil Europeans – Sankt Peter Ording, Germany
• Dates: July 15 – July 19

Fuerteventura
• 2026 Fuerteventura Grand Slam (Slalom-X) ★★★★★
• Dates: Jul 17 – Jul 26 (Freestyle 17-21 July, Slalom-X 22-26 July)

Tenerife
• 2026 Tenerife Grand Slam (Slalom-X) ★★★★★
• Dates: Jul 31 – Aug 09

Denmark
• 2026 IFCA Fin Europeans - Hvide Sande, Denmark
• Dates: Sep 7 - Sep 12

Germany
• 2026 Sylt Windsurf World Cup (Foil Slalom) ★★★★★
• Dates: Sep 25 – Oct 04

Japan
• 2026 Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup (Foil Slalom) ★★★★★
• Dates: November TBC

Qatar
2026 Qatar World Cup (Foil Slalom) ★★★★★
Dates: November TBC


Freestyle 

Fuerteventura
• 2026 Fuerteventura Grand Slam ★★★★★
• Dates: Jul 17 – Jul 26 (Freestyle 17-21 July, Slalom 22-26 July)

Germany
• 2026 Sylt Windsurf World Cup ★★★★★
• Dates: Sep 25 – Oct 04

Qatar
• 2026 Qatar Slalom & Foil Freestyle World Cup ★★★★★
• Dates: November TBC


Youth

Aruba
• 2026 Aruba Hi-Winds Youth Slalom World Cup (Fin Only)
• Dates: May 13 – May 18

Denmark
• 2026 Cold Hawaii PWA Youth World Cup (Fin & Foil)
• Dates: TBC

Turkey 
• 2026 Alaçati Windfest PWA Youth & Junior Slalom World Cup (Fin & Foil)
• Dates: Oct 07 – Oct 11

USA
• 2026 Miami Slalom Open (Fin & Foil)
• Dates: Oct 21 – Oct 25

Hey Matteo, congratulations once again on achieving your third world title - where does this one rank / feel compared to the other two?

“Hey Chris! It feels amazing. I actually have 4 world titles now, 3x PWA and one ISWC. Behind the PWA titles there is a lot of work and that’s why they feel amazing. The first PWA title I won was in 2016. I remember it like yesterday, after many years of dominance from Antoine [Albeau] and Bjørn [Dunkerbeck], being able to be the first “new young rider” to win the slalom title felt absolutely incredible. It was the fin era, and it felt really unreal, a dream come true. The second PWA title came in 2023 and it was a mixed fin and foil one. After some years struggling to get the right setup to be fast and competitive on the foil and after many vice-world champion titles, it felt amazing to finally clinch my second title. This last one in PWA on the foil felt as good as the other two PWA. I worked so hard in and out of the water, on the gear, on the mindset and the results came. The more time you spend being ready for a result the more important that result feels and this last title felt just great. So now I am the only rider having one title on fin, one mixed fin and foil and one on foil slalom.”

This was your most dominant world title - how pleased with your performance over the season overall?

“I am really happy of how I managed to perform through the season. I pushed hard to get the best season opening possible. In Italian we say “chi ben comincia è a meta dell’opera” which means “who starts good has their job already half done” and this is how I wanted to start in Guadeloupe. I was pushing as hard as I could to secure a win and that’s how I started. We had the Slalom X in between with some amazing races and then we were back on foil in Sylt. By then I knew Pierre [Mortefon] was most probably the most dangerous one from the other riders. I focused on a solid result trying to control the race without risking too much and I gained some really good points in the overalls. At this point we went to Japan and I had a really healthy margin, but over there the conditions are uncertain and tricky. You can have an event with many eliminations, or an event with only a couple of races in marginal winds and in these kind of conditions anything can happen. In japan my focus was to enter every final. I kind of knew that if I was managing that I would have secured the title. It ended up I was the only rider  entering every final of the season (maybe Maciek made it too) and this shows how focused I was on consistency.”

This season it looked like you were almost in cruise control making into the Winners’ Final with you not missing out on one the entire season - how much time, effort and tweaking goes into getting you and your gear dialled in to that level?

“As i said it takes a lot of time on and off the water to get the whole set of sails board and foils seated up to be on top level in every condition. I worked hard, probably spending even more time training than other seasons. Before Japan I was in Liguria where I grew up spending 2/3 hours per day on the water pushing my limits and then off the water tuning the gear.”

What are your thoughts on the changes for the 2026 racing season?

“I have to say I don’t much like the changes. I feel like the changes are being made by people in the industry who don’t really know much about racing and those changes will negatively affect our performance and travelling, but I cannot decide much as a rider, so I’ll take what comes and I will try to be again ready to win.”

After Japan you were headed for Hawaii - how was your trip / season going there?

“Well the trip went just amazing. I am now in San Francisco on my way back to Europe. We had 4 weeks of waves between wave sailing and surfing. Friends, sunsets, beers and waves are the perfect mix to have just after the season.”

When will you be back to full training mode to get ready for next season and what does your winter training schedule look like?

“It’s Christmas time now. We will enjoy it between Italy with my family and friend and Tarifa with my other family (Blanca’s). Then we will be back home in Tenerife ready to start to push again.”

Thanks, Matteo. Congrats once again on your latest world title. Have a great Christmas and Happy New Year.

How the Constructors Ranking Works?

The Constructors Rankings takes the best two results from each brand at every single event from the season based on an exponential points system. A victory for example is awarded 0.7 points and the lowest total at the end of the season wins. 

Overall Boards Constructors Champions

Starboard Chief Eco Officer, Svein Rasmussen, reacts to Starboard winning another overall PWA Constructors title: ”Impossible Performance.

Over the last 20 year of global sports, one brand has been winning more constructors titles than any other.

Blending product innovation and extraordinary team work, this brand and its crew have persevered stormy weather, taken its beating and made it back up again from underdog to the top of the game, time after time.

No globally known equipment brand in motorsport, skiing, cycling, tennis, MotoGP, or sailing has achieved 88% title dominance over a 20-year span.

Audi – Le Mans / WEC (Cars) 13 wins in 18 years → ~72%  is closest among major global motorsport.

Sports is no longer only about winning, but also to deliver purpose, so the same brand has been awarded both the World Sailing sustainability award and the IOC supported Sports positive award.

It is probably the most environmentally engaged brand in sports equipment manufacturing and the only brand with a full suite of environmental programs.

The Professional Windsurfers Association, the pinnacle of Windsurfing, introduced their Constructors ranking 18 years ago. It included the main windsurfing disciplines and both genders, motivating brands to invest accordingly.

One brand focused on supporting the PWA’s vision and invest into riders and product development like no other.

They brought on board young riders and saw them become legendary icons over the years, forever PWA champion Sarah-Quita Offringa, racing master Matteo Iachino, Freestyle kingpin Lennart Neubauer and the World’s most successful athlete Bjørn Dunkerbeck. Next gen riders Bobbi-Lynn De Jong, Junior Wave World Champion Ryu Noguchi and styleman Jahdan Tyger are fast on their way up.

Rising foil stars Lina Eržen and Fabian Wolf, fabulous Oda Johanne Stokstad Brødholt and Federico Morisio are all important in the Constructors title puzzle.

The brand is the total outlier in sports, a family business, located at a small lake, with a full scale laboratory where prototype boards can be made in two days, ready to revolutionise the watersports industry yesterday.

A former Windsurfing World Champion from Martinique is their main designer, their Marketing Manager used to go to school in a wetsuit, a Greek graphic artist who inspires all and their British Brand Manager has set eyes on Ironman 2026. The founder/ CEO  windsurfed through winter in Norway without a proper wetsuit, or a harness, utilising mini-icebergs as rounding marks when training for the World Championships, PWA wins and the Olympics.  

The brand is the definition of creativity, not wanting to conform to trends, but delivering Impossible Performance beyond any other in the world of sports.

Thanks to the PWA for creating a platform for our sport to shine, a constructors ranking for the industry to compete and for team Starboard to showcase 16 wins over 18 years.”

Overall Sails Constructors Champions

Philip Mackenbrock, Head of NeilPryde Marketing had this to say: ”Winning the PWA Constructors Championship once again is something we are incredibly proud of. It confirms that the effort, time and passion we put into sail development truly make a difference. Pushing performance forward has always been at the heart of NeilPryde, and our history of championship titles is not just part of our DNA,  it remains our biggest motivation every single day.

At the same time, this title would not be possible without the exceptional skills, commitment, and courage of our team riders. Their willingness to push to the absolute limit, to go the last metre and take risks at exactly the right moments, is what ultimately turns performance into results on the water.

Last but not least, this championship is a huge credit to our sail designer, whose dedication to making our sails better never stops. His relentless drive for innovation, sometimes even beyond what seems reasonable at first, is a defining force behind our development. This victory shows that believing in those ideas and pushing boundaries is absolutely worth it.”

Overall Foil Slalom Constructors Champions

Henning Terstiege, Head of International Marketing for PATRIK after a truly dominant foil season: “At PATRIK we’re extremely proud of such a solid performance this year! Success didn’t come easy - it was earned through hard work and full commitment to development. Our riders are working hand-in-hand like a sworn crew of friends. They are in close sync with our R&D team, pushing performance forward week by week. All this crazy effort is mainly driven by Patrik Diethelm, who uniquely turns unmatched hydrofoil, board and sail design knowledge into this one coherent windsurfing system that obviously was very hard to beat in 2025. Our AEON Foil System won every single foil elimination in 2025. What a year to remember! A massive thank you to everyone involved - management, designers, factories, crew, riders, caddies, fans and business partners... and finally to the PWA for creating the competition platform.”

Wave Boards and Sails Constructors Champions

Kurosh Kiani, Severne Windsurfing International Marketing Manager: “PWA Wave Constructors Champions. Again. This marks ten years consistently at the top of the constructors rankings, first in sails, and now also as a board brand. Thanks to all of team SEVERNE for elevating the brand every single year.”

Also if you don’t already, be sure to follow us on our Social Media Channels:

- Facebook: @PWAWorldTourWindsurfing
- Instagram: @pwaworldtour
- LinkedIn: @PWA - Professional Windsurfers Association
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Overall Board Constructors Ranking

1st Starboard
2nd JP
3rd Duotone Windsurfing

Overall Sail Constructors Ranking

1st NeilPryde
2nd Severne Windsurfing
3rd Duotone Windsurfing

Overall Constructors Ranking | Wave Board Brands

1st Severne Windsurfing
2nd Duotone Windsurfing
3rd Goya Windsurfing

Overall Constructors Ranking | Wave Sail Brands

1st Severne Windsurfing
2nd NeilPryde
3rd Goya Windsurfing

Overall Constructors Ranking | Slalom X Board Brands

1st Starboard
2nd FMX Racing
3rd Future Fly

Overall Constructors Ranking | Slalom X Sail Brands

1st NeilPryde
2nd Severne Windsurfing
3rd Point-7

Overall Constructors Ranking | Foil Slalom Board Brands

1st PATRIK
2nd Starboard
3rd WeOne

Overall Constructors Ranking | Foil Slalom Sail Brands

1st PATRIK
2nd Severne Windsurfing
3rd NeilPryde

Overall Constructors Ranking | Foil Brands

1st PATRIK
2nd Starboard
3rd Z Foils

Overall Constructors Ranking | Freestyle Board Brands

1st Starboard
2nd WeOne
3rd Severne Windsurfing

Overall Constructors Ranking | Freestyle Sail Brands

1st NeilPryde
2nd Severne Windsurfing
3rd GUNSAILS

George Grisley: "In this tutorial I breakdown both the Semi Switch Kono and the Skopu. Whether you've never tried either move, stuck on Semi Switch Kono's or looking to make your Skopu's more consistent, this video has everything you need to progress."

You can see George Grisley's latest tutorial @ https://youtu.be/k8qi9GCBsJo?si=ymryvNdMOwANCg9L