The fourth day of the Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup took place this Tuesday in Pozo Izquierdo, where the organisation, led by windsurfing legend Björn Dunkerbeck, gave the green light to the demanding Challenger competition. This round, a cornerstone of the new PWA World Wave Tour format, awarded valuable ranking points to competitors aiming to climb the world standings while offering the day's top riders the ultimate opportunity to secure a place in the main professional wave competition.
The day began with expectations of stronger winds, but a dense calima ultimately turned it into a major challenge for the Challenger competitors. Marginal conditions made it difficult to execute high-scoring classic manoeuvres such as forward loops, pushloops and backloops, forcing the athletes to make the most of the conditions on offer as the wind gradually eased throughout the day. The pressure was immense as riders battled for one of the four available qualification spots in each the Men’s and Women’s main draws - featuring both promising young talents and established names.
Challenger Round
Women’s
The women's Challenger session featured one undisputed star - reigning event champion, Daida Ruano Moreno (Goya Windsurfing). The 18-time World Champion, who is currently not a full-time competitor on the tour, returned to the water displaying her experience and class which proved untouchable for her rivals. Moreno dominated the women's Challenger with an impressive 10.13-point score, opening up a considerable gap over the three other sailors joining her in the main draw; Germany's Milanka Linde (Severne Windsurfing) and Helena Lale (Severne Windsurfing), and the Netherlands' Isabel van Noesel.
“With lighter conditions than usual, and after competing in only one event on the tour last year, I had to go through this qualification phase in order to compete against the professionals currently ranked on the tour,” explained the decorated champion after coming ashore.
Men’s
In the men's Challenger, Menorca-born rider Josep Pons (Point-7), who is based in Pozo Izquierdo, used his extensive local knowledge to deservedly claim first place after racking up 11 points. Meanwhile, fellow local boy, Carlos Kiefer Quintana (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails), who has multiple Youth world titles, wasn’t far behind Pons as he secured the second qualifying place on 10.63 points.
After successfully securing his spot in the main draw Kiefer Quintana added: “I pulled out the equipment that had been sitting in my locker for a long time. These conditions aren't typical in Pozo, so I had to rig a big sail, but I managed to earn this qualification.”
The third qualifying position went to 2024 PWA Freestyle world champion, Lennart Neubauer (Starboard / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins), well known for landing the innovative shifty-forward manoeuvre during the pre-event training sessions, while Japan's Takumi Moriya, who is also renowned for his Freestyle skills, secured the fourth and final qualification spot, determined to improve on the fifth-place finish he achieved in the junior division in 2025.
The fifth day of competition, scheduled for Wednesday, is expected to begin with an early riders' meeting to assess the possibility of running the U18 and U21 Boy’s and Girl's divisions, which could not be completed today with the calima inhibiting Pozo Izquierdo’s usual trademark howling winds.