Spain’s Marc Paré Rico won the 43rd Aloha Classic in Hawaii, strengthening his bid to defend the world wave windsurfing title he first claimed in 2025. The victory, in a tight final against several former champions, gives Paré Rico a 6,410-point lead over Germany’s Philip Köster with one event remaining on the 2026 World Windsurf Tour calendar.
The Aloha Classic, held at Ho’okipa Beach Park on Maui from October 19–30, is widely regarded as the most prestigious event in wave windsurfing. Competitors use the waves as launch ramps for aerials and rotations, which are scored by judges in a format similar to surfing. Paré Rico’s win came in tricky, shifting conditions that surprised even some of Maui’s best local riders, and he secured the final by just 0.05 points after recovering from early falls with a clean 360, an air taka and a powerful hit against the lip.
Paré Rico’s path to the title was eased by the early exits of two of the sport’s most decorated athletes. Köster, the world No. 2 and a five-time world wave champion, was eliminated in the quarterfinals in imposing four-to-five-meter waves. Brazil’s Marcilio Browne, a four-time world wave champion and world No. 3, fell in the semifinals to a heat won by Paré Rico, who scored 13.82. Between them, Köster and Browne hold nine world titles, making Paré Rico’s semifinal performance a significant statement of intent.
“I still can’t believe it. My goal all season was to reach the final here. I’ve always felt this is the event I find hardest. It’s incredible to have won,” Paré Rico said.
The main threat to Paré Rico’s title defense now comes from Maui native Bernd Roediger, who posted the best semifinal score of 14.90 and led much of the final before finishing second with 13.40. Roediger moves up to third in the rankings, 7,500 points behind Paré Rico, but is expected to discard a low 2,500-point result from a lower-tier event in Puerto Rico. That means he could still be crowned world champion if he wins in Chile and Paré Rico finishes outside the top five.
The season has been one of major structural change for professional windsurfing. Earlier this year, the two rival circuits — the Professional Windsurfing Association and the International Windsurfing Tour — merged to create the World Windsurf Tour. The unified circuit has since expanded beyond its traditional European base, adding events in Hawaii, Fiji, Australia and Chile, while a new five-star competition system means all events now count toward the world ranking. Replays and live broadcasts are available at worldwindsurftour.com, and high-resolution photographs from the event can be found at https://worldwindsurftour.com/events/the-aloha-classic-hawaii-usa/photos.
The women’s title will also be decided in Chile. France’s Marine Hunter won in Hawaii and sits just 15 points behind Germany’s Lina Erpenstein, with Germany’s Maria Behrens mathematically still in contention. The Grand Final in Chile runs November 14–29, where both the men’s and women’s 2026 world titles will be settled.
