Spain's Marc Paré Rico won the 43rd Aloha Classic in Hawaii, defeating several former champions and extending his lead in the fight for the 2026 windsurfing world title. The event, held at Ho'okipa Beach Park from October 19–30, is the most prestigious stop on the wave windsurfing calendar, and Paré Rico's victory strengthens his position ahead of the season finale in Chile.
Paré Rico, the defending world champion, now holds a 6,410-point lead over Germany's Philip Köster. Köster, a five-time world wave champion and world No. 2, was eliminated in the quarterfinals in imposing four-to-five-meter waves. Brazil's Marcilio Browne, a four-time world champion and world No. 3, fell to Paré Rico in the semifinals, where Paré Rico posted a score of 13.82 with a flawless combination of aerials, a full 360-degree turn, and a goiter.
In the final, Paré Rico recovered from early falls to land a clean 360, an air taka, and a powerful hit against the lip, edging local favorite Bernd Roediger by just 0.05 points. Roediger, who grew up on Maui, had posted the best semifinal score (14.90) and led much of the final before finishing second with 13.40. He moves up to third in the rankings, 7,500 points behind Paré Rico, and remains mathematically in contention if he wins in Chile and Paré Rico finishes outside the top five.
The Aloha Classic victory is a statement of intent for Paré Rico, who beat opponents with nine world titles between them. "I still can't believe it," Paré Rico said. "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." His win solidifies his standing as the sport's top rider and sets up a dramatic finale in Chile, where the world title will be decided November 14–29.
The event also highlighted the transformation of professional windsurfing. Earlier this year, the Professional Windsurfing Association and the International Windsurfing Tour merged to create the World Windsurf Tour. The unified circuit has expanded beyond Europe, adding events in Hawaii, Fiji, Australia, and Chile, and introduced a five-star competition system that counts all events toward the world ranking. "Unifying the sport under a single circuit was aimed at giving all riders a fair opportunity to fight for the world title," said Simeon Glasson, World Windsurf Tour director. "This season, both titles will be decided at the last event, with new contenders in the mix. That's exactly what we were looking for with the unification."
The women's title will also be decided in Chile, with France's Marine Hunter just 15 points behind Germany's Lina Erpenstein after winning in Hawaii. For full results and broadcasts, visit worldwindsurftour.com, and high-resolution images are available at https://worldwindsurftour.com/events/the-aloha-classic-hawaii-usa/photos. The news was first reported by NOTICIAS NEWSWIRE.
