A look ahead to the opening 5-star Wave event of the 2026 Season
The unified PWA WWT World Wave Tour is proud to announce the return of the Quatro Maui Pro, the first 5-star Major of the 2026 WWT season. Set against the spectacular backdrop of Hoʻokipa Beach Park, the spiritual home of windsurfing, this year’s event promises to be nothing short of historic. The world’s best wave surfers will converge on Maui’s iconic surf spot, fueled by motivation, momentum, and a desire to redeem themselves.
Hoʻokipa isn’t just another competition venue. It’s the beating heart of the sport. Winning here means joining the ranks of the greatest surfers of all time. And in 2026, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
THE BIG PROTAGONISTS ARE ON THE FIELD
As the first 5-Star World Cup stop of the season, the Quatro Maui Pro awards the highest possible score (100%) for the standings, and therefore, maximum pressure. Every top World Wave Tour surfer knows that a strong result here sets the tone for the entire season. The field is a veritable who’s who of the sport’s top athletes.
In the men’s field, reigning wave world champion Marc Paré (Simmer / Simmer Sails / MFC) of Spain arrives determined to defend his title, while Brazil’s Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing / MFC), five-time world champion and winner of last year’s Maui Pro, is eager to reclaim his title in this spot he knows so well. Germany’s Philip Köster (Severne Windsurfing), five-time world champion and one of the most explosive wave sailors around, is a constant threat wherever he competes, and Spain’s Víctor Fernández (Duotone Windsurfing), a three-time world champion, brings the experience and power that commands respect at any Hookipa event.
And then there are the Hoʻokipa specialists, the riders who call this spot home and have made it their hunting ground. Morgan Noireaux (JP / NeilPryde / Black Project Fins) and Bernd Roediger (Flikka / Hot Sails Maui / Black Project Fins), both Hawaiians, boast seven Aloha Classic titles between them—four and three respectively—and know every reef, every wave angle, every wind shift. Camille Juban (AV Boards / S2Maui / MFC), a Guadeloupean two-time Aloha Classic champion for France, and her compatriot Antoine Martin (Quatro / Goya Windsurfing / MFC)—winner of the 2019 Aloha Classic and one of the most explosive talents on the circuit—clearly demonstrate that the men’s draw has no weaknesses.
The women’s field is equally formidable. France’s Marine Hunter (Quatro / Goya Windsurfing) arrives as last year’s Maui Pro champion and a rising rider, while Germany’s Lina Erpenstein (Severne Windsurfing) brings with her solid World Tour experience and unflagging competitive determination. Hawaiian legend Angela Cochran (Quatro / Simmer Sails), a four-time Aloha Classic champion and one of the leading figures in women’s wave sailing, rejoins the competition, a testament to the longevity and mastery that go into Hookipa. And the next generation is already knocking on the door: Belgian Sol Degrieck (Severne Windsurfing), the young champion who surprised many with her run to the world title last season, and Australian sensation Sarah Kenyon (Severne Windsurfing), the freshly crowned junior world champion, are among the fast-rising young riders keeping an eye on the more established names.
This is just a small portion of the talent that will be pouring into Maui. The full entry list underscores why the Quatro Maui Pro, as the season-opening 5-Star event, sets the standard for everything to come. With over 100 of the world’s best surfers, we’re in for an incredible spectacle.
MORGAN NOIREAUX AND SARAH-QUITA OFFRINGA: TWO CHAMPIONS, ONE HISTORIC MOMENT
At the conclusion of the 2025 season, something extraordinary happened in Hoʻokipa. On the same day, in the same event, both Hawaiian Morgan Noireaux and Aruban Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) captured their fourth Aloha Classic titles, independently tying the all-time records held by legends Robby Naish (Naish / Naish Sails) and Angela Cochran. Two competitors. Two records tied. An extraordinary afternoon off that made history…
Noireaux and Offringa come to the Quatro Maui Pro as reigning Aloha Classic champions, bringing the momentum of a historic 2025 season finale to the first major event of 2026. Their mastery of the powerful Hookipa waves is unmatched on the circuit, and both will be among the protagonists from the first heat.
For everyone else in the race, the message for 2025 is clear: to win at Hoʻokipa, you must first find a way to surpass two of the greatest windsurfers the sport has ever produced.
