Aloha Classic Hotel Playa Sur El Medano Tenerife Grand Final Day 2
by International Windsurfing Tour 26 Oct 16:08 PDT
21 October – 1 November 2024
Aloha Classic Hotel Playa Sur El Medano Tenerife Grand Final © Fish Bowl Diaries
Today saw exhilarating developments in the world title race, as numerous competitors faced elimination while regulars from Maui impressed the crowd with spectacular aerial performances at the Aloha Classic Playa Surf CBbC Hotel Grand Final in Hawaii.
Contestants were welcomed with large, clean waves generated by a north swell and light, cross-offshore winds.
Experience in Hawaii benefits Pro Women
Once again, seasoned riders from Hookipa earned direct entries to the Pro Women’s semi-finals.
Germany’s reigning world number one, Lina Erpenstein, was relegated to the elimination round after tough challenges posed by Spain’s Maria Andres and Guadaloupe’s Coco Fouveau. The limited practice time Erpenstein had due to her final medical exams likely influenced her performance. However, Andres skillfully selected solid waves and maneuvered high in the gentle conditions to preserve her speed, executing her signature power turns.
“I’m really thrilled because the conditions are quite challenging. Just getting out was quite something. Choosing the right waves was tough too. The larger ones had a section further down that closed out, so figuring out my positioning was tricky,” she remarked.
Fouveau seemed delighted to be back out on the water after intermittent breaks due to a concussion. Riding close to the power zone, she maintained her position in the pocket, finishing second and advancing to the semi-finals.
New Caledonia resident, Sarah Hauser from Maui, exhibited some of the most critical riding within the women’s category. Her powerful bottom turns allowed for sharp, surf-style snaps, culminating in a confident win in heat two.
“I had a ton of sailing this season and feel like I’m evolving. It was a blast out here. We were fortunate since the wind picked up just five minutes prior to the heat’s start. I was focused on hitting the lip,” said an energized Hauser.
Advancing to the semi-finals was Maui resident, Shawna Cropas. After an early collision with the rocks in her heat, she had to adapt to unfamiliar equipment. Yet, she quickly adjusted, choosing smooth, peeling set waves while carving through each turn confidently for second place.
French participant Lisa Wermeister had a standout day, outperforming 2023 World Champion Sarah-Quita Offringa. Riding some of the biggest sets, her turns became bolder and more precise as heat three progressed.
Offringa opted for smaller waves, which likely cost her a win. Nonetheless, she delivered strong turns beneath the lip, maintained her tight position in the pocket, and generated plenty of spray with her powerful top turns, advancing to the semi-finals and keeping her quest for a third consecutive world title alive.
World Title challengers exit in Redemption Round
The major highlight of the Pro Men’s redemption round was the exit of world numbers three and four, Marino Gil Gheradi from Spain and Germany’s Philip Koster, signaling the end of their title ambitions. Japanese competitors Takuma Sugi and up-and-coming star Ryu Noguchi celebrated their win against Koster, while Americans Russ Faurot and French rider Baptiste Cloarec had a hard-fought contest to defeat Gheradi and Hayata Ishii. Returning to the competition post leukemia battle, Casey Hauser drew crowd support, but fell short against Poland’s Adam Warchol and the UK’s Robby Swift. Advancing from the redemption round were French riders Jules Denel and Julien Flechet.
Maui Riders shine today
Round five commenced with a rare tactical mistake by Brazil’s Marcilio Browne, who rode his first wave before the heat officially commenced, missing what could have been one of his best waves. Fortunately, it didn’t affect him. Browne impressed judges on his next ride, charging vertically into mast-high sections, air-dropping down, and executing another aerial for a score of 7.5. By riding faster and deeper than most, Browne consistently created opportunities, finishing the heat with four waves above seven points, totaling 14.70.
Continuing to impress in Hawaii, Spain’s Liam Dunkerbeck, the 2024 Pro Junior World Champion, progressed to the quarter-finals despite an astonishing aerial display from French rider Jules Denel. Dunkerbeck’s aerial maneuvers appeared effortless, with radical fin-releasing top turns and he nearly landed a wave 360 attempt.
In heat two, local Maui boy Graham Ezzy was on fire, pushing former Aloha Classic champion Antoine Martin from Guadaloupe into second place. In the light conditions, Ezzy utilized larger gear, focusing on waves with optimal shape.
“I’ve been doing a lot of coaching, focusing on advice for my students – stay on the wave’s power source, treat it like a dance. I aim to adhere to that philosophy. My goal is simply to have fun,” he noted.
Martin appeared relaxed and playful, easily performing two consecutive one-handed aerials using different hands each time, finishing second with a combined heat score of 12.10. He seems to have more to offer, hinting at even more thrilling moves ahead.
A confident, flawless Morgan Noireaux looks unstoppable as he heads into the quarter-finals. Despite lighter winds, Morgan appeared faster with every turn, enabling him to lift the lip off the top and attack vertically. His wave selection was exceptional, merging precise riding with consistent rotations. Almost intuitively, he executed two flawless wave 360s, following one with a flaka, demonstrating his comfort in mast-high conditions.
“My consistency at Hookipa is quite good. I have substantial confidence in all my maneuvers. Our heat benefitted from some of the better conditions of the day. I had a great time,” he stated with a grin.
Building on his momentum from the redemption round, Julien Flechet delivered one of his best performances in Hawaii, also advancing to the quarter-finals. He consistently executed impressive aerials and tackled late sections, including a one-handed cutback and an arcing back aerial.
However, the heat of the day was heat four. Leading up to the event, several top riders had praised Levi Siver (USA), and he didn’t disappoint. Making his intention clear, he immediately attacked a large wave section and followed it up with additional critical turns to score 7.8. In response, Japan’s Takara Ishii delivered an even better performance, launching into the lip and following up with an aerial and two more aggressive turns for a score of 7.90. Takuma Sugi finished third in the initial exchange with a noteworthy 7.6 wave score. He displayed more patience in the heat than the others and appeared temporarily out of contention. During this period, Siver found a solid set, executed two vertical lip attacks, and completed a wave 360 for a score of 9.1, marking the best wave of the day. Just when it seemed to be a battle for second, Sugi found an excellent set, performed a massive aerial, and executed tight snaps to achieve a total heat score of 15.60, seeming capable of challenging Siver for the lead. Although Ishii didn’t progress to the quarters, his heat total of 13.5 would have advanced him in most heats.
Motivated by impressive performances, wave expert Kai Lenny showcased his skills with intense aerial maneuvers. Improving as the heat progressed, he blurred the lines between surfing and windsurfing. His surf-style boards allowed him to get right under the lip for a vertical assault, recovering quickly for tight snaps in the pocket. He miraculously completed a wave 360, nearly disappearing behind the whitewater, followed by one of the most radical goiters ever seen during competition, approaching the wave from beneath and blowing through the lip for his second eight of the heat.
American Russ Faurot made his mark with solid lip hits, wraps, and cutbacks, looking ready to eliminate comeback king Marc Pare. However, Pare remained patient, and when he finally found the right wave, scored two perfect aerials followed by a precise snap to earn seven points and secure his progression to the quarter-finals.
The Aloha Classic Wave Grand Final event runs until November 1 at Hookipa Beach Park in Maui, Hawaii.
Stay updated with live competition scores on LiveHeats. The full live broadcast will stream on the IWT Wave Tour YouTube channel and the official IWT event page. Follow us on social media at @IWT_Wave_Tour and @PWAworldtour. The event also provides spectacular free viewing opportunities at Hookipa Beach Park.
