MFC Maui Pro Am delivers: Heroes rise in stacked finals day at Ho'okipa
by International Windsurfing Tour 15 Apr 2025 23:06 BST
14-18 April 2025
The first springtime World Cup at Ho'okipa in over 20 years exploded back to life today as the 2025 MFC Maui Pro Am crowned two incredible champions in Marcilio Browne (BRA) and Marine Hunter (FRA). With mast-high waves, shifting winds, and a world-class lineup, Day 1 Finals Day delivered an electric reminder: the sport is roaring back to a new golden era.
Heroic Wins for Browne and Hunter
In a fiercely contested men's final, Marcilio "Brawzinho" Browne (BRA) proved once again why he's among the sport's greatest. With radical turns and perfect wave selection, he edged out Spain's rising force Marc Paré (ESP) Japan's Takara Ishii, (JPN) and UK's own Robby Swift. (UK).
On the women's side, Marine Hunter (FRA) carved her name into WWT history with explosive, fluid riding that left no doubt about her dominance. She held off powerful challenges from Guadeloupe's Lisa Wermeister, (FRA) Spain's Maria Andres (ESP), and Venezuela's Colette Guadagnino (VEN) in a nail-biting final heat.
Legends Miss Out — The Depth of the Field Was Unreal
Such was the depth of the competition that huge names Kai Lenny (HI USA) Levi Siver (HI USA), Camille Juban (FRA Guadeloupe), Morgan Noireaux (HI USA), and Bernd Roediger (HI USA) — all former Ho'okipa standouts — missed the podium. That's how stacked the field was. With 24 pro men and 8 elite women in the draw, this was a finals day where every single heat could have been a world title showdown.
Global Buzz Building — Media Impact on the Rise
As windsurfing returns to Maui with renewed force, the World Wave Tour (WWT) continues to build powerful global momentum. This year's WWT events have already generated an estimated 100-135 million impressions with another 10+ million expected from grassroots 1-3 Star contests. And the year isn't even half over.
Projected total for 2025 WWT: 140-185 million impressions, a 2-3x jump over 2024.
This is the platform we're building: a professional, athlete-first, global wave tour with rising media power — and a future aimed squarely at better opportunities for the world's best riders.
Mahalo Nui Loa to our partners at MFC, the local crew, and the international riders who made this return to Maui a milestone moment. This was more than a contest — it was a homecoming, a proving ground, and a statement: the new era of windsurfing is here.