Escribano Toribio, Noguchi and Kenyon claim titles as Aloha Classic opens at Ho'okipa
by World Windsurf Tour 21 Oct 08:52 BST
19–30 October 2026
Chest- to head-high waves and cross-offshore winds greeted competitors on the opening day of the 2026 Aloha Classic, as three world title races took a decisive turn at Ho'okipa Beach Park.
Spain's Javier Escribano Toribio, Japan's Ryu Noguchi and Australia's Sarah Kenyon claimed the Junior Boys, Pro Junior Boys and Pro Junior Girls titles, while the Super Groms put on a show and the Challenger rounds filled the last four spots in the Pro Men's main draw.
With the season-deciding Grand Final in Chile just weeks away, the results have reshaped the youth rankings heading into the last stop of the year.
Escribano Toribio takes Junior Boys title
Javier Escribano Toribio (17, Spain, Goya) executed a near-flawless game plan to secure his first Aloha Classic victory, posting a heat total of 9.43 in the Junior Boys final. The result hands him a valuable 3,965-point lead in the world title race heading into the Chile Grand Final.
The Spaniard controlled the final from the outset, picking off some of the biggest sets of the day and attacking the lip with confidence to land solid hits and tail slides. Greece's Jason Papanikolaou (15) rode with speed and flow to finish second, just 0.16 points ahead of France's Raphael Dumesnil (15, Hot Sails) in third. Chile's Loic Antoine Harfagar went hard at the lip but couldn't find the larger, more connected sets and settled for fourth.
Noguchi wins Pro Junior Boys and takes the world ranking lead
Both Pro Junior divisions were decided over a three-heat leaderboard final.
Ryu Noguchi (19, Japan, Severne/Starboard) claimed the Pro Junior Boys title with one heat win and two second places, a result that lifts him to the top of the world rankings. His consistent speed, aerial ability and aggressive turns made him the standout of the division.
France's Cesar Filippi (20, Duotone) grew stronger as the series went on, winning the final heat with well-timed aerials and tight snaps to finish second overall. Germany's Leon Maethner (18), winner of April's Maui Pro, made the strongest start with a convincing victory in Final 1 but couldn't quite sustain that same dominant performance and finished third. Greece's Gregory Stathopoulos (20, Goya) placed fourth, still landing textbook aerials and committed hits.
Kenyon edges a tight Pro Junior Girls final
The Pro Junior Girls final went down to the wire, with a different rider winning each of the three heats.
Sarah Kenyon (18, Australia, Severne) opened Final 1 in style, landing an aerial on her second wave for an 8.97, the highest heat score of the series. Japanese pair Fumi Akita (14, Goya) and Natsuki Wakasa (16, Goya) also impressed with strong, committed riding and critical hits, and Akita produced the second-best heat score of the series with an 8.03.
Belgium's Sol DeGrieck (17, Severne) finished fourth in Final 1 but bounced back in Final 2, using smart wave selection and a string of turns to take the win. That set up a decisive Final 3, where Wakasa played spoiler, claiming victory with a series of fast, explosive lip hits.
Kenyon's consistency across all three finals earned her the title, with DeGrieck one point back in second and Wakasa a further point behind in third. The result leaves Kenyon and DeGrieck tied at the top of the 2026 Pro Junior Girls world rankings.
"I'm super stoked to win. I've been training really hard as Starboard tack (wind from the right) isn't what I sail at home, but it showed all that training was worth it. If you put in the time and effort, it helps things to go your way."Sarah Kenyon.
Swift and Glickenhaus shine in Super Groms
The youngest riders made the most of ideal conditions, with Rocco Swift edging out good mate Akash Glickenhaus (12) by just 0.26 points. Navigating a heavy shorebreak and Ho'okipa's notorious rocks, the Super Groms showed smart wave selection and stylish bottom turn-top turn combinations well beyond their years, and weren't afraid to take on some overhead lips.
Challenger rounds set the Pro Men's draw
The 20-rider Challenger competition produced four winners, who have now secured their places in the 32-rider Pro Men's main draw: windsurfing legend Francisco Goya (Argentina, Goya), Cesar Filippi (France, Duotone), Zdenek Maryzko (Czech Republic, Naish) and Antony Ruenes (France).
The Pro Men's division will get under way when conditions allow.
Event Details:
Event: Aloha Classic - World Windsurf Tour
Venue: Ho'okipa Beach Park, Maui, Hawaii, USA
Dates: 19-30 October 2026
Competition hours: 11am-5pm (Hawaii time), subject to wind and wave conditions
Spectators: Free entry
Watch live: worldwindsurftour.com
Next event: Grand Final, Chile - 14-29 November 2026