The favourites live up to expectations, while Carlos Kiefer Quintana and Peter Gobisch claim victory in the Junior categories
The Wind&Waves Festival experienced one of its most eagerly anticipated days this Tuesday as the world’s best riders finally took to the water. Following the completion of the qualifying heats on Monday, the competition stepped up a gear at El Cabezo Beach, where the men’s quarterfinals and women’s semifinals of the PWA/WWT Open World Championship event were decided. The day also saw Carlos Kiefer Quintana and Peter Gobisch claim victory in the Pro Junior Boys and Junior Boys categories.
There was no room for surprises in the men’s competition. The leading contenders lived up to their status as top seeds and progressed confidently through their respective heats, setting up a series of world-class quarterfinal matchups that promise another spectacular day on the waves of El Cabezo.
Alongside the main title contenders, several of the international circuit’s young talents also made their mark. Gran Canaria’s Carlos Kiefer Quintana once again showed that he is enjoying an excellent run of form, delivering a strong performance against the world’s top specialists. He was joined by Julian Salmon, a rider based in El Médano, who once again produced an outstanding performance on waves he knows particularly well.
The women’s competition also confirmed the strength of the leading contenders. The top five riders in the world rankings all secured their places in the semifinals, led by German world number one Maria Behrens. She will be joined by compatriot Lina Erpenstein, Belgium’s Sol Degrieck, France’s Marine Hunter and Switzerland’s Pauline Katz.
Completing the semifinal lineup are legendary rider Sarah-Quita Offringa, a multiple World Champion and one of the most successful riders in El Médano’s history, and Gran Canaria’s Alexia Kiefer Quintana, the only Spanish rider still in contention for the overall event victory.
The day also produced two new Wind&Waves Festival 2026 winners. In the Pro Junior Boys category, Gran Canaria’s Carlos Kiefer Quintana claimed victory with an impressive 18.82 points, finishing ahead of Germany’s Anton Richter (17.20), Greece’s Gregory Stathopoulos (16.95) and Japan’s Ryu Noguchi (16.13).
In the Junior Boys category, Germany’s Peter Gobisch took the win with 17.62 points, ahead of Spaniards Javier Escribano (14.29) and Yannik Kolb González (13.66), while Japan’s Ryoma Sugi finished fourth with 12.89 points.
If the wind conditions remain favourable this Wednesday, the Wind&Waves Festival could experience its most decisive day yet, with the final rounds of the Open category set to bring the world’s leading riders together in the battle for victory at one of the most prestigious events on the international windsurfing calendar.
El Médano Wind&Waves Festival is organized by Blue Light Events and supported by institutions including the Government of the Canary Islands, through the Islas Canarias Latitud de Vida brand; the Tenerife Island Council, through its Tenerife Despierta Emociones brand; and the Granadilla de Abona Town Council. The festival is also sponsored by brands including Playa Surf CBbC Hotel, Balearia, Veinte 04, Future Fly Boards and Foil Drive.
