Surfing in Munich's wave pool: Team Germany wins Rip Curl Nations Trophy 2026 on Europe Day

Team Germany won the second Rip Curl Nations Trophy at the O 2 SURFTOWN MUC in 21 degrees and sunshine. The German team beat last year's winners Spain 5:3 in the final heat, with around 5,500 spectators watching the action from the edge of the 180-metre wave pool in Hallbergmoos near Munich. The contest took place on 9 May 2026 - Europe Day. Eight nations competed against each other with four athletes each. The proximity to the competition allowed for an intensity that is not possible at classic surf contests by the sea. Those at the front of the pack also got wet in spectacular waves. DJ sets, food trucks and eight national flags flying over the pool created a festival atmosphere.

Decision by Leon Glatzer

The expectation of delivering for Germany at the home spot had weighed noticeably on all four athletes. Olympic surfer Leon Glatzer had spoken of sheer nerves in the team beforehand - stable but under pressure. Glatzer delivered the decisive moment in the final: a controlled straight air in the air left section increased the score to 5:2 and secured the trophy for Team Germany. On the very last wave of the final, Camilla Kemp raised both fists in the air and gave Spain a point of honour. The whole team was already celebrating, the victory had long been decided. "In the head-to-head, you only have one attempt per wave - that's more nerve-wracking than almost anything else in surfing. The fact that we pulled it off as a team is a huge relief," says Janina Zeitler, athlete for Team Germany.

Nations competition with a new format

The Rip Curl Nations Trophy is fundamentally different from classic surf contests. In professional surfing, people traditionally compete for individual titles and world tour points - here, everyone surfs for their own nation. 32 athletes, two men and two women per team, competed against each other on changing wave modes. The waves are generated by pneumatic air pressure. The O 2 SURFTOWN MUC is the world's first facility of this endless surf design and will open in Hallbergmoos near Munich in 2024. In addition to Germany and Spain, France and the International Team were also seeded in the semi-finals. The contest utilised four different wave settings: point right, air right, point left and air left. With up to 25-second rides, the pool offers the longest artificially generated wave in Europe.

Spain fights for title defence

Last year's winners, Spain, were there to defend their title, but were beaten by the German team this time. "Germany was the better team today; that's sport. But the energy with which people are surfing here in Munich for their own nation is something you don't see everyday," explains Gony Zubizarreta from Team Spain. In its second edition, the Rip Curl Nations Trophy has clearly gained in appeal. By being held on Europe Day, the event has positioned itself as a European sporting event in the international surfing calendar. In addition to Germany and Spain, Italy, Scandinavia, Portugal, France, UK/Ireland and an international team took part. Each team consisted of 16 women and 16 men.

Supporting programme and after-party

Between the heats, live DJs and food trucks at the edge of the pool created a festival atmosphere. After the award ceremony at 19:45, MCs, judges and helping hands used the wave for an expression session - free, unjudged, with wipeouts and cheers from the audience. At the subsequent afterparty on the LOOKOUT terrace, the party continued late into the night with all eight nations and guests. "We wanted a format that makes surfing a collective experience. What happened here today shows that team surfing has found its own audience. We are continuing to build on this," says Chris Boehm-Tettelbach, CEO and founder of O 2 SURFTOWN MUC.

Event details at a glance

Wave settings:

• Point right: classic point break wave
• Air Right: Section for air manoeuvres
• Point Left: Left-running point break wave
• Air Left: Left-running air section

Participants:

• Nations: 8 teams
• Athletes: 32 in total (16 women, 16 men)
• Spectators: around 5,500

Wavepool specifications:

• Length: 180 metres
• Ride Length: up to 25 seconds
• Technology: Pneumatic air pressure (endless surf design)
• Opening: 2024

Results:

Final:

• 1st Germany (Leon Glatzer, Janina Zeitler, Dylan Groen, Camilla Kemp): 5
• 2nd Spain (Gony Zubizarreta, Sean Gunning, Lucia Machado, Ainara Aymat): 3

Semi-final:

• Germany
• Spain
• France
• International

Participating nations:

• Germany
• Spain
• Italy
• Scandinavia
• Portugal
• France
• UK/Ireland
• International