Sarah-Quita Offringa kicked off the 2026 season last week at the Gloria Windsurf World Cup in Gran Canaria, where she secured a solid second place behind Daida Moreno – a result that should provide her with an excellent springboard for the rest of the wave calendar. The next stop on the Canary Islands tour is now in Fuerte, where the 35-year-old has the chance to clinch her incredible 17th freestyle world title. Ahead of the event, Chris Yates from the PWA asked her a few questions.
Hey SQ, you’ve just kicked off your season in Gran Canaria – how did the event go for you?
Hi, Pozo went better than expected! In the run-up to the event, we didn’t have the usual Pozo conditions, and I didn’t feel like I’d really got into my stride. In Pozo, it’s all about feeling comfortable with your kit in those extreme conditions, and that takes time. As I didn’t have that time, I also felt I’d let go a little of the pressure to perform that I normally feel in Pozo. My mindset was more like: ‘Let’s see what’s in store for us, and when the time comes, I can only do my best.’ In the end, the event did go ahead after all – in conditions just as borderline as before, which made it a challenge for everyone out on the water. But given the forecast, we could easily have ended up with no results at all this year, so I was much more relaxed than usual and simply glad that we were able to compete at all. I think I was able to rely on my previous training and competition experience in Pozo and was practically on autopilot when the right wave came along. It seemed as though I’d managed to score the points I needed just in the nick of time – thank goodness!
Summer is now in full swing, with events coming up on Fuerteventura and Tenerife – on Fuerteventura, two event titles and two world titles are up for grabs. How are you feeling ahead of your title defence, and does it suit you that the freestyle event takes place first?
Yes, I’m really looking forward to getting started with freestyle. It’s still my favourite discipline, and it feels good to go into this event with a fresh start. I won’t be competing in the slalom this year. Taking part in back-to-back events and switching between disciplines was an exciting challenge, but also completely exhausting, both physically and mentally. This year, I’d like to give myself a bit more breathing space and time to recover before heading to Tenerife.
Have you been able to practise freestyle a lot whilst trying to juggle that with the wave competitions?
I’ve been doing quite a lot of freestyle back home in Aruba and had some good sessions in Pozo too! Back home, I feel like I’ve finally got the hang of a few moves that I’ve been trying for years – I’m really pleased about that. Let’s see how I feel during the competition and whether I can pull off these moves under pressure.
What makes Fuerteventura so special?
The beach and the blue water on Fuerteventura are fascinating, but out there [on the water] it gets really wild! I do like these conditions, though – with such strong winds and those ramps, you can really go for it with the power moves, which gives you a massive adrenaline rush!
Have you started checking the forecast for Fuerte yet? What’s it looking like?
I don’t usually check the forecast that often. At home, the wind always blows from the same direction and I basically only need my 4.8-metre sail, so I’ve never really learnt how to interpret forecasts properly. On the beach, it’s usually the main topic of conversation, so I make a point of listening in on a few chats about the forecast and draw my own conclusions! So far, I’ve only heard that it’s going to be windy for the contest – that’s all I need to know!
Thank you, SQ, and good luck!
You can find all the information about the World Cup on Fuerte at pwaworldtour.com