The very first day of the Maui ProAm, which was revived by the IWT as a four-star contest after a 20-year break, offered classic spring conditions in Ho'okipa with trade winds and an ever-increasing swell. In perfect conditions, the men started the competition first. Two waves and one jump were scored, and the high standard quickly led to a shortening of the heats as the competitors filled their scorecards with ease.
Maui locals Robby Swift and Morgan Noireaux set the standard early on with outstanding scores. They qualified for the next round alongside other top riders such as Marcilio Browne, Boujmaa Guilloul, Takara Ishii, Julian Salmonn, Kai Lenny, Camille Juban, Levi Siver, Bernd Roediger, Federico Morisio and Marc Pare Rico. In the Redemption Round, Hayata Ishii, Liam Dunkerbeck, Zdenek Maryzko and Russ Faurot fought their way back into the action.
Surprises in the quarter-finals
The first quarter-final was very reminiscent of the final of last year's Aloha Classic, with Marc Pare taking Bernd Roediger's place. The fact that jumps were also included in the scoring posed a challenge for some wave specialists. Even Camille Juban, known for his precision in the waves, was unable to progress to the next round. His perfect run in the finals since 2022 came to an end while he was still recovering from an injury sustained in Chile.
The rest of the quarter-finals clearly showed that those who had trained in Ho'okipa over the winter were now reaping the benefits. The locals and those who had prepared intensively on site dominated and eliminated several higher-seeded competitors. Detailed knowledge of the local conditions proved to be a decisive advantage.
Another close duel between Brawzinho and Paré
The semi-finals took the intensity to a new level. Marcilio Browne and Marc Pare fought a thrilling duel and pushed each other to peak performance. Browne secured his place in the final with the highest heat score of the day, closely followed by Pare. In the second semi-final, Takara Ishii and Robby Swift utilised their strengths in the air to prevail against the "wave riders" Kai Lenny and Levi Siver.
The conditions changed for the final: With the wind dying down, only two waves counted and the jumps were cancelled. Marcilio Browne was in top form and led the way with two excellent rides (7.90 and 7.73 points). Swift and Ishii countered with solid waves, but were unable to jeopardise the four-time world champion. Marc Pare fought back with 6.13 and 6.98 points, but this was not enough for the win. Browne thus extended his lead in the season to 2-0 against Pare and underlined his ambitions for another title.
Marine Hunter causes a surprise in the women's competition
After the men's quarter-finals, the pro women took to the water in excellent conditions. The winners of the first round qualified directly for the final, while the remaining participants were given a second chance in the Redemption Round. Angela Cochran from the USA made a strong start in Heat 1, but was ultimately beaten by Maria Andrés from Spain, who delivered two solid waves. Heat 2 developed into a generational duel in which the Venezuelan Colette Guadagnino dominated with her jumps, while Marine Hunter and Lisa Wermeister impressed with strong wave rides. Wermeister found her form in the Redemption Round and secured a place in the final. Hunter put in a similarly strong performance and completed the field for the final round.
The women's final with Andrés, Guadagnino, Wermeister and Hunter promised excitement. With only two waves counting, every ride was decisive. Andrés made a strong start, Wermeister briefly took the lead with a better second wave, while Guadagnino was unable to recapture her earlier form. The surprise of the final, however, came from Marine Hunter. After a difficult start, she improved wave by wave and finally secured victory with the two highest scores of the heat. An impressive comeback for the young Frenchwoman, who had moved to Maui in the winter to train - a decision that paid off.
The highlights of the Maui ProAm in the video
Results Maui ProAm
Gents
- Marcilio Browne
- Marc Pare Rico
- Takara Ishii
- Robby Swift
Ladies
- Marine Hunter
- Lisa Wermeister
- Maria Andrés
- Colette Guadagnino
