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WWT / PWA Aloha Classic 2026Three junior titles to kick things off

Julian Wiemar

 · 21.10.2026

In the Junior Boys’ final, Javier Escribano Toribio didn’t put a foot wrong.
Photo: Fish Bowl Diaries
The first day of competition at the 2026 Aloha Classic was all about the young talent. With chest- to head-high waves and a cross-offshore wind, Javier Escribano Toribio, Ryu Noguchi and Sarah Kenyon secured victory in the youth categories.
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​Ho’okipa proved to be a challenging venue right from the start. A tricky, changeable wind swell really put the young riders through their paces. Nevertheless, the action on the water got off to a flying start – with aggressive hits, aerials and some close calls. As well as the day’s victories, important points for the final stretch of the season were also at stake.

Escribano Toribio extends his lead in the junior category

In the Junior Boys’ final, Javier Escribano Toribio didn’t put a foot wrong. The 17-year-old Spaniard controlled the heat from the outset, caught some of the biggest sets and impressed with precise hits and tail slides. With a score of 9.43, he secured his first victory at the Aloha Classic and extended his lead in the world rankings to 3,965 points.

The 15-year-old Greek Jason Papanikolaou took second place with his fast and fluid wave riding – just 0.16 points ahead of the Frenchman Raphael Dumesnil. Loic Antoine Harfagar from Chile came fourth.

Noguchi takes the lead in the world rankings in the Pro category

The Pro Junior Boys crowned their champion in three leaderboard finals. Ryu Noguchi secured overall victory with one heat win and two second-place finishes. The 19-year-old Japanese rider impressed with plenty of speed, powerful aerials and aggressive turns – and has now taken the lead in the world rankings.

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Cesar Filippi from France improved as the series progressed and won the third final with perfectly timed aerials. That was enough for second place. Germany’s Leon Maethner, winner of the Maui Pro in April, got off to a strong start with a victory, but ultimately had to settle for third place. Gregory Stathopoulos from Greece finished fourth.

Ryu Noguchi on his way to victory at the Open Pro Juniors U21.Photo: Fish Bowl DiariesRyu Noguchi on his way to victory at the Open Pro Juniors U21.

Kenyon wins a close three-way battle in the women’s event

In the Pro Junior Girls’ event, it remained exciting right up to the end: each of the three finals had a different winner. Sarah Kenyon made a strong start right from the off, scoring 8.97 points – the highest heat score of the series. Thanks to her consistent performances, the 18-year-old Australian clinched the overall victory.

Sol Degrieck from Belgium won the second final, whilst Natsuki Wakasa from Japan won the decisive third. In the final standings, Degrieck was just one point behind Kenyon, with Wakasa a further point behind. Fumi Akita from Japan finished fourth. Kenyon and Degrieck now share the lead in the Pro-Junior Girls world rankings, level on points.

Super Groms brave the shorebreak and the rocks

Even the youngest competitors showed what they were made of. Rocco Swift edged out 12-year-old Akash Glickenhaus by a margin of just 0.26 points. Despite a powerful shorebreak and the notorious rocks at Ho’okipa, the Super Groms tackled waves that were head-high even for them and impressed with their astonishingly good wave selection.

Rocco Swift, aged just twelve, has impressed fans with his courageous performance at the Aloha Classic in the open junior category.Photo: Fish Bowl DiariesRocco Swift, aged just twelve, has impressed fans with his courageous performance at the Aloha Classic in the open junior category.

Four players secure their places in the main draw

In the Challenger round, Francisco Goya, Cesar Filippi, Zdenek Maryzko and Antony Ruenes secured the four remaining places in the Pro Men’s main draw. The men will get underway as soon as the wind and waves are favourable.

The Aloha Classic runs until 30 October 2026 at Ho’okipa on Maui. Depending on the conditions, the competition takes place daily between 11.00 and 17.00 local time. A live stream is available at worldwindsurftour.com. The Grand Final in Chile will take place from 14 to 29 November.

Results: Junior WWT / PWA Aloha Classic 2026:

Junior Boys:

  • 1. Javier Escribano Toribio (Spain, Goya)
  • 2. Jason Papanikolaou (Greece)
  • 3. Raphael Dumesnil (France, Hot Sails)
  • 4. Loic Antoine Harfagar (Chile)

Pro Junior Boys:

  • 1. Ryu Noguchi (Japan, Severne/Starboard)
  • 2. Cesar Filippi (France, Duotone)
  • 3. Leon Maethner (Germany)
  • 4. Gregory Stathopoulos (Greece, Goya)

Pro Junior Girls:

  • 1. Sarah Kenyon (Australia, Severne)
  • 2. Sol DeGrieck (Belgium, Severne)
  • 3. Natsuki Wakasa (Japan, Goya)
  • 4. Fumi Akita (Japan, Goya)

Super Groms:

  • 1. Rocco Swift
  • 2. Akash Glickenhaus

Qualified riders for the Pro Men’s Division:

  • Francisco Goya (Argentina, Goya)
  • Cesar Filippi (France, Duotone)
  • Zdenek Maryzko (Czech Republic, Naish)
  • Antony Ruenes (France)
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Julian Wiemar

Julian Wiemar

Editor surf

Born in Cologne in 1996, Julian grew up on the western banks of the Father Rhine, where he still pushes himself to new tricks almost every day as one of Germany's best freestyle windsurfers. He discovered his passion for water sports at the young age of five. 15 years and countless hours on the surfboard later, Julian traveled the world from Cologne after graduating from high school. With a German championship title in his pocket, he spent several years traveling to the best windsurfing spots on the planet in order to gain a foothold in the World Cup. With the aim of making windsurfing the focus of his life in the long term, the then 24-year-old globetrotter found his way to the surf magazine through his love of writing travel and spot reports.

There, as a trainee, he immersed himself in all the other areas of responsibility of a surf editor and was able to expand his expertise on a daily basis. With dedication and extraordinary enthusiasm for the sport, he is motivated to share his experiences, adventures and knowledge with readers in the world of windsurfing.

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