Maui's Bernd Roediger Charges Into World Title Contention on His Home Waves

One of the world's most celebrated wave riders finishes just 0.05 points from victory at windsurfing's most prestigious event, setting up his first real shot at a world title in Chile next month.

HO'OKIPA, Hawaii, Oct. 31, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American windsurfer Bernd Roediger, who grew up riding the waves of Maui, has finished second at the Aloha Classic in Hawaii, missing out on victory by just 0.05 points. The result moves him up to third in the world rankings, with just one event left in the season.

Now in its 43rd year, the Aloha Classic is the most prestigious event in wave windsurfing: the place where the world's best riders invent, refine and showcase the sport's most spectacular moves. Riders use waves as launch ramps for aerial spins and flips, scored by a judging panel much like surfing.

A big-wave star's first real title shot

Roediger is regarded by many as one of the best wave riders in the world. A multiple Aloha Classic winner, he has won two events in huge waves this season, in Fiji and at the Maui Pro in April. Yet this is the first time he has been in genuine contention for a world wave title.

The reason is a sport that has reinvented itself. Earlier this year, professional windsurfing's two rival circuits, the long-established Professional Windsurfing Association and the breakaway International Windsurfing Tour, merged to form a single World Windsurf Tour. The unified tour has expanded beyond its traditional European base to big-wave venues in Hawaii, Fiji, Australia and Chile. A new five-star event system means every competition now counts towards the world rankings.

For riders like Roediger, who excel in powerful ocean surf, that has turned the title race into one they can win.

“Bringing the sport together under one tour was about giving every rider a fair shot at a world title. Taking the tour to the world's great wave venues has brought new contenders like Bernd into the race, and both titles now go down to the final event." – Simeon Glasson – Director - World Windsurf Tour

Roediger puts his rise down to simply enjoying his sailing.

"For me, I've never had more fun on tour. I haven't done any events where I've felt I'm going to them just for points. To follow your passion and get some results doing that is a pretty cool feeling. Who knows what will happen in the title race, but what got me to this point is just having fun with it." – Bernd Roediger

Drama at Ho'okipa

Roediger's run to the final was anything but smooth. In his opening heat, in 10 to 15 foot wave faces and light winds, he climbed from fourth to first in the final five minutes. Only the top two in each four-man heat advanced, and a towering last-gasp aerial saved him.

"It was very, very challenging and I was super lucky to get that final wave. But then everything started to click and started to feel good." – Bernd Roediger

From there he grew stronger. He won his quarter-final with some of the event's most thrilling moments, including one of the top single-wave scores (8.08). He then dominated his semi-final with the highest semi-final score (14.90), highlighted by a tweaked aerial off the main peak.

In the final, Roediger led for most of the heat. His best ride, the top score of the final at 7 points, saw him hit the top of a big wave and spin off it into the air for a ‘taka’ move. He added a one-handed aerial and a full 360-degree spin on the wave face for a total of 13.40. But Pare-Rico overtook him in the closing minutes to win by 0.05 points.

The title race heads to Chile

Roediger arrived in Hawaii fourth in the world rankings, 6,000 points behind leader Marc Pare-Rico of Spain, the reigning world champion. His path improved as two of the sport's most decorated champions fell early. Germany's Philip Köster, a five-time world wave champion ranked second, went out in the quarter-finals. Brazil's Marcilio Browne, a four-time champion ranked third, lost in the semi-finals.

Pare-Rico's win gives him a 6,410-point lead. Roediger is now third, 7,500 points behind, heading into the Grand Final in Chile (November 14–29). Under the tour's scoring he is expected to drop a low result from earlier in the season, in Puerto Rico. That means he can still win the world title if he wins in Chile and Pare-Rico finishes outside the top five.

More American success

Maui's Morgan Noireaux also reached the men's final, snatching the last place with his final two rides. Noireaux, a four-time Aloha Classic winner, finished fourth. In the women's event, former world wave champion Angela Cochrane of the USA finished fourth, using her local knowledge to pick out the best waves.

The women's world title will also be decided in Chile. France's Marine Hunter won in Hawaii to cut Germany's Lina Erpenstein's lead from 1,435 points to just 15.

Aloha Classic results

Place	Pro Men	Pro Women
1	Marc Pare-Rico (Spain)	Marine Hunter (France)
2	Bernd Roediger (USA)	Lina Erpenstein (Germany)
3	Antoine Martin (Guadeloupe)	Maria Behrens (Germany)
4	Morgan Noireaux (USA)	Angela Cochrane (USA)

World rankings with one event remaining

Rank	Men	Points	Women	Points
1	Marc Pare-Rico (Spain)	34,500	Lina Erpenstein (Germany)	30,255
2	Philip Köster (Germany)	28,090	Marine Hunter (France)	30,240
3	Bernd Roediger (USA)	27,000	Maria Behrens (Germany)	27,970

Event details

Event	Aloha Classic – World Windsurf Tour
Venue	Ho'okipa Beach Park, Maui, Hawaii, USA
Dates	October 19–30, 2026
Watch	Replays and live coverage at worldwindsurftour.com
Next event	Grand Final, Chile – November 14–29, 2026

Images

High-resolution images: https://worldwindsurftour.com/events/the-aloha-classic-hawaii-usa/photos. Photo credit: Fish Bowl Diaries. [Suggested lead image: Roediger mid-aerial at Ho'okipa, with caption.]

Media contact

Jane Seman, PR Officer | +61 408 909 643 | media@windsurftour.com

About the World Windsurf Tour

The World Windsurf Tour was formed in 2026 through the merger of the Professional Windsurfing Association and the International Windsurfing Tour. It is the sport's global professional circuit, covering wave, slalom, foil and freestyle disciplines. The 2026 World Wave Tour comprises 10 four- and five-star events in Australia, Chile, Fiji, France, Germany, Hawaii, Scotland and Spain. Rankings and live coverage: worldwindsurftour.com.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3d9254aa-ff84-458e-b4cb-42c6afb70c7a 

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7964fc65-5557-41af-9551-dbf77e10b3af 

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/01034e19-ce01-455c-a482-4e461175dc37 

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ae3bd5bc-7bdd-464b-a7f1-3dae5c7e0d78 

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5f1d07bc-a297-497f-b76c-f8cefd4e502b 

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0c55c4c9-93fd-4d7c-b803-805672ba6ea6 

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/17baf322-8543-476a-816d-4f02f097370a 

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/415bb37a-96ce-4fa9-8deb-3d3fca906527