Tenerife Windsurfing World Cup 2026 reaches boiling point as Noireaux upsets Van der Eyken
by International Windsurfing Tour 5 Aug 03:04 PDT
31 July - 29 August 2026
The Tenerife World Cup is heading towards an explosive finale after another action-packed day of competition at the Wind and Waves Festival.
With powerful Atlantic swell, demanding conditions and razor close heats, Day 5 delivered spectacular performances across every division as the world's best wave sailors battled for places in the championship rounds.
The world's elite men have now been narrowed down to the quarterfinals, while the women's fleet has reached the semifinals, setting up an incredible final day of competition.
Men's fleet: Quarterfinals set
The men's competition continued to deliver world-class performances, with the top seeds largely holding their ground through the redemption and elimination rounds. However, the day still produced one unforgettable moment.
The biggest drama came in one of the final elimination heats when Morgan Noireaux (USA) produced a last-second double move to steal victory from Belgium's Dieter Van der Eyken right at the buzzer, earning one of the most dramatic wins of the event and securing his place in tomorrow's quarterfinals.
The quarterfinal line-up is now confirmed:
Quarterfinal 1
- Miguel Chapuis (ESP)
- Takuma Sugi (JPN)
- Marcilio Browne (BRA)
- Josep Pons (ESP)
Quarterfinal 2
- Carlos Kiefer Quintana (ESP)
- Antoine Martin (FRA)
- Philip Köster (GER)
- Jules Denel (FRA)
Quarterfinal 3
- Arthur Arutkin (FRA)
- Lennart Neubauer (GRE)
- Julian Salmonn (GER)
- Morgan Jean Mouchon (USA)
Quarterfinal 4
- Víctor Fernández (ESP)
- Liam Dunkerbeck (ESP)
- Marc Paré Rico (ESP)
- Marino Gil Gherardi (ESP)
With four stacked heats featuring multiple former world champions and rising stars, tomorrow promises one of the strongest quarterfinal line-ups of the season.
Women's fleet: Semifinals ready
The women's division also produced an outstanding day of competition with several incredibly close encounters, although no major surprises prevented the leading contenders from progressing.
Following the elimination rounds, tomorrow's semifinals will feature:
Semifinal 1
- Maria Behrens (GER)
- Sol Degrieck (BEL)
- Alexia Kiefer Quintana (ESP)
- Justyna Sniady (POL)
Semifinal 2
- Pauline Katz (SUI)
- Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU)
- Lina Erpenstein (GER)
- Marine Hunter (FRA)
With the reigning stars and Europe's newest generation all still in contention, the women's title remains completely open heading into Finals Day.
Junior Champions crowned
While the professional fleets fought their way towards Finals Day, two junior world titles were decided.
Under 18 Boys
Spain's Peter Gobisch claimed the championship after an impressive day's sailing, defeating one of the pre-event favourites, Javier Escribano Toribio, in the final.
Escribano may have narrowly missed the junior title, but he enjoyed an excellent day overall, also advancing deep into the main professional competition.
Final Podium
1. Peter Gobisch (GER)
2. Javier Escribano Toribio (ESP)
3. Yannik Kolb González (ESP)
Pro Junior Boys
Despite competing with a dislocated shoulder, Spain's Carlos Kiefer Quintana delivered an extraordinary performance to win the Pro Junior title.
His determination throughout the competition proved impossible to stop as he secured victory ahead of Germany's Anton Richter, while Greece's Gregory Stathopoulos completed the podium.
Final Podium
1. Carlos Kiefer Quintana (ESP)
2. Anton Richter (GER)
3. Gregory Stathopoulos (GRE)
Looking Ahead
The forecast suggests some of the biggest and best conditions of the entire event coming up for FINALS DAY - IT'S ON!
With the men's competition entering the quarterfinals and the women ready for the semifinals, the stage is perfectly set to crown the champions of the 2026 Tenerife World Cup.
Who will conquer the powerful Atlantic conditions and leave Tenerife wearing the five-star crown?
Tune in live tomorrow as the Wind and Waves Festival reaches its spectacular conclusion.