Daida Ruano and Philip Köster Star in the 37th Gran Canaria Gloria Windisurf World Cup • Die in live sailing
The wind came back in full force to Pozo Izquierdo to put the final touch on the 37th edition of the Windsurf World Cup of Gran Canaria, a competition that will descend into the history of windsurfing for its intensity, emotion and symbolism.
In the Men’s Pro category, the spotlights were again on Philip Köster (Germany / Spain), which has proven why there remains one of the personalities of the sport. With powerful movements and a full control of antennas, Köster recovered first place from Pozo Izquierdo, adding another title to his already remarkable career. He was joined by the elevation of local talents Marino Gil, who obtained a well -deserved third place, and Liam Dunkerbeck, who took the fifth, highlighting the strength of the next generation of the Canary Islands.
But the real emotional highlight came with the return of Daida Ruano Moreno, who lit the beach with his presence. After announcing her retirement in 2023, the canary champion made an astonishing return, winning the victory in an epic female final against Sarah-Quita Offriaga (ARUBA). Offringa, flawless in the double elimination, forced a super final, where the two competitors gave everything. But it was Daida, with his experience, his composure and his unrivaled connection with the waves of his place of home, who won the victory in the last seconds – relaxing his legend and fascinating the community of the board board.
37th Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf Cup. Photo provided.
Alexia Kiefer Quintana, a young rising star who not only took third place in the upper category, but also won the female title under the age of 21 – a remarkable double achievement. In the male division of under 21, his brother Carlos Kiefer Quintana delivered an equally exceptional performance, obtaining first place and strengthening the promising future of canary and Spanish windsurfing.
International stars shine in Pozo Izquierdo
The Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup again welcomed some of the best athletes in the world, confirming its unmissable tour place on the world tour. In the Men’s Pro category, Marcilio Browne (Brazil) posted exceptional consistency and style, gaining a well -deserved second place in demanding pozo conditions. In the Category of PRO women, Sarah-Quita Offringu was one of the interpreters out of competition, forcing a legendary final and taking second place after a spectacular super final against Daida Ruano.
Among the categories of young people, Gregory Stathopoulos (Greece) and Björn Olesen (Denmark) stood out among those under 21, while María Morales (Spain, Tenerife) and Lisa Wermeister (Germany) impressed in women under the age of 21. In the female division of under 18s, Sol Degrieck (Belgium) was crowned champion and continues to impress with his early talent, currently seated 5th in the professional ranking of women PWA.
37th Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf Cup. Photo provided.
Last competition day
Sunday, focuses on the categories of boys and girls, boys and masters under 15. With more calm winds early during the day, the youngest sailors ended their eliminations, where the Kolb brothers of Cádiz have proven the power of family training. The eldest, Yannik, triumphed in a tight double elimination (with a super final included) against his Spanish colleague Koa Fabio. In less than 13 years, Dennis took first place, followed by his brother Eric in second position. “Next year, my brother is riding a category, so I will win,” joked Eric with a big smile. Rocco Swift, only 10 years old, completed the youngest podium.
In the girls under 15, the Germany Trine from Germany beat the Japanese fumi Akita with authorization to claim the title.
In the Masters category, the unexpected withdrawal of the German Lars Gobisch – a winning of the single elimination and the favorite pre -event – opened the door to a double dramatic elimination which ended in the heat 15. Michael Friedl of Spain, champion in 2024, and Toni Pijoan took the first and second place, in front of Michael Viscovich, of Denmark, who finished the podin.
37th Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf Cup. Photo provided.
A last sshow for fans
To close this historic event, a more relaxed but just as spectacular activity took place: the “super session”, where all the competitors were invited to participate and the best jumps were marked. It was a breathtaking show with 40 runners from all the high flying categories while the winds reached an average of 37 knots with gusts of more than 47 knots.
In the category of pro women, Daida Ruano won the victory with a score of 8.75, followed by Sol Degrieck and Justyna Sniatty (Poland). The male professional session was even tighter, Ricardo Campllo (Brazil) placing the third, Philip Köster second and the local runner Marino Gil winning a victory with a final score of 9.75 points.
This last day was not only a celebration of the elite competition, but a powerful link between the generations – the veterans always pick up spectacular tips and young talents that are starting to write their own stories. The Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup, which has won the award ceremony at the Gloria Palace hotel in San Agustín, once again proven that Pozo Izquierdo is more than a beach – it is the beating of a sport that propels the international projection of the Canary Islands, its canar and its Santa Lucía de Tirajana.
37th Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf Cup. Photo provided.
The wind continues to blow hard, and Pozo Izquierdo says goodbye until next year, leaving behind a memorable edition with a clear message: here, each rider – that the master or the junior – has the possibility of proving his true value in this house of the wind.
This event is supported by the Cabilo de Gran Canaria through its tourism department and the Insulard Sports Institute, the Government of the Canary Islands through Promotur and the municipality of Santa Lucía de Tirajana. It also benefits from the main sponsorship of the Gloria Palace hotel, whose commitment to active tourism and sustainable development has played a decisive role in the growth of the event.
The 37th edition of the Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup is also supported by a large network of partners, including: Promotur, Technological Institute of Canary Islands, 7ifilm.com, Canary Blu, Sea Poem, Ejove Lab, Action, Surf magazine, Wind, Windfor, Windwar, Wind Dose.
