The 2026 Playa Sur Wind & Waves Festival on Tenerife delivered a spectacular finale, with Team NeilPryde riders delivering a series of standout performances in the powerful Canary Islands waves. The event saw Sarah-Quita Offringa defend her crown, Marino Gil Gherardi secure a podium finish and rising talents Anton Richter and Bobbi-Lynn de Jong delivered breakthrough performances that have the entire team buzzing with pride.
Offringa's Historic Back-to-Back Victory
Sarah-Quita did it again. The Aruban legend, a 29-time World Champion, sealed the win in dramatic fashion in wild, testing conditions. Offringa, who has long pursued victory at this event, now owns the title two years in a row – a feat the team which is historic and fully deserved. This year’s victory, however, carried even more weight as she faced the wildest conditions of the entire tour. With the wind howling and waves stacking up at El Médano, she unleashed a tweaked pushloop that earned the highest single move score of the women's competition. Her wave selection was immaculate, combining steep bottom turns with critical top turn hits that left the judges with no doubt.
"My goal was to stay aggressive from the first wave," Offringa said after the prize giving. "Tenerife has always been special to me and defending here feels completely different from winning it the first time." In the final, she outperformed a strong international fleet, including reigning vice champion, by maintaining a relentless rhythm even as the swell began to drop.
Gherardi’s Emotional Home Water Triumph
For Marino Gil Gherardi, the Tenerife event is always the highlight of the season – and the 2026 edition did not disappoint. The Spanish wave specialist claimed third place overall, marking his third consecutive appearance in the final four. More importantly, he delivered what many called the most spectacular jumping performance of the entire men's competition.
Marino, who grew up sailing the very waters of El Médano, used his intimate knowledge of the break to perfection. In his semi final heat, he landed a monstrous 9.43 point pushloop forward – the highest scoring aerial move of the event across all divisions. The crowd erupted as he stomped the landing, and he followed it up with a series of powerful wave riding combinations that showcased his signature blend of speed and flow.
Although he narrowly missed the final showdown for the title, his bronze medal felt like a victory for the local community. Hundreds of fans lined the shore, waving Canarian flags and chanting his name after every heat. "Sailing here in front of my family and friends – that’s the real prize," he said emotionally. "The waves gave me everything, and I gave everything back."
Richter and de Jong: Rising Stars Earn Team Praise
While the veterans stole the headlines, we also celebrating our young talents.
Anton Richter, competing in the Pro Junior U21 division, delivered the best result of his young career. The German youngster fought his way through a highly competitive field to secure an outstanding second place, narrowly missing the title in a thrilling final heat. His jumping was particularly impressive, with multiple double forwards that drew gasps from the crowd. Anton‘s wave riding also showed remarkable maturity; he consistently found the steepest sections and connected his turns with fluid transitions that belied his age. After the final, he was seen exchanging a long embrace with his coach – a clear sign of mutual pride in a breakthrough performance. His silver medal was celebrated as the confirmation of a talent that has been building all season and his progression throughout the week – from a nervous start to a commanding finals appearance – did not go unnoticed. Back on the beach, fellow riders and support crew made a point of congratulating him personally, with several veteran team members patting him on the back and acknowledging his remarkable leap forward this season.
Bobbi-Lynn de Jong, meanwhile, made a sensational debut in her first Pro Women wave competition. The 16-year-old from Bonaire turned heads immediately, scoring over five points on a single wave and landing a clean forward loop – the highest score of her heat. That opening performance set the tone for her entire campaign, as she showed no fear against far more experienced opponents. Although she finished fourth in the U15 category, her overall performance in the Pro fleet was widely regarded as one of the most exciting revelations of the event. De Jong's confidence and wave selection is impressing and after her final heat, she received warm applause from the veteran riders on the beach.
The collective sentiment within the camp was clear: while Offringa and Gil delivered the expected world class results, the silver medal and the sensational debut were equally cherished. The team's atmosphere was filled with genuine warmth throughout the week, with everyone taking pride in both the established champions and the rising stars who proved that the future of the sport is in good hands.
We heartfelt congratulate all of you guys again. We are just proud.
