Marine Hunter conquers Aloha Classic to close in on women's world title

Marine Hunter (France, Goya/Quatro) has claimed a commanding victory in the Pro Women’s division at the Aloha Classic, jumping into second place in the world title race and sitting just 15 points behind world number one Lina Erpenstein (Germany, Severne).

Maria Behrens (Germany, Duotone) reached the final and finished third, but the result saw her slip from second to third in the rankings.

It was far from a typical Hawaiian day. Rain, heavy cloud, patchy wind and a shifting overhead swell greeted the riders, and with only two days left in the waiting period, organisers continued with the sudden-death format in which only the top two in each four rider heat advanced. Under that pressure, it was the tour’s most seasoned campaigners who adapted best.

Aloha Classic Champion Marine Hunter (France, Goya/Quatro) – photo © Fish Bowl Diaries

Hunter, winner of the 2026 Maui Pro, controlled the day from start to finish. Powerful lip hits, big floaters and confident aerials carried her through every heat she contested, clearly announcing her as the rider to beat in Hawaii. With two event wins now banked this season, a seventh place or better at the final stop in Chile will lift her points total – although whether that is enough to secure the crown will also depend on how Erpenstein fares in her favoured port tack conditions.

“That was tough work. I had no idea I had won because I only had three waves, and only one good one. Now I’m happy, but I was in shock.” – Marine Hunter

Aloha Classic runner-up and world rankings leader Lina Erpenstein (Germany, Severne) – photo © Fish Bowl Diaries

Erpenstein arrived on Maui with little pre-event training, yet rode with assurance to second place – her best ever result in Hawaii. She came perilously close to an early exit, scraping through her opening heat by just 0.02 points ahead of rising Japanese talent Natsuki Wakasa (Japan, Goya), before growing in confidence to win her semi-final convincingly. Smart equipment choices proved decisive: by staying on bigger gear, she was able to pick off the better set waves, hold her speed and attack the critical sections.

“I’m super stoked to make the final. It was hard to find the power today, but I was really happy to be there.” – Lina Erpenstein

Behrens produced a standout display in her opening heat, combining sharp wave selection with critical turns to post the second-highest heat total of the day (12.55). However, she was unable to repeat that form in the final as the wind began to fade. Though disappointed, Behrens remains in mathematical contention heading into next month’s season finale in Chile, should both Erpenstein and Hunter miss the final there.

Former world wave champion and multiple Aloha Classic winner Angela Cochrane (USA, Goya/Quatro) drew on her superior local knowledge to pick out the larger, peeling waves, linking impressive rail-to-rail turns with critical hits to reach the final. Equipped with only a 4.6m sail, though, she could not stay competitive as the breeze deteriorated, and finished fourth.

Aloha Classic finalist Maria Behrens (Germany, Duotone) – photo © Fish Bowl Diaries

Browne ousted as Pro Men’s Final takes shape

In arguably the biggest upset of the day, Marcilio Browne (Brazil, Goya/Quatro) was eliminated in the Pro Men’s semi-finals by a flawless Marc Pare-Rico (Spain, Simmer) and the ever-entertaining Antoine Martin (Guadeloupe, Goya/Quatro), dealing a heavy blow to the Brazilian’s world title hopes.

In tricky conditions that caught out some of Maui’s best local riders, 2025 World Wave Champion Pare-Rico was faultless. He timed every section to perfection, unleashing vertical hits, tweaked aerials, a wave 360 and a goiter to top the heat with 13.82.

Aloha Classic finalist Angela Cochran (USA, Goya/Quatro) – photo © Fish Bowl Diaries

“Coming into this season I was not sure I could put myself in a position to win another world title. It’s really exciting, but I’m trying not to think about the title. All I want to do is sail my best and show what I can do. But it was my goal to make the final at the Aloha Classic.” – Marc Pare-Rico

Martin was equally fired up, deploying a confident mix of strong aerial hits and a one-handed goiter to post 12.88 and seal his place in the final.

Browne still landed some excellent individual moves but never quite found the waves or rhythm to string together multiple high-scoring manoeuvres in the changeable conditions.

Aloha Classic finalist Antoine Martin (France, Goya/Quatro) – photo © Fish Bowl Diaries

Displaying cat-like reflexes, Bernd Roediger (USA, Hot Sails / Flikka) once again made the impossible look possible, dominating the second semi-final with a heat total of 14.90. His opening two waves proved his best. The first featured a stylish tail blow off the main peak, followed by a lip climb and an aerial; the second was even more jaw-dropping, with a tweaked air taka off the main peak and a powerful carve.

The remaining final berth came down to a tight three-way battle between Morgan Noireaux (USA, NeilPryde / JP), Liam Dunkerbeck (Spain, Duotone) and Thomas Traversa (France, Gastra / Tabou). Traversa charged the heaviest, most critical sections with ease, never straying from the power zone. The fast-improving Dunkerbeck drew on his surfing pedigree to deliver a stunning display of speed, power and flow, finding more sections than most and packing his rides with tweaked aerials, radical hits and power carves.

Aloha Classic finalist Marc Pare and world rankings leader (Spain, Simmer) – photo © Fish Bowl Diaries

In the end, though, Noireaux snatched the coveted spot with his last two rides. The first combined a clean hit, a tweaked aerial and a one-handed cutback; on the second he added a rotation and two lip hits to clinch his place with a heat total of 12.91.