Vom 25. September bis zum 4. Oktober findet beim Citroën Windsurf World Cup 2026 erneut das größte Windsurf-Event des Jahres statt. In den kommenden neun Tagen (der erste Tag dient lediglich der Anmeldung) wird der Freestyle-Weltmeister der Männer gekürt, während die Foil-Slalom-Fleet der Männer ihren Wettkampf beginnt und sich die Wave-Fleets der Männer und Frauen für ihren nächsten Wettkampf der Saison aufstellen.
When it comes to delivering the widest range of conditions imaginable, Sylt certainly never disappoints as you never quite know what you are going to get on this unique island. In strong onshore winds, a colossal shore break develops - ready to crush the hopes of any unsuspecting competitors - along with powerful waves of up to three or four meters in size, which can provide amazing, but extremely challenging, wave sailing conditions, whilst also posing a stern test for the slalom and freestyle fleets. On the other hand, Sylt can also produce great racing and freestyle conditions, when offshore winds, which are currently forecast, grace the island with their presence, although it can then be bitterly cold.
Men’s
Freestyle
Reigning event champion Lennart Neubauer (Starboard / Severne Sails) enters Sylt with the world title race lead having won a tightly contested battle in Fuerteventura against Yentel Caers (JP / NeilPryde) in July. Neubauer was superb here last year as he recorded over 40 points in every heat he sailed in to really raise the bar for competition Freestyle. The 22-year-old is extremely composed and said recently that he’s not thinking about winning the world title, but is aiming to break the 40 point barrier in every heat again. If he does just that then he will be incredibly difficult to beat. Neubauer arrived early in Sylt to prepare for the event and has won here in 2023 and 2025, so you wouldn’t bet against him winning here again.
However, current world champion Caers will have something to say about that, and statistically speaking, you’d have to say it will be one of these two sailors lifting the 2026 Freestyle PWA world title given that they have won every event between them since 2023. Caers has had a solid track record in Sylt recently, but it’s still somewhere the Belgian is yet to win, so he might have to change that over the next nine days to earn a fourth world crown.
While all eyes will be on the battle for the world title the current top two are still going to be made to work incredibly hard for that opportunity as the Freestyle level continues to go through the roof, so don’t be surprised to see Balz Müller (Severne Windsurfing) pushing for another podium after earning his maiden podium on the World Tour in Fuerte. Meanwhile, Jacopo Testa (GUNSAILS / AL360) is always a major threat wherever he sails and could play a pivotal role in deciding where the title eventually ends up.
Meanwhile, the likes of Japanese shredders Takumi Moriya (Severne Windsurfing) and Takuma Sugi will be pushing for the top five and beyond, while the Belgian duo of Steven Van Broeckhoven (GUNSAILS) and Dieter Van der Eyken (Severne Windsurfing) are never too far from the thick of the action.
Also keep an eye out for Sam Esteve (JP / NeilPryde) who finished sixth in Fuerte and Bonaire’s Youp Schmit (Flikka / HeyYou Sails). As we saw in Fuerte, the level is currently insane throughout the fleet, so don’t be surprised to see someone produce a breakthrough performance.
Foil Slalom
Life on NeilPryde couldn’t have begun much better for Matteo Iachino (Starboard / NeilPryde / Z Foils) with the Italian claiming his fourth PWA world title, and fifth overall, in Fuerteventura. With one world title already in the bag for 2026, the 37-year-old is now set to begin his Foil Slalom world title defence here. Iachino hasn’t finished outside the top three here since 2022, but ideally he’ll be looking to add an event victory to his sole success here from 2016, before heading to Japan for the decider at the end of October.
Pierre Mortefon (FMX Racing / North Sails) will be eager to regain his Foil Slalom world crown from 2024 - especially after relinquishing the Slalom X world title for the first time since its inception earlier this summer. The Frenchman pushed the Slalom X world title race into a decider after really raising his level on the last day, but just missed out in the end. If Mortefon can hit the water running, and not lose early ground like in Fuerteventura, he is very much a contender for the event title like normal.
However, it’s Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / North Sails / Z Foils) who comes into Sylt with the world title race lead having won the IFCA European Championships in St. Peter-Ording in July. Vrieswijk finished the event there with a perfect points score after winning four eliminations in a row. The Bonairean previously won here in 2022 and ’23 and you wouldn’t bet against him making it three as he looks to win his first racing world title.
Elsewhere the usual suspects of Maciek Rutkowski (JP / NeilPryde), who produced an unbelievable come back in Fuerteventura to secure third in Slalom X will be hoping to make things a bit easier on himself this time round, flying Dutchman Jordy Vonk (Duotone Windsurfing), the French quintet of William Huppert (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils) - 5th overall in 2025 - Alexis Mathis - fourth in St. Peter-Ording, Benoit Merceur (Starboard / Severne Sails), Pierre Macquaert (JP / NeilPryde) and Cedric Bordes (Severne Windsurfing) will all be hoping to be in the mix.
Home Hopes
The locals in Germany always love to get behind their home sailors and it’s likely their best hopes for victory, in the racing at least, will come from either Nico Prien (JP / NeilPryde), who finished fifth in Slalom X in Fuerte and has already won the Defi Wind this year, and Fabian Wolf (Starboard / Severne Sails), who finished second in St. Peter-Ording.
Other sailors to keep an eye out for include Greece’s John Soukos (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails / PATRIK Foils), who completed the podium at the IFCA Europeans, Italy’s Bruno Martini (S2Maui / Z Foils), the UK’s Scotty Stallman, the Dutch duo of Sem Stroosma and Bob van de Burgt (FMX Racing / Point-7) and Denmark’s Noah Vinther (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils).
Wave
Women’s
Lina Erpenstein (Severne Windsurfing) is in pole position heading into her home event having recorded her best result of the season thus far in Tenerife - second. The German revealed recently that she’s feeling back to her best and a fully fit Erpenstein is a serious threat for the top spot here as she’s never one to shy away from hitting Sylt’s heavy shore break.
The big news just before the start of the event is that reigning world champion Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde) has unfortunately been forced to withdraw from the event after injuring her foot and now faces a race against time to see if she will be fit for both Maui and Chile. Everyone from the PWA wishes SQ all the best with her recovery.
Sol Degrieck (Severne Windsurfing) earned her first victory on the World Tour here last year and the rising star enters this year’s event on the back of earning her second win having just claimed the top spot at the 4-star Wissant Wave Classic, so the 16-year-old will be full of confidence and should very much be in contention again here.
Sol Degrieck looking to defend her event title
Maria Behrens (Duotone Windsurfing) is another big home hope here with the German currently ranked second in the overalls, while she has previously podiumed here.
Meanwhile, Marine Hunter (Quatro / Goya Windsurfing) will be hoping to add to her victory here from 2023. Hunter won in Maui at the start of the year and a second victory of the season would propel her firmly into the world title race conversation.
Elsewhere, keep an eye out for Pauline Katz (Severne Windsurfing) and Justyna Sniady (Flikka / North Sails), both of whom are more than capable of challenging for the podium and beyond.
Justyna Sniady evades Sylt's Shorebreak
Men’s
Marc Paré (Simmer / Simmer Sails / MFC) and Philip Köster’s (Severne Windsurfing) rivalry continues to intensify as the two world title contenders continue to exchange blows. Paré came out on top at the recent Wissant Wave Classic, while Köster had to settle for second place, which is the third consecutive event that they have traded places in the top two. Crucially, Paré’s victory in France gives him a slender advantage heading into Sylt as they were previously tied on points before.
The reigning world champion is also looking to complete a double hat-trick over the next nine days. The Spaniard has won the last two editions in Sylt, while he comes into the event on the back of victories in both Tenerife and Wissant, so another victory here would not only be one for the history books, but would also put him firmly in charge of his world title defence.
For Köster, the German remains right on the heels of Paré, but he’ll be desperate not to lose any more ground to his Spanish rival with every point now being crucial. Köster will be buoyed by the home crowd and will be hoping to record his first win here since 2022.
Things might not be going quite the way of Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing / MFC) in the opening half of the season, but the Brazilian still enters Sylt third in the overalls and is still very much in the world title race conversation. Browne, who won three Wave world titles in a row between 2022-24, possesses a wealth of experience and is always thoroughly prepared for whatever Sylt may throw at him - so you can expect to see him challenging for top honours again here as he looks to make a push into the business end of the season.
Bernd Roediger (Flikka) is also still in touch for the world title as the World No.4, but isn’t competing in Sylt.
A little further back are the likes of Antoine Martin (Quatro / Goya Windsurfing / MFC), Liam Dunkerbeck (Duotone Windsurfing), Takuma Sugi, Morgan Noireaux (JP / NeilPryde), Arthur Arutkin (Flikka / GUNSAILS) and Victor Fernandez (Duotone Windsurfing), who are currently 5th-10th respectively.
Other major names to keep an eye out for include Miguel Chapuis (Flikka / North Sails), who finished third here in last year’s gnarly conditions, Marino Gil (JP / NeilPryde), Alessio Stillrich (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails), Dieter Van der Eyken (Severne Windsurfing), Moritz Mauch (Simmer / Simmer Sails) and Lennart Neubauer (Starboard / Severne Sails), who will be looking to replicate his form from Tenerife where he finished fourth.
The opening day of this year’s event will be reserved purely for registration, while the official contest will start from Saturday 26th September. Please note that while live streaming will be available for the event, this will start from Monday, though there will still be live ticker coverage and daily highlight videos if any competition takes place.
You can stay up to date with all the latest developments from Sylt— including the live stream, elimination ladders, entry list, images and live ticker simply by clicking HERE and scrolling to the bottom of the page.