CABARETE OPENS ITS ARMS TO THE SEA AND A NEW BATTLE ON THE WAVES

With Dominican music, shifting winds and high-performance maneuvers, the 21st edition begins its competitive journey across five disciplines. 

CABARETE, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.– There are days when the sea seems to know that something is about to begin. In Cabarete, where the wind is as much a part of the landscape as the palm trees and waves, Master of the Ocean 2026 opened a new chapter in its history with an opening celebration that brought together Dominican hospitality, music, cultural exchange and the anticipation of watching some of the world’s top multidisciplinary water-sports athletes take on the Atlantic Ocean.

The 21st edition officially got underway at Coconuts Restaurant at Hideaway Beach, where athletes, organizers, institutional representatives and special guests gathered for the official opening ceremony.

From the very beginning, the atmosphere carried a distinctly Dominican spirit. A welcome cocktail accompanied by the lively rhythms of perico ripiao, one of the traditional expressions of Dominican merengue, transformed the opening into a genuine cultural exchange, as competitors from different countries connected on land before taking that same spirit of camaraderie to the arena where this competition is ultimately decided: the sea.

Among those in attendance were representatives of institutions involved in the development of the event, including members of the Central Directorate of Tourism Police (POLITUR), joining the launch of an edition that once again places Cabarete firmly on the international map of water sports.

But, as always, the ocean would have the final say.

The competition schedule called for the sporting events to begin during the opening day, but changing wind conditions forced the organizers to adjust the program. At times, favorable conditions appeared, enough to raise expectations among the athletes, but the wind later weakened. In a championship where nature is not a secondary element but an essential part of the game, waiting is also part of the competition.

With the sunrise of the following day, the starting signal finally came.

At 8:00 a.m. on Day 2, the waters of Cabarete began welcoming the first heats of the Overall category, as athletes set out to accumulate results toward the overall standings. Four heats opened the competition, followed by another four in Surf Overall.

The sea had now become a racetrack. In Kitesurfing, French athlete Maxime L’huillier set the tone for the competitive action by winning Heat 1. Tom Court answered with a victory in Heat 2, while Dominican rider Joselito del Rosario claimed Heat 3. Lucas Matthes completed the opening sequence by taking the win in Heat 4.

The next round brought together Maxime L’huillier, Tom Court, Sammy Perez Hults and Francis Gonzalez in Heat 5, while Lucas Matthes, Joselito del Rosario, Mad Max and Maarja Vene lined up in Heat 6.

With barely a moment to catch their breath, the action moved to Wing Foil, where L’huillier once again showed that his strength extends well beyond a single discipline. He won the opening heat, while Tom Court claimed Heat 2. Jan Malte Claus took Heat 3, and Lucas Matthes once again finished at the top of the field in Heat 4.

The water seemed to become a giant chessboard, with every athlete challenged to switch equipment without sacrificing precision. In the next phase, L’huillier, Court, Joselito del Rosario and Francis Gonzalez will face off in one heat, while Matthes, Claus, Yannick Mittas and Maarja Vene will make up the other.

When it was time for Surfing, the waves took center stage. Mad Max delivered one of the day’s notable performances by winning Heat 1 after a closely contested series. Tom Court claimed Heat 2, Jan Malte Claus won Heat 3, and Francis González closed out the round with a winning performance in Heat 4.

The next phase will feature Mad Max, Tom Court, Sammy Perez Hults and Lucas Matthes in Heat 5, while Francis Gonzalez, Jan Malte Claus, Yannick Mittas and Maarja Vene will battle for advancement in Heat 6.

Then came the turn of Stand Up Paddle (SUP). The board became an extension of the athletes’ bodies, and every paddle stroke began to shape another battle on the water. Maxime Lhuillier once again claimed victory in Heat 1; Deni Blondet won Heat 2; Sammy Perez Hults took Heat 3; and Francis Gonzalez captured Heat 4.

The next round will see L’huillier, Blondet, Jan Malte Claus and Lucas Matthes line up in Heat 5, while Francis Gonzalez, Sammy Perez Hults, Yannick Mittas and Tom Court will compete in Heat 6.

And in a competition where the same athlete can appear again and again across different disciplines, the results began to tell a story of their own.

Maxime L’huillier collected victories in Kitesurfing, Wing Foil and SUP, while Tom Court did the same in Kitesurfing, Wing Foil and Surfing. Francis Gonzalez secured wins in Surfing and SUP; Jan Malte Claus prevailed in Wing Foil and Surfing; and Lucas Matthes recorded victories in Kitesurfing and Wing Foil.

But one important piece was still waiting to enter the game.

Windsurfing was waiting for its moment. Heat 1 will feature Maxime Lhuillier, Yannick Mittas, James Green and Mad Max. Heat 2 will bring together Brian Talma, Tom Court, Maarja Vene and Deni Blondet. Heat 3 will feature Sammy Perez Hults, Jan Malte Claus, Joselito del Rosario and Jeremy Green, while Francis Gonzalez, Lucas Matthes, Andrew Court and Nelson Pérez will line up in Heat 4.

The 2026 edition of Master of the Ocean is supported by Edelweiss Air, Copa Airlines, Millennium Resort & Spa, Naptunos, Viva Resorts by Wyndham, Natura Cabana Boutique Hotel & Spa, Hotel El Kaoba, Fixo Cargo, Banco Lafise, Arroz Campos, Restube (Smart Water Safety), Surf and Wind City Cabarete, and Lifestyle Holidays Hotels and Resorts, together with public and private institutions committed to the sustainable development of tourism and water sports in the Dominican Republic.

The initiative is developed in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic (MITUR), the Ministry of Environment, the Central Directorate of Tourism Police (POLITUR), and the National Center for the Promotion and Development of Nonprofit Associations (CASFL), among other entities supporting this sporting and tourism platform, as well as international partners.

With Coconuts Restaurant at Hideaway Beach as its setting, Cabarete once again demonstrates why its waters have become a meeting point for lovers of wind and waves from around the world.

The championship has only just begun, and the ocean still has many answers to reveal.

Stay tuned for all the action from Master of the Ocean 2026 in Cabarete!