The Wind Ignites Cabarete with a Spectacular and Decisive Day at Master of the Ocean 2026

Strong Wind, Aerial Maneuvers and Electrifying Finals for Spectators and Competitors Mark Day 3 in Cabarete

Cabarete, Dominican Republic | September 18, 2026

The wind took control of Cabarete and turned Day 3 of Master of the Ocean 2026 into one of the most complete, exciting and demanding days of the championship. From the first SUP and Surf heats to the Team Windsurf and Kitesurf finals, the athletes responded to an intense program that combined small waves, powerful gusts and continuous changes of board, sail, kite and technique. The day culminated with Dominican Sammy Perez Hults as Windsurf Overall champion.

The action began early, when the waves were glassy, 2 to 3 feet and well shaped for Surf and Stand Up Paddle. At 10:00 in the morning, the breeze increased quickly and opened an ideal window for Wingfoil. The wind continued to gain strength with gusts of 20 to 25 knots, allowing Windsurf to complete its entire program, including the opening rounds, semifinals and finals. By the end of the afternoon there were still good conditions, although the accumulated effort and exhaustion were already weighing on the competitors.

The Team SUP and Team Surf categories got the day underway under sunny conditions and over a blue sea with Heats 1 and 2. In SUP, Team Action won Heat 1 with solid maneuvers and Team Dream took second place. In Heat 2, Team Inspire DR finished first with a selection of long, well-surfed waves and Team Germany second. In Surf, Team Dream prevailed with a powerful style, consistent cutbacks and bottom turns in Heat 1 ahead of Kite Beach Center, while Team Germany won Heat 2 with Inspire DR in second position.

With small waves and short sections, every decision by the athletes counted. The riders had to identify the critical peaks of the waves with the most push, accelerate from the takeoff on the wave and connect bottom turns, cutbacks and re-entries without giving up speed. In SUP, paddling cadence, balance over the board's rail and use of the paddle as a point of support were decisive. This included getting onto the wave early and maintaining control during the turns, since the swell was small at 1 to 3 feet and had moderate to weak power.

The Overall semifinals continued with Heats 5 and 6 in SUP and Surf. In SUP Overall, Jan Malte Claus of Germany won Heat 5 with an impressive style and Maxime LHuillier of France finished second; Sammy Perez Hults of the Dominican Republic took Heat 6 and Dominican Francis Gonzalez finished in second place. The locals have shown impressive skills in every discipline, and it is a source of pride for the spectators! Surf Overall Heats 5 and 6 were also completed, with a very close battle for a place in the final and good wave selection by the athletes.

When the wind rose at around 10:00 in the morning for Wingfoil, the competition changed pace and electrified the audience on the beach. The gusts rewarded those who maintained height above the water on their Wingfoil, linked clean jibes and preserved speed when changing direction. In the Wingfoil Overall semifinal, Maxime LHuillier of France dominated Heat 5 with impressive command and clean maneuvers, and Joselito del Rosario of the Dominican Republic took second place with a solid style. Jan Malte Claus of Germany won Heat 6, followed by Yannick Mittas of the same country. The technical level increased dramatically with the wind: every mistake in a jibe, every loss of lift and every touch of the foil could change the result of a heat in seconds. Spectators on the beach applauded the maneuvers, and a very festive atmosphere with continuous tropical music supported the athletes from more than a dozen countries.

The wind continued to strengthen, reaching 22 knots and more, and Windsurf took center stage. In the pending heats of the first round of Windsurf Overall, Brian Talma, "Action Man" from Barbados, won Heat 2 with freestyle maneuvers and impressive jumps, and Deni Blondet of Peru was second with a stellar performance; Sammy Perez Hults of the Dominican Republic prevailed in Heat 3 with speed in his freestyle maneuvers ahead of Jan Malte Claus of Germany; and Nelson Perez of the Dominican Republic closed Heat 4 in first place, with Francis Gonzalez of the Dominican Republic in second position, showing a very high level of windsurfing in the waves.

The competition continued without pause with the hard-fought Windsurf Teams Heats 1 and 2. Team Dream won Heat 1 and Team Kite Beach Center finished second with spectacular performances. In Heat 2, Team Physical Exam took first place and Team Germany second. Then came the Windsurf Overall semifinals: Brian ¨Action Man¨Talma won Heat 5, followed by Yannick Mittas, and Sammy Perez Hults won Heat 6 with Maxime LHuillier in second place.

The Team Windsurf final, contested in Heat 3, crowned Physical Exam, with Kite Beach Center in second position. Then came Heat 7 of the Windsurf Overall final. Sammy Perez Hults maintained power, speed and impressive control to take the victory and the discipline title, while Brian "Action Man" Talma secured second place. With that result, the championship's explosive Windsurf program was completed in full. The small waves served as sufficient ramps to unleash the jumps. All the competitors sought height, rotations, forwards and back loops, as well as controlled landings on a fast, uneven surface caused by the strong wind. In the wave-riding sections, the challenge was to maintain speed between bottom turns and top turns and take advantage of each section before the wave lost power. The Windsurf heat was truly impressive, and the spectators were thrilled on the beach!

At the end of the afternoon, the Kitesurf final took place under maximum pressure, with the wind still blowing strongly at 22 to 26 knots in the gusts, and Kitesurf once again ignited the beach. Heat 3 of the Kitesurf Teams final demanded precise edging, takeoffs with good pop, fast rotations, kite loops and firm landings in conditions that were already punishing the legs. Team Kite Beach Center prevailed in the final with impressive aerial maneuvers, and Team Inspire DR took second place with solid wave-riding techniques.

The organizers had also planned to complete Heat 7 of the Kitesurf Overall final. However, after a long day and several disciplines contested in strong wind, the athletes' fatigue was evident. Competition management decided to postpone that final to protect the riders' safety and ensure that the title is decided with everyone able to perform at their best.

The day's atmosphere was highly positive, with a constant tropical rhythm in the background on the beach. The fresh northeasterly Caribbean trade wind made it possible to complete the most demanding discipline on the program, and the small waves provided ramps for spectacular jumps and aerial maneuvers. The ability to adapt once again made the difference: the Overall athletes moved from paddle to wing, from sail to kite and from reading the wave to controlling the wind, maintaining precision after hours of competition.

Master of the Ocean 2026 will return tomorrow, September 19, from early in the morning to complete the pending Kitesurf, Wingfoil, Surf and SUP finals, as well as the remaining Teams qualifiers. It will be a day packed with action and a festive atmosphere on the beach! Cabarete is preparing for another day of tropical wind, competitive pressure and world-class action on the Atlantic, with the Overall titles still at stake!

Master of the Ocean 2026 is supported by Edelweiss Air, Copa Airlines, Millennium Resort & Spa, Viva Resorts by Wyndham, Natura Cabana Boutique Hotel & Spa, Hotel Kaoba, Fixo Cargo and Banco Lafise. The initiative is carried out alongside the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, the Central Directorate of Tourism Police, Viva Resorts by Wyndham and the National Center for the Promotion and Advancement of Nonprofit Associations, as well as other public and private entities committed to sustainable tourism and the growth of water sports in the Dominican Republic.