ALEXIA CLAIMS 2ND IN CHILE

The Challengers

With 59 men registered, not everyone was guaranteed a spot in the main event. That’s why 27 riders took on the challenge to qualify for the last 4 available spots. One of them was our young team rider, Tobias Bjornaa.

Tobias Bjornaa:
“In the first round, I went straight through to round three—I was feeling good sailing in Matanzas. But then, they decided to move the last round of challengers to Topocalma. The wind was light, and we had these long, small to medium peeling waves. It was tricky—being my first time sailing there, it wasn’t easy to pick the right waves or find the perfect spot. I made it to round four, but unfortunately didn’t make the finals to qualify for the main draw.

Also, in the Pro Junior Boys, I didn’t get the result I wanted, finishing 4th. I missed out on the wave selection and positioning, but that’s how it goes sometimes.''

The Men

In the main draw, three of our riders hit the water: Victor Fernandez (5th place), Liam Dunkerbeck (13th), and Lucas Meldrum (29th).
Here’s what they had to say about their experience:

Victor Fernandez:
“I had a great time in Chile during the first 5-star event of the 2025 Wave Tour. We scored some amazing conditions, and the level from all the riders was super high. I’m really happy with how I was sailing and how my gear performed—stoked to make it to the semis and finish 5th! Just loving windsurfing to the max right now. Big thanks to Hotel Surazo, the local community, and all the sponsors for making this event happen.”

Liam Dunkerbeck:
“Always happy to be back in Chile—it’s such a great place to be and the sailing conditions are always on point. I ended up finishing in 13th, but I know I could’ve done better. I’m looking forward to showing what I’ve got at the next event!”

Lucas Meldrum:
“Unfortunately, I went out early after a tough redemption round, facing off against last year’s winner Camille Juban. But it was awesome to see Liam and Victor have a longer run, especially Victor—he was absolutely ripping like he always does. All in all, it was an amazing week with great wind and waves, and I hope you all enjoyed the footage!”

The Women

We also had three amazing women tearing it up in the women’s fleet: Alexia Kiefer (2nd place), Lisa Wermeister (7th place), and Maria Behrens (9th place), all finishing in the top 10.

Alexia Kiefer Quintana:
“What a few days it’s been! The competition kicked off on Sunday, March 30th. I got all my gear ready and went out on the water, but my first heat didn’t go as planned. I wasn’t feeling comfortable sailing and had the wrong equipment, so I didn’t make it through to the next round. Honestly, though, I wasn’t upset about it—I saw it as a chance to reflect on my mistakes so I wouldn’t repeat them.

The next day, I woke up early, watched my heat and the other girls, and got mentally prepared. I felt a lot better that day. Once the competition started, everything clicked, and I managed to advance through three heats, making it to the final. It wasn’t just about getting that far, though—I was stoked to share the moment with my teammate and friend María Morales.

The following day, the judges moved the finals to Topocalma because conditions in Matanzas weren’t ideal. We set everything up there, but it wasn’t an easy heat. The wind was super gusty, and there were barely any waves in the last ten minutes, but I still managed to finish in 2nd place at the first 5-star event of the year, for the second year in a row!

We also completed the first of three heats in the Pro Junior Girls category, where I took 1st place. I couldn’t be happier. This experience really showed me how much you learn from your mistakes, and that sometimes you have to lose in order to win.''