GWA25- Gran Canaria -Aleksander Acherer, Benjamin Castenskiold, Christopher Macdonald, Mar De Arce, Marie Schlittenbauer, Nia Suardiaz-Day_03-_G3A7572-Lukas_K_Stiller-7

event

Event Win & 2025 GWA Surf-Freestyle Champions

Podium glory for Marie, Mar, Nia & Tomas at El Burrero!

Austrian twins Tomas and Aleksander Acherer made a stunning debut on the world stage with a remarkable one-two finish during the dramatic season final of the GWA Surf-Freestlye discipline in Jeri/Brazil with Tom in 3rd!

Nia Suardiaz finished 1st in Surf-Freestyle and Freefly-Slalom likewise and also collected her 4th GWA world title for 2024: Nia is World Champion in Surf-Freestlye, FreeFly-Slalom, Youth and Big Air!

Mar de Arce finished 2nd in Surf-Freestyle and Freefly-Slalom making her 2nd and 3rd for the year in those two disciplines!

Congratulations everyone, also all credits to the rest of our team Charlie Loch in 5th, Rocco Sotomayor, Leo Suardiaz and Benjamin May in 13th an Zoe Schoenwetter in 7th.

Girls on Top – Marie 1st, Mar in 2nd & Nia in 3rd!

The women’s title race came down to three Duotone riders: Nia Suardiaz, Mar de Arce, and our newcomer Marie Schlittenbauer.

Marie entered the event fresh off her Fuerte win, brimming with confidence. She dominated her semi-final, where Nia finished third. That result set the stage for a winner-takes-all final between Marie and Mar.

In the decisive heat, Marie came out firing, her showcased both power and flow and her lead looked untouchable.

Marie had secured the event victory and the Surf-Freestyle World Champion title — an incredible feat in her debut season.

Mar fought hard and claimed the Vice World Champion title after another year of consistent podiums, while Nia finished third overall in the 2025 rankings — further cementing her place as one of the sport’s most dominant multi-discipline riders with the 2025 Wave Title already in her pocket.

Women’s Surf-Freestyle Final Results 2025:

Marie Schlittenbauer GER
Mar de Arce ESP
Nia Suardiaz ESP

And Manon Dupe from Guadeloupe finished 6th - well done to all the girls!

»Coming into my first year on tour, I didn’t know what to expect. I competed in Tarifa, Fuerteventura, and Gran Canaria, trying to ride my best from the very first heat and enjoy the competition vibe. To finish the season with a World Title is beyond what I imagined — I’m proud and so grateful for everyone who’s supported me along the way.«
— Marie Schlittenbauer

GWA25- Gran Canaria -Aleksander Acherer, Benjamin Castenskiold, Christopher Macdonald-Day_03-_G3A7507-Lukas_K_Stiller-6

Boys Battle - Tom in 3rd!

In the men’s fleet, the heat was just as intense. Reigning champion Chris MacDonald entered as the favorite, but several riders were still in contention. Known for his explosive riding and ability to thrive in challenging conditions, Tom kept the pressure high throughout the competition.

In the finals, he put down a strong performance that earned him 5th place in Gran Canaria and cemented his third overall in the 2025 Surf- Freestyle World rankings, followed by his twin brother Aleks in 4th (Aleks finished 4th in the GC event) - and Benjamin May and Rocco Sotomayor in 9th and 10th - big congrats to all!

Men´s Final Results Surf-Freestlye 2025:

Benjamin Castenkiod DEN
Chris MacDonald USA
Tom Acherer AUT
Aleks Acherer AUT

»This season has been such a ride — winning in Tarifa, fighting hard at every stop, and now finishing as Vice World Champion. Sharing the podium with my teammates makes it even more special.«
— Mar de Arce