The 2025 PWA x IWT 5-Star World Cup in Chile delivered high action and top performances. Our Starboard rider Federico Morisio reached a major milestone by advancing to the semifinals, narrowly missing out on the final by just 0.6 points—his best result to date. Meanwhile, fellow Starboard team rider Sarah-Quita Offringa secured an impressive third place in a fiercely contested final at Topocalma, a wave she had never ridden before. Both athletes were riding the Starboard Hyper, showcasing its power and versatility in challenging conditions. The competition also highlighted the value of local knowledge, as Matanzas—Federico’s home spot—may have given him an edge in his heats.
Sarah-Quita about her third place in the event:
“I’m actually very happy with my sailing. However, third place was not what I was aiming for, I wanted to win first place. But looking at the points it was all very close and that makes me happy. I came out of the water feeling like I did my best and I did what I could. Jane Seman had a bit better approach going for the lips and my approach was to go for strong turns. This gives me good motivation to keep training and working on going more for the lip and having better wave selection. In general, I felt motivated, in a good mood and good mindset. In every single heat, I was feeling confident. Gear wise I felt really comfortable on the Hyper 88. For this event the Hyper was perfect.
It was a cool mix to compete in Matanzas and Topocalma. Matanzas is a bit more unpredictable wave and you have a bit more of a closed-out end section. In Topocalma the wave runs a bit longer and it’s a little bit slower so it’s like a super nice canvas. I never sailed there before the final, but you can get used to it very quickly. Now I am looking forward to the Canary Islands having some jumping conditions in the next events.”
Federico Morisio about reaching the semifinal at a 5-star event for the first time:
“My fifth place in a five-star event is actually my best result ever in this type of event. Above all, it’s super special to do it in Chile, in a place that I love, a place where I spent a lot of time in the last few years. I’m happy that the hard work and all the training I put in, it’s giving some results. And I’m super grateful to the organizers, and everyone who put this event together these years. The local community has supported me a lot.
At the same time, I’m a little bit disappointed just because I was dreaming of making it to the final. I really believed I could. That was actually my goal for the event. As I really believed in it and it’s a pity that I missed out on it for so little. On the other hand, this gives me a lot more confidence and it’s a sign that I’m on the right path and I’m doing the right things. If I keep working like this, my level is going to keep rising and then hopefully good and better results are going to come.”
Federico about how his knowledge and the right equipment helped him to reach the best results in his career so far:
“Sailing at this spot a lot, and knowing the spot helped me a lot because it’s a really tricky spot, so local knowledge is key. It’s a sandbar, the waves change a lot, and the conditions change a lot throughout the day.
That’s why I’m happy with my gear because it helped me so much. I’ve been using the Hyper 93 for the first time, 15-16 liters more than my weight and it’s been a great revelation. The board works, it turns, it floats a lot, and it permits me to move fast in light wind conditions with strong currents. In windier conditions, I’ve been using the Hyper 88, which is a guaranteed success on the water and I’m super happy with this board.”
Photo Credit: Fish Bowl Diaries / PWA / IWT
