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MARC PARE: THE ALOHA BREAKTHROUGH!

Marc Pare has just pulled off one of the biggest victories of his career, claiming his first-ever Aloha Classic title and putting himself in pole position to secure back-to-back world titles. Having jetted straight from the wilds of Tiree, Scotland, to the legendary waves of Maui, the reigning world champion went head-to-head with the likes of Bernd Roediger, Morgan Noireaux, Marcilio Browne and Antoine Martin and came out on top. We caught up with Marc to get the inside story on an unforgettable victory, his fresh approach to competition and the pressure of chasing another world title as the tour heads to Chile.

Photos: Fish Bowl Diaries / WWT

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WINDSURF MAGAZINE: Congratulations Marc! You must be feeling ecstatic right now. Tell us what it feels like to have won the 2026 Aloha Classic?

MARC PARE: “It feels unreal. I honestly can’t really believe it yet. The Aloha Classic has always been dominated by the locals and the guys who have been winning over the last however many years. Between them, they have so many titles. So just to be in the mix was already super cool for me. To win it is pretty unreal, but at the same time, it’s given me the opportunity to fight for the world title again, which is pretty cool.”

WINDSURF MAGAZINE: How stressed were you when you left Tiree and had to rush to Maui? How did you get there in the end?

MARC PARE: “It was a little stressful getting from Tiree to Maui because the timing was really tight. Luckily, we finished Tiree early, which gave me a chance to get to Maui the day before the event ended, so I had one day to warm up, which was really good. I actually went back to Sweden after Tiree because I had to repack, then flew to Maui, arriving just one day in advance.”

WINDSURF MAGAZINE: How were you feeling once you were on Maui with hardly any time to get dialled in?

MARC PARE: “I went in with a different approach to how I normally compete. I didn’t feel like approaching the event in the same way I had done over the last couple of years. I decided to try something different, and honestly, I’m really happy I did as I felt much more relaxed. Despite the conditions being really difficult, I think I managed the whole event well mentally.”

WINDSURF MAGAZINE: Were you finding your flow throughout the heats?

MARC PARE: “I felt like I was getting my flow towards the end of the event. Historically, I tend to start a little slowly and then keep building throughout the contest. I don’t know why that is, but that’s just how it works for me.”

WINDSURF MAGAZINE: Was it stressful having to sail in such light winds?

MARC PARE: “It was very stressful sailing in such light winds. I’m not the lightest rider, so it’s always a disadvantage compared to some of the lighter guys. But luckily, the heats were long enough, around 30 minutes each, which gave me more time to read the conditions and more opportunities. That was pretty good.”

WINDSURF MAGAZINE: Was it a big relief when you made it through the semis into the final?

MARC PARE: “Making it to the semis was already a big achievement for me. That was the first box ticked. Then, when I made it into the final, I was like, ‘Wow, there we go!’ That was my goal achieved right there. I finished second at the Maui Pro-Am last year, which was the four-star event, but I really wanted to do it at the Aloha Classic. That was pretty much my only real goal for results this year. To come out on top was even better.”

WINDSURF MAGAZINE: How did the final play out?

MARC PARE: “I knew the other guys were going to do their thing, but I had a little extra confidence because I sail a lot in those kinds of conditions. People might call them crappy conditions, but they’re still super fun compared to what you get in many other places around the world!

I felt like Morgan was going to be the guy to beat because he sails in those conditions all the time, and he’s a machine at making things happen. In the end, things didn’t quite go his way. He couldn’t find that extra bit of magic, and I just stuck to my game plan. I focused on doing the moves I knew I could do and trying to link them together. It worked out, it went my way, and it was tight, but that’s cool!”

WINDSURF MAGAZINE: Did you decide to go big from the start, or just sail to what the waves were dictating?

MARC PARE: “I just stuck to my game plan and focused on the moves I knew I could do, trying to bring them together. I didn’t feel like I needed to do anything crazy. I just wanted to show my best sailing, and that was what I was aiming for.”

WINDSURF MAGAZINE: How did it feel when you knew for sure that you’d won the final?

MARC PARE: “It was hardcore! I was in disbelief. To be in the final with multiple Aloha Classic winners and beat them on their home turf was really special for me, coming from Europe. I guess no one really thought I was going to do it. Maybe some people did, but I didn’t think I would! I just wanted to show my best, and that’s what I did.”

WINDSURF MAGAZINE: What did you do to celebrate?

MARC PARE: “I didn’t really celebrate that much. We went for a pizza with the boys… Marino, Morgan, Antoine, Leon, Mike, Adam Lewis and a few others at Flatbread Pizza. We had a beer, which was nice, and that was pretty much it! The next day we packed up and headed to Chile, so everything is pretty tight these days. I want to make the most of it and don’t want to relax too much. I’ll take my time to decompress afterwards.”

WINDSURF MAGAZINE: When do you head to Chile?

MARC PARE: “We packed up and headed to Chile the day after the Aloha Classic. It’s all pretty tight at the moment, so I’m just trying to make the most of everything.”

WINDSURF MAGAZINE: Does that put you in a solid position to take the title, or are you not looking at the results too much?

MARC PARE: “I’m in a solid position right now for the title race, but I don’t want to think about it too much because anything can still happen. There’s still a chance for the others to tie with me on points if I don’t improve my 6,000 points.

Of course the title, it’s constantly in the back of my mind because I really want to secure another title, but I just have to give it my all. I also really want to show my sailing in Chile. I spent about a month there in April and May training and reconnecting with myself, so it’s a place where I feel comfortable. There are also a lot of good guys sailing there, and so many things could happen. I’ll just take it step by step and try to showcase my sailing. That’s all I can do!”