What went down at the 2025 Surf Abu Dhabi Longboard Classic

From October 24–26, the longboarding world turned once again to Hudayriyat Island for the World Surf League's second edition of the Surf Abu Dhabi Longboard Classic. With perfect waves courtesy of Kelly Slater Wave Company tech, 48 of the most stylish and technical surfers from around the world showcased classic flow, modern progression, and threading the needle in the desert.

Honolua Blomfield’s spectacular return

Just six months after giving birth, three-time World Champ Honolua Blomfield looked like she'd never left. Over the three days, Blomfield put everyone on notice with not one, but two 9.80 rides in her opening rounds — the highest scores of the event — and closed out a comeback for the ages with her sixth career tour win, beating U.S. standout Avalon Gall (16.43) by a hair with a total combined heat score of 16.60.

The 22-year-old Californian Gall is headed into El Salvador as the No. 1 seed, while Blomfield sits No. 3 in the world — within striking distance of a fourth World Title.

All eyes on Édouard Delpero

France’s Édouard Delpero was the standout of the event with an absolute showcase of rail-to-rail surfing, time on the nose, and the highest heat total (18.43) of the entire event. Delpero sent reigning World Longboard Champion Taylor Jensen to Round 2 and defeated defending champ Steven Sawyer in the Final. His victory not only marked his third tour win but also placed him as the current World No. 1 heading into Surf City.

Day 1

The women took over the pool on opening day. Avalon Gall found her feet quickly with a 9.33 and the day's best total heat score of 17.16 to lead the leaderboard. On the other side of the draw, things started slow for 3× World Champ Honolua Blomfield. Facing elimination after a stellar Opening Round, Blomfield delivered a 9.80 on her first wave to seal her spot in the Quarterfinals along with Chloé Calmon, Rachael Tilly, Tully White, and Kelis Kaleopa‘a, setting up a pretty epic showdown for the weekend.

Day 2

The men took over on Day 2 with dramatic barrels and big scores. Édouard Delpero turned in a jaw-dropping 18.43 in his opening bout against current World Champion Taylor Jensen. Meanwhile, Kevin Skvarna turned heads with a 9.07 going switch. Multiple 9-point rides, clutch performances, and heavy eliminations rounded out the day and set the stage for more drama in the wave basin heading into Finals Day.

Finals Day

Blomfield shook off an early fall to post her fifth ride in the nine-point range, sealing the win in front of an electrifying Surf Village crowd. Delpero continued his star performance from the earlier rounds and committed to style, steeze, and time in the barrel to edge out the defending champ. As the sun dropped behind the desert skyline, Surf Village turned into one giant afterparty with live music filling the air, drinks flowing, and the whole vibe making for another successful year of world-class longboarding in the UAE.