Next Stop: Salinas

After the Euros, it was reset time for many – head up, re-focus – because just an eight-hour drive away, the next highlight was already waiting: the third stop of the European Longboard Tour (ETL) in Salinas, northern Spain.
The Salinas Longboard Festival has long been one of the most prestigious longboard events in Europe, regularly attracting world-class athletes. The ETL stop is essentially the crown jewel of the festival – a grand finale after days of heats across all categories from Junior to Master.

On land, it’s longboard vibes all the way: in the grassy area near the festival, the athletes’ boards are lined up side by side – a colorful gallery of shapes, setups, and fins. Anyone wanting to stay up to date with gear trends will definitely want to take a peek.
Surrounding it all: live music, food trucks, market stalls, and a buzzing community. Salinas – a full-on longboard party.

In the water, Atlantic lines were rolling in. Unlike Santa Cruz, the waves here break more slowly, often long and clean, offering both lefts and rights – perfect for traditional logging.
The swell was solid, the performance level accordingly high.
The heats followed the familiar ETL format: two opening rounds with four surfers, then head-to-head elimination heats from Round 3 onward.

After some thrilling semifinals, the men’s final came down to a world-class showdown between Rodrigo Sphaier – the Brazilian ISA Vice World Champion – and, once again, Federico Nesti.
Both surfers displayed an impressive mix of progressive and classic style. Rodrigo landed two strong 8-point rides early on. Federico responded late with a 9.07, but it wasn’t enough – the Salinas title went to Rodrigo.
For Nesti, another second-place finish. Disappointing? Maybe. But it also underlines his incredible consistency.

The women s final saw Julietta Rodriguez- Villamil and Maya Glasenopp face off. Both very stylish surferesses. The Spanish youngster soon found the better waves, pulled ahead and managed the heat with poise. She showed a nice mix of critical nose rides and drop- knee turns, combining elegance and control. A well earned victory in Salinas

---

What remains is a surf-heavy month packed with two completely different events.
Santa Cruz – raw, relentless, technically brutal.
Salinas – elegant, stylish, and high-performance.
Two sides of the same sport – and a powerful statement for European longboarding.

Eyes now turn to the next and final stop of the 2025 European Longboard Tour, set to take place in São Pedro do Estoril, Portugal, from November 21 to 23. Expect an exciting showdown to wrap up this year’s tour in style.