Flynn Mifsud Wins Season Opener at Għajn Tuffieħa

The local contest season cracked to life at Għajn Tuffieħa, and Flynn Mifsud came out swinging.

In a stacked field of 19 surfers, Flynn took the season-opening win, setting the tone early with an explosive start to his heat and never loosening his grip from there. From the jump, he looked sharp, fired up, and totally in rhythm with the conditions. Once he found his groove, the rest of the field was left chasing shadows.

Coming in second was Luiz Buccieri from Brazil, who brought serious flair and power to the lineup, while Matt Gabel from Australia locked in third, adding more international spice to an already charged day. Both riders enjoyed their very first comp on the island, and what conditions they had. Sunny sets rolled in all day, with the entire bay available to them to play.

One of the standout moments came from Matt Gabel, who lit up the beach with two mini barrels that sent the crowd sideways. Not the kind of surfing that slips by quietly either, these were the sort of moments that make people start yelling before the section even spits.

The day had all the ingredients you want from a proper grassroots comp: a committed crew of surfers, multiple judges, a loud beach, and a lineup full of energy. The prizes kept things classy too. Malta Surf School handcrafted beautiful mini surfboards painted by Kate, while we gave the winners a tank top, a fisherman's hat, and a tote bag, respectively.

Adding to the good vibes, Carlo hooked up every competitor with merch, from Exotic Culture which says a lot about the spirit of the day. This wasn’t just about podium spots. It felt like a community event in the best sense, surfers showing up for each other, sharing the beach, and pushing the level. Truthfully, it was emotional. A lot has happened since our last comp. A lot - but a warm embrace between Vale and Mark set the tone for the day, washed everything aside. This comp started a new wave, and we can't wait to help out even more.

Big credit goes to Matt Galea, who organized the whole thing, and to Valerio, who kept the event running smoothly and the crowd updated throughout the day. He pumped everyone up, and look out for his vlog dropping soon. No easy job when the beach is buzzing and everyone wants to know scores, heat calls, and who’s up next. Also, Giulia fuelled us all with Figolli! Sweet, thanks!

More than anything, this one belonged to the Malta surf community. The surfers, the judges, the crew on the beach, the noise between sets, the support behind the scenes. That’s what powered it.


Flynn, well done on your first comp win, it's been a long time coming. "Pure talent" as Valerio called it. Pure talent, from the youngest competitor. At just 19 years old, your future in life is bright dude, never forget that! Having your dad and doggo come down to celebrate is a memory you'll remember forever! Wholesome stuff, we're not crying, you are!

Season opener done.
Flynn takes the first win.
And if this is how the year starts, we’re in for a proper one.