Brown Wins Men World Wakeboard Title

Sam Brown of Australia claimed the Open Men world title at the 2026 IWWF World Wakeboard Championships at Lago del Salto in Rieti, Italy.

A fiery final on the sixth day

The blue-riband event closed the six-day championship on 8 August. Italy's Federico Dal Lago produced a technically masterful run in front of the home crowd. But Brown's riding on the Salto waters proved too sharp to match, and Dal Lago settled for the silver medal.

Fellow Australian Nic Rapa took bronze to make it two Australians on the three-man podium. Italy's Massimiliano Piffaretti finished sixth in the sport's premier final.

Australia's strength, Italy's record haul

Dal Lago's silver was part of a record championship for the host nation. Italy closed the event with five medals overall, including junior golds for Veronica Riva and Matteo Molinari earlier on finals day. Argentina's Eugenia De Armas won the Open Women title.

No scores were confirmed for the Open Men contest. The local report described a spectacle of the highest level, with Brown separated from his rivals by the quality of his execution alone.

The victory marks a career-defining moment for Brown on the sport's biggest stage. For Australia, two riders on the Open Men podium confirmed genuine depth.

A quiet truth emerges from the scoreless record: Brown let his riding speak.