Gateway to the Americas Cup Announces Winners of 2026 International Floral Design Competition

International designers competed in Orlando as Eric Lin claimed the championship and organizers announced Brazil as the 2028 host nation.

ORLANDO, FL, UNITED STATES, June 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The world’s floral design community gathered in Orlando, Florida, on June 5–6 for the 2026 Gateway to the Americas Cup, an international floral design competition showcasing exceptional creativity, technical excellence, and artistic innovation from designers representing countries across the globe.

Hosted in conjunction with the FSFA International Convention, the Gateway to the Americas Cup challenged competitors through five distinct design events that tested their artistry, technical skill, interpretation, and creativity.

“We are proud to provide a platform where floral artists from around the world can share their creativity, artistry, and talents with an international audience,” said Gus and Deborah De La Flor, founders and organizers of the Gateway to the Americas Cup. “The passion, innovation, and excellence displayed by this year’s competitors remind us why this event continues to bring the global floral community together.”

Following two days of outstanding competition, the overall winners of the 2026 Gateway to the Americas Cup were:

First Place — Eric Lin (Taiwan)
Second Place — Aleksandra Flak (Poland)
Third Place — Anna Dementieva (Ukraine)

Eric Lin delivered a remarkable performance throughout the competition, capturing three of the five individual design challenges on the way to securing the overall championship.



Americas Champion

In addition to the overall competition awards, Jenny Ingrum (USA) was honored as the 2026 Americas Champion, recognizing her outstanding achievement among competitors representing the Americas.

Individual Design Challenge Winners

Task 1 – Surprise Design: Inspired By Nature
Winner: Eric Lin (Taiwan)

Task 2 – Bridal Wreath Bouquet
Winner: Eric Lin (Taiwan)

Task 3 – Cocktails: Intimate Table for Two
Winner: Anna Dementieva (Ukraine)

Task 4 – Floral Fashion
Winner: Aleksandra Flak (Poland)

Task 5 – Surprise Design!
Winner: Eric Lin (Taiwan)


The competition highlighted the extraordinary diversity of contemporary floral design, with competitors demonstrating excellence in bridal work, tablescape design, floral fashion, surprise challenges, and nature-inspired creations.


Thank You to Our Sponsors

The Gateway to the Americas Cup extends its sincere appreciation to the organizations whose generous support helped make the 2026 competition possible. Their commitment to floral education, innovation, and professional excellence continues to strengthen the industry and provide opportunities for designers to showcase their talents on an international stage.

The organizing committee gratefully recognizes the 2026 Gateway to the Americas Cup primary sponsors:

* FTD
* Details Flowers Software
* OASIS Floral Products
* Gardens America
* Jet Fresh Flower Distributors
* FernTrust
* Accent Decor
* Floralife
* FloristWare
* FSFA International

Supporting Sponsors

* Alexandra Farms
* Galleria Farms
* Flora & More
* Giftwares Co.
* Choice Farms
* Tessa Corp.
* Teleflora
* FloristCentric
* De La Flor Inc.
* National Orchids



Honoring the Founders and Organizers

The Gateway to the Americas Cup extends its deepest gratitude to Gus and Deborah De La Flor, founders and organizers of the competition and owners of De La Flor Gardens.

Through their vision, leadership, and dedication to floral artistry, education, and international collaboration, they have built the Gateway to the Americas Cup into one of the floral industry’s premier international competitions. Their commitment continues to provide a world-class platform for designers to learn, compete, and inspire one another.


Recognizing Our Distinguished Judges

The organizing committee expresses sincere appreciation to this year’s distinguished judging panel:

* Hitomi Gilliam AIFD, CFD
* Ken Senter AIFD
* Sandy Schroeck AIFD, PFCI

Their expertise, professionalism, and commitment to excellence ensured the highest standards of evaluation throughout the competition and helped recognize the exceptional achievements of this year’s competitors.


Special Recognition

The Gateway to the Americas Cup extends special appreciation to Heather de Kok for her dedication, support, and invaluable contributions to the success of the 2026 competition. Her commitment to the floral community helped create an exceptional experience for competitors, sponsors, judges, volunteers, and attendees from around the world.

The organizing committee also extends heartfelt appreciation to the Gateway volunteer team, including Dana Williams, Michael Grimes III, Ivan and Claudia Moreno, Marisol Choy, Tanus Saab, Ralph Giordano, and Minsook Song for their invaluable contributions to the success of the 2026 competition. Their dedication, support, and commitment to the floral community helped create an exceptional experience for all involved.

The Gateway to the Americas Cup is committed to helping competitors grow as floral artists beyond the competition itself. Through the FloristWare Floral Scoring System, competitors receive detailed feedback from the judging panel, transforming the competition experience into a valuable learning opportunity. This commitment to constructive evaluation helps designers continue their professional development and prepare for future competitions on the international stage.

The organizing committee further thanks the many volunteers, industry partners, and supporters whose efforts behind the scenes helped make the 2026 Gateway to the Americas Cup a tremendous success.


Looking Ahead to 2028

As the 2026 Gateway to the Americas Cup concludes, attention now turns to the future. The organizing committee is pleased to announce that the next Gateway to the Americas Cup will be held in Brazil in 2028, continuing the competition’s tradition of bringing together exceptional floral designers from around the world while celebrating the culture, creativity, and artistry of a new host nation.

Additional competition results, photographs, designer profiles, event highlights, and behind-the-scenes coverage will be published in the coming days on the official Gateway to the Americas Cup website at www.gatewaytotheamericascup.com.

The Gateway to the Americas Cup thanks all competitors, sponsors, judges, volunteers, and supporters for helping make the 2026 event a memorable experience for everyone. The organization looks forward to welcoming the international floral community to Brazil in 2028 for the next chapter of this extraordinary competition.

Deborah De La Flor AIFD, PFCI, CFD
Gateway to the Americas Cup
+1 954-434-1717
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