Entries for the Alaïa Surf Challenge close on 31 October 2026, so the countdown is on, with cash, prizes, and World Final places still to be decided. There’s still time to book a session and submit your best rides, while existing entrants can improve their submissions and climb the Sion Tourisme Leaderboards.
Make the next session count
When surfing at Alaïa Bay, you have the same sections on repeat, but with a different plan each time. Generate more speed, get on your rail earlier, or focus on airs.
The Wavepool Surf Tour builds competition around that experience. Surf during the event window, choose your best two rides, and submit your footage. An international judging panel scores your surfing on Commitment, Creativity, and Control.
More than $20,000 in cash and prizes
The Open Men’s and Women’s winners each earn $1,750, while Junior winners collect $800 each. Cash payouts extend to fourth place in both divisions.
Trophies, partner prizes, and merchandise packs add to the rewards available across the event.
Your route to the World Final
Division winners from eligible categories at Alaïa earn automatic entry into the Wavepool Surf Tour World Final.
The Locals Only competition also offers Open and Junior winners an immediate slot into the World Final. For surfers who know the Bay’s sections and timing, this is the opportunity to turn that experience into a place at the Tour’s live final.
The Hurley Best Air award is there for the taking. Hit it, get above the lip, and rotate… Give the judges something to rewind.
The Ocean & Earth Best Turn, EQ Best Barrel, and Golden Fin Awards add further opportunities for recognition. Review your footage carefully, including the waves you might have overlooked after your session.
Surf the Bay. Explore Sion. Get your merch packs.
A session at the pool gives your trip a starting point. Sion gives you good reasons to stay longer.
Leave time for wine tasting and a wander through the historic Swiss town between surfs. Travelling with friends or family also means there’s something on the itinerary beyond watching you discuss your best turn over lunch. Grab your Wavepool Surf Tour merch packs afterwards.
Get your best waves in before time runs out. Here’s how:
The Wavepool Surf Tour connects surfers from wavepools around the world through a shared online competitive format built specifically for wavepool surfing. Competitors participate throughout the season from their local wavepools, with the leading performers advancing to the Wavepool World Finals, the first live event of the season.
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In an historic AGM held in Jeffreys Bay on Wednesday September 30th Ann Wright of Durban was elected as the first ever female President of Surfing South Africa.
Ann Wright has been a committed and energetic member of the Surfing South Africa Board for over 10 years. Prior to being elected as President, she was the first Vice President of the Federation.
Her election to this position underlines her 30 years of service to the sport and highlights the many roles she has played and continues to play in the growth of the organisation.
St Francis Bay surfers delivered standout results at the Sea Harvest SA Junior Surfing Championships in Jeffreys Bay. Slayde Shooter won the U14 Boys title, while Rory Dace finished second in U18 Boys. Brin Jarvis also claimed second in U14 Girls and earned the Highest Wave Score award across the girls’ divisions.
The 30th edition concluded in two-to-three-foot surf at Lower Point on Saturday, 3 October. Supported by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and Reef SA, the championships ran from 29 September to 3 October.
Over five days, competitors faced conditions ranging from warm weather and strong onshore winds to rain and contestable offshore surf.
Slayde Shooter Wins U14 Boys Gold
Slayde Shooter secured the South African U14 Boys title for Nelson Mandela Bay. His gold medal contributed to the team’s third-place finish overall.
Meanwhile, fellow St Francis Bay surfer Rory Dace finished runner-up in the U18 Boys division. Cape Town Surfriders’ Kai Stubbs claimed the title after taking the lead in the final seconds.
Brin Jarvis Claims Silver And Highest Wave Score
Brin Jarvis finished second in the U14 Girls division behind Ilembe’s Ella Van de Made. Van de Made added the U14 title to her 2025 U12 Girls crown.
Jarvis impressed the judges with her excellent backhand surfing at Lower Point throughout the contest. She also earned the award for the Highest Wave Score across the girls’ divisions.
Her Nelson Mandela Bay teammate, U12 Boys champion Judah Levendahl, received the corresponding award in the boys’ divisions.
Cape Town Surfriders Reclaim Freedom Cup
Cape Town Surfriders reclaimed the Freedom Cup from Buffalo City, winners in 2024 and 2025. Cape Town last held the trophy in 2023.
The Freedom Cup goes to the team accumulating the most points across all divisions.
Cape Town finished with 46,478 points, followed by Buffalo City with 41,894. Nelson Mandela Bay placed third with 39,917 points.
Ilembe finished fourth with 34,412 points, while Cape Winelands took fifth with 29,299. Ugu placed sixth with 29,281, Eden seventh with 28,621 and eThekwini eighth with 28,453.
Eight South African Junior Champions Crowned
Cape Town and Ilembe each claimed three individual national titles. Nelson Mandela Bay produced two champions.
Alongside Kai Stubbs, Cape Town teammate Emily Jenkinson won the U18 Girls title. The 2025 U16 champion also secured victory with a wave in the final seconds.
Cape Town’s Ben Esterhuyse won U16 Boys, while Ilembe’s Lila Aszalos claimed U16 Girls. Ella Van de Made won U14 Girls, and Slayde Shooter took U14 Boys.
In the youngest divisions, Lexi Lockhart became Ilembe’s third champion by winning U12 Girls. Judah Levendahl claimed the U12 Boys title for Nelson Mandela Bay.
Special Awards And A Decade Of Support
U18 bronze medallist Tyson Johnson of Buffalo City was named Surfer of the Contest. Buffalo City also won the Loud and Proud Spirit Trophy for team spirit and teamwork throughout the championships.
More than 170 girls and boys from eight districts competed in 120 heats over five days.
The event marked 30 years since the first championships in Durban in 1996. It also celebrated ten years of support from Sea Harvest, South African junior surfing’s longest-running sponsor.
The New Zealand Pro will return to the World Surf League Championship Tour in 2027. The confirmation follows the successful debut of the event at Manu Bay, Raglan, earlier this year.
The WSL and the New Zealand Government have extended their partnership to bring the world’s leading surfers back to the famous left-hand point break. The event receives support through the government’s Events Attraction Package.
Though long-regarded as one of the finest waves in the world, Raglan’s Manu Bay had never experienced the highest level of surf competition prior to the inaugural CT event held in May. Providing a lengthy left canvas that offered a solid mix of progressive high-performance surfing and traditional rail work, Manu Bay announced itself as a must-watch venue. From the perfection of reigning World Champion Yago Dora’s (BRA) approach and the forehand style masterclass delivered by Sawyer Lindblad (USA) to the historic wins from World Champions and Olympic Gold Medalists Carissa Moore (HAW) and Italo Ferreira (BRA), Raglan proved that its arrival on the CT is long overdue.
RAGLAN, NEW ZEALAND – MAY 25: Lineup at the Corona Cero New Zealand Pro on May 25, 2026 at Raglan, New Zealand. (Photo by Rambo Estrada/World Surf League)<
“The WSL is so excited to see the CT return to Raglan in 2027,” said WSL APAC President Andrew Stark. “Raglan is a truly special place, with a deep surfing heritage, world-class waves and an incredibly passionate local community, and after an amazing event in 2026, we know the athletes and fans will embrace the opportunity to experience it again.
Raglan Secures Its Place
Manu Bay hosted its first Championship Tour contest in May 2026. The long left-hand walls delivered opportunities for progressive surfing and traditional rail work.
Carissa Moore and Italo Ferreira claimed the victories. Yago Dora and Sawyer Lindblad were also among the surfers who made the most of the Raglan conditions.
WSL APAC President Andrew Stark praised the local surfing heritage, world-class waves and support from the Raglan community. New Zealand Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston also highlighted the event’s tourism and economic value.
The contest will again include two New Zealand wildcard surfers in 2027. They will earn their places through a local trials event.
JBay Remains Outside The Tour
The confirmation is excellent news for New Zealand surfing. However, it appears to close another door for Jeffreys Bay.
Raglan now has government support, a renewed agreement and a confirmed place on the 2027 schedule. Other established venues are also competing for limited positions on the Tour.
Raglan has secured its place on the 2027 Championship Tour. J-Bay remains in limbo, although the reality is even simpler. It’s probably not coming back.
First Eliminations on Day 3 of 2026 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Junior Surfing Championship
Defending Team Champion Australia Maintains Perfect Start With Wins Across the Board
Rory Dace Smashes Through His Repecharge Heat With Powerful Win
Sol Borelli (ESP) Battles Back to Begin Title Defense With Strong Victory
Family Affair: Victoria Duprat (USA) Shines With Support From Coach Dad and Shaper Mom
Veteran Romeo Chávez (COL) Rallies in Repechage to Keep Final Junior Campaign Alive
Surf City El Salvador – September 7, 2026
Day three of the 2026 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Junior Surfing Championship (WJSC) saw the first eliminations of the event take place, with the repechage round beginning for both U/16 divisions, along with U/18 Boys, following the completion of Main Round 1 for U/18 Girls and U/16 Boys. Surf City continued to live up to its name, with four-to-five-foot swell providing ample opportunity for the peak of La Bocana and the long, right point of El Sunzal.
Due to the size of the field, only a single round of repechage will take place for each division. This guarantees at least two heats for every surfer in the event but determines that every heat moving forward will result in direct elimination for those who don’t advance.
Although many teams took big hits today, Zimbabwe’s first-ever representative at the ISA, Marcello Luca Zedde (ZIM), progressed through his U/16 Main Round 1 heat before going on to win the first heat for his nation in U/18 Boys repechage and keep himself active in the draw in both age divisions
Team Australia. Credit: ISA / Sean Evans
Defending Team Champion Australia Maintains Perfect Start With Wins Across the Board
With the completion of Main Round 1 across all divisions, Australia, the back-to-back defending Team Champion, stood alone in securing heat wins for all 12 of their team members. The sole team member to compete today, co-captain Stella Green (AUS), locked in the equal-highest single-wave score of U/18 Girls competition for the day, a 7.33, in her ISA debut. Green’s forehand attack on a long La Bocana right that continued to offer opportunity down the line earned the high score, backed up by a 5.33 earned on the left to secure a convincing victory for the 18-year-old.
“The conditions are pretty fun today. There are still a couple of big roll-in sets, but it was good to get my heat going and my boards are feeling good, so I’m pretty happy with my result,” Green said. “It’s pretty special to be captain of the team. They’re all such a good crew and we’re all having the best time. This place is insane, pretty hot to be honest, but I love it. It’s such a different aspect to home and I’m loving it. I felt the nerves just before paddling out, especially after waiting three days for the first heat, but it’s good to get it going and hopefully I keep on going.”
Sol Borelli, Team Spain. Credit: ISA / Sean Evans
Sol Borelli Battles Back to Begin Title Defense With Strong Victory
Sol Borelli (ESP) didn’t expect her return to the WJSC to begin with multiple sets on the head, but the defending U/18 Girls champion managed to fight back in a big way. With no notable scores on the board by the halfway point of the heat, Borelli found a sizable La Bocana left that offered her multiple sections on the inside to lay her rail into for a 7.33. A 6.50 soon followed, seeing the 18-year-old lock in a 13.83 two-wave total.
“I was a little nervous at the beginning of my first heat, but I came back and could put together a really good score,” Borelli said. “Not what I was expecting, but it’s good for a first heat. Winning gold last year in Peru for Spain was so incredible. It was my dream, and Peru is so special because I lived there for six years and that was my favorite wave in Peru. I was with my team, all the boys supporting, my family and friends from home, that was so special.”
A tight battle for second played out behind Borelli thanks to Julia Heijmans (NED) building her scoreline while avoiding the early sets. Chiara Cuppone (ITA) fought back, however, after finding her best score late in the heat to earn her place in Round 2.
Michel Demétrio, Team Brazil. Credit: ISA / Jersson Barboza
Strong Performances Keep Brazil’s Full Team Alive Through Round 1
Continuing the success of Brazilian goofyfooters so far in the event, Michel Demétrio (BRA) found a Sunzal gem that allowed multiple direct hits to the lipline, resulting in an excellent 8.00. Demétrio’s U/16 Boys heat win, combined with those of Maria Clara (BRA) and Valentina Zanoni (BRA) in U/18 Girls saw the 2023 Team Champion move into Round 2 with their full team intact. Competing in her first ISA event, Zanoni was excited to win her opening heat and is loving being a part of the team.
“I made my waves and I like my backside, so it was a comfortable wave for me,” Zanoni said. “It’s my first time at the ISA World Juniors and I’m only 15 years old, so I’m really happy. I just want to relax and do my surfing heat by heat, that’s it. I think this is my third time here and I really like this wave. Team Brazil, I think, is the best one, I’m sorry! The guys are so cool and it’s good to stay with the team. The Brazil coaches are really good.”
Victoria Duprat, Team USA. Credit: ISA / Sean Evans
Family Affair: Victoria Duprat Shines With Support From Coach Dad and Shaper Mom
The sharp backhand attack of Victoria Duprat (USA) provided the 17-year-old with some of the highest scores of the morning. A two-turn combo earned a 7.17, before a 6.50 was added for a 13.67 heat total. Duprat represents a unique surfing family that includes having her father as coach and her mother, Valerie, as shaper. The founder of Mère-Made Surfboards, Valerie is one of the leading female shapers in the industry and has shaped Victoria’s full quiver for her since she was 8.
“I’ve been waiting a couple of days for my heat and the waves are just pumping, so I was so excited to go surf,” Duprat said. “It’s such a nice dynamic to have my mom as a shaper at home and my dad coaching me. Surfing is our family lifestyle, so it’s super cool to have their support and to be able to surf her boards in an international event. With big events like this I try not to think about the pressure and the cameras and everything. I just try to stay with my team and be present, and not think too much about how the contest is going to go.”
Romeo Chávez, Team Colombia. Credit: ISA / Jersson Barboza
Veteran Romeo Chávez Rallies in Repechage to Keep Final Junior Campaign Alive
First competing in the WJSC in 2018 at the age of 10, Romeo Chávez (COL) enters his last year as a junior as one of the longest-standing veterans in the draw. Chávez peaked with a 5th place finish the last time the event was held in El Salvador, narrowly missing out on a medal. A shock relegation in one of the first heats of competition this week sent the 18-year-old straight into repechage, where he bounced back in a big way today, unleashing his backhand on the walls of El Sunzal to post a solid 15.20 heat total.
“Having a good heat improves everything. It clears your mind, leaves you more confident, better prepared and ready for the next rounds. God has a purpose for me. Unfortunately I’ve been through an injury that has kept me in quite a bit of pain, but thank God there’s a repechage round and we managed to get through and perform. What happened is already in the past and right now you’ll get the best of me. I hope for a good result. The time with my team, the friendships you make, meeting good people, that is the best thing this event has brought me.”
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