29 October 2026
Running from 13 November to 13 December 2026, the Ride The Future competition invites surfers to submit their best wave pool performances from 2026. For just $10, surfers can compete for cash and prizes across men’s and women’s Grom, Junior, Open and Masters categories, with 72 prizes to be won
The event page is live, and surfers can already create their athlete profiles and register for the competition, ready to upload their footage between 13 November and 13 December 2026.
The event welcomes experienced competitors and recreational surfers alike, with a focus on fun, creativity and progression.
Three categories
Surfers can enter Best Air, Best Turn and Best Barrel.
Best Air celebrates progressive aerial manoeuvres. Best Turn focuses on power, rail surfing and commitment, while Best Barrel rewards those surfers getting absolutely drained.
Cash and membership prizes
The prize pool includes cash prizes, Wavepool Surf Tour 2027 memberships and 2027 event entry packages, as well as Hurley wetsuits and other product prizes from our sponsors.
With 72 prizes up for grabs, including US$3,000 in cash, plus WPST sponsor prizes, memberships and event entry packages, Ride the Future offers surfers worldwide plenty to compete for.
Enter from any wave pool
Surfers can submit eligible footage filmed at any wave pool worldwide during 2026, without travelling to a designated competition venue.
Footage from official wave pool AI video recording systems, including Surf Eye and Flowstate, is eligible. High-quality footage from other suitable camera equipment is also accepted.
All submissions must meet these requirements:
- Waves must have been surfed during 2026.
- Footage must be original, unedited and available for verification.
- Videos must be in landscape format, with a maximum file size of 2GB.
- Mobile phone footage is permitted, but only in landscape format.
- Waves previously entered in another competition are not eligible, so no footage wearing competition rash vests.
Surfers can upload up to three submissions, with additional submission packs available.
“Ride The Future is all about having fun, celebrating great surfing and giving everyone a chance to get involved,” said Clyde Martin, WPST Chief Operating Officer
“Whether you’re a professional surfer or someone who’s just scored the wave of your life at your local wave pool, we want to see it. It’s a great opportunity for surfers to experience the WPST platform, compete against surfers from around the world and become part of our growing community as we build towards the 2027 international tour.”
The Ride The Future event is supported by: Ocean & Earth, EQ Premium Organic Suncare and Surfcollab.
Entry details
Ride The Future 2026 runs from 13 November to 13 December 2026.
Entry fee: $10
Categories: Best Air, Best Turn and Best Barrel
Divisions: Open, Juniors U18, Masters 40+ and Groms U14
Prizes: $3,000 cash plus over $17,000 in WPST memberships and 2027 event entry packages
Ride The Future is a standalone speciality event. Results will not count towards WPST’s official world rankings or qualification for the 2027 World Finals. It also gives surfers an opportunity to try the WPST platform ahead of the international season.
Ride The Future Event Site
For more information and registration, visit Ride The Future
For more information on the Wavepool Surf Tour, visit:
Partnership & Sponsorship Enquiries
Mark Fessler
Founder
mark@wavepoolsurftour.com
Athlete & Competition Enquiries
Clyde Martin
Co-Founder
clyde@wavepoolsurftour.com
Media Enquiries
Craig Jarvis
Marketing & Communications Lead
craig@truthcollective.co.za
About The Wavepool Surf Tour
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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