Western Australia’s Willow Hardy has secured her place on the world stage, qualifying for the 2026 WSL World Junior Championships after wrapping up the Australia/Oceania Pro Junior season ranked second overall.
Hardy finished third at the inaugural Murf Electric Bikes Noosa Pro Junior at Sunshine Beach, Queensland, adding another strong result to an impressive season on the regional circuit. The Margaret River local entered the final event sitting atop the rankings and, despite being overtaken by event winner Milla Coco Brown, held onto second place to book her ticket to El Salvador this November, where she will take on the world’s best junior surfers.
Read the full WSL media statement below.
Milla Coco Brown and Willem Watson Win The Murf Electric Bikes Noosa Pro Junior Presented by Surfboard Empire
NOOSA, Queensland, Australia (Wednesday August 26, 2026) – Today, Milla Coco Brown (AUS) and Willem Watson (AUS) won the inaugural Murf Electric Bikes Noosa Pro Junior Presented by Surfboard Empire World Surf League (WSL) event. The pair overcame a massive field of Australia and Oceania’s best 20-and-under surfers in small but fun waves at Noosa’s Sunshine Beach.
Today’s win was Milla Coco Brown’s (AUS) second event win for the season and enough to catapult her into the top spot on the WSL Australia / Oceania Rankings to not only win the regional series but also book a spot at this year’s WSL World Junior Championships to be held in El Salvador this November. After just sneaking through the Quarterfinals, Brown’s trademark progression and speed saw her claim dominant wins in the Semifinals and eventually the Final, where she overcame Siqi Yang (CHN), Willow Hardy (AUS) and Stella Green (AUS), who finished in second, third and fourth respectively.
“It’s been a big day for me,” Brown said. “I had to win the Final to win the series, and now I get the big silver trophy, so I’m frothing. Finding out that I’m off to the World Junior Championships is amazing as well; I can’t wait for that. I knew it before the Final, which took a lot of the pressure off.”
Willem Watson (AUS) broke through today to claim his maiden WSL Pro Junior win with an epic performance at Sunshine Beach. Watson was a standout on Finals Day, posting an excellent 8.50 (out of a possible 10) on his way to the Final, where he eventually overcame Max McGilivray (AUS), Darcy Dwyer (AUS) and Sol Gruendling (AUS), who finished in second, third and fourth respectively.
“It feels so good to get a win,” Watson said. “Especially with it being the last event of the year and at home, it just makes it that much more special. Having family and friends on the beach was so cool, and I think it definitely helped me today.”
With her third-place finish today, Willow Hardy (AUS) dropped out of first on the rankings but was able to hang onto second place to also solidify a spot at the upcoming World Junior Championships.
On the men’s side, after a dominating season and a win earlier this week on the Tweed Coast, Ocean Lancaster (AUS) was able to hang on to the top spot in the rankings to earn his spot at the World Junior Championships. Finishing in second on the men’s rankings was reigning WSL World Junior Champion Dane Henry (AUS).
Lancaster’s performances also saw him claim the inaugural MURF Coast Cup as the top performer across the Murf Electric Bikes Tweed Coast Pro Junior and Murf Electric Bikes Noosa Pro Junior Presented by Surfboard Empire events. China’s Siqi Yang (CHN) dominated the women’s with a first- and second-place finish at each event, respectively.
The Murf Electric Bikes Noosa Pro Junior Presented by Surfboard Empire ran as part of the MURF Coast Cup at Sunshine Beach Noosa, Queensland, Australia, from August 25 – 26, 2026. For more information and results, head to WorldSurfLeague.com.
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