MARGARET RIVER, Western Australia, Australia (Thursday, April 16, 2026) – A massive opening day of competition was held at Stop No. 2 of the 2026 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), the Western Australia Margaret River Pro. Utilizing the overlapping format, a record 28 heats were completed, the most in WSL history for a single day, seeing all of women’s Round One contested, along with men’s Round One and Two. Margaret River Main Break turned on pumping six-to-eight-foot waves to provide open ocean power for the world’s best surfers to attack, seeing huge performances delivering big scores. The next call for a competition start will be tomorrow, Friday, April 17, at 6:50 a.m. AWST for a possible 7:05 a.m. start.
Olympic Rematch Goes Robinson’s Way as Igarashi Tops Day’s Performances
A rematch of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Gold Medal Match played out between Jack Robinson (AUS) and Kauli Vaast (FRA) in Round Two. The original matchup took place on Vaast’s home turf in Teahupo’o, Tahiti, seeing the 24-year-old claim gold, while Robinson earned today’s win in his own backyard. Though there were no medals on the line, the victory was extremely important for the West Australian to set his World Title campaign back on track after a shocking start at Bells Beach. Robinson delivered his trademark searing carves mixed with a varied repertoire across a see-saw battle that contained multiple lead changes thanks to Vaast’s critical backhand attack. The final results saw just 0.37 separating the pair, with a relieved Robinson moving into Round Three, where he will meet the bronze medalist from Paris 2024, three-time World Champion Gabriel Medina(BRA).
“Kauli [Vaast] is a strong competitor and you know you can never underestimate anyone on Tour,” Robinson said. “It meant a lot, that one, to get going and especially after the big break we had since last year. There’s been a lot that’s happened in between it and yeah, just starting to get moving now. I’m happy. I came back huge after training for a while. I was real big with a bit of extra bacon, but now I’ve trimmed that off and feel pretty loose and feel good. I’ve got a good crew around me and I’m just happy to be back home.”
The only other men’s surfer to earn an Olympic Silver Medal, Kanoa Igarashi (JPN), had a big opening performance of his own, delivering the highest single-wave score of the day, an excellent 8.50 (out of a possible 10), in his defeat of Eli Hanneman (HAW). Exceptional flow through multiple large carves set Igarashi’s surfing apart, though it took the 28-year-old a long time to kick into gear, surprising Hanneman with a swift comeback after the overlapping heat switched into the priority half.
“It’s so rippable,” Igarashi said. “It’s kind of weird to call a six, eight-foot-wave rippable, but it had a really nice coping on it today. The wind’s still hanging in there, but I feel like Margarets at this size is almost like a big XL version of Lowers. In that sense, you just need a bigger board to suit the walls, but it’s such a rippable wave to surf. I had a really fun time out there. My first 20 minutes, I felt super lost and I wasn’t really clicking in. As soon as the priority switched over to our heat, I kind of was like, ok, cool, now I know what I’m doing, I know what I’m looking for. I was really happy to be able to adjust during the heat.”
World Champions Moore and Gilmore Meet Contrasting Fates
The women’s World Champions returning from a competitive hiatus, Carissa Moore (HAW) and Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), met mixed fates for the second event in a row, with Moore once again progressing and Gilmore bowing out in the first heat. Returning to the Western Australia Margaret River Pro for the first time since winning the event for the third time in 2023, Moore ended the hot streak of Alyssa Spencer (USA) with a pair of rides in the 6-point range that left the five-time World Champion feeling like she has plenty more to give.
“I really didn’t feel like I clicked with the wave, but I’m happy I found a couple sections,” Moore said. “It felt good to dust off the cobwebs again and reacquaint myself, but I think that I can line up a little bit better and push my turns in the pocket a little bit more. It feels so good to be back working with Andrew Sheridan again, it feels a little bit like home. Like I said at Bells, it really feels like a bonus [to be here], and to get to share it with everyone here and everyone around the world, my family and friends. I feel just so grateful everyone supported me through all the different chapters of my life.”
A tight battle played out between CT sophomore Erin Brooks (CAN) and eight-time World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), with the final scores going right down to the wire. Gilmore led for much of the heat, while Brooks struggled to find a single notable score on the right, leading the goofy-footer to change tack and focus on her forehand on the left. Brooks picked up the highest number of the heat, a 6.50, from her first left. A last-minute exchange between the two saw Brooks earn a 6.00 from a second left, leaving Gilmore in need of a 6.63. The number arrived as Gilmore’s best, a 6.37, but left Brooks holding onto the win by just 0.26 to remain undefeated against the returning veteran after two matchups.
“That’s definitely not how I wanted that heat to go,” Brooks said. “It’s been pumping all morning, and Jake [Paterson] and I were watching the rights and seeing how good they were, but I got behind so much, so I just went on the left because no one was really looking, and luckily I got through. [Stephanie Gilmore] was definitely putting the pressure on me. I was super nervous after she got those first two scores. It is really good out there, but it’s kind of hard to put a wave together. Margarets is a really hard wave for me to surf as well, so that made me really nervous, and she knows what she’s doing, so yeah, good on Steph.”
Cut Victims No More: Pittar and Pupos Off to Flying Start at Margaret River
An escalating battle between George Pittar (AUS) and Filipe Toledo (BRA) peaked with excellence from the Australian. Pittar drove from deep on the reef through a series of sharp rail turns to put the two-time World Champion and 2021 event winner on the ropes with an 8.00 after multiple lead changes between the two. It marked the second event in a row that Pittar has defeated an event favorite in Round Two, having eliminated Ethan Ewing (AUS) in the same round at Bells Beach. Previously making the Semifinals at Margaret River as a Wildcard in 2024, the 23-year-old continues to prove that his rail game has a place in the upper echelon.
“I saw the heat draw and I was like, oh my god, again I’m getting these dudes,” Pittar said. “I’ve watched [Filipe Toledo] for years growing up. He’s unbelievable at this wave. He’s unbelievable everywhere and he’s definitely one of my favourite surfers. I knew it was going to be a big mountain to climb in that heat. That first year I came here and it was the greatest place on earth. I had the best time ever and everything. And then the next year I fell off here and it was really hard. It’s definitely super contrasting emotions for me. But coming back, I definitely prefer to channel that first year and hopefully go one step further.”
Another surfer to face the now-removed Mid-season Cut in previous years at Margaret River, Samuel Pupo (BRA), also delivered a strong opening performance. An excellent 8.17 was joined by a 7.33 for 15.50 (out of a possible 20) heat total, the highest of the day, thanks to Pupo’s speed through searing open face carves and big end-section hits. The younger brother of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach winner Miguel Pupo (BRA), Samuel also featured on Finals Day in Victoria, seeing the pair off to their best start to a season yet.
“Such a good heat to start off the event,” Pupo said. “I feel like everything I put to plan, it worked, it happened. My plan was to get one score before the priority heat and I managed to get two big scores before the priority heat started. I’m just happy to get a good start to the year at Bells. I feel like the last few years I had a bad start and it kind of got me in a bad roll of results and not surfing my best. I’m really stoked for [Miguel Pupo] for his momentum with his second win. It really got me fired up to really put on my best surfing. Hopefully I can give him that fire too and we can keep pushing each other.”
Competing in the final heat of the day, Miguel was able to further cement his hold on the Yellow Leaders Jersey after his defeat of Morgan Cibilic(AUS). The elder Pupo will next come up against another Australian in Ethan Ewing (AUS) in Round Three.
Portugal’s Hopkins and Veselko Lead the Way for Rookie Class
One of the hardest-working competitors in professional surfing, Yolanda Hopkins (POR), claimed her first heat win as a CT member with the highest heat total of the women for the day, 12.67. The two-time Olympian previously delivered two strong CT showings with Wildcard opportunities at home in Portugal, including a Quarterfinal appearance in her first-ever CT, but was over the moon to move into Round Two at Margaret River after defeating Brisa Hennessy (CRC). Hopkins built her scores across every wave surfed, peaking with a 6.30 and 6.37 on her final two waves, as she powerfully attacked the large open faces at every opportunity.
“It’s been a long journey, but I find that that journey led me to this point and I don’t think there’s anybody more stoked than me to make it to the dream tour,” Hopkins said. “It’s been my dream since I started surfing, so being here and actually winning a heat is insane. I was really upset about Bells because I love the wave and it really suited my surfing. It was really nice to come back and have some proper solid waves to show what I’m made of.”
Another Portuguese Rookie, 2022 WSL World Junior Champion Francisca Veselko (POR), also found her best number late in the heat to take the win over Bella Kenworthy (USA). Fellow Rookies Anat Lelior (ISR), Nadia Erostarbe (ESP) and Tya Zebrowski (FRA) were eliminated by Sawyer Lindblad (USA), Vahine Fierro (FRA) and Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), respectively. Across two high-profile Challenger Series matchups and their first CT head-to-head, the veteran Fitzgibbons remains undefeated against the Tour’s youngest-ever qualifier, Zebrowski, who is yet to win her first heat on the CT.
Tough Day for West Australian Wildcards Sees All Three Eliminated
All three West Australian Wildcards were eliminated from the event by day’s end. Despite strong starts from Relationships Australia WA Trials winner Jack Thomas (AUS) and WSL Wildcard Jacob Willcox (AUS), the pair were defeated in Round Two, while women’s trials winner Bronte Macaulay(AUS) was unable to make it out of Round One.
Thomas posted the first excellent score of the event, an 8.33, in his Round One defeat of Mateus Herdy (BRA), but went down to last year’s runner-up Griffin Colapinto (USA) in Round Two. Similarly, Willcox blitzed his opening heat over CT Rookie Oscar Berry (AUS), but was eliminated in a close and controversial heat against reigning World Champion Yago Dora(BRA), who was convinced the former CT surfer had committed a priority interference against him. While the judges panel was split, the decision was made not to call the interference as the majority believed Dora’s decision to paddle was too late for him to be able to catch the wave. Dora will next face Connor O’Leary (JPN) in an all-goofy battle that will determine whether the 29-year-old will push through to his first-ever Finals Day at Margaret River.
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Men’s Round Two Results
HEAT 1: Samuel Pupo (BRA) 15.50 DEF. Cole Houshmand (USA) 11.60
HEAT 2: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 15.23 DEF. Eli Hanneman (HAW) 11.67
HEAT 3: Liam O’Brien (AUS) 14.00 DEF. Jordy Smith (RSA) 9.47
HEAT 4: Joel Vaughan (AUS) 12.67 DEF. Barron Mamiya (HAW) 11.66
HEAT 5: Crosby Colapinto (USA) 14.37 DEF. Marco Mignot (FRA) 12.03
HEAT 6: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 14.10 DEF. Jack Thomas (AUS) 10.94
HEAT 7: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 13.16 DEF. Alan Cleland (MEX) 8.50
HEAT 8: Jack Robinson (AUS) 13.97 DEF. Kauli Vaast (FRA) 13.60
HEAT 9: Yago Dora (BRA) 13.67 DEF. Jacob Willcox (AUS) 12.93
HEAT 10: Connor O’Leary (JPN) 13.34 DEF. Rio Waida (INA) 10.80
HEAT 11: George Pittar (AUS) 14.90 DEF. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 14.03
HEAT 12: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 12.00 DEF. Seth Moniz (HAW) 11.34
HEAT 13: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 13.47 DEF. Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 13.33
HEAT 14: Joao Chianca (BRA) 12.70 DEF. Jake Marshall (USA) 12.00
HEAT 15: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 11.64 DEF. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 7.93
HEAT 16: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 12.83 DEF. Morgan Cibilic (AUS) 6.90
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Men’s Round One Results
HEAT 1: Jacob Willcox (AUS) 14.93 DEF. Oscar Berry (AUS) 12.40
HEAT 2: Jack Thomas (AUS) 15.33 DEF. Mateus Herdy (BRA) 12.96
HEAT 3: Liam O’Brien (AUS) 13.83 DEF. Callum Robson (AUS) 10.10
HEAT 4: Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 13.83 DEF. Luke Thompson (RSA) 11.17
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Women’s Round One Results
HEAT 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 11.67 DEF. Tya Zebrowski (FRA) 10.93
HEAT 2: Yolanda Hopkins (POR) 12.67 DEF. Brisa Hennessy (CRC) 9.33
HEAT 3: Francisca Veselko (POR) 10.00 DEF. Bella Kenworthy (USA) 9.50
HEAT 4: Vahine Fierro (FRA) 11.17 DEF. Nadia Erostarbe (ESP) 9.76
HEAT 5: Sawyer Lindblad (USA) 11.93 DEF. Anat Lelior (ISR) 10.83
HEAT 6: Carissa Moore (HAW) 12.50 DEF. Alyssa Spencer (USA) 10.24
HEAT 7: Erin Brooks (CAN) 12.50 DEF. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 12.24
HEAT 8: Sophie McCulloch (AUS) 8.03 DEF. Bronte Macaulay (AUS) 7.84
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Men’s Round Three Matchups
HEAT 1: Samuel Pupo (BRA) vs. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN)
HEAT 2: Liam O’Brien (AUS) vs. Joel Vaughan (AUS)
HEAT 3: Crosby Colapinto (USA) vs. Griffin Colapinto (USA)
HEAT 4: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Jack Robinson (AUS)
HEAT 5: Yago Dora (BRA) vs. Connor O’Leary (JPN)
HEAT 6: George Pittar (AUS) vs. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA)
HEAT 7: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Joao Chianca (BRA)
HEAT 8: Ethan Ewing (AUS) vs. Miguel Pupo (BRA)
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Women’s Round Two Matchups
HEAT 1: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) vs. Yolanda Hopkins (POR)
HEAT 2: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) vs. Sawyer Lindblad (USA)
HEAT 3: Caroline Marks (USA) vs. Francisca Veselko (POR)
HEAT 4: Lakey Peterson (USA) vs. Erin Brooks (CAN)
HEAT 5: Molly Picklum (AUS) vs. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
HEAT 6: Luana Silva (BRA) vs. Sophie McCulloch (AUS)
HEAT 7: Caitlin Simmers (USA) vs. Vahine Fierro (FRA)
HEAT 8: Isabella Nichols (AUS) vs. Carissa Moore (HAW)
The Western Australia Margaret River Pro will run at Main Break Margaret River from April 16 – 26, 2026. The competition will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and the free WSL app. Also, check out more ways to watch from the WSL’s broadcast partners.
The Western Australia Margaret River Pro is proudly supported by Tourism Western Australia, Shire of Augusta Margaret River, I-SEA, Red Bull, Surfline, True Surf, YETI, Florence Marine X, Surfboard Empire, Hydralyte, Bonsoy, Boost Mobile, Stone & Wood, Bioglan, Bond University, Fatboy Bikes, GWM, YETI, eero, Relationships Australia, Spudshed.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
About the WSL
The World Surf League (WSL) is the global home of competitive surfing, crowning World Champions since 1976 and showcasing the world’s best surfing. The WSL oversees surfing’s global competitive landscape and sets the standard for elite performance in the most dynamic playing field in all of sports. With a firm commitment to its values, the WSL prioritizes the protection of the ocean, equality, and the sport’s rich heritage, while championing progression and innovation. For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
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