BELLS BEACH, Victoria, Australia -- The World Surf League (WSL) paddles into its 2026 Championship Tour season at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, marking a historic return for one of the sport’s most iconic events.
Running April 1–11 in Victoria, Australia, the competition opens the tour for the first time in 25 years. The competition down under sets the tone for a milestone 50th anniversary, showcasing elite athletes riding premier waves around planet Earth.
Bells Beach will host one of the deepest competitive fields in world tour history, headlined by 10 world champions, the most ever assembled in a single season.
Reigning champion Molly Picklum leads a stacked women’s field that includes Stephanie Gilmore, Carissa Moore, Tyler Wright, Caity Simmers and Caroline Marks. The expanded women’s roster has increased to 24 surfers, signaling a continued push toward competitive equity and depth across the tour.
Picklum expects a defining year for the sport, pointing to both the concentration of elite talent and the return to a traditional season-long title race.
“I honestly think this is going to be an incredibly exciting year,” Picklum told WSL. “It’s so fitting that after 50 years we’re going back to the dream tour and crowning world titles at Pipeline. Having more World Champions on tour than ever before says it all. I feel like this season will bring fireworks. It’s going to be one for the ages for sure.”
50 years of the world tour and new formats
The WSL has been highlighting past winners and historical moments on social media, ramping up for the celebratory season. In 2026 the scoring format removes non-elimination rounds and restores a cumulative points system, culminating in Hawaii at Pipeline where champions will be crowned based on overall performance. A revamped Pipe Masters will carry 1.5x points, adding weight to the season finale.
Cait Miers/World Surf League
Caitlin Simmers of the United States surfs in Heat 3 of the Opening Round at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach on April 18, 2025 at Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia.
On the men’s side, Brazil’s dominant era remains intact. Reigning world champion Yago Dora is joined by Gabriel Medina, Filipe Toledo and Italo Ferreira, giving the Tour a rare concentration of recent titleholders competing simultaneously. Dora enters the season with unfinished business at Bells, a venue he says still holds untapped potential in his competitive résumé.
“I’m very happy to get the season started,” Dora shared with WSL. “It’s been a long and very busy break, so I'm really keen to get back to surfing some heats! I think this will be a very special season. Bells is an event I'm really looking forward to. It challenges me and I don’t think I’ve surfed it to my full potential yet, so lots of room for improvement there. Winning a Bell has always been a dream of mine!”
Olympic medalists primed for battle
The 2026 campaign also marks the first time all four Olympic gold medalists will compete full-time on the Championship Tour. Kauli Vaast joins fellow Paris gold medalist Caroline Marks, alongside Tokyo champions Italo Ferreira and Carissa Moore. Olympic silver medalists Jack Robinson and Kanoa Igarashi return after facing off in the 2025 Bells final, both still chasing a maiden world title.
Spring lineup
- Margaret River Pro (Margaret River, Western Australia) April 16 - 26
- Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro (Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia) May 1 - 11
- Corona Cero New Zealand Pro (Raglan, New Zealand) May 15 - 25
- Surf City El Salvador Pro (Punta Roca, La Libertad, El Salvador) June 5 - 15
- VIVO Rio Pro (Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) June 19 - 27
With a 12-stop global schedule, a deeper women’s field, and a restructured title race, the 2026 Championship Tour begins at Bells Beach with both history and momentum on its side.
All events stream live on worldsurfleague.com as the sport enters one of its most anticipated seasons to date.