WSL and Challenger Series Update: Postseason Begins, World Titles Head to Pipe
It's a big stretch for pro surfing, and the road ends right here at home. The Championship Tour (CT) has wrapped its regular season, the brand-new postseason kicks off this week in Portugal, and the world titles will be decided at Pipeline in December. Meanwhile, the Challenger Series just finished its Portugal stop, with only one event left before 2027 CT spots are locked in.
How the 2026 CT works
This year the WSL changed the format, and it's worth knowing before you watch:
No mid-season cut this year.
Regular season: the first nine events, Bells Beach through Trestles.
Postseason: Portugal, the Philippines and Abu Dhabi, with a smaller field made up of the top of the rankings.
Pipe Masters finale: the whole tour comes back together at Pipeline, and that's where the world titles are decided.
No more elimination round. Lose your first heat and you're out of that event.
Hawaiʻi on top
Our surfers have had a big year on tour:
Gabriela Bryan of Kauaʻi opened the season with a win at Bells Beach and made the final at Trestles, going in as the new world No. 1.
Carissa Moore won back-to-back in New Zealand and El Salvador.
Seth Moniz won the Outerknown Tahiti Pro at Teahupoʻo.
That's four CT wins for Hawaiʻi through the regular season.
Trestles recap
At the Lexus Trestles Pro, the last regular-season stop, Erin Brooks beat Gabriela Bryan in the women's final for her third straight CT win. Miguel Pupo won the men's event, his second win of the season, moving to No. 4 heading into the postseason.
What's next on the CT
MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal: Oct 16 to 25, Supertubos
Philippines Pro: Oct 31 to Nov 10, Cloud 9, Siargao
Surf Abu Dhabi: Nov 25 to 29
Lexus Pipe Masters: Dec 8 to 20, Banzai Pipeline, Oʻahu
Keep an eye on the WSL for any schedule changes during the postseason. Heading to Pipe in December? Check out our Pipe Masters spectator guide.
Challenger Series: one stop left
The Challenger Series is the qualifying tour for the CT. At the end of the season, the top 10 men and top 6 women earn spots on the 2027 Championship Tour.
The 2026/27 Challenger Series has five stops:
Ballito, South Africa: July 12 to 18
Huntington Beach, California: July 27 to Aug 2
São Sebastião, Brazil: Sept 26 to Oct 3
Ericeira, Portugal: Oct 6 to 12
Newcastle, Australia: March 1 to 7, 2027, the final stop
At the EDP Ericeira Pro, which wrapped Monday, Brisa Hennessy and Crosby Colapinto took the wins. Hennessy's victory moved her to No. 4 in the women's rankings, inside the qualifying spots for now. Everything gets settled in Newcastle in March.
Why this matters for local groms
The path from your first HSA or NSSA heat to the CT runs through the regional Qualifying Series (QS) and then the Challenger Series. Hawaiʻi has its own WSL region, and for 2027 the WSL has penciled in a QS 6,000 Regional event at Pipe, tentatively January 29 to February 8. That's a real step on the ladder, right in our backyard.
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