A few days before his debut on the 2026 Championship Tour, Kauli Vaast is entering a new phase of his career. Olympic champion and winner of the Challenger Series, he arrives on Tour with ambition, clarity, and a strong desire to compete against the world’s best. Between discovery, challenge, and enjoyment, he opens up about his first steps at the highest level just days before the season kicks off at Bell’s Beach, Australia (1-11 April).
Kauli, a few days before your debut on the Championship Tour, what is your state of mind today? A few days before the Championship Tour, I feel great. I’m a bit tired because we’ve been going non-stop with the Challenger Series season. I had the chance to train at Snapper (Gold Coast) with great waves, work with my shaper and with Joan (Duru). And now, we’re heading to Bells Beach. It’s my first time there, so I have to learn everything: the spot, the nooks, the places, the wave… I’m really excited to put on the jersey and get into my heat.
If you look back at the progress made in recent seasons, what are you most proud of in your evolution? I’m really proud of quickly following the Olympics to chase the CT qualification. Being on the CT has been my main goal since I was a kid. The Olympics came in between, and now that I’ve qualified, it shows that I really wanted to be there. It took a while, but I was lucky to be surrounded by the right people. I’m proud of the transition from the Olympics to the CT, winning the Challenger Series and achieving my dream.
You are coming to the CT with a unique status, as an Olympic champion and Challenger Series winner. Does that change anything in your approach? I come with a unique status, that’s for sure. But the approach remains the same. I mainly look forward to showcasing my surfing, proving that I belong in the elite, catching good waves on the world tour, and competing with the best. This season is about discovery. I’m excited because I don’t know.
If you switch from the Challenger Series to the CT, it is often described as a significant milestone. In your opinion, what will really make the difference at this level? It will mainly be the succession of competitions throughout the year, the twelve stages. It will be necessary to manage the travels, flights, organization, cars… Being at the top before each stage. That’s what will make the difference.
On specific aspects of your surfing, do you think you still need to improve to establish yourself in the elite? There is always something to work on. I don’t yet know how my surfing will be judged on the CT. It will be necessary to analyze, see what stands out, identify the points to improve or adjust. We’ll see.
You are entering a circuit where each heat is a battle against the world’s best surfers. How do you mentally prepare for this constant demand? It was the same on the Challenger Series: you have to take each heat one at a time. In each heat, you play your competition, your career. I will give it my all, be physically and mentally ready, all while enjoying it. I’m really excited to put on the jersey and catch good waves.
(Photo: Kauli Vaast in Ericeira (Portugal) © WSL)
(Continued in Part 2)
