They are in the process of writing the history of global surfing. Kauli Vaast, Vahine Fierro, and Tya Zebrowski are starting the 2026 season together on the tour, in the French team. Vaast, the Olympic champion, and the young prodigy Tya, join Vahine Fierro and Marco Mignot who are entering their second year on the CT.
Polynesians storming the WCT
Kauli secured his place in the elite in early March, after several years of battling in the Challenger Series (equivalent to the second world division). The 24-year-old Tahitian fulfilled his childhood dream after his gold medal in 2024. Each round he completes will earn him points to hope to finish with the prestigious status of “Rookie of the Year”. He would succeed his compatriot and close friend Marco Mignot, 25, who has been well established in the elite since 2025.
Vahine Fierro, 26, previously titled at a CT event as a wildcard in Teahupo’o, kept her place among the elite last year.
Tya Zebrowski, just 15 years old, is the youngest female surfer in history to join the CT after a successful season in the elite category. A licensed surfer in Hossegor but residing near the Teahupo’o wave, which she has been surfing since she was eight, Zebrowski is touted as one of the future great stars in the sport.
“The French are no longer afraid of others. Jérémy Florès and Michel Bourez paved the way with their results.” – Joan Duru, coach of the French surf team
France is heavily supported by Tahiti, reflecting the rapid rise of French Polynesia in high-level surfing. Vetea David in ’89, followed by Michel Bourez later, but Tahitian influence on the CT has never been stronger. They now represent the new generation of French surfers shining the French and Polynesian flags internationally.
Additionally, besides the four full-time competitors, Olympic bronze medalist Johanne Defay will make a few appearances before a full return in 2027.
A particularly competitive season
At the start of this 2026 Championship Tour, global surfing returns to one of its most iconic locations: Bells Beach in Australia. This legendary wave, where you “ring the bell,” marks a special year with the fiftieth anniversary of the circuit and an exceptional level of competition. It is the first of the twelve CT stops that will end in Hawaï in December.
The 2026 season also marks a major change: the elimination of play-offs. The world title will now be decided across all the stops, requiring a lot of consistency.
However, the road ahead is full of obstacles. Brazilian Gabriel Medina, a three-time world champion, returns to the circuit, while American Carissa Moore, after a maternity break, seems determined to reign once again among the women.
For this stop in Australia, the Tahitian surfers were narrowly defeated. Tya Zebrowski lost to Alyssa Spencer by 12.16 to 13.76, and Vahine Fierro faced a close defeat against Anat Lelior with scores of 13.50 to 13.83.
Marco Mignot will face Crosby Colapinto from the US, while Kauli Vaast will compete against Leonardo Fioravanti.
The French Surfing Federation warns: “There are no longer repercharges on the CT, and all heats are one-on-one. A surfer who finishes second is eliminated.”
CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR 2026 CALENDAR
Twelve stops will mark the year, from Australia to the Pacific, through the Americas, Africa, and Europe:
- 1-11 April: Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, Australia
- 16-26 April: Margaret River Pro, Australia
- 1-11 May: Gold Coast Pro, Australia
- 15-25 May: Raglan Pro, New Zealand
- 5-15 June: Surf City Pro, Salvador
- 19-27 June: Vivo Rio Pro, Brazil
- 8-18 August: Tahiti Pro, Tahiti
- 25 August – 4 September: Fiji Pro, Fiji
- 11-20 September: Lexus Trestles Pro, USA
- 14-18 October: Surf Abu Dhabi, UAE
- 22 October – 1 November: Peniche Pro, Portugal
- 8-20 December: Pipe Masters, Hawaii
The French Surfing Federation also specifies that the 2026 Championship Tour season is divided into three phases. First, nine stops with a full field, where only the best results keep surfers in the race. The circuit then tightens for two additional events with fewer surfers before a grand final at Pipeline. This final stop, with more points at stake, will determine the world rankings for the entire season.
