World Surfing: Full CT Field Set to Return to Cloudbreak for Fiji Pro Presented by Corona Cero

Cloudbreak's Legendary Lefts Await the World's Best -- Underdog Performances Shake Rankings Ahead of Fiji -- Wildcards Add Firepower to Fiji Pro Field

CLOUDBREAK, Fiji (Wednesday, August 19, 2026) - The World Surf League (WSL) 2026 Championship Tour (CT) season will continue its run in the South Pacific Ocean with Stop No. 8, the Fiji Pro Presented by Corona Cero. Held August 25 to September 4 in the tropical paradise of Fiji at the island nation's premiere left-hander of Cloudbreak, the

event will be the first time the full Tour roster has visited the location since 2017. Carrying momentum from the mind-bending performances showcased in Tahiti, the long-range forecast is carrying the possibility of powerful swell lighting up the Fiji Pro, as the season's underdogs look to continue their upending of the rankings.

Cloudbreak's Legendary Lefts Await the World's Best

A near-mythical wave, named after its perception from the islands that revolve around it, the outer reef of Cloudbreak features long, reeling lefts that produce a variety of personalities. From a fun, high-performance wave when it's small to a death-defying freight train at size, the coral reef provides opportunities for a large range of options. Cloudbreak covers a giant playing field that encompasses multiple different sections and can deliver life-altering barrels as easily as playful, point-break-style conditions. Host to a number of Perfect 20-point heats, the scoring potential at Cloudbreak typically encompasses the entire scale and draws a surfer's full repertoire into play.

After hosting a post-Mid-season Cut event in 2024 and the WSL Finals format last season, this will be the first time the full roster has competed at Cloudbreak since 2017. As such, it will function as an introduction to competition at the venue for a large segment of the Tour. It remains to be seen whether or not the fresh faces on Tour will rise to the occasion and repeat their success from Tahiti or if the veterans will rely on their prior experience to solidify their hold on the top end of the rankings.

Underdog Performances Shake Rankings Ahead of Fiji

The 2026 season has seen major upsets in virtually every event, but none as definitive as those in Tahiti that saw the bottom end of the rankings rise up in defiance. Event winners Seth Moniz (HAW) and Erin Brooks (CAN) both made large leaps from the lower end, as did women's runner-up Anat Lelior (ISR) and Semifinalists Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) and Yolanda Hopkins (POR). Men's runner-up Griffin Colapinto (USA) made the jump back inside the Top-10 to No. 8 after skirting around the edges in previous events. The Californian has an incredible track record in Fiji, having won in 2024 before securing No. 2 in the world to close the 2025 season with his result in last year's WSL Finals event held at the location. Brooks shared her only previous CT win with Colapinto as a Wildcard in 2024 and will also be looking to back up her previous performance in order to crack the Top-10 from where she currently sits at No. 11.

Gabriela Bryan (HAW) was able to hang onto her position as World No. 1 despite her earliest exit of the season, though the same wasn't true for Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA), who only managed a single heat in the Yellow Leader Jersey before having to hand it right back to Italo Ferreira (BRA). That development, followed by Ferreira's fourth Semifinal appearance of the season, sees the 2019 World Champion take a commanding lead in the rankings. Meanwhile, Bryan's narrow lead is susceptible to multiple former World Champions, including Molly Picklum (AUS), who secured her maiden World Title with a searing performance at Cloudbreak in 2025. The only surfer to win more than a single event this season, five-time World Champion Carissa Moore (HAW), also sits directly behind Bryan at No. 2, looking to claim her first win in Fiji, one of the very few events on Tour that she hasn't topped the podium.

Hot on the heels of Ferreira and Fioranvanti, Yago Dora (BRA) will also be hoping to repeat the success in Fiji that saw him claim the World Title in 2025, while two-time event winner and three-time World Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) will need to bounce back after his early defeat at the hands of rampaging Wildcard Kelly Slater (USA) in Tahiti in order to reverse his downward trajectory.

Wildcards Add Firepower to Fiji Pro Field

Following on from the successful Wildcard runs seen in Tahiti, the Fiji Pro will feature three outstanding additions to the event, including local trials winners Ulukilupetea "Tea" Kurop (FJI) and Teo Degei (FJI), along with 2022 WSL World Junior Champion Jarvis Earle (AUS).

Just over a month ago, Fiji's best surfers, including, for the first time in history, a field of female competitors, battled it out in pristine conditions at Cloudbreak to win the Fiji Trials and a spot in the CT event amongst the world's best. 17-year-old Ulukilupetea "Tea" Kurop (FJI) made history, becoming the first winner of the women's Fiji Trials event and will therefore become the first ever woman to represent Fiji in a WSL Championship Tour event.

"It's very special to be representing Fiji alongside Teo, and I'm incredibly proud and honored to be the first Fijian female wildcard at this event," said Kurop. "A big Vinaka Vakalevu to the Vanua, FSA, WSL, and everyone involved in making this event happen. It's pretty special to have the opportunity to surf Cloudbreak on this world stage. I also want to say a big thank you to the surfing sisters who came before me and helped pave the way - Kim & Hannah Bennett, then Keisha & Kayla Wakeham. My sister Havana and I are proud to continue that legacy. Hopefully, we can all keep pushing women's surfing in Fiji and inspire more girls to get out there and surf."

On the men's side, overcoming a number of Cloudbreak specialists and former event winners was Teo Degei (FJI), who will represent Fiji at the elite level for the first time in his career.

"It means so much to me. I've been putting a lot of time in at Cloudbreak, so I'm really thankful for this opportunity," said Degei. "I come from a big family, and I'm so proud to be representing my brothers and sisters, my family, and my country. It's a lot of people's dream to get a wildcard and have the chance to surf against the best surfers in the world at your home break, so I want to take it seriously and make the most of it. I'm really thankful and excited, and a little bit nervous too. Hopefully, the waves are good, and we get a great event."

With Jordy Smith (RSA) continuing to recover from ongoing injuries, WSL Replacement Matthew McGilivray (RSA) will take his spot in the draw at the Fiji Pro next week.