While there has been a lot of talk about the push from the next gen’ of women’s surfers and their progressive capabilities, the first event of the 2026 season was won with an astonishing display of power-surfing. As her competitors reach for the sky, Gabriela Bryan is leaning on a rail and leaving the opposition behind.     

Before going on to take the event top spot on the podium, Bryan told Tracks she had big plans for the new season. “It’s a long year with many steps to get there, so I’m just trying to do the best I can in every heat. It’d be super cool to start the year with a win, but mostly I just want to do really good surfing.”

Her dominance was a feature of the event from the moemnt she hit the water. Gabriela’s lowest single score was a 7.0 in the final – the only heat in which she scored under 15 points in total throughout the entire event. Bryan’s precise carves and aggressive snaps at Winkipop inspired hoots and hollers from the crowd, even as they watched the Hawaiian steam past hometown favorite Molly Picklum, in the final.

 Picklum finished the event in a combination situation against the Hawaiian and, despite the loss, made it apparent she has carried her momentum from last year’s world title win.

The new do-or-die, sudden-death format leaves no margin for error, and surfers had to start the Bells Beach competition at their best; unlike some Bryan thrived under the pressure.

“Yeah, now that we don’t have the non-elimination round, it’s definitely added a bit more fire and you’ve got to be on, which is exciting,” she told Tracks after the final.   “It makes for really good performances. And yeah, I think that it’s really good. It’s definitely hard, but I’m excited.”

Gabriela’s Bells win builds on her strong history during the Aussie leg of the Tour, claiming her third win Down Under in three consecutive seasons, with the other two titles coming at Margaret River – the next stop on the 2026 schedule. “It’s super cool to start the year strong and be in the yellow jersey heading into West Oz,” she explained before making an ambitious statement about her plan for the 2026. “The goal is to stick with it (the yellow jersey) all year. It’s a long year, but I’m really excited.”

At Bells, Bryan’s stats told a convincing story. Of the four heats that led her to the title, half were won with her opponents in combination situations. Alyssa Spencer’s scything backhand pushed Bryan in the semis, but she responded with typical spray-throwing gusto when Spencer posted and 8.50. By the end of the heat against Picklum, the crowd wholeheartedly applauded the Hawaiian’s effort at Winkipop.

Gabriela will try to take advantage of leading the rankings after the first event in order to bring the world title back to Hawaii for the first time since 2021. “It would be super cool to bring the world title back home. We have some amazing surfers, and surfing is part of our culture, so that’s my biggest goal – to bring the world title home.”

The Women’s Tour this year is stacked with world champions. With a calendar that demands surfers to be solid in a wide variety of waves, Gabriela sighted consistency as the key to staying in contention for the title. Last year she won three events, that’s one more than world champ Molly Picklum if you discount the now obsolete Finals Day.   

“There are some really good girls on Tour, and it’s going to be really exciting fighting for the win against them, but you’ve got to be good in every event to win it all at the end of the year.”

Bryan had a welcome supporter throughout the whole competition. Fellow Hawaiian and five-time world champion Carissa Moore joined Gabriela’s pit-crew on the Winki rocks after losing in her opening heat at Bells. To the casual observer, their relationship felt like family, and they were able to celebrate together right after the clock hit zero this Sunday.

Gabriela now waits to see who she’ll face in her opening heat at Margaret River, with Yolanda Hopkins and Brisa Hennessy as the possible matchups. The event window opens on April 16th, and surfers can only hope they don’t have to deal with conditions as challenging as those they faced at Bells/Winki. Gabriela won at Margarets last year and goes in as favourite, but Picklum is already in close pursuit and equally as fancied in the heavy-water at Margarets – game on.