While this year’s Challenger Series still has events in Portugal and Brazil to run in order to decide who graduates to the CT next season. The WSL has already announced a number of changes to the Australian leg of the CS for 2025, with Surfest in Newcastle being upgraded from the QS to the second tier of professional surfing next season.
Surfest will kick off the Challenger next season and will be the only Australian contest on the CS, with Snapper being upgraded back to the big league’s and Narrabeen being dropped.
Snapper will now belong back on the CT until at least 2028 and will form a three event Aussie leg with Bells and Margaret River. Given the wave quality and evidence from the conditions behind the rock during this year’s Challenger on the Goldy, I think Snapper is back where it belongs, acting as a canvas for surfing’s cream of the crop.
As for Newcastle, it was a QS event this year held in March and was won by Joel Vaughan and Ellie Harrison in sub-par conditions.
As per the WSL, “The iconic Surfest event, almost in its 40th year, will be held at Merewether Beach from June 1-8, 2025, bringing together over 120 surfers aiming to qualify for the 2026 Championship Tour (CT).”
Previous winners include: Kelly Slater, Stephanie Gilmore, Mick Fanning, Sally Fitzgibbons, Tom Curren and more.
