Women’s surfing has gone from strength to strength in recent years. Spearheaded by a contingent of Gen-Z rippers, the women are continuing to push the boundaries of what was previously thought as possible within the sport. This has led to a cultural shift out of the water too, with the biggest talking point being the introduction of equal pay for men and women on the WSL. In a continuation of that shift, the WSL has today announced that the women’s CT will now go from 18 to 24 surfers in 2026.
Under the new format, the 2026 women’s field will include the top 14 surfers from the CT, the top seven qualifiers from the Challenger Series, two WSL seasonal wildcards, and one event wildcard.
The announcement is a clear response to the continued calls for equality of representation of women in professional surfing and is also a reflection of the growing depth of women’s surfing.
The WSL will now have to factor in more prize money and will need to squeeze more heats into an event window. This poses the question as to whether they would consider cutting the number of men on the CT in order to overcome logistical challenges. This would also bridge the equality gap further.
“I’m really excited to hear that more women will be able to be on the CT,” said Caroline Marks, 2023 World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist. “My first event win was also the first competition to have equal prize money, which was a huge step forward. It’s cool too to think that, just as I was able to pursue my career without having to worry about equal prize money, future groms will have a much better chance of being able to join the tour and live their dream knowing that there’s a place for them.”
“I couldn’t be more proud of where the level of women’s surfing is currently at,” said Sally Fitzgibbons, a 15-year CT veteran. “Growing the tour is the next logical step in that natural progression. All over the world, women are stepping it up every time they hit the water, and on tour, we’re seeing intense heats and fierce rivalries. It’s what everyone wants to see. I’m so stoked that it’s happening.”
The 2025 CT kicks off on January 27 at Pipeline, where, last year, Caity Simmers kicked off her title winning campaign with a victory, in which she announced that ‘Pipeline was for the fucking girls’.
