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MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal 2026: results and champions
Australia's Molly Picklum and America's Griffin Colapinto won the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal 2026, the 10th stop of the WSL Championship Tour (CT), held at Supertubos, Peniche. The finals took place on 23 October. Of the five Portuguese surfers competing, none made it past the quarterfinals.
Finals results
| Division | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's | Griffin Colapinto (USA) | Gabriel Medina (BRA) | 17.60 – 16.77 |
| Women's | Molly Picklum (AUS) | Caitlin Simmers (USA) | 13.33 – 12.84 |
How finals day unfolded at Supertubos
The event was on hold due to poor conditions and resumed on finals day with six-to-eight-foot, barrelling waves. In the men's final, Medina started stronger, but Colapinto answered with a 9.43 wave, coming out of a barrel, and closed out the heat. With this win, Colapinto became the first surfer to win the Portugal event three times and keeps a perfect record in Peniche finals. To get there, he knocked out reigning world champion Yago Dora in the semifinals.
In the women's division, Picklum beat Erin Brooks in the quarterfinals and Lakey Peterson in the semifinals, and repeated her Peniche title. It was the Australian's first win of 2026 and put her back at the top of the rankings and in the yellow jersey.
The Portuguese surfers in Peniche
This was the stop with the largest Portuguese contingent ever on the CT, with five athletes.
| Surfer | Result |
|---|---|
| Teresa Bonvalot | Quarterfinals (5th place), beaten by Lakey Peterson 10.00 to 5.10 |
| Guilherme Ribeiro | Quarterfinals (5th place), beaten by Ítalo Ferreira 12.83 to 6.84; competed as a wildcard |
| Francisca Veselko | Quarterfinals, eliminated on 17 October, before the event was put on hold |
| Frederico Morais | Eliminated in the early rounds |
| Yolanda Hopkins | Eliminated in the early rounds |
Opening day was the strongest for the home team, with Veselko, Bonvalot and Ribeiro securing places in the quarterfinals.
What comes next
- Philippines Pro, at Cloud 9 (Siargao Island): 31 October to 10 November.
- Pipe Masters, in Hawaii: 8 to 20 December, the final decider of the world title.
- In Portugal, the Liga MEO Surf final decides the national champion in Peniche, from 30 October to 1 November, and the big wave season in Nazaré opens on 1 November (Nazaré Big Wave Challenge 2026/27).
The Portuguese stop returned to the autumn, after four years in a row at the end of winter, and was one of three WSL events in Portugal in September and October (Matosinhos, Ericeira and Peniche).
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Frequently asked questions
Who won the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal 2026?
Griffin Colapinto (USA) won the men's division, beating Gabriel Medina 17.60 to 16.77. Molly Picklum (Australia) won the women's, beating Caitlin Simmers 13.33 to 12.84.
Where and when was the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal 2026 held?
At Supertubos Beach, in Peniche, with a waiting period from 16 to 25 October 2026. The finals were held on 23 October.
How many Portuguese surfers competed in Peniche?
Five: Teresa Bonvalot, Francisca Veselko, Yolanda Hopkins, Frederico Morais and Guilherme Ribeiro. Bonvalot, Veselko and Ribeiro reached the quarterfinals.
What is the next Championship Tour stop?
The Philippines Pro, at Cloud 9, from 31 October to 10 November. It is followed by the Pipe Masters, in Hawaii, from 8 to 20 December.
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