The 2026 Rip Curl Vic Bay Pro is already building strong momentum ahead of its return to Victoria Bay in June, with growing interest from surfers, sponsors, and the broader surfing community ahead of the opening heats.
The event will feature the Rip Curl Vic Bay Surf Pro Men’s and Women’s World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 2,000 event, alongside the Rip Curl Vic Bay Pro Junior Men’s and Women’s WSL Junior Tour contest.
Entries for all divisions close on 26 May.
QS Men – Entries Here
QS Women – Entries Here
JQS Men – Entries Here
JQS Women – Entries Here
Presented by Rip Curl South Africa in partnership with the World Surf League, the event marks the official start of the 2026/2027 Africa Qualifying Series season and is expected to attract many of the country’s leading surfers to the Garden Route for valuable early-season rankings points and prize money.
Strong Momentum Around Vic Bay
There has been a noticeable sense of anticipation around the return of a major surfing event to Victoria Bay, one of the country’s most respected high-performance right-hand pointbreaks.
For many within South African surfing, Vic Bay remains one of the most iconic contest venues on the coastline, and the return of a QS-level event to the bay has generated strong support around the event.
Support from George Tourism and George Municipality has helped strengthen the platform around the event, while a respected group of partners and sponsors have aligned behind the series.
Supporting sponsors include Bilt Surfboards, Bliz Eyewear, YETI, Red Bull, The Pottery in George, and The Royal St Andrews Hotel In Port Alfred.
The latest brands to come on board are Sir Fruit and Betify, adding further momentum to the event.
Rip Curl Looking Ahead
Rip Curl South Africa CEO Stuart Daykin said the response to the Vic Bay event had been hugely encouraging.
“There’s a really good feeling around this event already,” said Daykin. “Vic Bay has always held a special place in South African surfing, and the response from the surfing community, our partners, and the broader public has been incredible to watch. There’s been a strong sense of excitement around the return of a major event to this coastline, and that energy has carried through everything leading up to the contest.
“This contest is also part of a much bigger picture for us. We have some very exciting long-term plans taking shape for Rip Curl events and competitive surfing in South Africa, and Vic Bay feels like an important step forward in that journey. The level of support already coming into this event gives us a lot of confidence about where things are heading.”
Important Start To The Season
With a strong field expected across both QS and Pro Junior divisions, the Rip Curl Vic Bay Pro is set to play an important role in launching the new South African competitive surfing season.
As winter begins to settle onto the Garden Route coastline and the first major swells start to line up across Victoria Bay, the stage is set for the return of one of South Africa’s classic surf event locations.
Media Information
Complimentary high-resolution images are available for media outlets.
For Rip Curl South Africa media enquiries and photo requests, please contact:
Craig Jarvis
Truth Collective
e. craig@truthcollective.co.za
t. 082 376 4443
For World Surf League Africa media enquiries, please contact:
Bianca van Aardt
WSL EMEA Communications Manager
e. bvanaardt@worldsurfleague.com
t. +27 82 773 5407
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Alan Straton
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