Photography: WSL / Damien Poullenot
Ribeira d’Ilhas beach, in Ericeira, will become once again the epicenter of world surfing between September 29 and October 5. During this period, the EDP Ericeira Pro, the fourth stop of the 2025 Challenger Series (CS) organized by the World Surf League (WSL), will take place.
This championship comes at a decisive stage of the season, promising to bring some of the world’s best surfers to Ericeira. The Portuguese stage is known not only for the quality of its waves but also for its unique atmosphere, as the region is a World Surfing Reserve and attracts thousands of fans and visitors every year.
the circuit will feature seven events in total
The Challenger Series is the launch pad for the highest level of professional surfing, the Championship Tour – CT.
At the end of the season, the top seven men and top seven women in the rankings automatically qualify for the elite in 2026. That makes the Ribeira d’Ilhas event a do-or-die moment for many athletes who arrive in Portugal under the pressure of securing crucial points.
In addition, the WSL has announced updates to the calendar. For 2025–26 the circuit will feature seven events in total, thanks to the addition of the Pipe Challenger, in Hawaii, and the Newcastle SURFEST, in Australia. More opportunities also mean more excitement, as surfers will need to demonstrate consistency and versatility in different conditions around the globe.
The inaugural stop of the Challenger Series took place in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, from June 2–8. The second took surfers to Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, from June 30–July 6.
The third stop was held in Huntington Beach, California, USA, from July 29–August 3. Now the fourth stop—one of the most anticipated—takes place in Ericeira, from September 29 to October 5.
the EDP Ericeira Pro once again puts Portugal at the heart of major decisions in international surfing
On the final stretch of the circuit, the fifth stop will be held in Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from October 11–19. The calendar then heads to Hawaii, with the Pipeline Challenger, from January 28 to February 8, 2026.
The seventh and final event returns to Newcastle, Australia, from March 8–15, closing out the season that will determine the surfers who advance to the Championship Tour.
Esta publicação também está disponível em | This article is also available in: Portuguese (Portugal)
