BURLEIGH HEADS, Queensland, Australia (Saturday, February 21, 2026) – Finals Day was set on an exciting day four of the 2026 Gold Coast Open, a World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 4000 event. Burleigh Heads continued to provide fun waves in the two-foot range, with enough space around the tidal movements to complete the remaining four heats of women’s Round of 32 and all of men’s Round of 32.
Though Finals Day was originally scheduled to feature head-to-head match-ups, the decision was made to run four-person heats for the remainder of the event based on the available time and forecast conditions.
Men’s action kicked the afternoon off with a fiery match-up that saw former Championship Tour (CT) surfers Jackson Baker (AUS) and Jacob Willcox (AUS) come up against Challenger Series (CS) campaigner Alister Reginato (AUS) and rising Indonesian talent I Made Ariyana (INA). A 5.00 (out of a possible 10) from Willcox aided the Western Australian in keeping the lead for much of the heat.
Meanwhile Baker stayed extremely patient, catching his first wave with only six minutes remaining. The patience paid off with a 5.75, before a deep paddle up the point provided the Novocastrian with a speedy and powerful three-turn combo for an 8.75, the highest single-wave score of the event so far. Baker’s two-wave total of 14.50 (out of a possible 20) moved the 29-year-old straight into the Quarterfinals along with Willcox.
“I think I got pretty lucky then,” Baker said. “It’s one of those heats where I know I can’t out-grovel those guys. I had to sit, wait, got the 5 and moved up the point and got the best wave probably of the event, maybe. It was a pretty sick wave. Even I was kind of like, ‘Oh, that felt good.’ I’m here to get better at heats and believe in my ability. I don’t want to grovel the grindy ones. If I’m going to lose a heat, I’d rather be sitting there waiting for the ones I want.”
Another former CT surfer, Liam O’Brien (AUS), utilised his local knowledge to close the day with the highest heat total of the event so far for the men, 14.75. O’Brien earned excellence as his smooth style pushed through aggressive laybacks down the line of his home break.
“It’s a lovely weekend, the weather’s been unreal,” O’Brien said. “We obviously haven’t had the greatest waves ever, but still good vibes down here. It’s been good fun, and a little bit more action out there just then than the last couple rounds. So hopefully tomorrow just keeps building and we get a bit more.”
A battle of next generation Australian talent went down to the wire, with two of the foremost junior surfers in the world trading excellence. A late 8.50 from Dane Henry (AUS) pushed the reigning WSL World Junior Champion into the lead of the tight heat, before a last-second 8.00 from reigning U/16 ISA World Junior Champion Ocean Lancaster (AUS) joined an existing 6.50 for a 14.50 heat total. The electric performances from the pair brought the strong campaigns of fellow Australian juniors Ben Zanatta Creagh (AUS) and Oliver Ryssenbeek (AUS) to an end.
“That was nice,” Lancaster said. “I was looking at it a few heats before and there was some up the top, some down the bottom, some in the middle. So I was like, ‘Oh, I’ll just go out there and try to use the whole space,’ and then kind of stayed at the top for a while and heard some of the boys getting scores down there and Dane [Henry] got a hell one and then I was like, ‘Oh, he might have found the spot here.’ So I was hanging around him kind of thing and then ended up getting that last one which was a nug down towards the end of the heat. So yeah, pretty frothing.”
The four women’s heats to run saw advancing positions split almost equally between Australia and Japan. The progression was crucial for three surfers high on the Asia QS regional rankings; Sara Wakita (JPN), Minimai Nonaka (JPN) and Nanaho Tsuzuki (JPN). The trio gained much-needed ground in the race for qualification for the 2026/2027 Challenger Series, especially after the elimination of the top two regionally ranked surfers in Kana Nakashio (JPN) and Anon Matsuoka (JPN).
While Nonaka found the best wave of women’s competition today, a 6.75, it was India Robinson (AUS) who delivered the most convincing win. Robinson’s powerful brand of surfing earned a pair of rides in the 5-point range in the tough morning conditions to take the win over Western Australia’s Ruby Berry (AUS). Robinson and Berry both moved directly into the Quarterfinals, eliminating Bonnie Hills (AUS) and No. 3 on the Australia/Oceania QS regional rankings, Charli Hately (AUS).
Margaret River’s Olive Hardy (AUS) was also able to join older sister Willow Hardy (AUS) in the Quarterfinals. Willow will feature in a stacked first women’s Quarterfinal when competition resumes tomorrow. The current Challenger Series competitor will take on eight-time World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), recently crowned WSL World Junior Champion Isla Huppatz (AUS) and Sunshine Coast’s Gia Lorentson (AUS).
The Gold Coast Open runs at Burleigh Heads through February 22, 2026, with a live broadcast scheduled for Saturday and Sunday as the event reaches its finals stages.
Previous winners of the Gold Coast Open (formerly the Burleigh Pro) include CT standouts Taj Burrow (AUS), Julian Wilson (AUS), Dimity Stoyle (AUS), Owen Wright (AUS), Sophie McCulloch (AUS) and Mitch Crews (AUS).
Beyond the competition, the Gold Coast Open will deliver five days of entertainment and community engagement at Burleigh Heads. Spectators can enjoy live music performances from bands including Cosmic Vice, PowderKeg and Thirst Trap, along with skate clinics and demonstrations, sunrise yoga sessions, community activities, food vendors, a beach bar and a range of interactive experiences.
The 2026 Gold Coast Open is supported by the World Surf League, Tourism and Events Queensland, and Experience Gold Coast.
Surfing Queensland thanks the event partners for their support: BYD Gold Coast, Dritimes, QMS Media, We Are Feel Good Inc, Mogu Mogu, Blue Horizon, Travla, Hard Fizz, Sip Coco, Fast Twitch Energy, Blackroll Australia, Chiggy’s Skateboarding, Kennards Hire.
The 2026 Gold Coast Open is set to run at Burleigh Heads from February 18 – 22, 2026.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
2026 GOLD COAST OPEN
Running from February 18 – 22, the five-day event is more than just a surfing competition, delivering a host of diverse experiences. Event highlights include sunrise yoga and pilates sessions, women’s group surfing with Sirens Surf Club, a selection of food trucks, a skate ramp featuring professional demonstrations and skate clinics, and a pop-up beach bar serving Travla beer and Hard Fizz, alongside a range of additional activities.
HISTORY OF PROFESSIONAL SURFING AT BURLEIGH HEADS
The Gold Coast Open carries forward a rich tradition of competitive surfing that began with the groundbreaking Stubbies Surf Classic in 1977. Pioneered by surfer Peter Drouyn, this event revolutionised professional surfing by introducing the head-to-head heat format. First implemented at Burleigh Heads nearly five decades ago, this format has since become the global standard for professional and grassroots surfing competitions.
