Burton Automotive Newcastle SURFEST presented by Bonsoy 2025 - Congrats, Francisca Veselko & Jacob Willcox!
The Burton Automotive Newcastle SURFEST marks the beginning of the 2025 Challenger Series and is the start of the climb towards securing a place on the Championship Tour. Over 120 surfers will make their way to Merewether Beach to vye for a coveted spot on the reimagined 2026 CT. As the first test of the season, it draws both rising talent and proven competitors, all with something to prove. Set in one of Australia's most iconic surf towns, this event sets the pace, raises the stakes, and defines who's ready to rise. The Newcastle Surfest will be the first stop on the 2025 World Surf League Challenger Series. Running from 2 June to 8 June, the event will showcase local and international surfers battling head-to-head for a qualifying position.
Mereweather Beach provided all the epic memories from start to finish to crown Jacob Willcox and Francsica Veselko 2025 Burton Automotive
Heaving barrels, next level progression, and a legacy chapter added to the Burton Automotive Newcastle SURFEST Presented by Bonsoy with
The 2024 CT Rookie Jacob Willcox is officially back in the hunt for requalification after besting 2024 Olympic Gold Medalist Kauli Vaast
The former WSL World Junior Champion Francisca Veselko is officially on the map as a CT qualification threat with her maiden Challenger
RCal banks excellence over an on-fire Dimitri Poulos with an 8.17 to solidify his sot in the Semifinal matchups here in Newcastle
Tya Zebrowski throws down a 16.04 heat total, including an excellent 8.17 and a 7.87
The ultimate challenge toward 2026 Championship Tour qualification has its frontrunners in Francisca Veselko and Jacob Willcox with Burton
The Burton Automotive Newcastle SURFEST Presented by Bonsoy Finals Day is locked after high-performance, head-to-head battles ensued.
It all comes down to Finals Day at Mereweather Beach after a pivotal day of competition to start the 2025 Challenger Series
The perennial Challenger Series contender Yolanda Hopkins laid down her forehand power to post an 8.33 and overtake defending event winner
A last-minute effort for Kirra Pinkerton earned a pivotal Round of 16 win over fellow San Clemente standout Eden Walla to earn a
Sally Fitzgibbons drops an 8.00 to advance into Finals Day here in Newcastle.
A marathon week in Newcastle has set up Quarterfinalists at the Burton Automotive Newcastle SURFEST Presented by Bonsoy and 2025 Challenger
A back-and-forth heat between Brazilian duo Peterson Crisanto and Samuel Pupo posted fireworks with Pupo posting a 9.17. But, Crisanto's
The long-time CT standout Ryan Callinan is back on the Challenger Series to fight back for his spot and he's thriving in home waters,
Ventura's perennial Challenger Series contender Dimitri Poulos showed he's ready for a major result in Newcastle with a 15.67 heat total
High hopes for a big day of competition came to fruition with some of the best Challenger Series conditions to date thanks to the Burton
"One of the best days in my life I think. Seriously." - Mateus Herdy after a 16.50 performance.
McGillivray flips the script to jump to the No. 1 spot out of his Round of 32 heat with last-minute aerial antics.
Falling short of the Mid-season Cut, Sally Fitzgibbons returns to the Challenger Series after winning the 2024 season and eyes more of the
The near-2025 CT qualifier Mateus Herdy is back and proving why he belongs among the world's best with a 16.50 heat total and fellow
The 14-year-old Tahitian Tya Zebrowski just unleashed an insane performance, posting a 17.00 heat total - including a 9.00 - to topple one
If there wasn't enough action to highlight Day 3, Peterson Crisanto's performance was the best of the event so far with a 17.44 heat total
Mereweather keeps pumping and Liam O'Brien pushed his performance to an 8.17 and overtake a stacked battle as he looks to bounce back from
Continued swell at Mereweather Beach provided a historic day in Challenger Series competition at the Burton Automotive Newcastle SURFEST
The former CTer Jacob Willcox took down a superheat featuring former CT icon Josh Kerr, recent CT fallout George Pittar, and perennial
An insane opener for men's Round of 32 action witnessed Xavier Huxtable find a proper curtain call 8.50 before fireworks ensued from
The 15-year-old rising phenom, Eden Walla, took over the top-seeded Round of 32 battle with recent CT injury replacement Nadia Erostarbe,
The perennial CT qualification threat Teresa Bonvalot didn't hesitate to throw herself into hefty sections and posted a 7.33 to kickstart
Unruly conditions pushed Challenger Series contenders to their limits with shifting lineups, massive cleanup sets, and major moments to
Mereweather Beach dished out its unruly side for Burton Automotive Newcastle SURFEST Presented by Bonsoy proceedings. The Challenger
The former CT icon Josh Kerr is making noise among the Challenger Series elite and laid down an 8.17 hammer to best former CTers Ian