Damien Poullenot/World Surf League via Getty Images

11 Surfers Can Contend for Championship Tour Qualification at Pipeline

Originally posted on SURFER | By August Howell | Last updated Jan 26, 2026 6:16 PM ET

Did you hear the news? There’s another contest at Pipeline this week. It’s not a regional QS, and it’s not an unconventional invitational. One hundred and twenty-eight men and women are primed for the WSL’s Lexus Pipe Challenger, the Challenger Series’s first honest crack at a huge, wide-open barrels detonating over reef.

If the Da Hui Backdoor Shootout was any indication, forecasting has been a tough call this winter. What looks good on paper hasn’t always translated to breaking sets. That said, the first few days of the waiting period look promising as mid-period northwest swell hits over the weekend.

It’s a helluva spot to host the second-to-last event of the 2025-26 season. Only two surfers have guaranteed a spot on the 2026 Championship Tour: Tya Zebrowski of France/Tahiti and Yolanda Hopkins of Portugal. The remaining five women’s and 10 men’s spots remain undecided, though some are in a better position than others.

View this post on Instagram

Eight men and three women are in contention to clinch a CT spot this week at (hopefully) firing Pipeline. If they don't do it on the North Shore, then Newcastle, Australia, is their last hope. Below is a list of each surfer, complete with CS rank and the minimum requirement they need to book a CT spot at this event. A reminder: these are not the only 11 surfers who can qualify, just the ones who have a chance to do it in proper Pacific juice.