PAPARA, Tahiti, French Polynesia (Thursday, April 17, 2025) - The 2025/2026 World Surf League (WSL) Hawaiʻi/Tahiti Nui Qualifying Series (QS) season will begin at the TOA Pro, a men's and women's QS 2,000, starting May 5 through 10. After an epic conclusion to the QS season at the Air Tahiti Rangiroa Pro, Hawaiʻi/Tahiti Nui's athletes are ready to kick off a fresh season toward 2026 Challenger Series qualification. The event brings these competitors back to the beaches of Papara for the first time since 2020 with the help of the Tahiti Surfing Federation.
"This is an amazing addition to our Qualifying Series schedule. We're excited for the opportunity to work with the Tahiti Surfing Federation again and continue growing in-region opportunities for our athletes," said Robin Erb, WSL VP, Tours & Events. "Papara has provided some great memories for our competitors and its location on the main island of Tahiti makes it an ideal location for our Hawaiʻi athletes and the local Tahitians to compete."
2025/2026 QS Season Opens in Momentous Return to Tahiti
This event previously hosted both the QS and Pro Junior contingent with the likes of now Championship Tour (CT) No. 2 Gabriela Bryan (HAW), No. 13 Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW), 2024 Olympic Games Paris Gold Medalist Kauli Vaast (HAW), Tahiti's own Taumata Puhetini (PYF) and more all taking wins. It's helped provide a stepping stone for these athletes and many of the region's upcoming competitors around Tahiti to get their first experience in the WSL jersey.
"Bringing the QS back to Tahiti is more than just hosting a surf contest - it's about giving our local surfers a real chance to shine on the world stage. For years, Tahiti has produced incredibly talented athletes, but without opportunities to compete at home, many of them haven't had the platform they deserve," said Max Wasna, President of Tahiti Surfing Federation. "Having a QS event here not only motivates the younger generation, it also helps them kickstart their competitive careers without needing to travel far from home. It's a huge step forward for the development of our surfers and for the recognition of Tahiti as a key destination in the world of professional surfing. We're proud to see this return and excited for what it means for the future."
Now current World No. 2 on the Championship Tour (CT), Gabriela Bryan (HAW) has accrued multiple wins at Papara in her career. - WSL / Rolland
Tahiti Surfing Federation Looks to Provide More Opportunities for the Island's Own
The high-performance beach break of Papara provides an array of opportunities for power surfing and progression. Puhetini's aerial showcase in 2019 along with Vaast in 2018 showed the world a glimpse of Tahitian's ability in the air along with their world-renowned ability to charge waves of consequence. For the likes of Bryan, Sakura Johnson, and now CT Rookie Erin Brooks (CAN), this event helped pave the way for their incredible careers at a young age as the next generation is ready to make their presence known.
The TOA Pro QS 2,000 event window will open Monday, May 5, 2025 through Saturday, May 10 2025 and run on the best conditions of the window.
For more information, please visit www.WorldSurfLeague.com.