Boardmasters OPEN Becomes One of Europe’s Top Three Surf Events

Fistral Beach has hosted plenty of big surf moments down the years. This August it lands one of the biggest yet, and it could matter for British surfers all the way through to the next Olympics.

Newquay joins Europe’s surfing elite

The Boardmasters OPEN, presented by YETI, has been upgraded from QS 2,000 to QS 4,000 status for 2026. The change places the Fistral Beach event among the top three Qualifying Series competitions in Europe and takes effect at this year’s festival, which returns to Newquay from 5th to 9th August.

QS 4,000 events sit one tier below the elite Challenger Series and carry more ranking points. That raises the stakes and pulls in a stronger international field. For British surfers, it means a chance to compete for world ranking points on home soil as they build towards the LA 2028 Olympics.

Applications are now open through the World Surf League.

A Boardmasters spokesperson said: “Surfing is where Boardmasters started and it has always, and will always be part of our DNA. It’s super exciting to see the competitions upgraded to a QS 4,000’s making it one of the top events in Europe and a critical opportunity for British surfers to score significant points on the qualifying series tour, helping them realise their ultimate goal of competing on the champions tour and building towards the Olympics in LA.”

What the upgrade brings

The new rating increases the ranking points available to competing surfers and strengthens the event’s standing in the WSL’s global calendar. The five days of competition will also crown the European Longboard Title winners.

WSL Europe Tour Manager Rob Gunning said: “The WSL and our athletes are very excited to see the Boardmasters OPEN upgrade to a QS 4,000 this year plus we will be once again crowning our European Longboard Title winners over the five days of competition at the iconic Fistral beach. The added QS ranking points and importance on our European Qualifying Series will be impactful with a stronger field of athletes making the trip to Newquay to battle it out for this year’s trophy. The Boardmasters events team have put in a huge effort along with event sponsors and partners to make this upgrade a reality in 2026 and we are looking forward to some splendid competition during the entire event window.”

A change for junior surfing

Through the Boardmasters Foundation, the festival continues its partnership with Surfing England and will support the Surfing England Junior Surf Series, the primary national competition structure for young surfers in the UK.

There is a notable change this year. The standalone Boardmasters Junior Surf Competition will not take place in 2026. In its place, Boardmasters is directing support towards longer-term, wider-reaching work, including national junior development pathways, more elite competition opportunities, and education and progression support for top-level junior talent, delivered with GB Surfing and the Surfing England Junior Surf Series.

Wildcard entries for the QS 4,000 have gone to surfers from Surfing England’s Pro Junior competition held at Watergate Bay on 26th May. That includes winners Lukas Skinner and Georgie May-Hicks, and runners-up Willow Smith and Fynn Gillespie. Boardmasters will also introduce a number of selective wildcards into the QS 4,000 field, giving emerging British talent a direct route into an elite international draw on home soil.

What the surfers say

Lukas, the two-time Boardmasters OPEN defending champion, said: “I’m super looking forward to Boardmasters this year, being upgraded to a QS 4,000 is massive! I feel super confident and strong so I’m going to try my absolute best to go 3 in a row, but the main thing is enjoying it. It’s my favourite week of the year and I have family and friends around with the beach full and the best crowd I’ve ever surfed in front of. Let’s go!”

Alys Barton, the first ever British surfer to qualify for the WSL Challenger Series, said: “Boardmasters is one of my favourite comps on the calendar. I love the atmosphere and the energy of the event, and it is always great to compete in front of a home crowd. The upgrade of the event to a QS 4,000 means we British surfers will have the opportunity to compete against the best in Europe and hopefully score big season points on a wave we know well.”

Coaching for the next generation

Alongside the competition, GB Surfing will run a series of masterclasses and workshops for selected surfers from its national Development Squad. The programme offers coaching, athlete development and a look at the realities of pursuing surfing at international level. Participants will have access to the competition site, placing them alongside some of the world’s leading surfers.

Vicky Gosling, Chair of GB Surfing, said: “The upgrade of Boardmasters to a QS 4,000 event is a significant milestone for British surfing. It gives our athletes the opportunity to compete against Europe’s best and earn valuable ranking points on home waves, while reflecting the continued growth and progress of the sport in the UK. Our LA 2028 Olympic hopefuls will be competing, and we are seeing them develop with real confidence and consistency as they progress along the Olympic pathway. We believe they have the talent and potential to achieve outstanding results on the Olympic stage in the years ahead, while inspiring the next generation of British surfers to pursue their own Olympic ambitions.”

Longboard divisions will continue as LQS 1,000 competitions in 2026. The full competition schedule and athlete line-up will be announced in due course. The Boardmasters OPEN runs at Fistral Beach, Newquay, from 5th to 9th August.

📷Mens QS winner - Lukas Shinner - by Jason feast