Charli Hately and Ryan Kainalo win Banco do Brasil São Sebastião Pro

The Banco do Brasil São Sebastião Pro crowned Charli Hately (AUS) and Ryan Kainalo (BRA) today at Maresias Beach on the coast of São Paulo. Finals Day at Stop No. 3 of the 2026 World Surf League (WSL) Challenger Series (CS) brought the remaining contenders together from the Quarterfinals onward, delivering standout performances and significant rankings shifts as the race for qualification to next season’s Championship Tour (CT) intensified.

The day began with well-shaped, five-foot waves, offshore winds and sunshine along the São Paulo coast, providing the best conditions of the event. Alongside their prize money, the winners took home “The S”, the official event trophy representing São Sebastião, Surf and Swell. Shaped like a wave, the sculpture incorporates a stylized surfer and the traditional “Peixinho,” São Sebastião’s official tourism symbol, created by artist Leslie Amaral.

Powerful Backhand Surfing Secures The S for Australia’s Charli Hately

Charli Hately claimed the Banco do Brasil São Sebastião Pro title in Maresias with a composed performance against Francisca Veselko (POR) in the Final. The Australian showed strong wave selection and patience, waiting for the best opportunities before attacking the right-handers with powerful backhand turns. Scores of 7.83 and 6.50 gave Hately a 14.33 heat total and left Veselko needing an 8.66 with seven minutes remaining.

Hately maintained control through the final horn and was greeted by her mother with an embrace at the water’s edge. An emotional Hately reflected on her victory. “It’s crazy. I can’t believe I won. I got my head in the right place, caught the waves, and now it all feels surreal. I’m so grateful. To everyone back home, my family, everyone cheering me on. I’m so thankful,” she said.

The win also propelled Hately up the Challenger Series rankings. The Australian moved into No. 10 with 11,940 points after earning 10,000 points for her victory in Maresias. Runner-up Veselko earned 7,800 points and now sits at No. 2, behind only Sierra Kerr (AUS).

Ryan Kainalo Soars to Victory and Takes Challenger Series Rankings Lead

Ryan Kainalo enjoyed a perfect Finals Day in Maresias. After defeating current CT competitor Oscar Berry (AUS) in the Semifinals, the Brazilian returned to the water to face Alister Reginato (AUS) in the Final, claiming the Banco do Brasil São Sebastião Pro title with high-level aerials and powerful rail surfing. The win earned Kainalo 10,000 points and moved him to the top of the Challenger Series rankings, marking a significant step in his pursuit of a place on the 2027 CT.

Reginato, who reached the Final after putting Alonso Correa (PER) in a combination situation in their Semifinal, was first to get underway. Kainalo soon found a strong wave and launched a high, fast aerial, nearly completing a full rotation, to earn a 6.83. The Brazilian paired his aerial approach with powerful turns, linking three well-defined maneuvers in the critical section on another wave for a 7.67 and a 14.50 heat total. With four minutes remaining, Reginato needed a 9.17 to take the lead, but Kainalo stayed in control to secure the title. As soon as he left the water, he went straight into his father’s arms.

“I’m so happy, still taking it all in. It was an unforgettable day. The beach was packed, and the Brazilian fans are unlike anything else. The energy was surreal. I’m really, really happy,” said the winner.

Kainalo’s title run included a dominant Semifinal performance against Berry. He set the pace early with a 5.50 on a set wave, leaving the Australian needing an 8.00 with 15 minutes remaining. He then found another strong right-hander and landed a flawless, no-grab full-rotation aerial for an 8.50, the highest men’s single-wave score of the day. The ride put Berry in a combination situation, and Kainalo went on to complete another full-rotation aerial as the beach crowd roared its approval.

The win over Berry secured Kainalo’s first Challenger Series Final appearance and moved him into the rankings lead. “It’s the best result of my life. I’m in the Final!” the Brazilian said after the Semifinal.

For Berry, the result in Maresias marked a 37-place climb in the rankings during the event and his best result of the season. His previous Finals Day appearance came in Saquarema last year, while on the CT he had advanced through just one heat at this season’s US Open.

With the title in Maresias, Kainalo finishes the event as the new Challenger Series No. 1, strengthening his campaign for CT qualification. The victory also marks a significant result for the next generation of Brazilian surfing, with the 20-year-old now firmly in contention for a place among the world’s elite in 2027.

Event Stats

The Banco do Brasil São Sebastião Pro delivered standout performances, high scores and new benchmarks each day. In the women’s competition, 635 waves were ridden across 31 heats, with Veselko the only surfer to earn an excellent-range score, an 8.83. Hately posted the second-highest single-wave score of the event, a 7.83 in the Final, matching Sanoa Dempfle-Olin(CAN)’s score from the Round of 32.

Hately also featured prominently among the top two-wave heat totals, posting 14.33 in the Final and 13.83 in the Semifinals. Only Kana Nakashio (JPN) scored higher, recording the event’s top women’s heat total of 14.40 in the Round of 32.

In the men’s competition, 1,092 waves were ridden across 47 heats. Jackson Bunch (HAW) of Maui led the single-wave scores with an 8.83 in the Round of 64, followed by Kainalo’s 8.50 in the Semifinals and Joel Vaughan (AUS)’s 8.33 in the Round of 32. A total of five excellent-range scores and 76 good-range scores were recorded during the event.

The same three surfers led the two-wave heat totals, with Vaughan posting 15.26, followed by Bunch’s 15.00 and Kainalo’s 14.50 in the Final.

BANCO DO BRASIL SÃO SEBASTIÃO PRO RESULTS

WOMEN’S QUARTERFINAL RESULTS
HEAT 1: Anat Lelior (ISR) 10.50 DEF. Kiara Goold (PYF) 8.17
HEAT 2: Charli Hately (AUS) 11.24 DEF. Eweleiula Wong (HAW) 8.17
HEAT 3: Francisca Veselko (POR) 13.16 DEF. Teresa Bonvalot (POR) 9.70
HEAT 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 10.97 DEF. Kana Nakashio (JPN) 8.43

WOMEN’S SEMIFINAL RESULTS
HEAT 1: Charli Hately (AUS) 13.83 DEF. Anat Lelior (ISR) 10.97
HEAT 2: Francisca Veselko (POR) 13.50 DEF. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 7.10

WOMEN’S FINAL RESULT
HEAT 1: Charli Hately (AUS) 14.33 DEF. Francisca Veselko (POR) 10.67

MEN’S QUARTERFINAL RESULTS
HEAT 1: Oscar Berry (AUS) 13.50 DEF. Charly Quivront (FRA) 9.67
HEAT 2: Ryan Kainalo (BRA) 12.67 DEF. Lucca Mesinas (PER) 11.00
HEAT 3: Alonso Correa (PER) 11.73 DEF. Kei Kobayashi (JPN) 4.93
HEAT 4: Alister Reginato (AUS) 12.84 DEF. Ian Gentil (HAW) 11.50

MEN’S SEMIFINAL RESULTS
HEAT 1: Ryan Kainalo (BRA) 14.20 DEF. Oscar Berry (AUS) 3.73
HEAT 2: Alister Reginato (AUS) 14.33 DEF. Alonso Correa (PER) 9.57

MEN’S FINAL RESULT
HEAT 1: Ryan Kainalo (BRA) 14.50 DEF. Alister Reginato (AUS) 5.83

For more information, visit WorldSurfLeague.com.