The World Windsurf Tour is upgrading the Fiji Surf Pro to 4-star status, positioning Cloudbreak as the third of ten events in the 2026 season. The upgrade was announced two months before the event window, thus fulfilling the minimum requirement for international participants. Cloudbreak is regarded in the scene as one of the best lefthanders in the world and will hopefully attract one or two wealthy top riders.
The tour is returning to this location for the third time in its history. The event window from 6 to 14 June 2026 uses a three-day exclusive licence for Cloudbreak. The competition is scheduled to run from 12pm to 6pm, when Fiji's trade winds typically peak and the waves are at their best. As the only 4-Star event in the Oceania region, Fiji offers strategically early world ranking points before the major European events start in July and August. The last major event was in Cloudbreak in 2023:
Tourism Fiji takes over the presenting rights as main partner. Fiji Surf Co acts as Major Event Partner, Ian Muller has been appointed WWT Fiji Event Director. The partnership with Tabanivono and the villages of Momi and Nabila ensures respectful treatment of the community and environment. These local partners provide access to the Reef Tower and transport to the break. The World Wave Tour uses the WSL Judging Tower for scoring, media operations and broadcasting. An international judging panel and media team will produce the global broadcast via the WWT Broadcast Platform. The Bayview Cove Resort serves as accommodation for the athletes.
Event format and competition procedure
All participants are on call for the entire nine-day event window. If the forecast is right, the WWT will activate its three-day exclusive licence with sessions from 12 noon to 6 pm. The first day is planned as a training day with exclusive Cloudbreak access and an expression session. Media crews with drones, photography and press as well as jet ski safety and break clearance teams will be in action. Day 2 will be a qualifying day, with all riders competing in extensive expression sessions. This session will determine which surfers will qualify for the final day alongside the seeded riders. Masters, Junior U18 and Pro Junior U21 results will also be counted on this day.
Day 3 then brings the grand final with the elite field. A total of 16 men are taking part, 12 seeded starters and the four best from the Challenger Heats the day before. In the women's event, six seeded riders will start plus two qualified latecomers. Plan A envisages 26-minute heats with four-minute transitions for 30-minute cycles in good conditions, as single elimination in the early rounds, with B finals for men and women before the grand finals. The head judge can adapt heat formats to the conditions.
Top conditions, expensive journey
Registrations will open in the coming days and invitations will be sent to professional riders worldwide. The field is unlimited, all riders are welcome. The usual registration fees apply and riders must organise their own flights, transfers, accommodation, meals and access to the reef. Not cheap fun, so many worldcuppers will think twice about travelling to Fiji.
Nevertheless, a good signal and the opportunity to show windsurfing in its most spectacular form. "Cloudbreak is one of the most iconic waves in the world and Fiji has long held a special place in the history of professional wave riding. Upgrading the Fiji Surf Pro to a 4-star Challenger World Cup is an important step in building the world's biggest Dream Tour," says WWT Tour Director Simeon Glasson. The support from Fiji Surf Co, Tourism Fiji, the Tabanivono Village Partners and the local community has made the return to Cloudbreak possible.
Revenue model and athlete compensation
The guaranteed prize money is 10,000 US dollars, while the 60/40 revenue share model distributes an additional 60 per cent of net advertising revenue directly to the riders and 40 per cent to media production and tour development, according to WWT. "The first big event of the year in Margaret River last month sold out all advertising slots and we expect the broadcast of the Fiji Surf Pro to be even more popular with advertisers," explains Media Director Russ Faurot.
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