This Way In: A Monster Energy Preview of the 2026 MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal

Location, Location, Location
Peniche used to be an island, until the sea filled the gap with sand and tied it to the mainland. The town has lived off the Atlantic ever since. First fish (sardines). Then surf. Supertubos runs along the south side of the old island: an open beach and shifting sand, exposed to the North Atlantic swell that runs into shallow water and throws so fast it used to just be a bodyboarding wave. Nobody really surfed it. But it’s a staple on tour, now, and the athletes look forward to the dynamic conditions that often serve up “2s or 10s.” For the first time since 2019, the tour is here in October, which is prime time. Welcome to the postseason. 

The 2026 MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal presented by Corona Cero runs October 16–25. Cheer on the Monster crew at worldsurfleague.com!

Monster Threats 

Yago Dora: Defending event champ, reigning world champ, current world No. 1. He calls Portugal his second home and he’s surfing like he owns it.

Gabriel Medina: Supertubos rewards those who can go from harrowing tubes to rippable walls from heat to heat. He won here in 2017. He can do it again.

Ethan Ewing: A final here in 2024, a semi last year. Ethan has quietly made Supertubos one of his best stops, and the smooth fall conditions will suit his railwork.

Filipe Toledo: Currently 21st in the world. Not where anyone had him at the start of the year, but he’s hungry to get back on the podium and prove he’s still the fastest surfer on tour.

Seth Moniz: People expect Seth to do well at places like Teahupo’o, but they forget that he’s got an air game, too. Perhaps he can show it off in Portugal’s premier beachy.

Bettylou Sakura Johnson: Now in the postseason, Bettylou is looking to gain momentum in Portugal and finish strong at Pipeline, where she’s right at home.

Three Questions
What’s the forecast? Fun out of the gate. Clean, chest-to-head-high surf for the first couple of days, then it backs off. There’s a hint of something decent mid-window, and at Supertubos a hint is usually enough.

What’s the postseason? The new endgame. With Abu Dhabi scrapped, Portugal opens it. The top 22 men and 14 women made the cut, plus two wildcards per side, and every round is win-or-go-home. Then Cloud 9 in the Philippines before the full roster reunites at Pipe, where points count one and a half times.

How’s the Monster team looking in the title race? Yago’s in yellow, 2,765 points clear of Leo Fioravanti. Gabe’s fifth, Ethan’s eighth. With 15,000 points on offer at Pipe, no lead is safe and nobody in the hunt is out of it.