BALINEWS.ID — Australia’s Lucy Darragh and Lakey Peak local Rajo “Barrel” Saputra have been crowned champions of the 2026 Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang after delivering standout performances in a spectacular day of barrel riding at Bali’s iconic surf break.
The 23rd edition of the prestigious invitational competition came alive on August 20, after an earlier potential contest day on August 11 failed to produce the size and consistency required for the Main Event. When the swell finally arrived, 24 invited surfers gathered on Bali’s Bukit Peninsula for a full day of powerful waves and spectacular tube riding.
Perfect barrels provided the backdrop for an elite international field featuring renowned tube riders from around the world alongside Indonesia’s finest local surfers. The competition used a Leaderboard format, with each surfer completing two non-elimination heats before the top four advanced to a winner-takes-all Final.
In the men’s division, Saputra immediately showed his potential by recording scores of 8.17 and 8.57 in the opening round. He then raised the bar in Round 2, where he and Dylan Wilcoxen each secured perfect 10-point rides, while first alternate Makana Pang produced two impressive nine-point scores.
Pang entered the Men’s Final at the top of the leaderboard, joined by Saputra, defending champion Westen Hirst and Tosh Tudor.
The Final turned into an explosive display of surfing, with every finalist posting a nine-point ride as Padang Padang continued to produce flawless barrels. Saputra, however, found another level, earning his second perfect 10 of the competition and backing it up with a near-perfect 9.73 for a combined 19.73.
The score was enough to defeat childhood friend and defending champion Hirst and secure Saputra the Rip Curl Cup title.
“I can’t even talk right now, I’m so happy,” Saputra said after emerging from the lineup.
“I had a dream last night that I was going to win the comp. It’s crazy. My dad got second in this contest in 2006, so I’m so stoked to win it this year and bring it back home for him.”
In the women’s division, Darragh delivered a dominant performance from the opening horn. She started her campaign with an 8.13 and a near-perfect 9.93, immediately establishing herself as one of the surfers to beat.
Australian Ruby Berry produced one of the event’s standout moments by earning the only perfect 10-point ride in the women’s competition. She pulled into a long, hollow barrel from the mid-section of the wave and rode it through to the end.
Darragh advanced to the Women’s Final at the top of the leaderboard alongside defending champion Jasmine Studer, Berry and Hawaii’s Vaihitimahana Inso.
Berry started the Final strongly, winning an early exchange against Darragh with an 8.17 compared with Darragh’s 7.50. However, Berry was unable to find a strong backup score, allowing Darragh to close out the competition with a perfectly positioned 9.00-point ride.
The performance secured Darragh the women’s championship.
“This is such a sick comp. I’ve been watching it for years, since I was a grom. I just can’t believe I’ve won it,” Darragh said.
“There’s honestly no better feeling than just standing in a massive Padang tube. I’m so stoked.”
The victories by Saputra and Darragh capped an unforgettable 23rd edition of the Rip Curl Cup, Indonesia’s longest-running and one of its most prestigious surfing competitions.
“What an incredible day. We were so blessed and the conditions couldn’t have been more perfect,” said Harry Mann, Rip Curl Indonesia Marketing Manager and Event Director.
“This event has such a rich history and the best energy, and today was no different. We saw some insane performances from Rajo and Lucy, and it was truly one for the ages. Big thanks to Official Event Forecaster Swellnet for nailing the call and helping us score an unforgettable day at Padang Padang.”
The 2026 Rip Curl Cup was supported by Radisson Blu Resort & Villas Bali Uluwatu, Island Brewing, Dragon, Yukk Payment Gateway, BGS, Indo Amazon Açaí, YUMMY Dairy and Biznet.
The official event party is scheduled for Thursday, August 27, 2026, and will be presented by Ulu Cliffhouse.
Celebrating “23 Years of Tubes,” the Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang remains one of Indonesia’s longest-running and most prestigious invitational surfing competitions. The 2026 edition featured 24 invited surfers, consisting of 12 of Indonesia’s top talents and 12 elite international competitors.
The event’s unique one-day, one-swell format is designed to capture Padang Padang at its best during the August 1–31 waiting period, when Bali enters the peak of its prime surf season.
When contest directors determine that the Indian Ocean has produced the ideal swell, competitors have 48 hours to reach Bali’s Bukit Peninsula for the Main Event.
The 2026 Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang was also webcast live, allowing surfing fans around the world to follow the action from Bali. (*)
