The Inertia for Good Editor
Staff

Photo: Rip Curl


The Inertia

Twenty-four surfers got the call on Saturday: “Get to Bali by Tuesday.” That’s just a formality for some, of course, who have already been scoring somewhere along the Bukit Peninsula, as the Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang has been put on high alert to run on Tuesday, August 11. It will be the 23rd edition of Indonesia’s longest-running international contest if organizers give the green light on Tuesday morning. Swellnet is forecasting “flawless 6-8-foot barrels,” while expecting the tide to drain throughout the day.

This year’s invitation-only list of competitors includes a couple of names from an older generation of Championship Tour talent — Taj Burrow and Bruce Irons — alongside some freesurfing heavy hitters like Mason Ho, Tosh Tudor, and Craig Anderson. Last year’s champions will also be surfing: Indonesians Westen Hirst and Jasmine Studer.

The event will follow a leaderboard format. Each surfer will compete in two non-elimination, four-person heats. The top two scores from either 30-minute period will make up the surfers’ overall total, with the top four moving into a four-person final to determine the event champion.

2026 RIP CURL CUP PADANG PADANG INVITEES

MEN – INTERNATIONAL
Taj Burrow (AUS)
James Kusitino (FJI)
Tosh Tudor (USA)
Craig Anderson (AUS)
Bruce Irons (HAW)
Mason Ho (HAW)
Lukas Skinner (GBR)
Ocean Lancaster (AUS)

MEN – INDONESIA
Westen Hirst
Ketut Agus
I Made Pajar Ariyana
Tommy Sobry
Dylan Wilcoxen
Made Adi Putra
Rajo Saputra
⁠Varun Tandjung

WOMEN – INTERNATIONAL
Ruby Berry (AUS)
Vaihitimahana Iso (HAW)
Sky Brown (GBR)
Lucy Darragh (AUS)

WOMEN – INDONESIA
Jasmine Studer
Kya Heuer
Taina Izquierdo (2026 Trials Winner)
Paris Nalendra (2026 Trials Runner-up)

 
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