Photo: Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang
The 2026 Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang is back on high alert for Thursday, August 20. The (potential) call comes a little more than a week after the contest was put on high alert but wasn’t run thanks to just a short window where conditions met the standards for an all-day barrel-hunting contest. Organizers say the event needs about six hours to run from start to finish, but for about three hours on Tuesday, August 11, Padang Padang was in prime form. Nonetheless, forecasters started eyeing August 20 as soon as the original call didn’t pan out.
“Thursday is shaping up to deliver a proper Padang Padang day, with a solid S/SW swell and favorable wind, swell direction, and tide conditions all lining up,” said Swellnet forecaster Ben Matson. “The swell is looking strong, the forecast is coming together nicely, and we’re expecting a pumping day at Padang Padang. Everything is pointing towards Thursday being a great opportunity to run the event.”
Competitors were reportedly first told to get to Bali on short notice on August 8 only to get skunked once the contest was put on hold the morning of August 11. A press release from event organizers says the entire field is still set to appear Thursday, with some competitors extending their stay through this past week and waiting it out for the new swell. Others went home and headed back to Bali for round two. This time, though, there’s more certainty behind the forecast and its potential to earn a green light for the Rip Curl Cup.
“I think we’re on for sure. The swell is looking super west and like a proper Padang Padang day,” said Westen Hirst. “We had a super fun warm-up session last Tuesday, and it was epic to share the lineup with all the invitees. I’m feeling excited and ready to go.”
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)
