The hunt for a spot on the 2026 World Tour continued this week in Brazil. The Saquarema Pro, held in Rio de Janeiro, marks the fifth stop on the Challenger Series circuit. This event is vital for surfers looking to join the elite next season. While some Portuguese hopes dimmed, one surfer shone brightly. Yolanda Hopkins secured her spot in the Round of 16, taking a big step toward making history.
Monday was a day of mixed fortunes for Portugal’s surfing talent. Francisca Veselko and Teresa Bonvalot both saw their campaigns end in the second round. Veselko finished third in heat 3 with a score of 11.77 points. She trailed Japan’s Mirai Ikeda and Spain’s Janira Gonzalez Etxabarri. Bonvalot also placed third in heat 6, scoring 9.66 points. Brazil’s Taina Hinckel and Peru’s Arena Rodriguez outpaced her.
After these eliminations, all eyes were on Yolanda Hopkins. She delivered a strong performance, ensuring Portuguese representation continued. The 27-year-old surfer from Algarve earned 10.87 points in her heat. Australia’s Ellie Harrison won the heat with 12 points. Hopkins’ score was enough for second place, securing her passage to the next stage. She left Peru’s Sol Aguirre and South Africa’s Sarah Baum behind.
Hopkins now faces a familiar challenge in the Round of 16. She will compete against American Alyssa Spencer in heat 7. Spencer is a former top-ranked surfer. She currently sits tenth in the Challenger Series standings. Interestingly, Hopkins defeated Spencer in the quarterfinals of the previous Challenger Series event. That contest took place in Ericeira earlier this month.
Yolanda Hopkins arrived in Brazil holding the second spot in the ranking. Her advancement to the Round of 16 adds crucial points to her total. She is aiming to become the first Portuguese woman ever to qualify for the World Tour. Hopkins now has 26695 points. This puts her more than 10,000 points clear of the qualification cut-off. Only the top seven surfers earn a spot on the 2026 World Tour.
The current ranking leader, 14-year-old French talent Tya Zebrowski, has already secured her qualification mathematically. For Hopkins, reaching the quarterfinals of this event could seal her World Tour ticket early. This would be a significant milestone for her and for Portuguese surfing.
The journey continues for the other Portuguese surfers as well. Francisca Veselko remains fourth in the ranking, where she started in Brazil. Teresa Bonvalot, who began in eighth place, has virtually dropped to eleventh. Both are still fighting hard for qualification. The final two stages of the series will be critical for their hopes. These events are set for Pipeline in Hawaii and Newcastle in Australia. Meanwhile, for Yolanda Hopkins, it appears to be only a matter of time until her World Tour qualification is officially confirmed.