The South African waves are roaring, and for Portugal, one name echoes loudest: Yolanda Hopkins. She’s the last surfer from her nation standing at the Ballito Pro. This event is the second stop on the 2025 Challenger Series. Yolanda carries a big dream. She hopes to repeat what Francisca Veselko did. Francisca won the first Challenger Series event in Newcastle, Australia. These series are the path to the 2026 women’s World Tour.
Yolanda has a tough test ahead in the semi-finals. She will face Brazil’s Laura Raupp. This matchup feels personal. Raupp was the one who knocked out Francisca “Kika” Veselko earlier. If Yolanda wins, she moves on to the final. There, she’ll meet the winner of the duel between Australia’s Sally Fitzgibbons and Nadia Erostarbe from the Basque Country.
While Yolanda surges forward, others fought hard. Teresa Bonvalot was the first Portuguese surfer in action. She rode the best wave in her heat. But she still lost to Nadia Erostarbe. Teresa finished in ninth place overall. She earned three points there. These points add to the ones she got for her third-place finish in Australia.
In the quarter-finals, Kika Veselko had a hard time. She fell behind early against Brazil’s Laura Raupp. Kika ended her run in fifth place. This adds to her historic win in the first event. Yolanda, however, won her quarter-final heat. That win already means she’ll do better than her fifth-place finish in Newcastle. If she wins the whole event in South Africa, she could even match Kika Veselko’s high ranking.
This entire drama unfolds within the Challenger Series. It’s the path to the World Surf League (WSL) elite. The series has seven stops in total. One of these will be in Ericeira, Portugal. That event runs from September 29 to October 5. At stake are spots on the 2026 Championship Tour (CT). There are ten spots for men and seven for women. The women’s circuit is growing. It will expand from 16 to 24 surfers. The men’s circuit will keep its 32 spots. All eyes are on Yolanda now. Can she turn this strong run into a historic win? The road to the 2026 World Tour runs right through South Africa. For Portugal, hope rides on every wave.