Kauli Vaast enters the global elite of surfing

Kauli Vaast has made it. He will be part of the 2026 Championship Tour, the circle of the best surfers in the world, which all surfers dream of and is so difficult to achieve. The Tahitian secured his qualification at the last stage of the Challenger Series held in Newcastle. Minutes before the official announcement, the tension was palpable because the stakes were high. “We will see a much happier Kauli coming out of the water!” wrote the WSL on social media.

Consistently ranking high in several competitions, Vaast arrived in Australia with a significant lead. His consistency throughout the season allowed him to build his qualification step by step. The spot in Newcastle is familiar to him. Last year, he had reached the final there. Often so close to the goal without ever reaching it, Kauli Vaast has experienced several disappointments. But two years after his Olympic victory, the Tahitian finally reaches the top step.

A new dimension for his career

This qualification now opens the doors to the World Surf League Championship Tour, the circuit that brings together the best surfers in the world on the most iconic waves of the planet.

For Kauli Vaast, the goal now changes scale: to regularly compete against the world elite and establish himself among the best. From Olympic champion to world champion, there is only one step left.

Vaast follows in the footsteps of Michel Bourez, on the Tour from 2009 to 2021. He joins the two Tahitian women, Vahine Fierro, and the youngest surfer ever to qualify for the tour, Tya Zebrowski.