Australians Advance as São Sebastião Pro Makes Historic Brazil Debut
Australians advanced as the São Sebastião Pro made its historic Challenger Series debut in São Paulo, with strong scores from Jett Schilling and Lucas Vicente.
The Banco do Brasil São Sebastião Pro opened at Praia de Maresias on September 26, bringing the World Surf League’s Challenger Series to São Paulo state for the first time. Australians advanced across the men’s and women’s draws, while American Jett Schilling and Brazilian Lucas Vicente set the day’s performance benchmarks in small, shifting surf.
- The event is the first Challenger Series contest held in São Paulo state and the season’s third stop.
- Australians Ben Lorentson, Jarvis Earle, Sierra Kerr, Charli Hately and Lucy Darragh advanced from their opening heats.
- Jett Schilling posted the highest men’s heat total, while Lucas Vicente earned the best single-wave score.
- Home surfer Ryan Kainalo won his heat, and Sophia Medina was the only Brazilian woman to progress.
Historic opening at Maresias
Eight men’s Round of 80 heats and
Eight men’s Round of 80 heats and eight women’s Round of 48 heats were completed in surf generally measuring two to three feet, with occasional larger sets. The contest runs through October 3 and is a key stage in the qualification race for the 2027 Championship Tour: the top 10 men and top six women in the season rankings earn places.
The first day combined competition with beachside
The first day combined competition with beachside activities, including free wellness sessions, a formation-flying display and live music. The event’s arrival in São Sebastião brought an international field to a region with a long surfing history and a strong local following.
Australians make early progress
Australian surfers recorded several opening-round advances. Ben Lorentson edged a close men’s heat with 10.80 points, while Jarvis Earle won his matchup with a 12.67 total. In the women’s draw, Challenger Series rankings leader Sierra Kerr advanced with a 10.94, and Charli Hately and Lucy Darragh also progressed.
Kerr’s result kept her campaign for a place on the 2027 Championship Tour moving after she entered the event as the women’s rankings leader. The opening heats also featured Australian Isla Huppatz and Ziggy Aloha Mackenzie, who did not advance from their respective matchups.
Schilling and Vicente deliver standout scores
Jett Schilling led the men’s field with a two-wave total of 13.23, combining a 7.50 and a 5.73 to win his heat. He said advice from Brazilian surfer Douglas Silva helped him adjust his positioning as the conditions evolved.
Brazilian Lucas Vicente produced the day’s highest individual wave score, a 7.67, with a sequence of backside turns on a right-hand wave. His 12.84 heat total secured the win and drew a loud response from the packed beach.
Brazilian hopes remain alive
Ryan Kainalo, who began the event ranked fifth in the Challenger Series, won his men’s heat with 11.34 points. The local competitor said his familiarity with Maresias helped him read the waves and find scoring opportunities. Sophia Medina won her women’s heat with an 11.47 total, becoming the only Brazilian woman to advance on opening day.
Both surfers had the support of a home crowd as the event began its first week in São Paulo state. The Challenger Series continues at Maresias through October 3, with valuable ranking points available toward the season-ending qualification race.