North Shore surfing trifecta returns with a bigger Pipeline prize

Oʻahu’s North Shore QS and longboard events return in 2026–27, culminating in a newly elevated QS 6,000 at Pipeline.

North Shore surfing trifecta returns with a bigger Pipeline prize

Oʻahu’s North Shore will host a three-event stretch for World Surf League regional qualifiers this winter, bringing Sunset Beach, Haleʻiwa and Pipeline back to the schedule. The series opens October 26, 2026, and concludes in early February, offering surfers opportunities to build rankings and pursue places on higher-level tours.

The North Shore run combines two Qualifying

The North Shore run combines two Qualifying Series events, a Longboard Qualifying Series stop and a newly elevated Pipeline contest. Here are the main details:

  • HTA Sunset Pro: October 26–November 2.
  • HTA Haleʻiwa Pro and Longboard Pro: November 5–14.
  • Billabong Pipe Pro: January 29–February 7, upgraded to a regional QS 6,000.
  • Haleʻiwa’s 2026 event is set to receive a live broadcast on WorldSurfLeague.com and the WSL app.

Sunset opens the season’s final stretch

The HTA Sunset Pro begins the North

The HTA Sunset Pro begins the North Shore leg at Sunset Beach, where the men’s QS season resumes after a break in competition and the women’s 2026/2027 QS season reaches its fourth stop. Sunset’s powerful surf and demanding point break have long tested competitors seeking to advance toward the Challenger Series.

The lineup has hosted prominent winners across generations. Tahitian surfer Kiara Goold claimed the women’s event in 2025, while Sunset’s history also includes celebrated Hawaiʻi surfers such as Sunny Garcia.

Haleʻiwa hosts QS and longboard fields

From November 5–14, Aliʻi Beach Park in Haleʻiwa will stage the HTA Haleʻiwa Pro Presented by Hurley alongside the event’s longboard competition. QS surfers will continue their pursuit of advancement to the Challenger Series, a pathway toward the Championship Tour. For longboarders, the competition opens their campaign to qualify for the 2027 WSL Longboard Tour.

Organizers say the 2026 Haleʻiwa event will be shown live online and through the free WSL app. Hurley joins as presenting partner, supporting a contest that brings regional prospects and established competitors together.

Pipeline raises the stakes

The final event, the Billabong Pipe Pro Presented by HTA, is scheduled for January 29–February 7 and has been elevated to a regional QS 6,000. The higher-level event gives surfers lower in the rankings a significant opportunity to gain points and affect the final standings of the 2026/2027 QS season.

Pipeline also draws world-class wildcards to one of surfing’s most recognizable and challenging breaks. The contest will close the North Shore sequence, with results potentially shaping which regional surfers move closer to the next stage of competition.