Electric atmosphere as WSL crowds pack Raglan shoreline for surf comp
Sunday, 17 May 2026
From die-hard Brazil supporters and WSL followers to youngsters chasing autographs, people turned out in droves to see their idols tackle Manu Bay’s waves.
There were clear skies and sun on Sunday as the World Surf League Corona Cero NZ Pro continued at Raglan, with the venue hitting its 6500 capacity limit at 1pm. Among the spectators was the Minister for Sport and Recreation Mark Mitchell - a former surfer himself.
As for who was carving up, the general consensus was that Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina was primed to take the cake on the men’s side.
In the morning, queues were flowing as punters crowded on to the buses in a bid to score a prime spot or a morning coffee from Raglan Roast, whose line stretched the waterfront. At the rocky shoreline punters were risking wet feet to get as close to the waves as possible.
Daphne Fariai was ecstatic that Brazil was in the lead and had just come from the Ferreira autograph signing. Originally from Northwest Brazil, like Ferreira, she was a major fan - although she didn’t surf herself.
“I grew up by the seaside, so surfing was everywhere … to see all of these athletes gathering so close to my new home in Auckland is just great. We get to see all the Brazilian athletes and the community coming together at the same time.
“I love to see all of the New Zealand kids getting super excited about the Brazilian athletes.”
She and her partner were camping in Raglan and had got there at 7.30 to secure a prime spot. She said “everything had been perfect” in terms of the event set up. She reckoned that the competition would come down to Gabriel Medina and Filipe Toledo.
For longtime surfer Raul Chapa, the announcement that WSL was coming to New Zealand was a “great coincidence”.
“I’ve been following the competition for probably 35 years, so I know the whole situation and just the history and knowledge of the coaches is amazing.”
He’d seen the competition before in his native Mexico and now, 10 months after moving to New Plymouth, he was stoked to be able to watch it in person again. His favourite surfer was Marco Mignot.
“I live in a region full of surf points, so I go out every time there are waves,” he said. “This left-hand break is my side and I’m a goofy, so it’s pretty cool.”
He reckoned a winning run was a combination of “speed, power and flow”, but mostly he loved the sport because it was so dependent on nature. Like many, he had noted that the waves weren’t big on Sunday.
“Smaller waves probably make it less challenging and entertaining, but for the competitors, it’s probably harder. Not only is it smaller, it’s very slow, so if you don’t choose the right wave, it can be a big mistake.”
He was staying for the duration of the competition at an Airbnb in town.
“I think the town has handled it well with the buses and everything. It’s been a good experience.
“There is always a change and transformation of small towns after the tour. I’ve seen it before in Mexico, but it’s a positive change in terms of international interest in real estate and visiting.”
Kids were zipping around the site hunting for the closest spot to the competitor stage for the critical part of their day: autographs.
Among the crowds was the Falconer and Vink family, who were riding the high of having scored a signature from Ítalo Ferreira, who had just won his heat against Seth Moniz.
Skyla Vink, 10, had made a special autograph book with her mum filled with the competitors’ bios. She already had seven signatures and was on the hunt for more on Sunday.
Georgia Falconer said it was “super cool” that she got to meet all her surf heroes. The group were all Raglan locals and surfing enthusiasts. They got out on the water as much as possible, which translated to “whenever Dad says the surfing is good”.
Mackenzie Falconer, 5, said she loves surfing because she just “likes being in the sea” and it’s fun doing it with her friends. Their favourite surfers in the competition were Erin Brooks and Billy Stairmand.
Minister Mark Mitchell rocked into the bay in the early afternoon, eager to kick back and watch some of the women’s heats.
“I grew up surfing and I’ve still got surfboards and go out occasionally. I’m more of a spear fisherman now, but yeah, I’ve been a Kiwi type and we’re a coastal nation.
“Anyone that looks at the event can see how good it is locally and how good the exposure is for us globally. We’ve got people coming here who could be staying for up to four weeks.
“The global coverage is getting over 20 million views and it’s all 100% New Zealand, promoting us as a beautiful destination.”
He said the event was a “fantastic investment” and would love to see it return to New Zealand.