Lucy Darragh and Rajo Saputra win 2026 Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang

A pair of 16-year-olds, Australian Lucy Darragh and Lakey Peak local Rajo ‘Barrel’ Saputra, have taken out the twenty-third Rip Curl Cup in all-time conditions at Padang Padang. 

 

After an initial potential run day on August 11 failed to deliver the size and consistency required for the Main Event, competitors were put back on high alert for August 20 as another strong system built across the Indian Ocean. This time, Padang Padang delivered, with the 24 invitees descending on Bali’s Bukit Peninsula for a full day of incredible tube riding. 

Flawless Padang Padang barrels set the stage for an international field of acclaimed tube riders and Indonesia’s best local talent to battle it out for one of surfing’s most prestigious titles. 

The event followed a Leaderboard format, with every surfer competing in two non-elimination heats. Each surfer’s two highest-scoring rides across the opening rounds counted towards their overall Leaderboard total, with the top four advancing to a winner-takes-all Final. 

The day started strong in Men’s Round 1, with 16-year-old Australian Ocean Lancaster setting the pace and posting the first excellent score of the event. Conditions grew trickier through Heat 2 and opportunities became harder to come by, leaving young guns Varun Tandjung and Tommy Sobry, along with old-school legends Taj Burrow and Bruce Irons, without a real chance to showcase what they’re capable of. 

It wasn’t until Heat 3 that the next flash of excellence arrived. Rajo ‘Barrel’ Saputra posted an 8.17 and 8.57, giving an early indication of what was to come later in the day. 

Padang Padang came alive again for Men’s Round 2, with Tosh Tudor styling his way up the Leaderboard with a 9.50. 

But it was Round 2, Heat 3 that produced one of the best showdowns of the event. Saputra and Dylan Wilcoxen each locked in perfect 10-point rides, while first alternate Makana Pang, who received a last-minute call-up to replace Craig Anderson, bagged a pair of nine-point rides in an incredible display of technical tube-riding.  

As the afternoon rolled on, the vibes were high, Island Brewing beers were flowing in the channel, and the beach was packed with spectators soaking up the action at one of Bali’s most iconic events. 

Heading into the Final, Pang sat atop the Leaderboard with a 19.26 combined total, followed by Saputra on 18.83, defending Event Champion Westen Hirst on 18.20 and Tudor on 17.50. 

The Men’s Final then went absolutely turbo, with the four surfers trading excellent score after excellent score as Padang Padang continued to turn it on. Every surfer in the Final posted a nine-point ride, prompting Mason Ho to exclaim, “I don’t even know how to tell the difference between the nines anymore.” 

But it was Saputra who found another gear, locking in his second perfect 10 of the event and a near-perfect 9.73 for a huge 19.73 combined total. The score saw him overcome childhood friend and defending Champion Westen Hirst, who put up an impressive 9.50 and 9.23 of his own as the sun began to set over a dreamy Padang Padang lineup.  

“I can’t even talk right now, I’m so happy,” said an emotional Saputra straight out of the lineup and into the channel. “I had a dream last night that I was going to win the comp. It’s crazy. My dad got second in this contest in 2006, so I’m so stoked to win it this year and bring it back home for him. I hope he is happy right now at home.” 

On the women’s side of the draw, Lucy Darragh was dominant from the opening horn all the way to the top of the podium. 

Padang Padang once again turned it on for the women, continuing the magic of last year’s Final and this year’s Expression Session, with the girls scoring some of the best waves of the event. 

Both Women’s Round 1 heats produced standout performances. Darragh set the pace immediately, locking in an 8.13 and a near-perfect 9.93 in her opening heat. Defending Champion Jasmine Studer was right behind her with an excellent 9.00 and 8.50, while Hawaii’s Vaihitimahana Inso added an 8.07 and 7.17. 

The second heat kept the momentum rolling, with Australian Ruby Berry earning the only perfect 10 of the women’s event after pulling into a long, hollow drainer from the mid-section all the way through to the end. Kailani Johnson also found one of the best waves of the heat, posting an excellent 8.17. 

Conditions slowed slightly through Round 2, although Studer continued her strong form with another 8.50 ride. At the end of the opening rounds, Darragh topped the Leaderboard with an 18.06 total, followed by Studer on 17.50, Berry on 17.17 and Inso on 15.24, securing the four spots in the Final. 

Berry came out swinging in the Final, getting the better of Darragh in a back-to-back exchange with an 8.17 to Darragh’s 7.50. But with Berry unable to find a back-up score and the rest of the field unable to break into the excellent range, Darragh slammed the door shut with a perfectly read 9.00-point ride to seal the win.  

“This is such a sick comp. I’ve been watching it for years, since I was a grom. I just can’t believe I’ve won it,” said Darragh. “There’s honestly no better feeling than just standing in a massive Padang tube. I’m so stoked.” 

The wins capped off one of the most memorable editions of the Rip Curl Cup to date, now in its 23rd year as Indonesia’s longest-running and most prestigious surfing competition. 

“What an incredible day. We were so blessed and the conditions couldn’t have been more perfect,” said Harry Mann, Rip Curl Indonesia Marketing Manager and Event Director. “This event has such a rich history and the best energy, and today was no different. We saw some insane performances from Rajo and Lucy, and it was truly one for the ages.” 

The 2026 Rip Curl Cup is proudly sponsored by Radisson Blu Resort & Villas Bali Uluwatu, Island Brewing, Dragon, Yukk Payment Gateway, BGS, Indo Amazon Açaí, YUMMY Dairy and Biznet. Big thanks to Official Event Forecaster, Swellnet for nailing the call and helping us score an unforgettable day at Padang Padang.