Avalon Gall and Tommy Coleman Win 2026 Lexus US Open of Surfing Presented by Pacifico Longboard

Today, Southern California’s own Avalon Gall (USA) and Tommy Coleman (USA) emerged victorious at the Lexus US Open of Surfing Presented by Pacifico Longboard, Stop No. 1 of the 2026/2027 World Surf League (WSL) Longboard Tour (LT), ahead of action getting underway in Stop No. 2 of the 2026/2027 Challenger Series (CS) in pumping conditions. Gall added her name to Surf City USA history with back-to-back wins, while Coleman’s insane wildcard run took him all the way to the top of the podium against longboarding’s finest in a maiden LT debut. Then, Sierra Kerr (AUS) and Southern Californians Eden Walla (USA) and Bailey Turner (USA) held firm in the women’s Round of 48 Challenger Series debuts to kick off the world’s elite returning to the Championship Tour (CT) qualification hunt.

Event organizers will reconvene at 7:00 a.m. PT for a possible 7:35 a.m. PT start.

A historic moment for Avalon Gall (USA) was realized with back-to-back victories at the Lexus US Open of Surfing. Gall, 23, kept the event title in Southern California in 2025 following Rachael Tilly’s (USA) win in 2024, and continued to show she’s a WSL Longboard Title threat with another flawless run in Huntington Beach. The Laguna Beach, Calif., competitor, Gall, finished the 2025 season ranked No. 2 after narrowly losing out to three-time WSL Longboard Champion Tilly, and now starts the year where she began in 2025.

“I really can’t believe it. It was such a fun day, and so many good waves. I’m just really happy,” said Gall. “I really want to shout out my mom and my dad for everything this week, all my friends, and my family. Everybody contributes so much, and I want to say thank you to everybody. I have no idea how to celebrate this one. I’m just going to take it all in and celebrate with my friends and family and just enjoy it all. If a World Title happens, it’d be nice, but just trying to have fun. I love surfing, and that’s why I do it.”

After a clash of US Open of Surfing victors in the Semifinals between Avalon Gall (USA) and two-time event victor Kelis Kaleopa’a (HAW) sent Gall into consecutive Finals, California’s own had to match up with event breakthrough Hiroka Yoshikawa (JPN). The Japanese contender, Yoshikawa, held a slim lead heading into the 20-minute mark before Gall found her opportunity to strike with her signature style on a tricky Huntington wave and posted a 6.00 (out of a possible 10). Then, a priority mistake from Yoshikawa set up Gall with a Huntington gem to lock in a proper noseride, before finding a section to showcase her rail work and post the heat’s best, a 7.83, and all but solidify her back-to-back victory.

Wildcard Magic From Coleman Completes Southern California Sweep

From a relative unknown to the forefront of the WSL Longboard Tour scene, Tommy Coleman (USA) rattled the world’s best all the way to the top of the podium in his first-ever LT event. Coleman, 22, completed the Southern California sweep following Gall’s victory, as the San Clemente, Calif., event wildcard showed his style and poise from start to finish. One of North America region’s emerging talents, Coleman has competed at the Longboard Regional Qualifying Series (LQS) level since 2022, and showed the world his potential on his own hand-shaped board that he constructed just days before the event started.

“It’s pretty cool, I don’t really know what to say, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to surf as a wildcard. I’ve been watching all these guys surf my whole life,” said Coleman. “I was here when I was 13 or 14 watching Justin Quintal hang-ten through the pier, so it’s pretty surreal. I’m just excited to keep on surfing. It was actually a pretty classic week. I had Saxon Wilson staying at my house with Eli Richards, helping coach me. We were up every night watching clips. [Saxon’s] just an insane East Coast surfer, so he’s looking at every session with Eli on the camera. It was incredible. Thanks to the boys, thanks to Katin, I’m just so stoked.”

A stout start to the men’s Final witnessed wildcard wonder Tommy Coleman (USA) and perennial Longboard Tour threat Declan Wyton (AUS), with a 5.67 from Coleman having a slight edge over Wyton’s start. But, Wyton kept his composure in the pumping swell and found a gem to showcase his quick footwork and ability to match Huntington Beach’s sections to post a 6.00 and take the lead. Coleman had an opportunity to catch Wyton, but couldn’t bring the final section down and narrowly missed jumping ahead. However, the Californian, Coleman, found the opportunity to showcase more of his style and flow to post a 6.50 and overtake the lead heading into the 10-minute mark. Then, he wasted no time finding a backup, locking into another Huntington runner and hammering it shut to take a commanding lead, earning a 7.50 and 14.00 (out of a possible 20) heat total.

Wyton needed an 8.00 heading into the dying minutes and the ocean didn’t deliver the opportunity, crowning Coleman the 2026 event victor.

Coleman had to overcome a world-class field throughout the event, beginning with former World No. 3 John Michael Van Hohenstein (HAW) in the Elimination Round and reigning WSL Longboard Title runner-up Edouard Delpero (FRA) in the Round of 16, before today’s defeat of 2023 event winner Kaniela Stewart (HAW) in the Quarterfinals and event breakout Jomarie Ebueza (PHL) in an exciting Semifinal clash.

Declan Wyton and Hiroka Yoshikawa Earn Pivotal Points In Longboard Title Race

Insatiable runs from Declan Wyton (AUS) and Hiroka Yoshikawa (JPN) took them to major Final appearances to start their 2026/2027 Longboard Title campaigns. Yoshikawa’s buzzer-beater in her Quarterfinal defeat of three-time WSL Longboard Title runner-up Chloe Calmon (BRA) to finish Day Three action set her up for a big Semifinal against Sophia Culhane (HAW), where she posted another beautiful performance to overtake the perennial Longboard Title threat and enter her second-career LT Final. Now, the Japanese breakthrough talent looks for more success at Bells Beach after her debut Final showing last season.

“This stage is my dream, I’m so happy to be here. Thank you to all my sponsors, my family, and my friends,” said Yoshikawa. “I feel amazing. I was just trying to find the good waves and show my surfing, my style, and I’m just happy.”

Wyton reestablished himself as a WSL Longboard Title threat right away to start the 2026 season after blistering through Finals Day in excellent fashion, earning his second-ever LT Final appearance. Wyton’s commitment to heavy Huntington selections and a showcase of style on the nose, as well as classic footwork, earned him an excellent 8.00 over event standout Jack Van Wagoner (USA) in their Semifinal clash following Wyton’s win over Japan’s LT threat Taka Inoue (JPN) in the Quarterfinals.

“I’m stoked with this result. If you told me before I got here that I’d make the Final I would’ve been over the moon,” said Wyton. “Obviously, you make it then you lose, it’s bittersweet, but so much respect to Tommy [Coleman] and how he surfs. His style and flow is something I’m extremely jealous of. I was surfing with him all week in Malibu and he was a standout there too, so all respect to him. I think I had to swap about four shifts with the fire department back home to come here, so thank you to everyone back home, and straight back into it and back into work.”

The Longboard Tour 2026/2027 season resumes at the Bioglan Bells Beach Longboard Classic, beginning December 2 - 6.

2023 World Junior Champion Sierra Kerr (AUS) splits time between Australia and Southern California, and showed her comfort level in Huntington Beach's pulsing conditions, posting a 13.43 heat total to lead the women's Challenger Series charge toward the Round of 32. Plus, big debut heat wins for reigning World Junior Champion Isla Huppatz (AUS), San Clemente's Eden Walla (USA), proven CT qualification threat Sarah Baum (RSA), Tahiti's Aelan Vaast (PYF), and more, as they prepare for top-seeded contenders in the Round of 32.

"There's a lot of rip to be honest. The heat before me I was just thinking, I'm glad I'm not in that heat," said Kerr. "It was just a rip going straight through the lineup. You just have to try and avoid them as much as possible, and you can see the waves coming pretty clearly, but being where it's not super bumpy is the goal. I've just been getting some surfs in before the event. There's swell, so we're just trying to get a couple of waves, and we're cruising in the RV as a family, which is cool. Surfing in front of a crowd of people like this is always really cool, they clap for you every time you ride out of something, which is super cool."

1 - Tommy Coleman (USA) 14.00

2 - Declan Wyton (AUS) 11.33

1 - Avalon Gall (USA) 13.83

2 - Hiroka Yoshikawa (JPN) 11.50

HEAT 1: Declan Wyton (AUS) 15.00 DEF. Jack Van Wagoner (USA) 14.30

HEAT 2: Tommy Coleman (USA) 10.60 DEF. Jomarie Ebueza (PHL) 7.26

HEAT 1: Avalon Gall (USA) 11.37 DEF. Kelis Kaleopaa (HAW) 11.17

HEAT 2: Hiroka Yoshikawa (JPN) 14.03 DEF. Sophia Culhane (HAW) 11.26

HEAT 1: Jack Van Wagoner (USA) 12.50 DEF. Chase Lieder (USA) 11.63

HEAT 2: Declan Wyton (AUS) 12.17 DEF. Taka Inoue (JPN) 10.83

HEAT 3: Tommy Coleman (USA) 14.33 DEF. Kaniela Stewart (HAW) 11.04

HEAT 4: Jomarie Ebueza (PHL) 13.40 DEF. Kevin Skvarna (USA) 10.33

HEAT 1: Kiara Goold (PYF) 12.43 DEF. Laura Raupp (BRA) 11.96, Sky Brown (GBR) 10.50, Taina Hinckel (BRA) 8.10

HEAT 2: Sierra Kerr (AUS) 13.43 DEF. Ella McCaffray (USA) 12.50, Leilani McGonagle (CRC) 12.13, Alys Barton (GBR) 6.00

HEAT 3: Aelan Vaast (PYF) 12.40 DEF. Sanoa Dempfle-Olin (CAN) 9.77, Lucy Darragh (AUS) 9.34, Minami Nonaka (JPN) 8.36

HEAT 4: Eden Walla (USA) 11.10 DEF. Tessa Thyssen (FRA) 9.40, Charli Hately (AUS) 8.57, Moana Jones Wong (HAW) 3.33

HEAT 5: Kana Nakashio (JPN) 11.13 DEF. Ziggy Aloha Mackenzie (AUS) 10.90, Anon Matsuoka (JPN) 10.77, Sol Aguirre (PER) 4.93

HEAT 6: Sarah Baum (RSA) 10.03 DEF. Maria Salgado (POR) 7.43, Eweleiula Wong (HAW) 7.30, Louise Lepront (RSA) 6.24

HEAT 7: Isla Huppatz (AUS) 10.70 DEF. Bailey Turner (USA) 9.57, Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK) 8.57, India Robinson (AUS) 7.34

HEAT 8: Jessie Van Niekerk (RSA) 12.34 DEF. Daniella Rosas (PER) 12.27, Ariane Ochoa (EUK) 10.46, Amuro Tsuzuki (JPN) 9.57

HEAT 1: Isabella Nichols (AUS) vs. Kirra Pinkerton (USA) vs. Kiara Goold (PYF) vs. Ella McCaffray (USA)

HEAT 2: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) vs. Alyssa Spencer (USA) vs. Sierra Kerr (AUS) vs. Laura Raupp (BRA)

HEAT 3: Brisa Hennessy (CRC) vs. Anat Lelior (ISR) vs. Aelan Vaast (PYF) vs. Tessa Thyssen (FRA)

HEAT 4: Bella Kenworthy (USA) vs. Johanne Defay (FRA) vs. Eden Walla (USA) vs. Sanoa Dempfle-Olin (CAN)

HEAT 5: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) vs. Sophie McCulloch (AUS) vs. Kana Nakashio (JPN) vs. Maria Salgado (POR)

HEAT 6: Vahine Fierro (FRA) vs. Teresa Bonvalot (POR) vs. Sarah Baum (RSA) vs. Ziggy Aloha Mackenzie (AUS)

HEAT 7: Francisca Veselko (POR) vs. Nadia Erostarbe (ESP) vs. Isla Huppatz (AUS) vs. Daniella Rosas (PER)

HEAT 8: Erin Brooks (CAN) vs. Ellie Harrison (AUS) vs. Jessie Van Niekerk (RSA) vs. Bailey Turner (USA)

The World Surf League (WSL) is the global home of competitive surfing, crowning World Champions since 1976 and showcasing the world’s best surfing. The WSL oversees surfing’s global competitive landscape and sets the standard for elite performance in the most dynamic playing field in all of sports. With a firm commitment to its values, the WSL prioritizes the protection of the ocean, equality, and the sport’s rich heritage, while championing progression and innovation.

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

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