Reigning WSL World Junior Champions Isla Huppatz and Dane Henry Win 2026 Gold Coast Open

Isla Huppatz (AUS) and Dane Henry (AUS) have won the 2026 Gold Coast Open, a World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 4000 event. The recently crowned WSL World Junior Champions, Huppatz and Henry, both continued existing hot streaks with today’s victories. Competing at home on the Gold Coast, the pair earned their wins in fun two-to-three foot walls on the iconic right point break of Burleigh Heads.

As the penultimate event in the QS season for the two regions who co-sanction the event, Asia and Australia/Oceania, important rankings points for the 2026/2027 Challenger Series (CS) season were also assigned. Although Huppatz and Henry are already qualified for the CS thanks to their World Junior wins, the rankings shifts around them were significant for many in the draw this week.

Isla Huppatz (AUS) claimed her second major victory of 2026 to remain undefeated in competition so far this year. Having won the WSL World Junior Title in late January in the Philippines, the 18-year-old has carried that momentum straight into her second Gold Coast Open title after taking out her inaugural QS victory in the event in 2023. With today’s win, Huppatz strengthened her position at No. 2 on the Australia/Oceania QS rankings ahead of the final event of the season at Phillip Island, which begins next week. Having already claimed the regional junior title for the season, Huppatz now has the potential to claim the rare double regional titles across the QS and Junior Tour. Born and raised in Victoria, Huppatz now calls Burleigh Heads home and represents the local boardriders club on the world stage.

"I'm pretty happy to win," Huppatz said. "Obviously, I'm a part of Burleigh Boardriders and they're such a crazy good...they've been such an amazing club to us. I'm super glad to represent them and get the win here for them at home. [I’ll celebrate with a] cruisy arvo at home with the dogs and the fam."

The next major battle in an ongoing rivalry between two close friends played out when Huppatz and Milla Coco Brown (AUS) fought for the win. Competing in her first-ever QS Final, Brown took control of the first half of the 30-minute heat, posting a 6.00 (out of a possible 10), which was soon followed by a 7.00, for her sharp forehand attack. Huppatz was more patient, but had two false starts before nailing a powerful two-turn combo for a 7.50. Adding a 5.85 with 13 minutes remaining, Huppatz moved into a lead of just 0.35 over Brown, a position that held until the buzzer sounded. A more distant third and fourth went to Ruby Berry (AUS) and Minami Nonaka (JPN), respectively, continuing a strong run of results for both surfers.

The unstoppable trajectory of Dane Henry (AUS) notched another high point today with the 19-year-old’s second and most-significant QS victory. Following two major ISA wins, Henry topped his first QS podium at Newcastle last November, before storming the Junior Tour rankings to claim the regional title. His subsequent World Junior win ticked off a major milestone, setting him on course to compete on the 2026/2027 CS. Though the ultimate end goal of competing for the World Title on the Championship Tour (CT) will happen at the earliest in 2027, Henry recently learned he was already confirmed to feature as a wildcard in his first CT event when the season kicks off at Bells Beach in April. Already carrying confidence in his performances, today’s win only furthered Henry’s momentum as he prepares to step onto the sport’s biggest stage.

“It’s so good, I’ve got all my friends, my closest circle, everyone here,” Henry said. “Thank you to everyone that's watching and following along. All the support means the world to me. I'm really happy to have all my family down here and to win the comp in front of my grandparents. It was a really special one at Burleigh. It holds a really special part in my heart.”

Similar to the women’s Final, the battle for the men’s win played out largely between first and second place, with the two most-recent WSL World Junior Champions, Henry and Bronson Meydi (INA), going blow-for-blow. Carrying serious momentum into the Final, the duo put on an air show that left the remaining two Finalists, Jackson Baker (AUS) and Shohei Kato (JPN), chasing large scores. Henry and Meydi had both opened the day with dramatic last-second Quarterfinal wins that delivered two of the event’s highest scores – a 9.70 for Henry and a 9.50 for Meydi – preluding the showdown that was to come. It was a signature backflip from Henry that secured the win. By far the most consistent surfer to perform the extremely rare maneuver in competition, Henry earned a 9.65 to set himself strongly in the lead. Improving his backup to a 7.75 on his final wave, Henry closed the event with its highest heat total of 17.40 (out of a possible 20).

"I think a lot of people don't believe me when I say I do backflips and they think it's all AI on Instagram, but to get one in front of everyone at my home was really special," Henry said. "Duffy [Adam Dufner], my coach, actually just said, don't play into Bronson [Meydi]'s game and do a flip. The section was just too good, so I did one and then we're all kind of laughing about it. Right till the very end, I was definitely not safe. If he got that last one at the end, I guarantee I wouldn't be the one standing up here. Bronson pushes me to my absolute best and I'm really keen to have a lot more battles with that guy."

Meydi’s second place finish saw the 21-year-old claim the Asia QS rankings lead from Kei Kobayashi (JPN), who has held it across the majority of the season. With the one remaining event in the season, the Phillip Island Pro QS 4000, set to begin in the coming days, the road to Challenger Series qualification is reaching its decisive moment.

The 2026 Gold Coast Open ran at Burleigh Heads from February 18 - 22, 2026. For more information and results, head to www.WorldSurfLeague.com or download the free WSL app.

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