Action-Packed Overlapping Heats Set Up Finals Day at Lexus Trestles Pro

LOWER TRESTLES, San Clemente, Calif., USA - It was an all-or-nothing marathon day at the Lexus Trestles Pro, Stop No. 9 of the World Surf League (WSL) 2026 Championship Tour (CT), with all-day action powering through remaining men's Round 2, Heats 12 - 16, men's Round 3, and women's Round 2 battles in overlapping fashion. More consistent, four-to-five-foot swell set the stage at Lower Trestles to deliver a high-performance spectacle from the world's best and set up for Finals Day. The hunt for postseason continues with the list of names narrowing, and it all comes down to the Quarterfinals when competition resumes. 

Sawyer Lindblad (USA) lit up her home break of Lower Trestles and surged toward the Quarterfinals and a massive Finals Day opportunity. Credit: WSL / Emma Sharon

The WSL Tours and Competition team has issued a Yellow Alert for tomorrow, Friday, September 18, indicating a potential Finals Day starting at 7:32 a.m. PDT.

Yago Dora Back to World No. 1 Alongside Carissa Moore's Last-Minute Heroics

After an early exit from Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) in Round 2, Yago Dora (BRA) overtook the Yellow Leader Jersey and kept the momentum thriving in his Lexus Trestles Pro title defense. The reigning World Champion, Dora, squared off with Olympic Gold Medalist Kauli Vaast (FRA) in a battle of the goofyfooters, and continued to showcase his progressive tendencies to push past Vaast and back into the Quarterfinals. 

"It's cool to see that I'm in the Title fight again after a World Title year. It's pretty special for me, and it's been a lot of work, but it's all been worth it, and I've been enjoying the journey," said Dora. "It only counts when this event ends to see who's wearing yellow, but it really only matters who is wearing yellow at the first event of next year."

A nail-biting battle unraveled for World No. 1, five-time World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist, Carissa Moore (HAW), in her iconic return to Trestles. Moore's slim lead was overtaken by multi-World Title contender Brisa Hennessy (CRC) heading toward the end of their bout, and, after Moore lost priority with just over one minute remaining, it looked like Hennessy would pull off a major upset. But Moore was able to find an inside gem and unleash her forehand attack multiple times and waited for her score on the cobblestones, earning a 7.23 (out of a possible 10) and taking a crucial heat win to keep the World No. 1 spot.

"I just made peace with the fact that it's okay, that was fun, and I got the yellow jersey for a hot second, and I get to go home with my beautiful family," said Moore. "I actually called my sports psychologist and talking through all these feelings about my last two times I was in the yellow jersey here, and it was super heartbreaking. And in your head, you think you can't surf this wave. So, it was just really nice to just remind myself I can, and I do love this wave. It's given me so many good memories as an amateur, and I even won a CT here, so it's time to make some new good moments." 

More buzzer-beater antics from recent back-to-back CT victor Erin Brooks (CAN) followed over 2023 World Champion Caroline Marks (USA), as Brooks took off on a wave with 22 seconds left and posted a 6.27 to earn a third-straight Finals Day showing. 

Plus, World No. 2, Gabriela Bryan (HAW) made her Lowers returning statement in dominant fashion, posting an excellent 8.50 on her incredible forehand attack to best CT Rookie phenom Zebrowski (FRA) to keep the pace. Bryan overtook the No. 1 spot ahead of Moore's debut before Moore took it right back to keep the battle for the Yellow Leaders Jersey in the Quarterfinals.

Dismantling Upsets Delivered Ahead of Quarterfinals

Men's Round 3 opened in heavy form with Australia's powerhouse Callum Robson (AUS) silencing the San Clemente support system at Lower Trestles. Robson battled with multi-World Title contender Griffin Colapinto (USA), ultimately delivering a 7.33 on his forehand attack heading into the final moments. Now, Robson holds firm within the Top 22 and will prepare for postseason events in Portugal and Siargao. 

"You don't come up against anyone harder here at Lowers than Griffin. I knew he had the whole community behind him, so I knew I was up against it," said Robson. "But, for me, I love to draw those matchups. That's why I want to be on this Tour because I want to come against the biggest names and test my surfing, and continue to push myself. My motivation is just trying to work toward a better version of myself, whether it happens now or in five years. It's just trying to work toward this level and being able to stay here for good, and being able to contend with these Top 5 guys.

Then, Marco Mignot (FRA) kept the hits coming in Round 3 after taking down 2019 World Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, and 2024 World Title runner-up at Lowers, Italo Ferreira (BRA). But the upsets got their pulse started in Round 2, beginning with Mateus Herdy (BRA) and Liam O'Brien (AUS), who looked to maintain that momentum in Round 3.

One of the biggest upsets of the season so far unfolded between 2026 CT Rookie Herdy and three-time World Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA). Herdy held firm with his combination of airs against Medina before taking on perennial World Title threat Jack Robinson (AUS), where he posted an excellent 8.17 over a patient Robinson. The rookie's task remains a hefty one, needing to win the event for his chance at the postseason, but Herdy is determined to make it happen.

"I had no pressure coming into today and this event because I know I have to win this event to make the postseason cut. I'm just enjoying the moment and that first heat I knew I had to make to keep the dream alive, and after that one I was more relaxed," said Herdy. "The people behind me here are just giving me the best support ever. Since I got here, everyone has been telling me I was going to do well in this event, and I started to believe in that." 

But, Herdy's fellow Brazilian and now World No. 5 Miguel Pupo (BRA) put the brakes on O'Brien's surge, taking down the Australian for his third Quarterfinal appearance this season.

San Clemente Spark Reignited 

San Clemente's own Cole Houshmand (USA) put an end to the trend and delivered more of his signature power, this time on his backhand against Luke Thompson (RSA), to post a 7.33 and pick up the local support ahead of women's Round 2 where Sawyer Lindblad (USA) made her debut alongside Bella Kenworthy (USA) and Eden Walla (USA) looking to maintain their early success. Lindblad's incredible debut tipped the scales toward excellence, posting an 8.17 on her backhand attack at the Lowers right that she has honed her skills at since childhood. 

"Warming up here was really hard for some reason. I'm used to the normal crowds out here, and when it's the Tour surfers, I'm just thinking, 'How do I get a wave out here?' So, I had a couple of bad surfs and wasn't feeling very confident," said Lindblad. "But last night I had a really fun surf and came into today feeling more confident and feeling pretty good. It just feels so good to be at home and compete here, and I'm really looking forward to tomorrow."

Eden Walla (USA) rattled the rankings with another defining showing, besting CT mainstay Lakey Peterson (USA) in their bout. The born-and-raised San Clemente contender, Walla, picked apart the lineup for a pair of solid scores, including a 6.17, despite Peterson's 7.00, and held firm to cause major disruption. Then, Kenworthy polished off the day with an insane upset over 2024 World Champion Caity Simmers (USA) to storm toward her first Quarterfinal appearance of 2026.

2026 Lexus Trestles Pro Men's Round 2 (Heats 12 - 16) Results:
HEAT 12: Jake Marshall (USA) 13.53 DEF. Samuel Pupo (BRA) 12.83
HEAT 13: Mateus Herdy (BRA) 12.00 DEF. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 11.83
HEAT 14: Jack Robinson (AUS) 12.97 DEF. Seth Moniz (HAW) 10.13
HEAT 15: Liam O'Brien (AUS) 15.10 DEF. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 14.43
HEAT 16: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 13.20 DEF. Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 12.16

2026 Lexus Trestles Pro Men's Round 3 Results:
HEAT 1: Callum Robson (AUS) 12.83 DEF. Griffin Colapinto (USA) 11.03
HEAT 2: Yago Dora (BRA) 12.50 DEF. Kauli Vaast (FRA) 10.97
HEAT 3: Marco Mignot (FRA) 13.70 DEF. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 13.37
HEAT 4: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 13.67 DEF. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 12.00
HEAT 5: Cole Houshmand (USA) 13.33 DEF. Luke Thompson (RSA) 10.93
HEAT 6: Jake Marshall (USA) 12.44 DEF. Alan Cleland (MEX) 5.93
HEAT 7: Mateus Herdy (BRA) 14.10 DEF. Jack Robinson (AUS) 9.84
HEAT 8: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 13.40 DEF. Liam O'Brien (AUS) 10.13

2026 Lexus Trestles Pro Women's Round 2 Results:
HEAT 1: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 14.07 DEF. Tya Zebrowski (FRA) 13.50
HEAT 2: Luana Silva (BRA) 13.03 DEF. Tyler Wright (AUS) 10.93
HEAT 3: Sawyer Lindblad (USA) 15.34 DEF. Vahine Fierro (FRA) 8.74
HEAT 4: Eden Walla (USA) 12.00 DEF. Lakey Peterson (USA) 10.50
HEAT 5: Carissa Moore (HAW) 12.90 DEF. Brisa Hennessy (CRC) 12.24
HEAT 6: Erin Brooks (CAN) 12.27 DEF. Caroline Marks (USA) 11.70
HEAT 7: Molly Picklum (AUS) 13.33 DEF. Yolanda Hopkins (POR) 9.50
HEAT 8: Bella Kenworthy (USA) 13.87 DEF. Caitlin Simmers (USA) 12.64

2026 Lexus Trestles Pro Women's Quarterfinal Matchups:
HEAT 1: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) vs. Luana Silva (BRA)
HEAT 2: Sawyer Lindblad (USA) vs. Eden Walla (USA)
HEAT 3: Carissa Moore (HAW) vs. Erin Brooks (CAN)
HEAT 4: Molly Picklum (AUS) vs. Bella Kenworthy (USA)

2026 Lexus Trestles Pro Men's Quarterfinal Matchups:
HEAT 1: Callum Robson (AUS) vs. Yago Dora (BRA)
HEAT 2: Marco Mignot (FRA) vs. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN)
HEAT 3: Cole Houshmand (USA) vs. Jake Marshall (USA)
HEAT 4: Mateus Herdy (BRA) vs. Miguel Pupo (BRA)