Jackson Bunch Takes Provisional Challenger Series Lead With Highest Score on Second Day of Competition at Banco do Brasil São Sebastião Pro

The Banco do Brasil São Sebastião Pro continued today with the Men's Round of 64 at Praia de Maresias on the coast of São Paulo. Stop No. 3 of the World Surf League (WSL) 2026 Challenger Series (CS) brings some of the world's best surfers to the region through October 3. This marks the first time São Paulo has hosted a Challenger Series event. The next call is scheduled for Wednesday at 7:00 a.m. local time, with a possible 7:35 a.m. start.

Jackson Bunch (HAW) at the Banco do Brasil São Sebastião Pro. Credit: WSL / Thiago Diz

Men's Round of 64 Completes 16 Heats at Maresias Beach

Competition at the Banco do Brasil São Sebastião Pro resumed today following two consecutive lay days due to inconsistent conditions, while entertainment and activations continued on shore. The Men's Round of 64 featured 16 four-surfer heats, each lasting 35 minutes.

The morning began with softer waves in the one-to-two-foot range with larger sets. As the day progressed, the dropping tide and more favorable winds improved conditions over the sandbanks at Maresias. The matchups featured some of the sport's leading names, with valuable points on the line in the race to qualify for the Championship Tour (CT).

Bunch Posts an 8.83 to Take the Lead in the Live CS Rankings

Despite the small conditions and the strategic demands of managing priority, Jackson Bunch (HAW) made the most of his opportunity to deliver the standout performance of the event so far. Bunch entered the day ranked No. 2 on the Challenger Series behind Weslley Dantas (BRA). Early in Heat 5, he found a wave that allowed him to link six powerful maneuvers for an 8.83, the first excellent-range score of the event. Backed up by a 6.17, the score secured his place in the Round of 32 alongside Lennix Smith (AUS), who advanced in second despite posting a 7.17.

Bunch won one of the day's most competitive heats, eliminating Shion Crawford (HAW) and Jarvis Earle (AUS), and moved into the provisional lead in the Challenger Series rankings. The result builds on the Hawaiian's recent momentum following his victory at the REMA Saquarema Surf Festival, a QS 6,000 International event held in Saquarema earlier this September.

"The waves are small, but when they come through, they're really fun. It's super hard to find the best waves out there. I think I got lucky because the other competitors were sitting farther outside, and I thought the inside was breaking a little better. Luckily, the wave opened up and let me surf it as well as I could."

Reflecting on his recent results and the experience he gained on the Championship Tour, Bunch emphasized the lessons he has taken from the season:

"Everything is a learning experience for me. All the experience I had on the CT, and all the losses I've had in QS and Challenger events. Of course, coming off that win in Saquarema gives me more momentum to keep going in this event," said Bunch, who also posted the day's highest heat total, a 15.00.

Douglas Silva, Ryan Kainalo and Deivid Silva Keep Brazil's Hopes Alive

The Round of 64 proved challenging for the Brazilian contingent. Of the 14 Brazilian surfers competing today, only three advanced, while the others were eliminated from the Banco do Brasil São Sebastião Pro. Douglas Silva (BRA), Ryan Kainalo (BRA) and Deivid Silva (BRA) secured their places in the Round of 32 as the only remaining Brazilian surfers in the men's draw.

"At the last few events, I've been following this strategy of making sure I leave nothing out of my preparation. I try to do everything within my control and surf the wave I choose as well as I can, without thinking about what the others will do, because we can't predict or control what's going to happen. I'm really happy and stoked to have my family on the beach, my sponsors, my filmmaker and my girlfriend. It's so good to share this moment with all of them here," said Kainalo, who remains No. 5 in the CS rankings.

The Brazilian surfers eliminated today were Rafael Barbosa (BRA), Vitor Ferreira (BRA), Ian Gouveia (BRA), Rodrigo Saldanha (BRA), Gabriel Klaussner (BRA), Mateus Herdy (BRA), Samuel Pupo (BRA), Lucas Vicente (BRA), Weslley Dantas (BRA), Michael Rodrigues (BRA) and Edgard Groggia (BRA).

Dimitri Poulos Builds Momentum With Standout Performance to Eliminate Weslley Dantas

The three Brazilian surfers who advanced secured their places with heat totals in the 10-point range, without needing a standout individual wave score. Weslley Dantas, however, posted the highest total among the Brazilians, a 12.10 in Heat 15. That score would have been enough to advance in 13 other heats, but he faced one of the day's strongest matchups and was eliminated by Dimitri Poulos (USA), who earned a 14.33, and Adin Masencamp (RSA), who finished with a 13.60.

With individual wave scores in the seven-point range, Poulos and Masencamp each climbed more than 10 places in the CS rankings. After narrowly missing CT qualification in 2025, Poulos is pursuing another strong result and opened his Maresias campaign with an impressive heat win.

Jake Marshall Draws on CT Experience to Advance

The Round of 64 also featured several surfers with Championship Tour experience. Among them, Jake Marshall (USA) advanced from Heat 8 with a strong display of forehand surfing on the Maresias rights, moving up one place in the provisional Challenger Series rankings. Marshall currently sits No. 14 in the CT rankings and is using the Challenger Series as another pathway to maintain his place among the world's best.

Oscar Berry (AUS) and Kade Matson (USA) were also among the surfers with Championship Tour experience. Matson, from San Clemente, California, found conditions at Maresias similar to the beachbreaks where he grew up and advanced from his heat.

The Challenger Series, the qualification pathway to the WSL's elite Championship Tour, will head to Ericeira, Portugal, and Newcastle, Australia, after São Sebastião.

Banco do Brasil São Sebastião Pro Results and Upcoming Matchups

Men's Round of 64 Results

HEAT 1: Charly Quivront (FRA) 12.83 DEF. Joel Vaughan (AUS) 10.10, Guilherme Ribeiro (POR) 7.76, Oliver Zietz (NLD) 7.60
HEAT 2: Reef Heazlewood (AUS) 12.24 DEF. Jacob Willcox (AUS) 12.20, Rafael Barbosa (BRA) 9.83, Jordan Lawler (AUS) 9.33
HEAT 3: Oscar Berry (AUS) 10.93 DEF. Kade Matson (USA) 10.27, Ben Lorentson (AUS) 10.00, Caleb Tancred (AUS) 9.84
HEAT 4: Shohei Kato (JPN) 11.80 DEF. Douglas Silva (BRA) 10.77, Imaikalani deVault (HAW) 10.06, Vitor Ferreira (BRA) 8.87
HEAT 5: Jackson Bunch (HAW) 15.00 DEF. Lennix Smith (AUS) 13.60, Shion Crawford (HAW) 10.93, Jarvis Earle (AUS) 9.83
HEAT 6: Yago Dominguez (ESP) 11.97 DEF. Lucca Mesinas (PER) 11.17, Luke Thompson (RSA) 11.10, Rylan Beavers (HAW) 8.67
HEAT 7: Ryan Kainalo (BRA) 10.80 DEF. Winter Vincent (AUS) 10.67, Ian Gouveia (BRA) 10.10, Joshua Moniz (HAW) 8.10
HEAT 8: Jake Marshall (USA) 13.66 DEF. Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) 11.20, Rodrigo Saldanha (BRA) 10.60, Mikey McDonagh (AUS) 10.53
HEAT 9: Jack Robinson (AUS) 12.50 DEF. Beyrick De Vries (NLD) 11.43, Hayden Rodgers (USA) 9.94, Riaru Ito (JPN) 8.47
HEAT 10: Deivid Silva (BRA) 10.50 DEF. Kei Kobayashi (JPN) 10.43, Jorgann Couzinet (FRA) 9.57, Gabriel Klaussner (BRA) 6.83
HEAT 11: Mihimana Braye (PYF) 12.24 DEF. Jett Schilling (USA) 11.73, Taro Watanabe (USA) 10.67, Mateus Herdy (BRA) 10.36
HEAT 12: Connor Slijpen (RSA) 12.20 DEF. Alonso Correa (PER) 10.20, Samuel Pupo (BRA) 9.34, Xavier Huxtable (AUS) 8.27
HEAT 13: Alister Reginato (AUS) 12.00 DEF. Eli Hanneman (HAW) 9.53, Lucas Vicente (BRA) 8.93, Taj Lindblad (USA) 4.70
HEAT 14: Levi Slawson (USA) 11.73 DEF. Ian Gentil (HAW) 11.50, Ido Hagag (ISR) 10.66, Josh Burke (BRB) 9.56
HEAT 15: Dimitri Poulos (USA) 14.33 DEF. Adin Masencamp (RSA) 13.60, Weslley Dantas (BRA) 12.10, Teva Bouchgua (MAR) 8.30
HEAT 16: Crosby Colapinto (USA) 12.30 DEF. Owen Moss (USA) 10.90, Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 10.10, Edgard Groggia (BRA) 8.67
 
Upcoming Men's Round of 32 Matchups

HEAT 1: Charly Quivront (FRA) vs. Reef Heazlewood (AUS) vs. Kade Matson (USA) vs. Douglas Silva (BRA)
HEAT 2: Joel Vaughan (AUS) vs. Jacob Willcox (AUS) vs. Oscar Berry (AUS) vs. Shohei Kato (JPN)
HEAT 3: Jackson Bunch (HAW) vs. Yago Dominguez (ESP) vs. Winter Vincent (AUS) vs. Hiroto Ohhara (JPN)
HEAT 4: Lennix Smith (AUS) vs. Lucca Mesinas (PER) vs. Ryan Kainalo (BRA) vs. Jake Marshall (USA)
HEAT 5: Jack Robinson (AUS) vs. Deivid Silva (BRA) vs. Jett Schilling (USA) vs. Alonso Correa (PER)
HEAT 6: Beyrick De Vries (NLD) vs. Kei Kobayashi (JPN) vs. Mihimana Braye (PYF) vs. Connor Slijpen (RSA)
HEAT 7: Alister Reginato (AUS) vs. Levi Slawson (USA) vs. Adin Masencamp (RSA) vs. Owen Moss (USA)
HEAT 8: Eli Hanneman (HAW) vs. Ian Gentil (HAW) vs. Dimitri Poulos (USA) vs. Crosby Colapinto (USA)

Women's Round of 32 Matchups

HEAT 1: Bella Kenworthy (USA) vs. Amuro Tsuzuki (JPN) vs. Sierra Kerr (AUS) vs. Isla Huppatz (AUS)
HEAT 2: Tya Zebrowski (FRA) vs. Anat Lelior (ISR) vs. Moana Jones Wong (HAW) vs. Kiara Goold (PYF)
HEAT 3: Vahine Fierro (FRA) vs. Sol Aguirre (PER) vs. Charli Hately (AUS) vs. Talia Swindal (USA)
HEAT 4: Brisa Hennessy (CRC) vs. Laura Raupp (BRA) vs. Eweleiula Wong (HAW) vs. Anon Matsuoka (JPN)
HEAT 5: Francisca Veselko (POR) vs. India Robinson (AUS) vs. Eden Walla (USA) vs. Maria Salgado (POR)
HEAT 6: Teresa Bonvalot (POR) vs. Sophie McCulloch (AUS) vs. Lucy Darragh (AUS) vs. Ziggy Aloha Mackenzie (AUS)
HEAT 7: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) vs. Ellie Harrison (AUS) vs. Sophia Medina (BRA) vs. Daniella Rosas (PER)
HEAT 8: Alyssa Spencer (USA) vs. Kirra Pinkerton (USA) vs. Sanoa Dempfle-Olin (CAN) vs. Kana Nakashio (JPN)