Simmers surfs onto the podium for the first time on the WSL Championship Tour in Margaret River 2026

Following the kick-off of the WSL's 50th anniversary season two weeks earlier at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach near Melbourne, the surf elite traveled across Australia to the famous surf spot in Western Australia to compete in the second of four opening races in Australia and New Zealand.

On the third day of competition on Friday in Margaret River, waves ranging from 1.20 to 1.80 meters were surfed, resulting in some of the highest scores of the event. The winners from Bells Beach, Gabriela Bryan and Miguel Pupo, were eliminated. This left Simmers (USA), Luana Silva (BRA), Lakey Peterson (USA), Gabriel Medina (BRA), and Samuel Pupo (BRA) to battle for the title.

The highly anticipated quarterfinal between Simmers and five-time world champion Carissa Moore (HAW) did not disappoint fans. After an initial back-and-forth that gave Moore a slight advantage, Simmers rode one of the biggest waves of the day, showcasing two solid carves with a spectacular layback at the end. This earned her 8.50 points – the highest single wave score of the day – allowing her to keep the Olympic champion at bay and advance to the semifinals.

“I think speed is the best feeling in surfing, so I’m always chasing it, whether in competition or free surfing. I knew I had to hit the lip and catch a steep part of the wave to even be a threat to Carissa, because she’s one of the best surfers of all time. I’ve been watching videos of her since I was ten, so experiencing a competition like this is really special. I think I’ll remember it for a long time,” said 20-year-old Simmers.

Simmers' chances of victory ended in the semifinals, where she faced Luana Silva, who had eliminated defending champion Picklum in the quarterfinals. The Brazilian narrowly beat Simmers' two best waves of 7.83 and 5.83 points with her two waves of 7.00 and 7.27. Nevertheless, third place on the podium marked Simmers' first podium finish of the season. After two events, she is currently fifth in the tour standings.

In the women's final, Silva faced Lakey Peterson. The American, who had defeated both Erin Brooks (CAN) and Caroline Marks (USA) on her way to the final, secured her second victory in Margaret River and improved her overall ranking by five places to second.

The men's competition was won by the surprising local favorite George Pittar, ahead of reigning WSL champion Gabriel Medina of Brazil. Medina, however, left Margaret River with the leader's jersey of the Championship Tour.

“I can no longer think of myself as just a number in the rankings. I want to be here. I want to be a serious competitor. I want to be at the very top. It’s so difficult to win one of these competitions. I still can’t believe I’ve done it,” said the Australian, who now sits second in the points standings behind Medina.