Crystal-blue beach break peaks set the stage for the 25/26 Volcom Surf Happening main event last weekend at stunning Praia da Mareta, where Europe’s rising surf talents came together for a great day of surfing, camaraderie and true summer vibes.
Hosted in the iconic coastal town of Sagres, the event welcomed 40 qualified surfers from across Europe, all ready to put on a show. Across three rounds, competitors had multiple opportunities to secure a spot on the podium — whether by locking in the Best Wave of the Event or stomping the Best Move of the Event.
To spice things up, instant side cash was awarded on the beach for standout maneuvers, courtesy of the Volcom team riders. The format and re-surfs encouraged surfers to get lose with less pressure than usual surf comps — much to the delight of the crowd lining the sand.
With clean peaks rolling through and a buzzing beach atmosphere, it was the kind of day that reminds everyone why Sagres holds a special place in European surf culture.
As always, winners had to be crowned. Competitors battled it out for their share of the €5,000 prize purse, alongside amazing partner prizes — including SunBum packs, Deflow fins, pads and leashes, Woodbrass guitars and vouchers, and even one-week stays at Calaverita Hotels in the Maldives or Morocco.
Best Wave Women
1. Nahia Calderon - 1000€
2. Mel Canhoto - 400€
3. Lila Skinner - 200€
Best Wave Men
1. Joshua Karbus - 1000€
2. Alai Rodriguez - 400€
3. Achille Clerc - 200€
Best Move Women
1. Nahia Calderon - 500€
2. Lila Skinner - 200€
3. Mel Canhoto - 100€
Best Wave Men
1. Jarko Kreuzeder - 500€
2. Alai Rodriguez - 200€
3. Théo Coathalem - 100€
As the sun dipped, everyone gathered at Arte Bianca for an art show featuring works by Volcom surfers Gony Zubizarreta, Issam Auptel, and Seth Conboy. With free refreshments, great pizza, vinyl records on the turntables and creative energy flowing, it was the perfect way to wind down from a high-intensity day.
The night carried on at Dory's, where Candler took the stage for a live set that turned the evening into a proper send-off...
A huge thank you goes out to all the competitors, parents and coaches who brought the stoke, and to the dedicated staff and local partners who made the event possible — including Algarve Surf Clube, Vila do Bispo, and Federação Portuguesa de Surf.
Additional Results
Event Grinder Award: Alejo Valido - Calaverita stay
Sweetest Combo: Julieta Rodriguez - Woodbrass Guitar
Side Cash:
Nahia Calderon - 30€
Mel Canhoto - 30€
Lila Skinner - 30€
Jarko Kreuzeder - 20€
Alai Rodriguez - 20€
Rui Morais - 10€
Nolan Guerin - 10€
Francisco Angliani - 10€
Vida Mendoça - 10€
Achille Clerc - 10€
Aaron Bacon - 10€
Josh Karbus - 10€
Come down to Sagres, Portugal on the 21 & 22 of February 2026 to watch some of the top up-and-coming European surfers showcase their skills in a fun and original format, and eventually get a grip at some of the 5000€ prize purse.
Volcom Surf Happening is a contest open to all European surfers aged 16 and under as of the qualifier deadline (born after August 31, 2008). They qualified via an online competition held during summer 2025, before coming together in Portugal for the main event.
After judging the best maneuver of the summer from each surfer, you’ll find below the list of surfers who qualified from all around Europe for this event. Volcom-gratulations!
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QUALIFIED WOMEN
Adriana Hidalgo
Ane Loreiro
Ella Aebi
Emma Ridolfini
Flor Escudeiro
Francisca Kika Miranda
Isabella O'Reilly
Julia Hejmans
Julieta Rodriguez Villamil
Lee Ann Boudine
Lila Skinner
Mel Canhoto
Nahia Calderón
Ruby Fanning
Sienna Rodrigues
Sue Gartmann
Sunny Ingram
Suri Rodrigues
Vida Thomaz Mendonça
Zoë Hauser
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QUALIFIED MEN
Aaron Bacon
Achille Clerc
Alai Rodriguez
Alejo Valido
Axel Cherel
Benjamim Magalhães
Francisco Anglani Cornielle
Hoani Dumas
Jarko Kreuzeder
Joshua Karbus
Kai Schmitz
Makoa Gomez
Marley Benesenes Masse
Nolan Guerin
Rocco Rigliaco
Rory Murphy
Samuele Agliani
Théo Coathalem
Theo Henriques
Zé Maria Antunes
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ALTERNATE WOMEN
Betsie Reay
Lua Sonabend Bethan Davies
Katarina Roth Gale Martha Edwards Freya Reeves
Kaja Millward
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ALTERNATE MEN
Tristan Strätz
Thomas De Leonardo Stefano Mandozzi Reuben Wakely
Fynn Crato Ruy Morais
Riccardo Gennari |
MAIN EVENT
AN ORIGINAL AND FUN FORMAT
Location: Sagres, Portugal (Tonel, Mareta, Beliche)
Date: 21-22 February 2026
(Exact schedule and beach will depend on surf conditions—follow @volcom_eu for the latest updates)
- 5000€ prize purse + tons of prizes from Volcom and sponsors
- Lunch and dinner provided, plus side activities throughout the weekend
- Hang out with the Volcom Surf Team
- Public party on Saturday 21 with live music and art show (more info coming soon)
Each competitor will surf an equal number of heats and will be filmed and scored by seasoned judges and Volcom team riders.
Two main challenges will be judged and scored during those heats:
BEST WAVE OF THE EVENT (EACH DIVISION):
- 1st: 1000€
- 2nd: 400€
- 3rd: 300€
BEST MANEUVER OF THE EVENT (EACH DIVISION):
- 1st: 400€
- 2nd: 200€
- 3rd: 100€
Side cash for good maneuvers: 200€
Big thanks to our sponsors: SUNBUM - DEFLOW - WOODBRASS
And to Algarve Surf Club, Vila Do Bispo, FPS, MEMMO BALEEIRA and city council of Sagres to help make this event happen.
QUALIFIER – ONLINE COMPETITION
SUBMIT THE BEST MANEUVER OF YOUR SUMMER
Post your best surfing maneuver on Instagram between July 1st and August 31st, 2025, including time, location, and contest tags:
#VolcomSurfHappening & @volcom_eu
Requirements:
Competitors must be born after August 31st, 2008
A parent or guardian must fill out the online registration for the competitors, agreeing to the clearly stated rules.
Waves filmed in the Canary Islands, French DOM-TOM territories, and wave pools are allowed
One wave per post only, full wave if possible (to see setup and completion of the maneuver)
Competitors can submit as many posts as they want
All entries will be judged in September 2025.
The Top 20 women and Top 20 men will qualify for the main event, along with an alternate list.
