Erin Brooks Makes History, Miguel Pupo Strikes Again at 2026 Lexus Trestles Pro
Lower Trestles delivered exactly what it was built for – speed, progression, pressure and the kind of surfing that can completely reshape a World Title race.
When the final horn sounded at the 2026 Lexus Trestles Pro, Erin Brooks and Miguel Pupo were standing on top of the podium. Brooks completed a historic third consecutive Championship Tour victory, while Pupo claimed his second win of the season and pushed himself deeper into the World Title conversation.
Held in solid four-to-five-foot conditions at Lower Trestles, Stop No. 9 of the World Surf League Championship Tour produced a Finals Day loaded with major performances, razor-close scores and significant movement in the rankings.
Erin Brooks Makes It Three Straight
At only 19 years old, Erin Brooks is no longer simply one of professional surfing’s most promising young competitors. She has become one of the most dangerous surfers on Tour.
Brooks entered the Trestles final after defeating Carissa Moore in the Quarterfinals and reigning World Champion Molly Picklum in the Semifinals. That set up a showdown with Gabriela Bryan, whose powerful surfing had carried her through an exceptional Finals Day.
Bryan struck first in the final, but Brooks answered with a 7.00 on her backhand before adding the scores needed to secure a 13.00 heat total. Bryan finished with 11.90, giving Brooks her third consecutive CT victory.
The result places Brooks in rare company. Stephanie Gilmore and Carissa Moore are among the elite surfers who have also managed three straight Championship Tour wins.
Even more remarkably, Brooks has transformed a season that once included concerns about requalification into a legitimate World Title campaign. She leaves Trestles ranked No. 5 and carrying more momentum than anyone else on the women’s Tour.
Bryan’s runner-up result returned her to World No. 1 as the Championship Tour prepares to enter its final stretch.
Miguel Pupo Turns Experience Into Another Victory
Miguel Pupo’s 2026 resurgence continued with a commanding Finals Day performance.
The 34-year-old Brazilian veteran defeated Mateus Herdy in the Quarterfinals before posting a 16.00 heat total against Cole Houshmand in the Semifinals. Houshmand had produced the event’s highest heat total earlier in the day, but Pupo’s precision and experience shut down the hometown contender.
Pupo met Kanoa Igarashi in a tightly contested men’s final.
Igarashi established an early advantage, but Pupo responded with an excellent 8.50 on his backhand. A critical 6.27 on the left eventually moved Pupo into first place, giving him a 14.77 total against Igarashi’s 14.40.
The victory is Pupo’s third career Championship Tour win and his second of the 2026 season following his triumph at Bells Beach. He now sits at No. 4 in the world rankings with his first World Title firmly within reach.
Fourteen years separated Pupo’s arrival on Tour from his first CT victory. Now he has collected two wins during the same season and looks more energized than ever.
World Title Race Tightens After Trestles
The Lexus Trestles Pro created significant movement throughout both rankings.
Gabriela Bryan reclaimed the women’s Yellow Leader Jersey, while Brooks surged to No. 5. Sawyer Lindblad maintained her position among the leading contenders after another Semifinal finish at her home break.
On the men’s side, Pupo climbed to No. 4, while Igarashi’s second consecutive Trestles final moved him to World No. 7.
With only three events remaining, every heat now carries postseason consequences.
The Championship Tour next travels to Portugal for the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal, scheduled for October 16-25, 2026.
Brooks is carrying the hottest winning streak on Tour. Pupo is surfing with the confidence of a veteran who knows this opportunity may be his best. After an electric Finals Day at Lowers, both surfers are headed toward the final stretch with World Titles clearly in sight.
View the complete results and event highlights through the official World Surf League coverage.
