all photos © Kody Mcgregor
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
11 March 2026
Surf Contest Format Confirmed for Port Alfred Easter Festival
Port Alfred, South Africa – The competition format has been confirmed for the two headline surf events taking place during the Port Alfred Easter Festival, with four days of surfing scheduled at East Beach.
The festival will host the Rip Curl GromSearch junior series alongside the Royal St Andrews Hotel Rip Curl Cup QS 4,000, creating a strong mix of emerging talent and elite competitive surfing across the Easter weekend.
Festival Opening Function
The surf events will begin with the official opening function on Thursday evening at the Royal St Andrews Hotel. The gathering will welcome competitors, event partners, sponsors and festival organisers ahead of four days of surfing at East Beach.
Rip Curl GromSearch Opens the Weekend
The Rip Curl GromSearch will run on Friday and Saturday, featuring South Africa’s leading junior surfers competing across multiple divisions.
Saturday’s programme will also include a GromSearch Expression Session, giving competitors the opportunity to showcase progressive surfing in a free-surf format outside of the normal heat structure.
Adding to the festival atmosphere, the Granny Grommets will take to the water alongside the contest site for a fun bodyboarding session that has become a popular highlight of the Easter Festival.
All ocean activities across the contest site will be supervised by NSRI Station 11, ensuring a strong safety presence for competitors and spectators.
Rip Curl Cup QS 4,000
The Royal St Andrews Hotel Rip Curl Cup QS 4,000, a World Surf League Qualifying Series event, will run across Sunday and Monday at East Beach.
The contest carries valuable QS ranking points and will attract a strong field of South African and international surfers looking to strengthen their regional standings.
Finals Day on Monday
Monday will conclude with a full run of finals across the junior and professional divisions, scheduled for the end of the competition day.
The finals sequence will include:
U18 Women GromSearch Final
U18 Men GromSearch Final
U16 Premier Women GromSearch Final
U16 Premier Men GromSearch Final
QS Women’s Final
QS Men’s Final
The U16 Premier finalists will each qualify for the Rip Curl International GromSearch Final, along with an R20,000 travel voucher to support international travel.
QS Expression Session
The Rip Curl Cup will also feature a QS Expression Session, where competitors will have the opportunity to push performance levels in a free-surf format with R10,000 in prize money on the line. Date and time to be confirmed.
With four days of surfing, expression sessions, and a full finals showcase on Monday, East Beach once again becomes a central stage for competitive surfing during the Port Alfred Easter Festival.
Schedule Disclaimer
All information relating to schedules, contest days and event activities remains subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances, including weather and ocean conditions.
Updates, revised schedules and official announcements will be communicated through media channels and on the Port Alfred Easter Festival, Surfing South Africa, and World Surf League websites. Spectators, competitors and partners are encouraged to follow these platforms for the latest information.
About the Royal St Andrews Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre
The historic Royal St Andrews Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre in Port Alfred offers elegant accommodation, an outdoor swimming pool and a state-of-the-art conference facility, with complimentary high-speed WiFi throughout the property.
Rooms and suites are air-conditioned and feature flat-screen televisions, private bathrooms, and tea- and coffee-making facilities, catering to both leisure and business travellers.
Dining options include the refined Thistle Restaurant, ideal for intimate dinners and special occasions, offering fine cuisine and a curated selection of South African wines. Locally crafted beers and traditional pub fare are served at The Highlander Pub, while the relaxed Paper Nautilus Deli, overlooking a garden courtyard, offers coffee and breakfast options.
About Surfing South Africa
Surfing South Africa is the official National Federation for surfing in South Africa. SSA is a member of the South African Confederation of Sport and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and is recognised as the governing body by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.
Surfing South Africa is responsible for the development of the sport, the hosting of National tournaments, the sanctioning of International events and the selection of National teams in all the disciplines that are part of SSA. SSA is one of the 109 members of the International Surfing Association (ISA), the World governing body for the sport.
About the WSL
The World Surf League (WSL) is the global home of competitive surfing, crowning World Champions since 1976 and showcasing the world’s best surfing. The WSL oversees surfing’s global competitive landscape and sets the standard for elite performance in the most dynamic playing field in all of sports. With a firm commitment to its values, the WSL prioritises protecting the ocean, equality, and the sport’s rich heritage, while championing progression and innovation. For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
The Rip Curl Gromsearch presented by The Royal St Andrews Hotel, and the Royal St Andrews Hotel Rip Curl Cup events at the Port Alfred Easter Festival are Proudly Supported by Sea Harvest, Eastern Cape Motors, LinkOnline, Channel Islands Surfboard, Telkom, Red Bull, Royal Alfred Marina, Multi Security Services, NSRI, Christian Surfers and Yeti.
