PORT ALFRED, Eastern Cape, South Africa (Sunday, April 5, 2026) – It was a mammoth day of competition at the World Surf League (WSL) Africa Regional Qualifying Series (QS), the Royal St Andrews Hotel Rip Curl Cup QS 4,000 for men and QS 2,000 for women. Capitalising on the building swell with fun two-to-three-foot surf at East Beach, the men’s Round of 56, Round of 48, and Round of 32 were completed, while the women’s Round of 24 and Round of 16 were completed. Signs of tomorrow’s swell started to show in the late afternoon, adding to the excitement of what the final day will hold. The next call will be on Monday, April 6 at 6:35 a.m. GMT+2 for a possible 7:00 a.m. start.
Rankings Leader Adin Masencamp Dominates, Eyes Regional Title
Rankings leader Adin Masencamp (RSA) showed his intent when he blitzed his way into the Round of 16 with a dominant performance. The experienced Challenger Series competitor brought a different intensity to the heat with powerful turns in the pocket, scoring a heat total of 15.33 (out of a possible 20). Masencamp has a considerable lead at the top and is determined to win the regional QS title.
“I’m coming into this event with a bit of momentum after my Quarterfinal at the Pro Taghazout Bay,” said Masencamp. “I would like to go all the way here and solidify that first place on the rankings. There’s really no pressure for me, I just want to keep making heats, and tomorrow is looking solid, so I’m excited to showcase more of my surfing.”
Challenger Series Spots All But Guaranteed for Top Seeds
Coming back from injury and fighting to qualify for the Challenger Series, Daniel Emslie (RSA) won his heat ahead of Avuyile Ndamase (RSA) to advance to the Round of 16. Emslie is currently ranked 5th, but with Luke Thompson qualifying for the Championship Tour, Emslie could still make the Top 4 cut-off.
“It’s been a stressful couple of weeks between Morocco, travelling back home, and fighting the flu,” said Emslie. “I’m happy to put it all together to get through that heat. It’s been a rough two years with knee and shoulder surgery, so getting a good start in the competition feels really good. Coming into this contest I want to be more decisive with my boards and strategy and stick to that no matter what.”
After a Quarterfinal finish at the Pro Taghazout Bay last week, Beyrick de Vries (NLD) carried this momentum into Port Alfred to book his spot in the Round of 16. As the waves started to improve in size and consistency, De Vries unleashed some serious rail work to take the win ahead of Levi Epenetos (RSA). De Vries is sitting in No. 4 on the rankings, but anything can still happen on Finals Day and the Challenger Series spots aren’t guaranteed yet.
Sarah Baum Stamps Down Authority, Top Seeds Move Into Quarterfinals
No. 1 on the regional rankings, Sarah Baum (RSA) stamped down her authority in the lineup with a solid performance to take the win with a total of 14.50. Baum is ultimately one of the most experienced South African surfers and has found a renewed energy and motivation to compete for her fifth year on the Challenger Series.
“There’s always a bit of pressure that I put on myself, but I’m feeling good,” said Baum. “I’m coming into this event with a bit of confidence, but I’m also trying not to think too much about it. It’s just feeling really good to compete back home, and tomorrow is looking solid so it’s going to be interesting.”
With only two women automatically qualifying for the Challenger Series, there’s a lot hanging in the balance for Jessie van Niekerk (RSA), Louise Lepront (RSA), and Natasha van Greunen (RSA). Lepront and Van Greunen both earned heat wins, while Van Niekerk held onto second place to advance.
Returning to competition for the first time in a year, Zoë Steyn (RSA) reminded everyone of her lethal backhand when she won the last heat of the day. Steyn could play spoiler on Finals Day, but first she’ll come up against the unseeded underdog Taisia Belyaeva (WRL) in the Quarterfinals.
The Royal St Andrews Hotel Rip Curl Cup is proudly supported by Royal St Andrews Hotel, Spa & Conference Centre, Rip Curl, and Surfing South Africa.
