​Get ready for a massive moment in surfing history as the 2026 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour crosses the Tasman Sea to Raglan for the Corona Cero New Zealand Pro Presented by Bonsoy. Serving as Stop Number 4 on the Tour, this event marks a fresh chapter for professional surfing in Aotearoa. As the WSL celebrates 50 years of the World Tour, competitors will take on the high-performance left point break at Raglan’s famous Manu Bay for the very first time.
It has been quite a wait for local surf fans. The upcoming event is the first Championship Tour competition in the country since the women’s Tour held four events in Taranaki between 2010 and 2013. That inaugural 2010 edition saw Carissa Moore take her first rookie win, famously donating her prize money to the local boardriders club. For the men, the drought has been even longer. This will be the first men’s competition at this elite level in New Zealand since Michael Peterson won the first-ever professional surfing Tour event at North Piha back in 1976.
Raglan and it’s Iconic Waves
Manu Bay is a true jewel of New Zealand surfing and a staple of national competition. Featured heavily in global surf imagination since 1966, Raglan offers long, wrapping swell lines. Competitors will face Manu Bay’s infamous ledge, which can throw a hearty barrel before offering an endlessly attackable lip running long into the bay.
Homegrown Heroes Ready to Shine
Adding to the excitement, three local wildcards are stepping up to face the world’s best. Raglan local Billy Stairmand earned the WSL Wildcard as the highest-ranked New Zealand surfer on the Challenger Series. The nine-time national champion and two-time Olympian is absolutely thrilled to compete in front of his hometown crowd.
“I’ve been dreaming of competing on the CT, and to do it at home is just crazy,” Stairmand said.
Joining him are Alani Morse and Tom Butland, who earned their spots by rising above a record field at the recent trials. At just 15 years old, Morse claimed a dramatic victory with a buzzer-beater and is ready to show off her stylish backhand at her home break.
“I’m super honoured to be in this position, and for it to happen so early in my career is really special,” Morse shared.
Meanwhile, 24-year-old Butland is returning from a rough year of injuries and is looking to channel his power base and aerial skills against rookie Luke Thompson in the opening heat.
“To win the trials and get a spot in the main event is wild to think about,” Butland noted.
With an iconic location and hungry local talent, the New Zealand round of the CT is shaping up to be an unforgettable stop on the tour.
​The Corona Cero New Zealand Pro Presented by Bonsoy will run at Manu Bay, Raglan, from May 15 – 25, 2026.
