It’s everything one would hope a surf contest is in 2026. For the lucky crew assembled for the second incarnation of Natural Selection Surf, the itinerary included camping, exploring, and surfing some of the most challenging and rewarding waves of the South African winter.

After five rounds of competition, Mikey Wright and Kirra Pinkerton emerged as the respective men’s and women’s champions, with both titles coming down to consistency, wave selection and a healthy appetite for the biggest waves on offer. The full two-hour competition is now available to watch on demand on Red Bull TV and YouTube .

A South African Swell Delivers

With big wave hero and South African surf legend Grant “Twiggy” Baker monitoring the conditions for the event, the crew tracked a storm moving through the South Atlantic that ultimately generated one of the bigger swells of the South African winter, setting the stage for a week of surfing that steadily improved as the competition progressed.

The early rounds presented plenty of…