South African rookie Luke Thompson joins Kaipo Guerrero to unpack the long road from Durban’s New Pier to the Championship Tour and the belief that carried him all the way to qualification. Luke reflects on discovering surfing later than most, growing up on Durban’s beachfront, and how moving to Cape Town sharpened his approach in heavier, more technical waves. He opens up about the ups and downs of the Challenger Series, including a difficult 2024 season, the mental reset that followed, and the turning-point victory at home in Ballito that ignited his qualifying run. The conversation dives deep into Luke’s mindset shift and the team around him that helped him level up, from coaching and mental performance work to physical preparation. He also shares the emotional moment in Newcastle when qualification became official, describing it as a “year of emotions” released all at once. Looking ahead to his rookie season, Luke talks about board adjustments, traveling alongside fellow rookies, and learning from his idols Jordy Smith and Ethan Ewing. He breaks down which stops he’s most excited for and his goal to bring both hard work and personality to the CT.

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Stay tuned to the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy, Apr 1 - 11.

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Australia’s rising star Dane Henry joins The Lineup ahead of his Championship Tour debut as a wildcard at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. The reigning World Junior Champion from Fingal Head has been on a rapid ascent – stacking amateur world titles, winning the Newcastle QS, all leading to his biggest opportunity yet. Henry breaks down the surreal moment he learned he’d be surfing Bells, when three-time World Champion Mick Fanning showed up at his door with his very own jersey in-hand. He talks about building a mentorship with one of his heroes, preparing mentally for his first CT appearance, and why he’s approaching the event to “ruin dreams.” The conversation also dives into his upbringing in Fingal Head, a sports-driven family background, and how rugby, skating, and motocross shaped his athleticism. Henry reflects on his recent run of results, the importance of self-reflection, and the support system, including coaches, family, and longtime board sponsor Sharp Eye. From dialing in boards for Bells to navigating friendships on tour (including a Round 1 matchup with close mate Oscar Berry), Henry shares insights into his competitive mindset, equipment experimentation, and what it takes to transition from rising junior to CT threat. He also answers listener questions about the next generation of talent, advice for young surfers chasing the dream, and which tour surfer he wants to face man-to-man.

Learn more about Dane here and follow him here.

Stay tuned to the first CT stop of the season, the Rip Curl Pro Bell Beach Presented by Bonsoy, Apr 1 - 11.

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Yolanda Hopkins is a Portuguese powerhouse and 2026 Championship Tour rookie. She joins host Joe Turpel on MEET THE ROOKIE  to break down her long road to qualification, her powerful approach in the water, and why she believes she can finish inside the Top 5 in her debut season. Calling in from Australia while preparing for Newcastle, Hopkins discusses chasing the Challenger Series title before her rookie debut, balancing preparation for events like Bells Beach and Margaret River, and how years of near-misses built the resilience that finally pushed her onto the CT. She reflects on growing up in Portugal’s southern breaks, being raised by a fisherman father, and how first-generation surfing shaped her competitive fire. Hopkins also dives into key turning points – traveling outside Europe for the first time, qualifying heartbreaks, losing her father, and finally securing her CT spot surrounded by supporters in Saquarema, and explains why that journey makes her one of the most appreciative rookies on Tour. The conversation explores her powerful surfing influences, including Carissa Moore, Stepanie Gilmore, Sally Fitzgibbons, Mick Fanning, and Jordy Smith, her longtime relationship with her shaper and coach, and her confidence heading into a stacked rookie class. Hopkins also shares her goals for the season, why winning the Challenger Series still matters, and the pride she feels representing Portugal as part of Europe’s rising force on Tour.

Learn more about Yolanda and follow her here.

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Mateus Herdy is a former World Junior Champion and one of the most anticipated newcomers to the Championship Tour. Recorded just days after his dramatic qualification for the 2026 season, Herdy opens up about the emotional rollercoaster that defined his six-year journey to the CT. The Brazilian aerialist reflects on the heartbreak and disbelief of thinking he’d missed out again this year, the surreal final minutes that flipped the script, and the overwhelming support from the global surf community that followed. He also shares what it meant to qualify alongside close friends, the influence of his hometown of Florianópolis, and how surfing alongside his childhood friends Joao Chianca and Sammy Pupo now feels like a full-circle moment. Herdy breaks down his mindset heading into his rookie year, from traveling with fellow CT competitors to learning iconic stops like Bells Beach and Pipeline, while targeting waves he believes suit his progressive approach. He discusses equipment changes, the support he’s received from Julian Wilson and the Rivvia team, traveling with his coach, Leandro Dora and working with Logan Dulien on Snapt 5.

Learn more about Mateus and follow him here.

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Your Lineup News Network Update for March 24th, 2026.

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The Challenger Series is officially wrapped and the 2026 Championship Tour is right around the corner, setting the stage for one of the most compelling seasons in recent memory. Dave Prodan and Mitch Salazar break down the biggest storylines coming out of Newcastle and the entire CS campaign, from standout performances to heartbreaking near-misses on the qualification bubble. They dive into North America’s surprising shortfall on the men’s side, highlight breakout moments from surfers like Alyssa Spencer and Alistair Reginato, and unpack the rise of the European women, who made a major statement this season in having five of the seven qualifiers coming from the EMEA region in Tya Zebrowski, Yolanda Hopkins, Francisca Veselko, Nadia Erostarbe, and Anat Lelior. Looking ahead, the episode explores the major shifts coming to the 2026 CT season, including the new head-to-head format that raises the stakes from the opening heat and leaves no room for complacency. With the return of dominant figures like Gabriel Medina, updates to the global schedule featuring locations like Raglan, and a deeper, more competitive field than ever, the tour is primed for high drama. The guys also break down the evolving CT Shaper Rankings, where Matt Biolos and …Lost Surfboards have built a dynasty with three consecutive shaping titles, and explain how new rules could tighten the race among board builders. 

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Relive the drama from the Bioglan Newcastle SURFEST Presented by Bonsoy here.

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A quick update from the world of surfing from Dave Prodan.

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Carissa More is a five-time World Champion, Olympic gold medalist, and one of the most influential surfers of all time. Carissa joins The Lineup to talk about her highly anticipated return to the World Surf League Championship Tour in 2026.

After stepping away from full-time competition in 2024, welcoming her daughter in 2025, and spending time rediscovering her love for surfing, Carissa is back on tour with a new mindset. In this conversation, she opens up about what inspired the comeback, how motherhood has changed her relationship with competition, and why she’s embracing the role of underdog heading into the new season.

Carissa reflects on her journey from teenage phenom to one of the most decorated surfers in history, including the pressure of early expectations, the evolution of women’s surfing, and the heartbreak of coming up short in back-to-back Finals Day losses at Lower Trestles. She also shares how stepping away from the grind of tour life helped her reconnect with the joy of surfing—and why that perspective might make her more dangerous than ever.

We also dive into the realities of life on tour with a young family, the challenges of balancing training with motherhood, the support system behind her career, and the sponsors and shapers who helped shape her success—including longtime collaboration with Lost Surfboards’ Matt “Mayhem” Biolos.

Learn more about Carissa here and follow her here.

Learn about her foundation Moore Aloha here and follow them here.

Stay tuned to the Bioglan Newcastle SURFEST Presented by Bonsoy, Mar 9 - 15.

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Joel Parkinson is a Gold Coast surfing icon; a CT standout with 11 CT wins, 3 Hawaiian Triple Crowns, 4 World Runner-Ups, the 2012 World Champion, and is globally-renowned as one of the most stylish and consistent competitors in modern surfing history. 

In this year’s first episode of The Lineup, he reflects on the journey that defined his career. Parko opens with the grassroots of Australian surfing, from Snapper Rocks Boardriders’ 60+ year history to why club culture remains the backbone of the sport. He rewinds the tape back to when he was a young 11-year-old grom signing with Billabong for discounted boardshorts–and three decades later, still part of the team, a partnership that endured the ups and downs of brand-athlete relationships in surfing. He reveals how close he came to jumping ship to Rip Curl as a teenager, the jaw-dropping offer from Quiksilver in his early 20s, and why loyalty ultimately won. 

Parko reflects on sharing a team with legends like Mark Occhilupo, Taj Burrow, and Luke Egan, and what it was like witnessing Andy Irons at his peak during the Blue Horizon era. He also shares the unforgettable story of Andy claiming the top room at the Billabong house in Hawaii—rankings be damned. The conversation shifts to life on Tour: traveling with his wife and kids long before it was common, the emotional toll of chasing a World Title while raising a family, and why his wife “deserves more of a World Title” than he does. 

Parko opens up about nearly quitting in 2011 after a brutal New York event, how letting go reshaped his mindset, and the constant mental weight surfers carry when fighting for a Top 5. He dives into his rivalry and lifelong friendship with Mick Fanning and Dean Morrison, addresses the “style” narrative that followed him throughout his career, and gets deep into board talk—from early DHD days to his long partnership with JS Industries, including the mythical board that went 17 heats undefeated.

Learn more about Joel here and follow him here.

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Stay tuned to the Bioglan Newcastle SURFEST Presented by Bonsoy, Mar 9 - 15.

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A quick update from Dave regarding The Lineup in 2026

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Dave sits down with WSL Championship Tour standout Isabella Nichols and filmmaker/photographer Jakob Gjerluff Ager to dive into their new film Nordborn, a cinematic ode to Isabella’s Danish heritage and the quiet strength found in cold-water surfing. Fresh off a season of heavy travel, Isabella reflects on a year that pushed her physically and emotionally, and how reconnecting with her family’s lineage opened unexpected creative and personal doors. She shares how Denmark went from a childhood holiday destination to the emotional anchor of a new project, one that helped her explore identity, belonging, and the feeling of “hygge” that shaped the film’s tone. Jakob breaks down the creative process behind capturing the stark, soulful beauty of the North Atlantic, why he was drawn to telling Isabella’s story, and how their shared cultural ties shaped the visual language of Nordborn. Together, they talk about bringing a non-traditional surf landscape to life, blending family history with modern surf performance, and the unexpected magic of cold-water lineups. The trio also dives into the contrasts between tour life and creative life, navigating career pivots, the importance of place and community, and how storytelling can reshape the way we see surfing and surfers.

Learn more about Isabella here and follow her here.

Learn more about Jakob Gjerluff Ager here and follow him here.

Watch their film Nordborn here!

Big Wave Season window is right around the corner! Stay tuned November 1st, 2025 - March 31st, 2026.

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