IBSA Bodysurfing World Tour Finals 2026: a spectacular final day in Anglet
Uhaïna-Kailani Hegoas and Niels Schorsch crowned 2026 IBSA World Champions after an unforgettable final day.
After a week of world-class bodysurfing, changing ocean conditions and intense international competition, the 2026 IBSA Bodysurfing World Tour Finals reached their conclusion on Saturday, October 3, at Plage du Club in Anglet, France.
The final day brought together the very best performers of the event for the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, with powerful surf, demanding conditions and remarkably close battles all the way to the buzzer.
At the end of an exceptional week, Uhaïna-Kailani Hegoas of France claimed the Open Women World Title, while Niels Schorsch of France was crowned Open Men World Champion.
But beyond the two titles, the final day reflected what these Finals had been about from the beginning: athletes from across the world competing at the highest level, different bodysurfing cultures meeting in the same waves, and an outstanding level of commitment from every competitor.
Open Women. A world title decided in the final seconds
The Open Women final produced one of the most dramatic moments of the entire event.
Three athletes from the United States — Coral McIntyre, Michelle Urkov and Meredith Rose — faced France’s Uhaïna-Kailani Hegoas for the 2026 World Title.
The American team had demonstrated its strength throughout the competition. In the semifinals, Coral McIntyre and Michelle Urkov advanced from a heat that also included defending World Champion DeLori Gomes of Hawaii and France’s Nina Declercq.
In the second semifinal, Meredith Rose posted an impressive 10.23 heat total to finish ahead of Hegoas, with Scotti Shafer of the United States and Ambre Gautier of France completing another highly competitive international heat.
The final itself remained completely open until the very end.
Hegoas was sitting in fourth position as the clock ran down. With only seconds remaining, she committed to one final right-hander and produced the score she needed.
That last opportunity changed everything.
With a final heat total of 8.66 points, Hegoas moved from fourth to first and secured the 2026 IBSA World Title, just ahead of Coral McIntyre on 8.33.
Michelle Urkov finished third with 6.23, while Meredith Rose completed the World Final in fourth with 5.97.
For Hegoas, the victory marks a return to the top of the world after her first IBSA World Title at Point Panic, Hawaii, in 2024.
For the three American finalists, it was also an outstanding conclusion to a strong week for the North American region, with three athletes occupying three of the four places in the World Final.
OPEN WOMEN
1. Uhaïna-Kailani Hegoas (France) — 8.66
2. Coral McIntyre (USA) — 8.33
3. Michelle Urkov (USA) — 6.23
4. Meredith Rose (USA) — 5.97
Open Men. Schorsch finds the waves that matter
The Open Men competition delivered another international battle, with France, Australia and Brazil represented in the final four.
The semifinals had already demonstrated the depth of the field.
Defending World Champion Chris Anderson of Australia produced a strong 14.27 heat total to win the first semifinal ahead of Niels Schorsch. France’s Nathan Lehoux finished third after an excellent run into the final stages of the competition, with Brazil’s Caio Calixto fourth.
The second semifinal saw Ruben Cambas of France take the win ahead of Brazil’s Mauricio Afonso, while Mohamed Chouaib Boudhim of Morocco and France’s Noah Elan completed the heat.
That set up a World Final featuring four competitors from France, Australia and Brazil.
In increasingly demanding surf, finding the right waves was decisive.
Niels Schorsch managed to connect with two of the best opportunities of the heat and built an impressive 16.16-point total.
Behind him, Ruben Cambas remained in contention throughout the final and finished with 12.90, earning the silver medal and improving on his fourth-place finish at the 2025 World Finals.
Defending World Champion Chris Anderson once again demonstrated his consistency on the international stage, taking bronze with 11.56, while Brazil’s Mauricio Afonso completed an outstanding World Finals campaign in fourth place with 10.43.
For Schorsch, fifth at the 2025 World Finals, the victory represents a major step forward and places his name alongside his brother Alix Schorsch, the 2024 IBSA World Champion.
OPEN MEN
1. Niels Schorsch (France) — 16.16
2. Ruben Cambas (France) — 12.90
3. Chris Anderson (Australia) — 11.56
4. Mauricio Afonso (Brazil) — 10.43
An international final day
The final results tell only part of the story.
The semifinals brought together competitors representing France, the United States, Australia, Brazil, Morocco and Hawaii, illustrating the international depth of the 2026 World Tour Finals.
Several athletes came extremely close to reaching the final four.
In Open Men, Nathan Lehoux and Caio Calixto pushed Anderson and Schorsch in the first semifinal, while Mohamed Chouaib Boudhim and Noah Elan battled Cambas and Afonso in the second.
In Open Women, defending champion DeLori Gomes and Nina Declercq contested a particularly strong first semifinal against McIntyre and Urkov. Scotti Shafer and Ambre Gautier were still in contention in the other semifinal against Rose and Hegoas.
Every one of these athletes contributed to a final day that demonstrated the increasing competitive level and international reach of bodysurfing.
A world tour that brought five regions together
The Anglet Finals were the culmination of the 2026 IBSA Bodysurfing World Tour qualification process, bringing together competitors from the five IBSA regions: Australia/Asia, Europe/Africa, Latin America, North America and Polynesia.
More than 110 competitors representing 17 countries and territories came to Anglet for the first World Tour Finals ever organised in France:
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Hawaii, Italy, Morocco, Peru, Portugal, Tahiti, United Kingdom, Uruguay, United States of America.
From the preliminary rounds and Trials through to the Main Event, athletes had to progress through an exceptionally competitive field before reaching the decisive stages.
Four competition days were selected during the holding period according to the ocean conditions, requiring competitors to adapt continuously to changing swell, wind and wave quality.
The final day was the culmination of that process.
More than world titles
Anglet 2026 was also about bringing the international bodysurfing community together.
Athletes who normally compete thousands of kilometres apart shared the same competition area, the same waves and a week of exchanges between different generations and bodysurfing cultures.
Australia and Hawaii arrived with the reigning World Champions. North America demonstrated remarkable strength in the Women’s division. Latin America placed a competitor in the Open Men World Final. Europe/Africa produced finalists and semifinalists across both divisions.
And throughout the week, every delegation contributed to the atmosphere that made these Finals much more than simply a competition.
The event was also an opportunity to celebrate the culture of the Basque Country and the Atlantic coast, alongside the international traditions represented by the visiting delegations.
Two new world champions, one international community
When the final buzzer sounded at Plage du Club, two names had been added to the IBSA World Champions list:
Uhaïna-Kailani Hegoas — 2026 Open Women World Champion.
Niels Schorsch — 2026 Open Men World Champion.
Their victories conclude an extraordinary week of competition.
But Anglet 2026 will also be remembered for Coral McIntyre’s challenge until the very last wave, the consistency of Michelle Urkov and Meredith Rose, Chris Anderson’s strong title defence, Ruben Cambas’ progression to World silver, Mauricio Afonso carrying Brazil into the final, and all the quarterfinalists, semifinalists and competitors who represented their regions throughout the event.
From the opening rounds to the last ten seconds of the Women’s final, the 2026 IBSA Bodysurfing World Tour Finals showcased competitive bodysurfing at its highest level.
Congratulations to our 2026 World Champions, to every finalist and semifinalist, and above all to every competitor who earned the opportunity to represent their country, territory and region in Anglet.
Five regions. 17 countries and territories. More than 110 competitors. One international bodysurfing community.
Thank you, Anglet. Thank you to all the athletes, officials, judges, volunteers, organisers and partners. And congratulations to everyone who made the 2026 IBSA Bodysurfing World Tour Finals possible.
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