10
April 2026
From:
Surfing
New
Zealand
Sport: Surfing
Event: 2026 Backdoor
King
and
Queen
of
the
Point
presented
by
Quiksilver,
Roxy
and
the
WSL
Location: Manu
Bay,
Raglan
Event
Info: Surfing
New
Zealand
WSL
Wildcards
on
the
Offering
at
Biggest
Domestic
Event
of
the
Season
Next
Week
Manu
Bay,
Raglan
will
determine
the
two
New
Zealand
representatives
for
the
World
Surf
League
(WSL)
Corona
Cero
New
Zealand
Pro
presented
by
Bonsoy
next
week
with
a
talent-laden
line
up
vying
for
higher
honours.
The
five-day
Backdoor
King
and
Queen
of
the
Point
presented
by
Quiksilver,
Roxy
and
the
WSL
takes
place
from
Wednesday
next
week
at
Raglan.
The
event
has
lured
back
New
Zealand’s
crème
of
the
crop
in
the
biggest
ever
field
of
surfers.
The
two
wildcards
will
join
Billy
Stairmand
at
the
May
event
after
the
Raglan
surfer
was
awarded
the
WSL
wildcard
in
February,
the
local
now
sitting
on
the
sidelines
next
week
waiting
to
see
who
joins
him.
New
Zealand
representatives,
Olympians
and
our
top
talent
competing
on
the
WSL
World
Qualifying
Series
will
all
return
home
as
will
a
number
of
Australian
based
surfers,
each
and
every
one
of
them
keen
to
match
up
against
the
home-based
talent.
Taranaki
surfer
Paige
Hareb
returns
from
her
base
in
Australia
looking
to
find
the
form
that
saw
her
compete
against
the
worlds
best
for
eight
years.
Hareb’s
last
dance
with
the
world’s
elite
was
in
2019
and
since
then
the
35-year-old
has
competed
on
the
second
tier
Challenger
Series
and
Australia/Oceania
World
Qualifying
Series.
Hareb
is
no
stranger
to
success
at
Raglan,
the
powerful
goofyfooter
winning
events
at
Manu
Bay
in
2020
and
2021.
She
will
be
joined
by
Paris
2024
Olympian
Saffi
Vette
(Gis)
who
is
another
to
return
from
Australia
to
compete
at
the
event.
Despite
a
recent
collision
in
the
surf,
Vette
is
giving
herself
every
chance
to
compete
next
week
and
vie
for
the
wildcard
in
what
would
be
her
first
appearance
at
the
World
Tour
level.
Rounding
out
the
top
female
seeds
will
be
Tayla
Green.
Based
in
Queensland,
the
New
Zealand
Junior
Representative
was
the
highest
placed
Kiwi
on
the
World
Qualifying
Series
in
2026
placing
fifth
overall
and
missing
the
step
up
to
the
Challenger
Series
by
one
place.
Green,
along
with
Hareb
and
Vette
will
face
off
against
the
young
brigade
coming
through
the
ranks
in
New
Zealand
including
local
surfer
Alani
Morse
and
Piha’s
Leia
Millar
and
Lola
Groube,
the
latter
two
surfers
finishing
seventh
at
the
World
Junior
Championships
in
Peru
last
year.
The
Wildcard
opportunity
has
attracted
a
field
of
112
surfers
in
the
Open
Men’s
Division.
Leading
from
the
front
will
be
the
likes
of
Kehu
Butler
(Mnt)
who
returns
from
Hawaii
and
Elliot
Paerata
–
Reid
(Piha),
our
top
surfer
on
the
World
Qualifying
Series.
Neither
surfer
has
tasted
success
at
the
event
in
the
past
seven
years
and
they
will
be
keen
to
flip
that
script.
Butler
has
stepped
back
from
competition
in
the
past
two
years
and
Paerata
–
Reid
has
surfed
selectively
at
qualifying
events,
namely
choosing
tropical
destinations
with
quality
surf.
But
both
surfers
couldn’t
pass
up
the
opportunity
to
vie
for
the
Wildcard
and
go
on
to
compete
against
the
best
in
the
world
in
home
waters.
In
the
seven
year
history
of
the
event,
the
sidelined
Stairmand
has
won
on
three
occasions
with
local
surfer
Luke
Cederman
taking
two
titles
and
one
a
piece
for
Daniel
Farr
(Tara)
and
the
absent
Jay
Piper
–
Healion
(Whiti).
Cederman
and
Farr
will
be
looking
to
add
another
victory
to
their
tally.
The
field
of
surfers
could
be
blown
wide
open
from
a
number
of
other
top
surfers.
Raglan’s
Caleb
Cutmore
will
be
looking
to
convert
form
into
results
while
Gisborne’s
Maz
Quinn
returns
to
the
fold.
2025
National
Champion
Alexis
Owen
will
be
one
of
the
juniors
to
watch
and
talent
to
return
from
Australia
includes
Korbin
Hutchings,
Tane
Bowden,
Luke
Griffin
and
Coby
Perkovich.
The
event
includes
the
Under
20’s
Divisions
for
boys
and
girls,
giving
young
surfers
from
around
the
country,
the
chance
to
compete
at
Raglan.
The
long-range
forecast
shows
no
shortage
of
swell
with
the
Tasman
Sea
full
of
life.
It
is
expected
to
be
solid
for
the
duration
of
the
event
with
a
number
of
fronts
expected
to
stream
across
the
country
during
the
week.
The
Open
Men’s
Division
will
kick
off
proceedings
on
Wednesday
as
well
as
the
Under
20
Boys
Division.
The
female
divisions
will
commence
on
Thursday
at
the
earliest.
There
are
two
rounds
of
seeds
with
the
top
surfers
not
likely
to
enter
the
water
until
Friday.
The
Backdoor
King
and
Queen
of
the
Point
presented
by
Quiksilver,
Roxy
and
the
WSL
is
part
of
the
New
Zealand
Surf
Series
which
comprises
six
events
around
the
country.
The
event
is
also
supported
by
Yeti.
The
event
has
a
prize
purse
of
over
$12,000
plus
prizes,
not
to
mention
the
two
sort-after
wildcards.
Further
Information
For
further
information
on
the 2026
the
Backdoor
King
and
Queen
of
the
Point
presented
by
Quiksilver,
Roxy
and
the
WSL,
please
contact
Surfing
New
Zealand’s Ben
Kennings
on
0212278732
or
benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
Imagery
High
resolution
action
images
of
the
surfing
at
the
event
will
be
available
to
media
free
of
charge.
Follow
the
event
Follow
the
action
via
all
social
media
platforms
–
@surfingnz
across
Facebook,
Instagram,
TikTok
and
YouTube.
Surfing
New
Zealand
is
proudly
partnered
by:
Sport
New
Zealand
ACC
Sun
Bum
Kiwi
Holiday
Insurance
Ends
Go to Surfing New Zealand
Author: Ben Kennings