MEREWETHER BEACH, Newcastle, NSW (Sunday, February 1, 2026)
Report by WSL
Today, Milla Coco Brown (AUS) and Lucas Hickson (AUS) won the Kim Burton Pro Junior, the opening event of the 2026 season for the World Surf League (WSL) Australia/Oceania Junior Qualifying Series (JQS). Merewether Beach delivered fun surf in the two-to-three-foot range for the second event in the 40th anniversary celebrations of Surfest Newcastle. The conditions set the stage for the region’s best juniors to compete for valuable ranking points as the race toward qualification for the 2026 WSL World Junior Championships officially began.
Milla Coco Brown (AUS) claimed her second Pro Junior victory in a row, her fourth overall. Credit: WSL / Paul Danovaro
The successful run of Milla Coco Brown (AUS) continued today as the 18-year-old from Pittwater's Bungan Beach Boardriders claimed her fourth Pro Junior victory. After winning the Let’s Surf Lake Mac Pro Junior for a second time to close out the 2025 Australia/Oceania JQS season, Brown made it back-to-back Pro Junior wins to move to the top of the rankings for the new year. Between the two events, she also helped lead Australia to team gold at the ISA World Junior Championship in Peru, earning the silver medal in the U/18 division. Now, Brown is primed in her campaign to compete in the WSL World Junior Championships for the first time.
"Thanks to Kim Burton for putting on such a good event and the girls for a fun Final," Brown said. "I'm pretty happy to win. It was pretty fun, but tough conditions, so I was stoked to lock back into comp mode after free surfing for a couple of months. Good way to kick off 2026."
A strong southerly change blew through ahead of the men’s Semi-finals, seeing the women’s Final open as largely a battle of single turns. Brown took command from the start with two rides in the 4-point range, before finding a long open face that allowed her to unleash down the line and post a 6.67. A back-up 6.00 from an aggressive single turn provided a 12.67 heat total that closed the door on her opponents.
Kingscliff’s Ava Arghyros (AUS) placed runner-up in her first Pro Junior Final, with Lennox Head’s Ocea Curtis (AUS) matching her third place finish in the 2023 Let’s Surf Lake Mac Pro Junior and Margaret River’s Ruby Berry (AUS) backing up her first-ever WSL Final at the Florence Pipe Pro QS 2000 in December with her first Pro Junior Final.
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Reigning Victorian State Champion Lucas Hickson (AUS) rose to the top of a large field to claim his first-ever WSL win. Credit: WSL / Paul Danovaro
The sole Victorian in a Final filled with Queensland residents, Lucas Hickson (AUS) earned his first-ever WSL win. The 19-year-old had previously only won two Pro Junior heats across five appearances, both in prior years of the event. This year, the reigning Victorian State Champion from Mornington Peninsula won all five heats he surfed, defeating many higher seeds along the way.
"I'm just happy to make a heat," Hickson said. "The shorey was pretty fun, but the waves were pretty tricky for the finals. I'd like to thank all the boys for letting me stay on the couch. I didn't really have anything sorted out, so thanks to them."
Another first-time Pro Junior Finalist, Gold Coast’s Leo Matchett (AUS), took an early lead in the men’s Final, posting a 6.33 for a tail-high air reverse. Hickson slowly built throughout the 25 minute match-up, finally taking the lead with six minutes remaining. A 5.97 for a two-turn combo on the tall regular-footer’s forehand added to an existing 5.50 for an 11.47 heat total that knocked Matchett into second. Will Martin (AUS) and Darcy Dwyer (AUS) fought hard but were unable to break out of the 4-point range, placing third and fourth, respectively.
The Pro Junior represents the second WSL event to be staged as part of Newcastle Surfest’s 40th anniversary celebrations, following the Novotel Newcastle Women’s Pro and Frame Promotional Products Men’s Pro Qualifying Series (QS) event held late last year. The milestone program will culminate in March with the Bioglan Newcastle Surfest Presented by Bonsoy Challenger Series event, setting up an extended run of exciting pro surfing happenings throughout the Hunter region.
"The WSL is looking forward to returning to Newcastle for the Kim Burton Pro Junior as part of the incredible 40th year of Surfest," said WSL APAC Tour Director Ty Sorati. "Following a dramatic finish to the QS event held in Merewether late last year, and now building towards the Challenger event here in just a few weeks time, Surfest always promises excitement for the entire area. I can’t wait to see the best junior surfers from throughout the region kickstart the action in 2026. A huge thanks to Kim Burton for his continued support for professional surfing."
Event organiser Warren Smith said the success of Newcastle Surfest wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support of Kim Burton, who has thrown his backing behind this weekend's Pro Junior.
"We're incredibly grateful to Kim Burton for the support he continues to give to not just Newcastle Surfest but the broader surfing community in the region," said Newcastle Surfest event director, Warren Smith. "This weekend's Kim Burton Pro Junior will be a great way to kickstart our community event schedule as we build up to the Bioglan Newcastle Surfest Presented by Bonsoy in March. To have our local reigning ISA U/16 World Junior Champion Ocean Lancaster and top seeds like Willem Watson and Milla Coco Brown is a testament to the heritage and importance of the Newcastle Surfest Pro Junior."
The Kim Burton Pro Junior ran at Merewether Beach from January 31 - February 1, 2026. For more information and results, head to WorldSurfLeague.com or download the free WSL app.
About the WSL
The World Surf League (WSL) is the global home of competitive surfing, crowning World Champions since 1976 and showcasing the world’s best surfing. The WSL oversees surfing’s global competitive landscape and sets the standard for elite performance in the most dynamic playing field in all of sports. With a firm commitment to its values, the WSL prioritizes the protection of the ocean, equality, and the sport’s rich heritage, while championing progression and innovation.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com