Dane Henry Ignites Day Two as Qualification Pressure Mounts at Phillip Island Pro

CAPE WOOLAMAI, Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia (Friday, February 27, 2026) – The action continued on day two of the World Surf League (WSL) Phillip Island Pro Qualifying Series (QS) 4000 and Junior Qualifying Series (JQS) events. Three-to-four-foot swell lined the beach at Cape Woolamai, with rights and lefts once again coming into play on the beachbreak peaks.

Men’s Round of 64 and women’s Round of 32 were completed for the QS 4000, seeing the top seeds making their first appearances. For many of those surfers, Challenger Series (CS) qualification is on the line and every heat has the potential to fundamentally change their year. 

Key heat wins from surfers like Riaru Ito (JPN), Tayla Green (NZL), Kobi Clements (AUS), Rita Suzuki (JPN), and I Made Ariyana (INA) kept their 2026/2027 CS season dreams alive for another day, while others like Saffi Vette (NZL) and Shohei Kato (JPN) had their run come to an end.

The afternoon air wind came into play across multiple men’s Round of 64 heats. Dom Thomas (AUS) tapped into his notorious above-the-lip game to post the first excellent score of the day, an 8.00 (out of a possible 10), before Eden Hasson (AUS) recreated his magic from day one. It was Dane Henry(AUS) who truly set the scale, however. Following a string of victories, Henry enters Phillip Island in the middle of a hot streak, but opened with a large total even for him. A pair of full-rotations into the flats were awarded with a 9.65 and 9.35, respectively, for a near-perfect 19.00 (out of a possible 20) heat total.

“I saw a bunch of lads doing some big airs and getting some big scores, and the wind was perfect and nice closeouts, rights, kind of played right in my playbook,” Henry said. “I just wanted to go out, have some fun, and just send it. I’ve already got the Challenger spot, I’m feeling really good, really excited. But I know that nines in round one don’t win events, so I’m really keen to just keep it going and reset for the next one.”

Defending event winner Xavier Huxtable (AUS) also went straight back to work in his opening Round of 64 heat. The 23-year-old two-time event Finalist utilised his large frame to attack with aggression and deliver an 11.65 heat total. Currently sitting on the bubble of the rankings for both the CS and the QS, Huxtable has a big couple weeks ahead, especially with the potential to qualify for the Championship Tour (CT). However, the Victorian is relishing his time competing in home waters.

“Feeling good, waves are really fun, pretty similar to last year, actually, out on the back bank,” Huxtable said. “Love this place, love the waves, love the people, love the joint in general. It’s good to be back, good to be surfing some proper waves, loving it. Just trying to get in the rashie here and try and put some heats together, have some fun and get the ball rolling and then head straight up to Newcastle and hopefully go good there and give it a good shot at qualifying. It’s an awesome spot to be in. Really grateful to have this opportunity and yeah, hopefully go well.”

Sitting at No. 6 on the Australia/Oceania regional QS rankings, Tayla Green(NZL) has the opportunity to jump into one of the top four qualifying positions for the CS with a good result at Phillip Island. The 20-year-old New Zealander posted a 7.00 in order to claim a heat win just 0.05 ahead of Sara Wakita (JPN), the pair advancing together into the Round of 16. Wakita sits at No. 5 on the Asia regional rankings and needs to keep progressing in order to move into the top three. Though facing much pressure in the event, Green is choosing to stay relaxed and enjoy her time at Phillip Island.

“This place is great, coming from Burleigh where there was no waves, and to here where there’s heaps of waves, it’s been fun,” Green said. “I’m just cruising, taking it heat-by-heat. That’s what you’re meant to say. No, I’m loving Phillip Island. We’re staying with Sophie Fletcher, and she’s such a legend, local legend. She’s been showing us around, it’s been great.” 

Four of the five women ahead of Green in the rankings also advanced today, including rankings leader Lucy Darragh (AUS), Charli Hately (AUS), Ziggy Aloha Mackenzie (AUS) and Willow Hardy (AUS). Mackenzie earned the highest heat total of the day for the women of 14.25 for her speedy forehand attack and big end section hits. While one surfer higher on the rankings than Wakita, Minami Nonaka (JPN), was eliminated, the No. 2 ranked Anon Matsuoka (JPN) was able to keep her campaign alive. Matsuoka’s solid backhand on long, right walls earned a 14.00 heat total that included a 7.25.

“It’s so fun out there,” Matsuoka said. “This is my first time at Phillip Island. The waves have been pumping every day and the girls are ripping. I’m so excited. The waves are amazing, the food is good, and I’m traveling with boys so the energy is high. This is the last event for the QS and then I’m going to just focus. My goal is to be a CT surfer and just hoping to have fun. Let’s do it.”

The 2026 Phillip Island Pro QS 4000 and Pro Junior events will run at Cape Woolamai, Phillip Island, Bass Coast From February 26 to March 4, 2026. For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.