Lucy Darragh and Alister Reginato Win Phillip Island Pro QS 4000

CAPE WOOLAMAI, Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia (Wednesday, March 4, 2026) – Today, Lucy Darragh (AUS) and Alister Reginato (AUS) won the World Surf League (WSL) Phillip Island Pro Qualifying Series (QS) 4000 event. The two Australians claimed victory over Anon Matsuoka (JPN) and Tully Wylie (AUS), respectively, in three-to-five-foot swell at the beach-break peaks of Cape Woolamai on an exciting last Finals Day of the season that saw Challenger Series qualifiers confirmed for both the Asia and Australia/Oceania regions.

Lucy Darragh (AUS) capped off an extremely dominant season with her third major QS victory. Competing in her first full year on the QS, the 15-year-old from the South Coast of NSW has blitzed the field of an extremely competitive region, winning the Australia/Oceania QS title for 2025/26 by a large margin. Also placing in the Final of the Pro Junior, where she finished third, Darragh experienced a successful week in Phillip Island.

“I’m so stoked for [the Challenger Series],” Darragh said. “Honestly, I was just fighting for my life out there though. I was just paddling the whole heat. I just could not get any waves, but eventually found a couple. My plan was to go to the little rip bowl right on the inside. I was hoping to go further out the back but it kind of moved in so I ended up being really close to the shore.”

Darragh overcame local Phillip Islander Sophie Fletcher (AUS) in the Quarterfinals and a determined Sara Wakita (JPN) in the Semifinals to face Matsuoka. With both goofty-footers largely sticking to the rights, it was a battle of the backhand hook between Darragh and Matsuoka. Both surfers struggled for the first 10 minutes as large sets pounded through, before Darragh was able to unleash on an insider for a 6.25 (out of a possible 10). Soon backing it up with a 5.50, the Australian maintained a large lead over the Japanese, before Matsuoka mounted a comeback in the final third of the heat, but in the end it was Darragh’s day.

When the event wrapped, the top places for the women’s rankings in both regions remained unchanged. Despite Wakita coming within one heat of taking the No. 3 position on the Asia QS rankings from Minami Nonaka(JPN), the 23-year-old was left one spot shy after an exceptionally strong comeback in the back half of the season. Matsuoka finished at No. 2, with Kana Nakashio (JPN) claiming her first QS regional title.

A huge performance from Alister Reginato (AUS) saw the 25-year-old from the Sunshine Coast secure a place back on the Challenger Series by claiming his second QS victory and the biggest win of his career. Posting the highest number of Finals Day with an 8.75 in his Semifinal defeat of Harley Walters(AUS) courtesy of a lofty air reverse, Reginato largely moved through the draw on the strength of his power surfing. Having competed for two full seasons on the Challenger Series, where he peaked at a respectable No. 33 on the rankings in 2024, Reginato is excited to return.

“I’m pretty frothing, keen to be back on the Challenger and back with all the boys and rip into the rest of the crew,” Reginato said. “It’s pretty similar here to home, except it’s usually four-foot bigger here than it is on the Sunshine Coast. The only time we get a wave is when it’s rip-bowling, so I felt pretty at home, but just not in boardies. I knew Wiz [Tully Wylie] was waiting for a pretty good wave and I saw he got one and just fell. It was pretty hard out there at that out-the-back bank on the high tide. I was just stoked that he didn’t get another wave.”

Reginato went straight to work in the Final, posting two rides in the 5-point range to place Tully Wylie (AUS) in a soft combination. Meanwhile, Wylie stayed patient, eventually earning the highest number of the Final, a 7.00, with seven minutes remaining. Having only posted a 2.00 ride prior, Wylie was left needing a 3.75, which he was unable to find in the remaining time. The 2022 event winner, Wylie placed runner-up for the second consecutive year.

When the dust settled, the top places in the Australia/Oceania men’s QS rankings saw minor shifts, with Reef Heazlewood (AUS) holding onto the regional title and Lennix Smith (AUS) and Caleb Tancred (AUS) in second and third, respectively. Harley Walters (AUS) took the No. 4 position from Dane Henry (AUS), who was eliminated in the Quarterfinals by a solid buzzer-beater from Marlon Harrison (AUS). Reginato jumped into No. 6, with Xavier Huxtable (AUS) holding onto the final qualifying position at No. 7. The sole surfer of the existing Top 7 to not appear on Finals Day, Ben Lorentson(AUS) was knocked out of contention into No. 8.

The recently announced schedule for the 2026/2027 Challenger Series season will see the qualified surfers beginning their campaigns to graduate to the Championship Tour at Ballito, South Africa in July.

Final 2025/2026 Australia/Oceania Women’s Rankings:
1. Lucy Darragh (AUS)
2. Isla Huppatz (AUS)*
3. Charli Hately (AUS)
4. Ziggy Aloha Mackenzie (AUS)
Wildcard To Be Determined

Final 2025/2026 Asia Women’s Rankings:
1. Kana Nakashio (JPN)
2. Anon Matsuoka (JPN)
3. Minami Nonaka (JPN)
Wildcard To Be Determined

Final 2025/2026 Australia/Oceania Men’s Rankings:
1. Reef Heazlewood (AUS)
2. Lennix Smith (AUS)
3. Caleb Tancred (AUS)
4. Harley Walters (AUS)
5. Dane Henry (AUS)*
6. Alister Reginato (AUS)
7. Xavier Huxtable (AUS)
Wildcard To Be Determined

Final 2025/2026 Asia Men’s Rankings:
1. Bronson Meydi (INA)
2. Kei Kobayashi (JPN)
3. Dylan Wilcoxen (INA)
4. Ketut Agus (INA)
5. Riaru Ito (JPN)
Wildcard To Be Determined

*Received Challenger Series berth with WSL World Junior Championship win

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

The Phillip Island Pro QS 4000 and Pro Junior is supported by Visit Victoria and Bass Coast Shire.