Port Alfred – Rip Curl and the Royal St Andrews Hotel will anchor the 2026 Port Alfred Easter Festival surf programme with two key events at East Beach: the Rip Curl GromSearch presented by the Royal St Andrews Hotel, supported by Sea Harvest, and the Royal St Andrews Hotel Rip Curl Cup, a World Surf League QS event.
Together, these events bring South Africa’s top junior and professional surfers into one high-performance arena across four days of competition.
Event Overview
What
Rip Curl GromSearch presented by the Royal St Andrews Hotel and the Royal St Andrews Hotel Rip Curl Cup (WSL QS 4,000 Men / QS 2,000 Women)
When
Thursday 2 April, 18h00: Opening function at the Royal St Andrews Hotel
Friday 3 April, 07h30: GromSearch competition begins
Saturday 4 April: GromSearch continues to completion, including Expression Session. Premier U16 and U18 finals held over
Sunday 5 April: Rip Curl Cup WSL QS competition
Monday 6 April: Rip Curl Cup continues through to finals, including Royal Alfred Marina Expression Session, GromSearch U18 finals, GromSearch Premier U16 finals, WSL QS Women’s Final and WSL QS Men’s Final
Where
East Beach, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa. High-performance right-handers run off the pier, offering ideal conditions for power surfing and progressive moves.
Why
The Rip Curl GromSearch presented by the Royal St Andrews Hotel forms part of the Surfing South Africa Junior Tour, a six-event series, with Port Alfred marking the third stop. As an official Surfing South Africa event, it plays a key role in identifying and developing the country’s top junior talent. The Premier U16 boys and girls winners earn qualification for the Rip Curl GromSearch International Final, along with travel support.
The Royal St Andrews Hotel Rip Curl Cup is a WSL Africa event and the final stop of the WSL Africa QS season. Surfers compete for critical ranking points and qualification into the Challenger Series, with the season’s outcomes decided at East Beach. The Royal Alfred Marina Expression Session, with R10k up for grabs, is an exciting addition to the event, offering rewards for innovative surfing.
Who
South Africa’s leading junior surfers are competing in the GromSearch, alongside top professional surfers from South Africa and abroad, contesting the WSL Qualifying Series event.
High Performance Focus
The Rip Curl GromSearch continues to drive the next generation of competitive surfing. The Expression Session adds a progressive layer, rewarding creativity and innovation outside standard heat formats.
At the elite level, the Royal St Andrews Hotel Rip Curl Cup provides a decisive platform for QS surfers chasing Challenger Series qualification. With the season on the line, East Beach is set for high-intensity performances across both divisions.
Festival Setting
Set within the Port Alfred Easter Festival, the surf events sit at the centre of a broader celebration of sport, music and community along the Eastern Cape coastline. Saturday’s Bands Innie Bush Music Festival stands out as a major highlight, adding scale and energy to the weekend.
All schedules remain subject to change based on conditions. Both events will be broadcast via live feed, with scoring and updates available across official platforms.
Rip Curl South Africa
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Port Alfred Easter Festival
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Boilerplate and Editor’s Notes.
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