Sidy Camara and Potira Nascimento repeat as A Great Day in the Stoke crowns 2026 champions

A Great Day in the Stoke crowned its 2026 champions at the Huntington Beach Pier on Saturday, closing its fifth annual gathering with repeat winners in both shortboard divisions and a fifth straight men's longboard title for Hawaii's Julian Williams. The free, public event, presented by Lexus, brought 65 competitors representing the African diaspora to Huntington Beach, Essence reported.

Competitors surfed in swell driven by Hurricane Rachel, with waves of 6 to 8 feet reported by Essence, Revelence and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Surfer, which published the full results list on Monday, described conditions ranging from head-high swell to rain and wind through the day.

File photo: a competitor carves through whitewater at Huntington Beach during the U.S. Open of Surfing. Saturday's Stoke competitors surfed Hurricane Rachel swell reported at 6 to 8 feet.

Pascal Walschots, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Source

Senegal's Sidy Camara won the men's shortboard division for the second straight year, ahead of Huntington Beach favorite Logan Moss in second and Trent Popovich of Morro Bay in third. Brazil swept the women's shortboard podium for the second year in a row, with Potira Nascimento first, Monik Santos second and Yanca Costa third, a repeat of last year's podium order.

Julian Williams of Haleiwa won the men's longboard division for the fifth consecutive year, dating to the event's first edition. Remy Smith finished second and Kevin Craft third. In women's longboard, Sahara Faye of Oahu's Palolo Valley won her third title in four appearances.

File photo: a competitor turns on a wave in front of the Huntington Beach Pier pilings during the U.S. Open of Surfing. Julian Williams won his fifth straight Stoke men's longboard title on Saturday.

Pascal Walschots, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Source

Competitors traveled from Senegal, South Africa, Brazil, Jamaica, Belize, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, Cabo Verde and Canada, as well as the United States.

The program around the contest included a 5K run and walk, a wellness zone powered by lululemon, yoga, double dutch, live music and surf lessons for children and first-time surfers, and finalists were welcomed through the event's signature spirit tunnel. Founder Nathan Fluellen, who started the event in 2022, has framed it as a push for access and water safety. "At its heart, this movement is about creating greater access to the ocean, building water-safety skills and inspiring the next generation of surfers," Fluellen said in advance of Saturday's event.