With the swell building into the second year of NST Surf, Natural Selection today releases The Build: Surf. The new short film offers a first look at the surfers, crew, and remote coastline ahead of the full 2026 Natural Selection Surf: South Africa premiere on Friday, September 25.
Out today! Watch The Build: Surf
Watch the full competition starting September 25 at 4 p.m. PT on Red Bull TV and YouTube
In its second year, NST Surf heads to the raw, wave-dense coastline of South Africa’s Western Cape. Twelve surfers and a crew of 30 spent 10 days camped far off-the-grid waiting for the rare combination of long-period swell and offshore winds that turn this coastline into a surf mecca.
The Build: Surf, a 22-minute short, gives viewers a chance to get to know this year’s surfers before the competition begins. Join returning champions Milla Brown and Soli Bailey, five returning finalists from last year, and seven surfers making their Natural Selection Surf debut, as they begin their African adventure starting in Cape Town.
Then get a first look at what the surfers are really up against. The coastline can deliver everything from long point breaks to heavy reef slabs and powerful beachbreaks, with conditions changing hour to hour. From their coastal camp, the surfers navigate cold nights and just as cold water, far from creature comforts.
Over the course of the competition, the surfers will face a series of sessions across different waves and conditions. The format rewards the ability to read the ocean, adapt quickly and make the most of whatever arrives.
The wait is almost over. The full, two-hour Natural Selection Surf South Africa competition premieres Friday, September 25 at 4 p.m. PT on Red Bull TV and YouTube.
2026 Natural Selection Surf Roster
Women
- Milla Brown — Bungan Beach, Sydney, NSW, Australia (Returning Champion)
- Kirra Pinkerton — San Clemente, California, USA (2025 Finalist)
- Eden Walla — San Clemente, California, USA
- Sanoa Dempfle-Olin — Tofino, British Columbia, Canada
Men
- Soli Bailey — Byron Bay, NSW, Australia (Returning Champion)
- Eithan Osborne — Ventura, California, USA (2025 Finalist)
- Noah Beschen — North Shore, Hawaiʻi, USA (2025 Finalist)
- Eli Beukes — Kommetjie, Cape Town, South Africa
- Balaram Stack — Long Beach, New York, USA
- Hughie Vaughan — Bateau Bay, NSW, Australia
- Jarvis Earle — Cronulla, NSW, Australia
- Mikey Wright — Culburra Beach, NSW, Australia
Natural Selection Surf is presented with support from GMC, Official Auto Partner; Turtlebox, Official Audio Supplier; Rocky Mountain Watches, Official Timekeeper; A New Earth Project, Official Supplier; and Quiksilver, Industry Alliance Partner.
About Natural Selection Tour
Founded by pro snowboarder Travis Rice, the Natural Selection Tour produces a new evolution in snowboarding, ski, bike, with events across snowboarding, skiing, freeride mountain biking, and surfing. With Mother Nature as the lead character, the Tour pushes the limits of what’s possible in spectacular natural venues, showcasing the skills and resilience of the world’s most exciting athletes.
NaturalSelectionTour.com
Follow us on Instagram: @naturalselectiontour, @naturalselectionsurf
