Photo: Surf Days // YouTube
Burleigh Heads was an unexpected host to a Championship Tour event this weekend. Traditionally, the Gold Coast Pro is held at Snapper Rocks. However, Tropical Cyclone Albert wreaked havoc on the seafloor, meaning it was unclear if the Superbank would recover in time to host the event. As a result, the WSL moved the event to Burleigh Heads.
“While we are of course disappointed Snapper Rocks won’t be hosting the highly anticipated return of the Championship Tour this May, we know Burleigh is a world-class point break which will challenge the globe’s very best surfers,” Experience Gold Coast CEO John Warn said. “For surfing fans, the relocation of the Gold Coast Pro to Burleigh provides a unique and very special opportunity to watch the world’s leading surfers do battle at one of the world’s most iconic surfing destinations steeped in history. There is no doubt our famous Super Bank at Snapper will return better than ever, planning for this in 2026 is underway, and we look forward to seeing the Gold Coast Pro back to its rightful home for the 2026 event and beyond.”
With that, Burleigh Heads surfers had their local transform into a taste of what it’s like on surfing’s main stage. A new video from YouTube channel Surf Days shows a dawn session before finals day, where “the surf was average and there weren’t many pros in the lineup so the regular joes started to dominate.”
