Southern Taiwan to host elite World Surf League event with record US$150K prize
TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan will host one of only four World Surf League QS 6,000 International competitions worldwide this November. The 2026 Taiwan Open of Surfing (2026臺灣國際衝浪公開賽) takes place at Jinzun Harbor (金樽漁港) in Taitung County from Nov. 6-22. The event features a record NT$5 million (around US$153,656) prize pool.
Taitung County Magistrate Yao Ching-ling (饒慶鈴) announced the competition at a press conference in Taipei on Wednesday (Oct. 14). She highlighted three major upgrades: the highest international tier ever held in Taiwan, record prize money, and first-ever land-based activities.
"Hosting the highest-tier 6,000-point event here in Taitung, Taiwan is a tremendous recognition for international surfing," Yao told reporters.
The QS 6,000 designation places Jinzun alongside only three other global venues in Spain, Portugal, and Brazil that host this top-tier WSL qualifying event. The Taitung competition will also serve as the tour's final stop for 2026.
"Taitung has been hosting international surfing events for 16 years now, gradually building up," said Chief Judge Yang Yu-hao (楊毓豪). "We previously hosted 1,500 and 2,000-point events. This year the points are much higher, so many athletes will come here to compete for rankings." As the host nation, Taiwan also receives wildcard entries for local athletes.
The competition is divided into two phases. The domestic tournament runs Nov. 6-8 with men's and women's longboard, shortboard, and youth divisions. It offers NT$650,000 (around US$19,975) in prizes, a record for Taiwan's domestic events.
The international phase follows from Nov. 14-22, with the NT$5 million prize pool expected to draw elite surfers from all seven continents.
Will Hayden-Smith, the WSL's global tour director, praised the location: "At one of our favorite locations, Taitung's Jinzun Harbor," he said.
Yao framed the competition as part of Taitung's broader "land, sea, and air" sports tourism strategy. "On land, we have triathlons. In the air, hot air balloon activities. And for the ocean, it's the surfing open, the most challenging and internationally connected event," she said.
Deputy Sports Minister Yang Chi-wen (楊啟文) pledged continued central government support. "We thank the Taitung County government, and the Ministry of Sports will continue to subsidize competitions like this," he added.
Beyond surfing, the event will feature a skateboard carnival, the Pacific Fitness Challenge (太平洋體能挑戰賽), and a dance competition. Organizers aim to transform Jinzun into a multi-sport venue bridging ocean activities with youth culture.
The event has secured sponsorship from Hey Song FIN (黑松FIN), VAST, and Red Bull. With surfing now an official Olympic sport, Yao said the county hopes to cultivate domestic talent through high-level competition on home soil.
Details on participant numbers and specific countries sending athletes were not immediately available. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$32.54)