MANGUPURA, balitourismnow.com – Indonesia’s top female tube riders delivered an unforgettable afternoon of barrel riding as Taina Izquierdo claimed victory in the Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang Women’s Local Trials, earning one of two coveted spots in the Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang 2026 Main Event alongside runner-up Paris Nalendra.
The decision to run the Women’s Local Trials proved to be the right one, with Swellnet forecaster Craig Brokensha’s prediction unfolding almost exactly as forecast.
A powerful south-southwest groundswell generated by a storm-force polar low peaked around midday before the afternoon tide began to fall, transforming Padang Padang into the world-class barrel for which it is renowned.
Although the swell reached its predicted peak around noon, the combination of maximum swell and a high tide created inconsistent conditions throughout the afternoon, making it impossible to conduct a fair Men’s Local Trials competition.
Instead, the invited men’s field was given exclusive access to the lineup for a 90-minute warm-up session, allowing competitors to enjoy their home break without free surfers in the water while contest officials continue to monitor incoming swells for a potential Men’s Local Trials day before the end of July.
By 5:00 p.m., the tide had dropped to one metre and Padang Padang came alive. With conditions improving rapidly, contest officials extended the Women’s Final from the scheduled 45 minutes to a 70-minute showdown, giving the finalists every opportunity to capitalise on the building swell.
The final exploded into action immediately when a solid six-foot set rolled through the lineup. All four finalists fearlessly committed to the opening waves, setting the tone for one of the most exciting Women’s Local Trials finals in the event’s history.
Kailani Johnson, one of the standout performers from 2024, struck first by threading the opening clean barrel of the heat before riding out into the channel to earn an excellent 7.33.
The very next set produced the highlight of the contest.
Paris Nalendra disappeared completely behind the curtain before emerging cleanly through the doggy door, earning a spectacular 7.93. Moments later, Taina Izquierdo answered with an equally committed ride, getting spat from a heavy set wave into the channel for a 7.87, setting up a thrilling battle for the title.
Izquierdo then backed up her excellent score with a clean barrel on a smaller wave worth 4.50, giving her a two-wave total of 12.37 to secure the victory.
Behind her, Nalendra and Johnson battled fiercely for the second qualifying position. Despite Johnson’s strong opening score, Nalendra found the backup wave she needed to edge ahead by just 0.43 points, earning her place in the Main Event alongside Izquierdo.
Following her victory, an emotional Izquierdo reflected on what the result meant to her.
“It means so much to me. My friends know how much I’ve doubted myself, especially when it comes to surfing waves outside my comfort zone. They’re the reason I paddled out today because they’ve always believed in me more than I’ve believed in myself. My goal was simply to make it out of one barrel, and I did it. Now I know I’m capable, and I’m so proud of myself. This one’s for my friends who never stopped believing in me, and it’s also for myself—for showing up even when I was scared,” said Izquierdo.
Lidia Kato also displayed remarkable courage throughout the final, repeatedly committing to heavy backhand set waves before finding a clean mid-sized barrel to earn a 4.47, reinforcing her reputation as one of Bali’s most fearless tube riders.
With the result, Izquierdo and Nalendra officially qualify for the Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang 2026 Main Event, where they will join event wildcards Kya Heuer and Jasmine Studer when the world’s most prestigious tube-riding competition gets underway.
The Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang 2026 waiting period runs from 1–31 August, with organisers monitoring forecasts for the first world-class swell of the season.
Fans are also invited to attend the Official Opening Ceremony on 1 August from 4:00 p.m. at Padang Padang Beach, featuring a headline performance by Australian indie rock band Floodlights, as competitors, locals and surf fans come together to celebrate the opening of the 2026 event.
Meanwhile, contest organisers will continue monitoring conditions throughout the remainder of July in search of a suitable swell to complete the Men’s Local Trials. [oko]