2026 Fiji Pro Finals Day: Houshmand and Brooks Crowned at Cloudbreak

The 2026 Fiji Pro Presented by Corona Cero has come to a spectacular conclusion at Cloudbreak, with powerful surf providing a fitting stage for one of the most important events of the Championship Tour season.

Finals Day produced two very different stories. In the men's draw, Cole Houshmand overcame a perfect 10 from Gabriel Medina to claim a huge victory in pumping Cloudbreak barrels. In the women's competition, Erin Brooks continued her remarkable late-season resurgence, claiming back-to-back Championship Tour victories after Isabella Nichols was forced to withdraw from the final with an ankle injury.

With the Fiji Pro being Stop No. 8 of the 2026 Championship Tour, the results have also significantly reshaped the rankings heading into the final stretch of the season.

Cole Houshmand Wins an Incredible Men's Final

Cole Houshmand saved his best surfing of the event for the biggest day.

The Californian entered the final against three-time world champion Gabriel Medina knowing he would need to deal with one of the most dangerous and experienced surfers ever to compete at Cloudbreak.

Medina wasted no time.

On his opening wave of the final, the Brazilian disappeared deep inside a long Cloudbreak barrel and emerged to a perfect 10. It was the third perfect score of the 2026 Fiji Pro, following Erin Brooks' 10 in the opening round and Kauli Vaast's perfect ride earlier in the men's competition.

Despite the perfect start from Medina, Houshmand remained composed.

The 25-year-old answered with an 8.50 before adding an 8.37, putting Medina under enormous pressure. Medina needed a strong backup score to overtake Houshmand, but the required opportunity never arrived.

When the final horn sounded, Houshmand had secured a 16.87 heat total to Medina's 15.17.

Men's Final

1st – Cole Houshmand (USA) – 16.87
2nd – Gabriel Medina (BRA) – 15.17

The victory marks Houshmand's third Championship Tour win. It is another major turnaround for a surfer whose 2026 season had been under serious pressure earlier in the year.

Houshmand had struggled through the opening rounds of several events and had even been competing on the Challenger Series to protect his qualification chances. His Fiji victory now moves him up to 17th in the Championship Tour rankings and puts him back inside the crucial requalification zone.

The win was made even more impressive by the path he took through Finals Day.

Houshmand Takes Down Yago Dora

In the quarterfinals, Houshmand faced defending world champion Yago Dora.

Dora had looked extremely comfortable at Cloudbreak throughout the event, drawing on his experience at the wave after winning the world title at Fiji in 2025.

Houshmand, however, produced the stronger performance.

Cole Houshmand – 16.13
Yago Dora – 13.27

That victory sent Houshmand into the semifinals against Leonardo Fioravanti.

He then backed it up with another excellent performance, posting a 17.10 to defeat Fioravanti's 11.33.

That set up the final everyone wanted: Houshmand against Gabriel Medina.

Medina's Perfect 10 Was Not Enough

Medina's run through Finals Day was another reminder of just how dangerous he is at Cloudbreak.

The Brazilian defeated Kauli Vaast in the quarterfinals before producing a huge semifinal against Griffin Colapinto.

Men's Semifinal Results

Cole Houshmand (USA) 17.10 def. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 11.33

Gabriel Medina (BRA) 19.04 def. Griffin Colapinto (USA) 14.57

Medina's 19.04 was the highest men's heat total of Finals Day, and his perfect 10 in the final added another memorable Cloudbreak moment to his already impressive record at the wave.

But Houshmand's consistency ultimately made the difference.

Erin Brooks Goes Back-to-Back

On the women's side, Erin Brooks continued what has become one of the biggest turnarounds of the 2026 Championship Tour.

Just weeks ago, Brooks was struggling for results and was sitting well outside the leading group in the rankings.

Then came Tahiti.

Brooks won the Outerknown Tahiti Pro earlier in August and arrived in Fiji with confidence, immediately showing why she is one of the best barrel riders in the women's field.

She produced a perfect 10 during the opening round at Cloudbreak and never looked back.

After working her way through the draw, Brooks defeated five-time world champion Carissa Moore in the semifinal to earn a place in the final.

Women's Semifinal

Erin Brooks (CAN) 11.84 def. Carissa Moore (HAW) 9.97

The victory was particularly impressive considering Moore's experience and current position at the top of the Championship Tour rankings.

Brooks had already defeated Caroline Marks and Vahine Fierro earlier in the event, meaning her road to the final was one of the toughest in the women's draw.

Isabella Nichols Forced to Withdraw

The women's final was unfortunately never able to take place.

Australian Isabella Nichols had fought her way into the final with a strong run through the knockout stages, but an injury suffered during her semifinal victory over Brisa Hennessy ruled her out of the championship decider.

Nichols had won her semifinal 10.67 to 10.50, but the injury proved too serious for her to safely surf in the final.

An MRI revealed a high ankle sprain, leaving Nichols unable to compete in the final.

As a result, Erin Brooks was officially awarded the Fiji Pro women's title.

Women's Final Result

1st – Erin Brooks (CAN)
2nd – Isabella Nichols (AUS) – Did Not Start due to injury

It was Brooks' second Fiji Pro victory, having previously won the event as a 17-year-old wildcard in 2024.

More importantly, it is her second consecutive Championship Tour victory after her win in Tahiti.

That run has completely changed the direction of her season.

Women's Road to the Final

Brooks defeated Vahine Fierro in the quarterfinals before taking down Carissa Moore in the semifinals.

Women's Quarterfinal Results

Carissa Moore (HAW) 14.34 def. Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) 11.00

Erin Brooks (CAN) 11.10 def. Vahine Fierro (FRA) 10.67

Isabella Nichols (AUS) 9.67 def. Yolanda Hopkins (POR) 6.77

Brisa Hennessy (CRC) 10.83 def. Lakey Peterson (USA) 7.47

Women's Semifinal Results

Erin Brooks (CAN) 11.84 def. Carissa Moore (HAW) 9.97

Isabella Nichols (AUS) 10.67 def. Brisa Hennessy (CRC) 10.50

It was a remarkable run for Nichols, despite the heartbreaking injury at the end of it.

Cloudbreak Delivers

The 2026 Fiji Pro proved exactly why Cloudbreak remains one of the most respected waves on the Championship Tour.

Throughout the event, surfers were rewarded for committing to deep barrels, positioning themselves correctly and finding the right combination of power and control.

Three perfect 10-point rides were recorded during the competition.

Brooks produced the women's perfect 10 in Round 1, while Kauli Vaast and Gabriel Medina added perfect scores in the men's competition.

Medina's 10 in the final was undoubtedly one of the defining moments of the entire event. The Brazilian found a long, deep barrel and threaded his way through a section that looked almost impossible to make.

But ultimately, it was Houshmand's ability to put together two excellent scores that won him the title.

What the Fiji Results Mean for the Rankings

The Fiji Pro has also had a major impact on the Championship Tour standings.

On the men's side, Italo Ferreira remains at the top of the rankings, while Leonardo Fioravanti's semifinal appearance helped him close the gap.

Gabriel Medina's runner-up finish moved him into fourth position and puts the three-time world champion firmly back in the world title conversation with five events remaining.

Houshmand's victory was equally important for his qualification hopes. The win moved him up to 17th, putting him inside the top-22 requalification position.

For Erin Brooks, the change has been even more dramatic.

After winning both Tahiti and Fiji, Brooks has jumped all the way to eighth in the women's rankings. Her back-to-back victories have transformed what looked like a difficult season into a genuine late-season charge.

Carissa Moore now sits at the top of the women's rankings following Gabriela Bryan's early exit in Fiji.

Final Thoughts

The Fiji Pro delivered exactly what fans hoped for when the world's best surfers arrived at Cloudbreak.

Deep barrels, perfect 10s, major ranking implications and two very different championship stories made for an unforgettable event.

Cole Houshmand leaves Fiji with one of the biggest wins of his career after defeating Yago Dora, Leonardo Fioravanti and Gabriel Medina on his way to the trophy.

Erin Brooks leaves Fiji with back-to-back Championship Tour victories and enormous momentum heading into the final events of the season.

For Houshmand, the win could be the turning point that saves his Championship Tour season.

For Brooks, the story is even more remarkable. A few weeks ago she was fighting for confidence and qualification security. Now she is sitting eighth in the world rankings and looking like one of the most dangerous surfers on tour.

The Championship Tour now heads to California for the Trestles Pro, which runs from September 11–20.

If Brooks can continue her current form, the next stop could be another major chapter in one of the most impressive late-season turnarounds of 2026.

2026 Fiji Pro Final Results

Men

Cole Houshmand (USA) – 16.87
Gabriel Medina (BRA) – 15.17

Women

Erin Brooks (CAN)
Isabella Nichols (AUS) – Did Not Start, injury

Location: Cloudbreak, Fiji
Event: Fiji Pro Presented by Corona Cero
Championship Tour Stop: No. 8
Next Event: Trestles Pro, California – September 11–20, 2026

For the official event information and complete heat results, visit the World Surf League Fiji Pro event page.