The Maldives is preparing to strengthen its position as a premium surf tourism destination when the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy returns to the celebrated Sultans break from September 4 to 11, 2026.
Hosted by Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, the invitation-only competition will bring six elite surfers together for an unusual format spanning three generations of surfboard design: single fin, twin fin and thruster.
The 2026 competition will mark the event’s 14th edition. Four Seasons has officially confirmed multi-discipline athlete Kai Lenny and Hawaiian surfer Mason Ho among the competitors announced for this year’s tournament.
The combination of elite sport, tropical surroundings and luxury resort hospitality gives the Maldives another opportunity to appeal to travellers seeking experiences that extend beyond conventional beach holidays.
Sultans becomes an international surfing stage
Sultans, located in the North Malé Atoll, provides the competitive centrepiece.
The renowned reef break sits only minutes from Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, giving resort guests unusually close access to professional surfing while maintaining the comforts of an exclusive island holiday.
Rather than following a conventional competition format, the Surfing Champions Trophy requires competitors to adapt between different boards.
Surfers contest single-fin, twin-fin and thruster divisions, testing their ability to change technique, rhythm and strategy as equipment evolves throughout the tournament.
That format connects modern performance surfing with the sport’s design heritage and makes versatility an important part of winning.
Kai Lenny and Mason Ho strengthen 2026 line-up
Kai Lenny was the first athlete officially announced for 2026.
His background across surfing, big-wave disciplines and foiling makes him particularly suited to an event where competitors must continually change equipment. Lenny previously competed in the tournament in 2019 and won its thruster division.
Mason Ho subsequently joined the field as the second officially confirmed athlete.
Ho returns for his second appearance and is known for an unconventional surfing style and his ability to ride different equipment. The remaining competitors are being announced in stages ahead of September.
Four Seasons’ currently published official competition information reviewed for this article identifies Lenny and Ho as the announced 2026 competitors. Therefore, additional names should be treated as unconfirmed until formally added to the resort’s competition updates.
Competition builds on major surfing history
The Surfing Champions Trophy first took place in 2011 and has since attracted an extensive group of influential international surfers.
Previous competitors have included Kelly Slater, Mark Occhilupo, Taj Burrow, Joel Parkinson, Carissa Moore, Maya Gabeira, Josh Kerr and Michel Bourez.
The 2025 edition delivered another dramatic chapter.
Bourez returned from injury during the tournament to capture the title after winning the thruster division and grand final. His performance included the event’s first perfect 10 score.
That history gives the September competition both sporting prestige and considerable destination-marketing value for the Maldives.
Luxury hospitality meets adventure tourism
For Four Seasons Kuda Huraa, surfing has become much more than a spectator event.
The resort has maintained a long-standing relationship with Tropicsurf, allowing guests to access coaching and local surf breaks. Four Seasons also offers specialised surfing experiences, including seaplane surf safaris designed to reach waves beyond the immediate resort area.
Kuda Huraa itself is around 25 minutes by speedboat from Malé, making it comparatively accessible for international visitors arriving through the country’s main aviation gateway.
During the championship, the resort experience extends beyond competition heats. Guests can encounter surfers around the island while enjoying recovery programmes, sunset gatherings and other hospitality experiences.
This intimate access helps differentiate the event from large sporting competitions where athletes and travellers remain separated.
Surf tourism diversifies the Maldives experience
The championship also demonstrates how Maldives tourism can combine luxury with adventure.
Traditionally associated worldwide with overwater villas, beaches, honeymoon travel and diving, the destination also possesses significant potential for surfing-focused holidays.
Events such as the Surfing Champions Trophy can attract travellers motivated by sport while encouraging companions and families to combine surfing with wellness, marine recreation and premium hospitality.
That diversification is particularly valuable for resorts looking to create distinctive reasons to travel beyond accommodation alone.
Maldives prepares for a high-profile September
When competition begins at Sultans on September 4, Four Seasons Kuda Huraa will once again place the Maldives before an international surfing audience.
The attraction lies in a combination that few destinations can easily reproduce: high-performance waves, internationally recognised surfers, an intimate competition format and luxury island hospitality.
For the Maldives, the 2026 Surfing Champions Trophy therefore represents more than a sporting event.
It showcases how premium resorts can transform natural assets into memorable tourism experiences while expanding the country’s appeal to adventure-minded luxury travellers.
As surfing and experiential travel increasingly overlap, Kuda Huraa is positioning the Maldives as a destination where world-class waves and high-end hospitality can exist within the same island journey.
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