Francisca Veselko and Jacob Willcox Win 2025 Newcastle SURFEST Challenger Series Opener
Photo: Credit: WSL / Aaron Hughes
MEREWETHER BEACH, Newcastle, NSW, Australia (Sunday, June 8, 2025) – The 2025 Burton Automotive Newcastle SURFEST Presented by Bonsoy opened the World Surf League (WSL) Challenger Series in commanding fashion, with standout wins for Portugal’s Francisca Veselko and Australia’s Jacob Willcox. Both surfers outperformed a deep field of global competitors in front of large crowds and under ideal three-to-four foot wave conditions at Merewether Beach.
Francisca Veselko (POR) delivered a career-defining performance, securing her first Challenger Series victory. The former World Junior Champion demonstrated consistency and power throughout the event, peaking on Finals Day with the highest two-wave score of the day (15.16) in her Semifinal against France’s Tya Zebrowski. Veselko becomes the first Portuguese woman to win at SURFEST, joining an esteemed list of past champions including Layne Beachley, Stephanie Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons.
I’m tripping, I don’t know what to say really. This is the best day of my life for sure. There has been a lot of work in the lead-up to this by my team, my family and my coach. My coach has been with me since I was eight and sacrificed a lot to help me get to here, so this is special. What the heck, I can’t believe I won a challenger. I’m really proud of myself and everybody around me.
In the Final, Veselko edged out seasoned Australian competitor Sally Fitzgibbons with a two-wave total of 14.60. Her wave selection and timing proved decisive in securing the win.
It was insane to share a Final with Sally. She is such a warrior and a legend and a true inspiration for someone who always fights until the end. She just fell off tour and is already back here fighting to get back. She isn’t afraid of the new generation and pushes for us. She is a legend and I love her.
Jacob Willcox (AUS) achieved a long-awaited breakthrough with his maiden Challenger Series victory, rebounding from his 2024 mid-season exit from the Championship Tour. Willcox has long been regarded as one of Australia’s brightest talents and proved it by joining an elite list of past Newcastle SURFEST winners including Kelly Slater, Mark Occhilupo and Mick Fanning.
This has been a long time coming. I’ve had a lot of losses to get this win, and it feels incredible to finally get it. It’s taken a lot of hard work to get here, and that was the best moment of my life on the beach just then. Coming in and having my crew tell me that I probably had it and share that moment with them was so special.
Willcox faced Kauli Vaast (FRA) in the Final. Both surfers started strong, but the latter stages of the heat saw a slowdown in conditions. Willcox maintained the upper hand with a total of 12.30, holding off a late push from Vaast.
The final was pretty slow in the end, but I was just telling myself that sometimes the ocean just gets on your side and gives you some luck, and you find some rhythm, and I feel like this week I found some rhythm and some luck. That’s the thing with our sport, you just never know when you’re going to get your moment. My moment was today, so I was stoked.
Despite the Final loss, Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) was a major highlight of the event, showcasing her experience and tenacity in a strong runner-up finish, kickstarting her campaign for re-qualification to the CT.
It’s been an emotional week, and I feel like my heart and soul have been through a washing machine. So to get back two days later and get this result feels amazing. It’s always tough not to go all the way and bring it home in the Final with all of the support on the beach, but the energy down here is amazing. I’ve been competing here since I was 10, and it’s always such a special event to come to, so I’m stoked to get this Challenger season off to this start at this place.
Olympic gold medallist Kauli Vaast (FRA) made an impressive start to his Challenger Series campaign. After defeating local favourite Ryan Callinan with a 9.10 single wave in the Semifinal, Vaast now sits second in the overall rankings.
It’s been hard for me to make heats since the Olympics. I have enjoyed my time and now refocused with my team, so to start this year with a second place is amazing. I’ve seen some of my good friends make the CT, and that’s my dream, so I feel like I’m on the way now. I am enjoying this place and loved the good vibes from the crowd, so thank you to everyone.
Final Results – Burton Automotive Newcastle SURFEST 2025
Men’s Final
- 1st – Jacob Willcox (AUS) – 12.30
- 2nd – Kauli Vaast (FRA) – 11.56
Women’s Final
- 1st – Francisca Veselko (POR) – 14.60
- 2nd – Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) – 12.20
Men’s Semifinals
- Jacob Willcox (AUS) 13.16 def. Matthew McGillivray (RSA) 8.83
- Kauli Vaast (FRA) 14.60 def. Ryan Callinan (AUS) 12.66
Women’s Semifinals
- Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 11.67 def. Teresa Bonvalot (POR) 10.73
- Francisca Veselko (POR) 15.16 def. Tya Zebrowski (FRA) 13.06
Source: World Surf League