She will be the first Portuguese woman to reach the Championship Tour – in men, Portugal has already had two athletes (Tiago Pires and Frederico Morais) on the main circuit in the past.
Francisca Veselkafourth in the ranking, and Teresa Bonvaloteighth, continue in the race for a place among the top seven in the rankings, with just two stages left until the end of the season.
In 2026, the Lexus Pipe Challenger, in Oahu, Hawaii, between January 29th and February 9th, and the Newcastle Surfest, from March 9th to 15th, in Australia, are the last two events on the secondary circuit.
Veselko did very well at the start of the season, with a triumph in Newcastle, Australia, in what was then the second Portuguese triumph in the sport, after Teresa Bonvalot having won in Sydney, in 2022.
Banco do Brasil Saquarema Pro, on Praia de Itaúna, in Rio de Janeiro, is the fifth and penultimate stage of the Challenger Series (CS), which offer access places for the 2026 CT, 10 for the men’s competition, and seven for the women’s competition.