Surfing's elite world tour, now in its 50th year, begins at Australia's Bells Beach with Stephanie Gilmore, Carissa Moore and Gabriel Medina returning to the circuit. The trio, who had previously retired due to various reasons, may find a different level of competition on the 12-stop tour. The tour will also feature a new generation of twentysomethings, including 2025 champion Molly Picklum, Olympic gold medallist Caroline Marks, and 2024 number one Caitlin Simmers, who have been consistently performing well in their absence. New Zealand's Raglan and California's Lower Trestles are among the new additions to the tour schedule. The season-ending leg at Pipeline will be worth 1.5 times standard championship tour events to reflect its elevated status.