Namika Yamashita and Luna Hardman Go Head-To-Head for the World Title at the ArcelorMittal Wahine Bodyboarding Pro 2026

September 17, 2026· Javier Ceballos

The final stop of the 2026 IBC Women’s World Tour is hitting prime time at Praia do Solemar, and we might just crown a world champ before the final heat even surfs out.

The IBC Women’s World Tour is down to the wire at the ArcelorMittal Wahine Bodyboarding Pro 2026, the final and most critical women's event of the season, currently underway at Praia do Solemar (Jacaraípe, Serra). After a quick hold for better waves, organizers have officially called the event back ON for this Friday at 8:00 AM local time, when the world's best will get back to business in the water.

The Showdown for the Crown: Yamashita vs. Hardman

The race for the Pro Women’s World Title has turned into a high-stakes duel between Japan’s Namika Yamashita and Brazil’s own Luna Hardman:

• Namika Yamashita (JPN) – World No. 1 (6,000 pts):

Yamashita arrives in Brazil sitting pretty at the top after a dominant season, locking down back-to-back wins at the Maldives Pro (3,000 pts) and the Sintra Bodyboard Festival (3,000 pts). Namika just needs to punch her ticket to the Quarterfinals to lock up the World Title mathematically, meaning the world crown could be sealed before the final event heat even hits the water.

• Luna Hardman (BRA) – World No. 2 (5,270 pts):

The young Brazilian phenom is keeping the pressure on after a super consistent run this year—taking 3rd at the Maldives Pro (2,190 pts), winning the Miss Quebramar Cup (500 pts), and grabbing runner-up honors at the Sintra Bodyboard Festival (2,580 pts). Hardman has to make the Final in Jacaraípe to stay alive in the title race and keep her world championship dreams alive.

Three World Titles on the Line: Master and Junior Divisions Take Center Stage

Along with the Pro division, the Junior Women and Master Women categories are jumping straight into knockout action starting with the Quarterfinals. This event won't just crown the event winners in Brazil, it will officially decide all three IBC World Champions this season (Pro, Junior, and Master), bringing together multiple generations of global women's bodyboarding talent on the breaks of Serra.

A Record-Breaking Event: Heavy Cash & Community Impact

For its fifth edition, the ArcelorMittal Wahine Bodyboarding Pro is dropping a record-breaking $45,000 prize purse the biggest paycheck in the history of women's bodyboarding for a single tour stop.

Beyond the competition heats, the Wahine festival continues to give back through its social, cultural, and environmental initiatives. The event wraps up on Saturday, September 26 at Carapebus Beach with a massive community surf clinic (Aulão Social) starting at 8:00 AM. Spearheaded by the Neymara Carvalho Institute (INC), the initiative brings sports, eco-awareness, and gear to over 200 local kids and teens.

Watch It Live: www.ibcworldtour.com