Lelior earns dream spot in surfing’s world tour
Anat Lelior has become the first Israeli to qualify for World Surfing League's Championship Tour.
When 25-year-old Israeli Anat Lelior completed her debut World Surf League (WSL) women’s Challenger Series season at Newcastle’s spectacular Merewether Beach on March 22, there was a magical moment when officials confirmed she’d earned enough points to achieve a once unthinkable dream – to become the first Israeli to qualify for the WSL Championship Tour.
Joyous tears began to flow, as she hugged her support crew, and could not stop smiling.
From April 3, she will be surfing at Victoria’s world famous Bells Beach in the opening round, as one of the top 24 ranked women’s surfers in the world.
In a WSL press conference on Merewether Beach’s boardwalk, Lelior revealed how at first she “hadn’t completely understood” that she’d qualified, as her Round of 16 exit and ninth placing at the Newcastle Surfest meant that it went down to how other surfers went in the semis and final.
“I can’t believe it – this is unreal!” Lelior said, barely able to hold back more tears.
“I didn’t know dreams can actually come true.
“It was only my first year in the Challenger Series, and coming from Israel, I hadn’t even surfed in the ocean when I was growing up . . . so this is quite mental!
“And I just want to say thanks to my family watching – I love you so much – and I want to say thank you to Israel, and everyone who has been sending me messages.
“I also want to thank the WSL for supporting me on my journey here, the surfing industry, and my sponsors from Israel.
“I guess I’ll see you at Bells!”
Lelior learned to surf with her sister at Tel Aviv’s beaches, and won seven Israeli national titles before joining the Europe Pro Junior tour in 2018, and competing for Israel in the last two Summer Olympic Games.
For the expanded 12-round 2026 WSL women’s Championship Tour, the world’s top 14 ranked surfers automatically qualified, as did the top seven on the Challenger Series ladder, plus two wildcards and one extra selected by the WSL.
Lelior’s excellent third placing in round four of the Challenger Series in Portugal, and her impressive fourth place in round six in Hawaii, put her in good stead.
And the 3,320 points she earned in Newcastle took her to 20,310 total points that sealed her the all important seventh place for the Challenger Series season, just 725 points in front of Basque Country competitor Annette Etxabarri.
At Bells Beach, and in each round of the Championship Tour, Lelior will get to compete against, and learn from, women’s surfing superstars such as world number one ranked Australian Molly Picklum, second ranked American Caroline Marks, Hawaiian Gabriela Bryan, Canadian Erin Brooks, and Aussies Tyler Wright, Isabella Nichols, Sally Fitzgibbons, and Stephanie Gilmore.
In a social media post, Surfing Festival Israel said of Lelior’s Championship Tour qualification feat, “With courage, determination, and a huge heart, you’ve proved to the world what a true champion is”.