Bryan wins 2026 Lexus Pipe Challenger, secures her maiden challenger series victory

VIDEO SHOWS: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2026 LEXUS PIPE CHALLENGER/ SOUNDBITE FROM GABRIELA BRYAN SHOWS: OAHU, HAWAII, UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 6, 2026) (WORLD SURF LEAGUE – See restrictions) 1. VARIOUS OF GABRIELA BRYAN SURFING  2. BRYAN CELEBRATING AFTER HER SURF  3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) HAWAIIAN SURFER GABRIELA BRYAN SAYING: "Yeah, man, I'm so stoked. It feels so good to start the year with a win after so much time off, just getting back in the jersey, feeling the nerves and everything that comes along with competing. But yeah, it just gets me so fired up for the rest of the year. It's a long year ahead and we're just beginning, but there's no better way to start than with a win, especially at Pipe." 4. VARIOUS OF CANADIAN SURFER ERIN BROOKS SURFING  5. DOG WATCHING BROOKS' SURF/ BROOKS PLAYING WITH THE DOG AFTER HER SURF  6. VARIOUS OF AUSTRALIAN SURFER MOLLY PICKLUM SURFING  7. PRESENTER CALLING BRYAN ON STAGE TO COLLECT HER TROPHY  8. BRYAN GETTING O0NTO THE STAGE AND COLLECTING HER WINNER'S TROPHY  9. ALL THE SURFERS POSING WITH THEIR TROPHY  STORY: Hawaiian surfer Gabriela Bryan claimed victory at the 2026 Lexus Pipe Challenger of the 2025-26 Challenger Series, held at Pipeline in Oahu, Hawaii on Friday (February 6). She joins Australia's Callum Robson, the men's champion, in taking top honours at the event. Bryan, 23, advanced through a competitive field starting from the Round of 32 and clinched her first Challenger Series title in the finals with a score of 7.10, outperforming reigning world champion Molly Picklum, 2025 Rookie of the Year Erin Brooks and Israel's Anat Lelior. Bryan's win places her as a formidable contender heading into the 2026 Championship Tour (CT), which begins on April 1 at the Rip Curl Pro in Bells Beach. The victory is a significant milestone for Bryan, who held the 2025 world number three title and boasts four prior CT wins.  Elsewhere in the competition, Australia's Sally Fitzgibbons secured her spot on the 2026 CT, following marquee eliminations that reshaped the Top 7 Challenger Series rankings. (Production: Suramya Kaushik)

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