Swatch Nines Surf & Skate 2026 transformed Waco Surf in Texas into a playground for progression, bringing together some of the world’s most creative surfers, skateboarders and BMX riders for three days of experimentation. With unconventional obstacles, a redesigned skate course and a wave pool reimagined as an artistic space, the event demonstrated what happens when athletes are encouraged to explore beyond the boundaries of their usual terrain.
Rather than a traditional competition, the Nines created an environment where innovation mattered more than the scoreboard. The result was a collection of boundary-pushing tricks, unexpected lines and creative moments that challenged conventional ideas about what is possible on a board.
Surfing’s New Frontier: Rails, Rotations and Risk
One of the biggest talking points was the introduction of a hubba drop rail, a feature that allowed surfers to slide their boards along a wall-mounted rail and drop directly into the pool.
Matt Meola was among the first seven surfers to lock in the feature, alongside Dylan Graves, Blair Conklin, Jacob “Zeke” Szekely, Balaram Stack and Makana Franzmann. Mason Ho took the challenge further, launching a 180 off the hubba and landing backwards before surfing away.
For Meola, the progression happened through persistence rather than instant success.
“I tried it once and I was like, oh, there’s no way I’m gonna be able to do that.”
he explained
After nearly landing it on his next attempt, the possibility became real. By his third or fourth try, he had made it.
That moment captures the spirit of the Nines: a feature that initially looks impossible becomes achievable through experimentation, commitment and repeated attempts.
Noah Beschen Lands a Rare Surfing Trick
One of the standout moments arrived on the second night, when Noah Beschen landed a massive frontside 360 shove-it. He revealed that he had landed the manoeuvre only once before, making the successful attempt particularly significant.
Beschen ultimately claimed Best Trick Surf – Male after a close decision against Osborne’s alley-oop body varial.
“Doing tricks in surfing, it’s pretty rare to make something new, so I was stoked,” .
Beschen said
The controlled environment was crucial. Unlike the ocean, where changing conditions can make repeated attempts difficult, the wave pool offered a more consistent platform for refining complex manoeuvres.
The advantage was not simply better waves; it was the opportunity to keep testing an idea until it worked.
Makana Franzmann also made an immediate impression during his first Nines appearance. The North Shore surfer earned the New Nine award after landing the down rail and linking a boardslide to revert on the Red Bull uprail. His performance highlighted how the event gives emerging talent room to establish themselves alongside established names.
A Wave Pool Becomes a Creative Studio
Technical progression was only part of the story. Surfers Coco Ho and Zoe McDougall helped transform the pool into a visual playground, introducing mirrors, floral installations and fairy-wing-inspired sessions that blended athletic performance with artistic expression.
Ho described the pool as a studio, using its controlled environment to explore new ways of framing surfing. Mirrors created unusual reflections, while flowers and a decorative arch provided a striking backdrop for surfers launching from barrels and into the air.
For McDougall, the installations brought childhood sketches into reality.
The creative direction demonstrated that innovation does not always mean adding another rotation or landing a more difficult trick. Sometimes, it means changing the setting and finding a completely different way to experience the sport.
Young surfers also delivered memorable performances. Milla Coco Brown earned Best Trick Surf – Female for a clean air reverse, while the returning Skai Suitt landed an airwalk and Hughie Vaughan threw a lien backflip. Isla Hardy, Zoee Bradshaw and Arthur Villar added to the next generation’s growing list of highlights.
Skateboarding and BMX Find New Lines Over Water
The skateboarding setup received its biggest presence yet at Waco, evolving from a pipe into a flowing course built over the water. Spines, quarters, hips, rails, boxes and a jump feature connected into a layout designed to reward creative lines rather than isolated tricks.
Dalton Dern landed a 540 invert before following it with a backside kickflip melon. Adam Hopkins also landed a 540 in the vert quarterpipe, while Yurin Fujii kickflipped Indy over a roller. Alex Midler delivered a kickflip backside tailslide 180 off a feature, adding to the event’s technical highlights.
Fujii’s performances earned her both Best Skater – Female and MVP – Female, while Shane Borland took MVP – Male. Clay Kreiner won Best Trick Skate – Male, and Andy Anderson received a Special Skate Award.
BMX riders Kevin Peraza, Matthias Dandois and Chase Hawk expanded the session’s possibilities, demonstrating how different disciplines could interact with the same custom-built environment.
The course itself reflected that shared approach. Ideas developed during the Creative Cabin workshop were brought to life by the Zenga Bros, with athlete input helping shape the final features.
As skateboarder Alex Midler put it, having elite athletes from different sports working in one place creates an environment that pushes people to attempt things they previously thought impossible.
Progression Without the Pressure of Competition
More than 300 fans attended Saturday’s public day, bringing spectators closer to the custom builds and the athletes putting them to work. Visitors also had the opportunity to experience Waco Surf’s new standing wave, the Shredmill, alongside the riders.
The event concluded with awards recognising standout performances and creative contributions, but its defining feature remained the freedom to experiment.
From Beschen’s rare surfing manoeuvre to Franzmann’s first-year breakthrough and Fujii’s skateboarding dominance, Swatch Nines Surf & Skate 2026 showed how purpose-built terrain can influence the direction of action sports.
For athletes, the lesson is straightforward: progression often begins with a feature that looks impossible, a trick that has never been landed or a line nobody has considered.
At the Nines, the course is more than an obstacle. It is an invitation to rethink what comes next.
