It’s been a standout week for GB Surfing Progression Squad athlete Alys Barton. Fresh off her 21st birthday, Alys took the win at the Cold Waves event in Poland and followed it up with an impressive 2nd place finish at the WSL Caparica Surf Fest.

Alys was in fine form throughout the event, posting one of the competition’s highest heat scores—a 14.50 in the quarterfinals—before falling just short in the final against local favourite Francisca Veselko.

credit: Neil Sandland

Veselko’s win secured her the No. 2 spot in the WSL European rankings for the season, making Alys’s performance even more significant. With this result, Alys not only ends the 2024/25 WSL season on a high but also builds real momentum heading into the 2025/26 campaign.

The wider season has seen major breakthroughs for GB Surfing. Lukas Skinner and Patrick Langdon-Dark made history with the first-ever all-British final at Boardmasters, and both athletes have continued to post strong results. Pat finishes the year ranked 10th in Europe—just shy of qualifying for the Challenger Series—but has shown he’s well within reach.

With a year of progress behind us and so many promising results, the 2025/26 season is shaping up to be an exciting one for GB Surfing.