Cascais Capítulo Perfeito powered by Billabong: Tomás Valente Wins Trials

CASCAIS, Portugal (January 14, 2026) – The Trials event for the 12th annual Cascais Capitulo Perfeito powered by Billabong took place yesterday in pumping conditions at Carcavelos Beach, Portugal. Local surfer Tomás Valente claimed the top honors in the final to qualify for the main event.

Held yesterday, the Trials event brought together some of the most consistent chargers in Carcavelos, namely Martim Nunes, Salvador Vala, Miguel Kilford, Tomás Valente, Francisco Mittermayer, João Moreira, António Carvalho “Lacrau”, and Bruno Mendonça. The contest took place under challenging conditions, with all surfers showing consistency, wave reading skills, and different approaches to the tube throughout the competition. In a closely fought battle until the very end, experience and adaptability proved decisive, with Tomás Valente emerging victorious with 10.25 points.

“I still can’t believe it. Nowadays I spend most of my time teaching surf lessons, but I’m always chasing good waves and love being in the water. Winning here, among so many young talents, also took a bit of luck, because Carcavelos isn’t easy”, said Tomás Valente immediately after his victory. “Qualifying for Capítulo Perfeito brings me back to the essence of surfing: if the waves are good, that’s all you need. This event represents exactly that — the pursuit of barrels and the counterculture of surfing. I entered the 2014 edition and a few others, and my goal was always to be here among my friends, who inspire me the most. Now I want to enjoy it and not worry too much because the older you get, the more you learn about competing and reading the ‘tricks’ of this wave”, he concluded.

With this victory, Tomás Valente secures direct entry into the main event, joining the already confirmed surfers: Balaram Stack, Bruno Santos, Joel Parkinson, Noah Beschen, Rob Machado, Soli Bailey, Torrey Meister, Tosh Tudor, João Maria Mendonça, Miguel Blanco, Nic von Rupp,  Anne dos Santos (first female invitee), Pedro Boonman (fan vote wildcard), and Cam Richards (reigning champion wildcard). Now, only the Performance Wildcard remains to be announced, which will happen immediately after the official call for the competition.

The 2026 season represents a milestone year with the international expansion of Capitulo Perfeito, featuring additional events in Mozambique (Praia da Barra) and Indonesia (Desert Point, Lombok).

Each event carries a €10,000 prize money by Cascais, with winners earning a direct wildcard into the 2027 Cascais Capitulo Perfeito powered by Billabong at Carcavelos.

True to its identity, the Capitulo Perfeito remains a one-day, tube-only competition, with surfers receiving just 72 hours’ notice, ensuring the event runs exclusively in world-class barrel conditions.