Yolanda Hopkins is a Portuguese powerhouse and 2026 Championship Tour rookie. She joins host Joe Turpel on MEET THE ROOKIE to break down her long road to qualification, her powerful approach in the water, and why she believes she can finish inside the Top 5 in her debut season. Calling in from Australia while preparing for Newcastle, Hopkins discusses chasing the Challenger Series title before her rookie debut, balancing preparation for events like Bells Beach and Margaret River, and how years of near-misses built the resilience that finally pushed her onto the CT. She reflects on growing up in Portugal’s southern breaks, being raised by a fisherman father, and how first-generation surfing shaped her competitive fire. Hopkins also dives into key turning points – traveling outside Europe for the first time, qualifying heartbreaks, losing her father, and finally securing her CT spot surrounded by supporters in Saquarema, and explains why that journey makes her one of the most appreciative rookies on Tour. The conversation explores her powerful surfing influences, including Carissa Moore, Stepanie Gilmore, Sally Fitzgibbons, Mick Fanning, and Jordy Smith, her longtime relationship with her shaper and coach, and her confidence heading into a stacked rookie class. Hopkins also shares her goals for the season, why winning the Challenger Series still matters, and the pride she feels representing Portugal as part of Europe’s rising force on Tour.
Learn more about Yolanda and follow her here.
Follow Joe Turpel here.
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