The 2026 Kneeboard Surfing USA Titles Are Coming to Oceanside

The best kneeboarders in the country will converge on Oceanside Harbor's South Jetty on Friday, March 13 for the 2026 Kneeboard Surfing USA Titles — one of the premier kneeboarding events in the world and a critical qualifier for the 2026 Kneeboard Surfing World Titles in Saquarema, Brazil this August.

The event is free and open to the public, with heats beginning at 7 a.m. (weather and waves permitting). Oceanside has previously hosted the event in 2008, 2017, and 2025, making it a familiar venue for the kneelo community.

Kneeboarders are a rather obscure part of the larger surf community, it's not often that you see one in the lineup, but that doesn't mean they can't charge, get barreled and generate buckets of spray. Kneeboarding also plays a crucial part of surf history, before the shortboard revolution unfolded, George Greenough inspired surfers with the radical lines he could draw while on surfing on his kneeboard which was much shorter than the surfboards of the time. Similarly with Steve Lis, who's observation of kneeboarders in La Jolla inspired his design of the twin fin fish that's still one of the most beloved surfboard templates of the day.

“Kneeboarders share a community unlike any other in the surfing world,” said Jack Beresford, KSUSA President. “We compete hard, but these events are just as much a family reunion and celebration of the sport.”

The Don Harris Trophy

All eyes will be on Kevin Skvarna of San Juan Capistrano, who enters as the heavy favorite after winning the last three consecutive Open division titles. At just 28, Skvarna brings a wealth of experience from years competing on the world pro longboard tour — and he'll be hungry for a fourth straight crown.

Skvarna is an absolute weapon but the field of challengers is stacked with talent including:

• Chris Beresford & Jack Beresford (San Diego) — both former champions
• Sam Coyne (San Diego) — a distinguished international competitor chasing his first US title
• Chris Buscemi (Oceanside) — 2025 AAA Division winner and a regular on Oceanside's hollow beach breaks
• Adam Shapiro (Washington) — a South Africa-born veteran who finished 2nd in the Open division in 2025

Defending the Junior Title is Cormac Cove O'Brien, who recently blew up the internet with his switch stance tube riding at home in the South Bay. Former women's champions, Rachel Lord of Ventura, and Patti Hook of North Carolina, will battle it out for this year's title.