This Sumbawa Beach Kid Forces Australia to Its Knees at the World Surfing Championship

The Siargao sea was roaring, and the name Bronson Meydi echoed once more on the global stage. The young surfer from Sumbawa achieved a brilliant feat by winning the World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 6000 2025 event held in Siargao, Philippines.

With an outstanding performance, Bronson recorded a total score of 15.33 points, narrowly defeating his tough Australian competitor, Ben Lorentson, who scored 14.70 points.

Bronson's two best waves were worth 6.50 and 8.83 respectively, enough to secure the top podium spot for him.

"Wow, I can't believe it, a crazy final. The waves were slow and favored me, so yeah, it was luck," said Bronson as quoted from the official WSL press release.

Waves, Focus, and Adrenaline in the Siargao Final

The battle in the final was fierce. When Lorentson scored an 8.17, Bronson knew the decisive moment had arrived.

With the composure typical of an experienced surfer, he waited for the perfect wave, and when it came, he didn't waste it.

"After he scored the 8, I immediately thought, 'Oh, I have to score now too.' So yeah, lucky that big wave came and I was fired up to get the 8.8," he said.

Defeating the Australian Seeds

Before reaching the final, Bronson's journey was not without obstacles. He had to eliminate two Australian seeds, Dane Henry in the quarter-finals and Harley Walters in the semi-finals.

In those two rounds, the 21-year-old surfer displayed an attractive and explosive surfing style. The alley-oop trick, where a surfer jumps and spins in the air towards the wave, became his ultimate weapon.

That move earned him near-perfect scores of 9.67 and 9.87, a sign that his talent is world-class.

In the final, Bronson's victory was determined by a combination of two aggressive turns and his ability to carefully read the wave direction, qualities that make him increasingly respected on the international scene.

Bronson and the Philippines: An Inseparable Connection

Interestingly, this victory wasn't Bronson's first in the Philippines. He seems to have "ocean luck" in that country.

Earlier this year, he also won the World Junior Championship 2024 in San Juan, La Union, Philippines.

"Every time I win, it's always in the Philippines. Amazing, I love this place," said Bronson.

For him, the Philippines is like a second home, a place where waves, adrenaline, and achievement blend perfectly.

A New Generation of Indonesian Surfing

The victory at the QS 6000 Siargao solidifies Bronson's status as one of the best young surfers Indonesia currently has.

With two international titles in two consecutive years, he paves the way for a new generation of Indonesian wave surfing athletes to dare to challenge the world.

Composure, high technique, and the courage to take risks are Bronson's trademarks. He proves that young Indonesians can dominate an extreme sport long dominated by major nations like Australia and the United States.