Julian Wilson Begins Competitive Rebirth By Winning Newcastle SURFEST

Julian Wilson is back.

Three years in competitive exile, no warm-ups, just a season-wildcard to the CS in his pocket — Jules strolls into Newcastle SURFEST, dusts off his pants, and walks away with the EJE Men’s Pro title. The win comes just days after he was gifted a spot on the 2025 Challenger Series — now, he’s taken the QS 1,000 like a man strolling past his ex in a well-cut suit, whistling.

The men’s final, up against Axel Curotta, a young Australian eager to scalp a former CT star, had all the makings of a classic generational clash. Wilson struck first, Curotta hit back, and for most of the heat, youth looked set to triumph. Then, with minutes to go, Wilson played the old-head card — priority, patience, precision — surgically assembling the 13.70 total he needed to take the win. The timing, the rhythm, the knowing when to pounce — all still appears to be there.

With the win, Jules’ comeback doesn’t look like a sentimental victory lap or a mid-life crisis cosplay. It’s a reminder that Julian Wilson, aged 36, is still Julian Wilson — this isn’t some restless dad’s nostalgia trip. He’s here to win.

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“I never retired,” Jules told Stab last week. “I just needed to step back to prioritise my family. But I still watch so much of the tour and love it. I want to go back to that one thing I did for myself — competing.”

The first murmurs of a comeback surfaced last year, when Wilson hinted at discussions with the WSL. By August, he announced his intentions on Instagram and was met with a surge of support from fans and old rivals alike. “I didn’t realise how many people cared about what I was doing,” he admitted.

That turned into a wildcard for the entire 2025 Challenger Series, starting June 2 at Merewether Beach — the same stretch of sand where he just stamped his return. Jules has admitted to the lurking doubts — “There’s definitely a fear of getting exposed — do I still have it?” — but today, he answered with the best kind of reply: a silent finger pointed at the scoreboard.

A hell of a way to start the comeback.