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Hurley Pro Sunset Beach

The Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO, the second stop on the World Surf League (WSL) 2022 Championship Tour (CT) will open the waiting period on Friday, February 11. After an epic start of the historic 2022 CT season at Banzai Pipeline, the world’s best surfers are heading to the iconic open-ocean Hawaiian break to continue their fight to make the mid-season cut.

For the first time ever, the women and men have a fully combined schedule in a fully redesigned Tours and Competition framework, with the introduction of the all-new mid-season cut. Surfers need to perform well in the first five events of the season in order to make the WSL Final 5.

Will king Kelly continue to Sunset?

The class of 2022 already started proving its worth in Hawaii during the Billabong Pro Pipeline, the first stop of the Tour. 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) earned his 56th CT victory at the world-renowned Banzai Pipeline and is heading to Sunset Beach as World No. 1, while event wildcard Moana Jones Wong (HAW) won her first-ever CT event, became the women’s World No. 1 and earned a wildcard spot at the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO.

The men’s wildcard will go to Maui big-wave heroes Kai Lenny and Billy Kemper.

Meanwhile, three-time WSL Champion Gabriel Medina has withdrawn from the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach and will be replaced by Brazil’s Caio Ibelli (above), who’s coming off of a Semifinal finish at Pipe.

World No. 6 Caroline Marks has withdrawn from the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach siting medical reasons. She will be replaced by Australia’s Bronte Macaulay.

Brazil’s Yago Dora continues his recovery from his injury ahead of the season and will be replaced by South Africa’s Matthew McGillivray.

2022 Rookies Liam O’Brien and Carlos Munoz both sustained injuries at Pipeline and continue their recoveries. They will be replaced by Jordan Lawler and Barron Mamiya.

This will be the first time in 13 years that Sunset will host a Championship Tour competition. In the last CT held at Sunset, five-time WSL Champion Carissa Moore (HAW) took the win at the World Cup Sunset Beach against Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), seven-time WSL champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), and Alana Blanchard (HAW). Sunset Beach is also known for playing host to other high-level competitions. For many years it has served as the final major event of the men’s Qualifying Series schedule, as a stage to several women’s Pro Junior events.

Some of the 2022 CT rookies have plenty of experience at the famous Hawaiian reef. Gabriela Bryan (HAW) won back-to-back Pro Junior events in 2018 and 2019, and North Shore locals, Luana Silva and Bettylou Sakura Johnson, have also spent a fair proportion of their surfing lives free surfing and competing at Sunset Beach. Johnson made the Final in the Pro Junior in 2020 at the age of 15, while Silva made it to the Semifinals at the same event.

Some of the 2022 CT rookies have plenty of experience at the famous Hawaiian reef. Gabriela Bryan (HAW) won back-to-back Pro Junior events in 2018 and 2019, and North Shore locals, Luana Silva and Bettylou Sakura Johnson (above), have also spent a fair proportion of their surfing lives free surfing and competing at Sunset Beach. Johnson made the Final in the Pro Junior in 2020 at the age of 15, while Silva made it to the Semifinals at the same event.

The holding period for the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO, the second stop of the 2022 Championship Tour, runs from February 11 to February 23, 2022. The competition will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and WSL’s YouTube channel, as well as the free WSL app. Check local listings for coverage from the WSL’s broadcast partners. For fans watching in Brazil, coverage of the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO Quarterfinals and beyond will continue exclusively on worldsurfleague.com and SporTV.

The Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO is proudly supported by partners Hurley, SHISEIDO, Red Bull, Oakley, Hydro, Flask, Havaianas, Expedia, Flying Embers, Pura Vida, Spectrum Hawaii, 805, and Da Fin.

TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge

The World Surf League (WSL) TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge Presented by Jogos Santa Casa has been called ON and will start at 9:00 am GMT at Praia do Norte in Nazaré, Portugal. Some of the best big wave surfers on the planet are set to compete in the one-day, team tow-in event, with waves in the 40-to-50-foot range.

“The swell has arrived and it’s big enough. It’s 40-50 foot, maybe we’ll see some bigger waves throughout the day. The winds have backed off, it’s not as strong as was predicted so we have some fog, but it’s contestable for a 09:00 AM start,” said Garrett McNamara, WSL Tours and Competition, Big Wave Consultant.

Top performers Lucas Chianca (BRA) and Justine Dupont (FRA) will be up in the first heat of the day.

Top performers Lucas Chianca (BRA) and Justine Dupont (FRA) will be up in the first heat of the day.

TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge Presented by Jogos Santa Casa Format

Eight teams of two will take part in this specialty event. Team Green is not able to compete as Axi Muniain (EUK) and Francisco Porcella (ITA) entered the WSL COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols ahead of the 2022 TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge Presented by Jogos Santa Casa.

The teams will be divided into three groups. The competition will have a total of six 50-minute heats and each group will participate in two heats, with each team alternating between surfing and driving the team’s jet ski.

A surfer’s best two waves after surfing both heats will count to an individual total score, with the best wave counting as double points. In total, a surfer’s maximum individual score will be 30 points, as each wave is scored from 1-10 points. Surfers will be awarded across multiple categories at the end of the competition day.

Top performers Lucas Chianca (BRA) and Justine Dupont (FRA) will be up in the first heat of the day.

TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge Presented by Jogos Santa Casa Format

Heat Draw:
Heat 1, Group A
Team Red: Lucas Chianca (BRA), Nic Von Rupp (PRT)
Team Cyan Blue: Justine Dupont (FRA), Antonio Laureano (PRT)
Team Brown: Andrew Cotton (GBR), Will Skudin (USA)

Heat 2, Group B
Team Pink: Rodrigo Koxa (BRA), Eric Rebiere (FRA)
Team Blue: Michelle Bouillons (BRA), Ian Cosenza (PRT)

Heat 3, Group C
Team Yellow: Rafael Tapia (CHL), Jaime Mitchell (AUS)
Team Purple: Joao de Macedo (PRT), Antonio Silva (PRT)
Team Black: Maya Gabeira (BRA), Pierre Caley (FRA)

Heat 4, Group A
Team Red: Lucas Chianca (BRA), Nic Von Rupp (PRT)
Team Cyan Blue: Justine Dupont (FRA), Antonio Laureano (PRT)
Team Brown: Andrew Cotton (GBR), Will Skudin (USA)

Heat 5, Group B
Team Pink: Rodrigo Koxa (BRA), Eric Rebiere (FRA)
Team Blue: Michelle Bouillons (BRA), Ian Cosenza (PRT)

Heat 6, Group C
Team Yellow: Rafael Tapia (CHL), Jaime Mitchell (AUS)
Team Purple: Joao de Macedo (PRT), Antonio Silva (PRT)
Team Black: Maya Gabeira (BRA), Pierre Caley (FRA)
Four awards will be distributed at the end of the day:

• Men’s Best Performance: Male surfer with the highest 2 scoring waves

• Women’s Best Performance: Female surfer with the highest 2 scoring waves

• Best Team Performance: Total of best two scoring rides of both team riders

• Jogos Santa Casa Most Committed Award: Awarded to the surfer who shows the most commitment throughout the day

Watch LIVE
Watch the TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge pres. by Jogos Santa Casa live on Red Bull TV and WorldSurfLeague.com.

When I’m 64

In the last week we watched a young grom (Mr Slater approaching 50) take the Billabong Pipe Pro. Well take a look at the drone footage of Michael Ho threading backdoor at a mere 64 years young, if we’ve learnt anything over the last week, it’s surfing is the best anti-aging product out there.

Puntablanca Young Series

• The best international and regional U21 surfers and bodyboarders will meet in Punta Blanca, Tenerife.

• The waiting period is from February 4th to April 30th, 2022.

‘TENERIFE PUNTABLANCA Young Series presented by Quiksilver’ will celebrate this year its first edition in the city of Guía de Isora.

The event, in its invitational format, will gather for the first time the best U21 32 surfers and 32 bodyboarders in Punta Blanca.

The waiting period for this first edition is from February 4th to April 30th, 2022, in search of the perfect conditions that will guarantee a great show on this wave, one of the most breathtaking in Europe.

During the waiting period the management of the event will have the current situation of COVID-19 worldwide in mind, the priority being the safety and well-being of both the athletes and the island of Tenerife.

TENERIFE PUNTA BLANCA Young Series presented by Quiksilver is an event sponsored by Turismo de Tenerife, Ayuntamiento de Guía de Isora, Quiksilver y Gabaceras. It also has the support of Entemanser, Chafiras, Surflogic, Federación Canaria de Surf, Club de Surf Punta Blanca, Club de Surf Wave´s Legends and Fontapurru. The event is organized by In-process.

Off My Wave

When your family drops in on you there’s only one thing to do, nick their board of course, Parko get’s schooled by Mitch Parkinson at Snapper, naughty boy Parko, naughty boy.