Stories from The Eddie

Stories from The Eddie

‘Stories From The Eddie’ is a series that dives into the most iconic moments, from surfing’s most iconic big wave invitational event. This first episode asks surfers like Mason Ho, Mark Healy, Landon McNamara and Emily Erikson what the event means to them. We also explore the entire reason why this event was founded in the first place: to commemorate the legacy of Eddie Aikau. The Hawaiian icon and waterman sacrificed his life seeking help when a traditional Polynesian vessel, the Hōkūleʻa, capsized in heavy seas in 1978. He was also the first ever lifeguard at the Waimea Bay where the event is held and is a true legend in the surfing world.

WSL Tour Schedules

WSL Tour Schedules

The World Surf League (WSL) released the schedules for the 2025 Challenger Series and Longboard Tour. The Longboard Tour celebrates traditional surfing and progressive approaches across four events to crown the World Longboard Champions. The Challenger Series provides opportunities for athletes to qualify for the elite Championship Tour (CT).

Challenger Series to Host Five Stops for Championship Tour Qualification

The 2025 Challenger Series is the ultimate battleground for surfers vying to qualify for the elite Championship Tour (CT) in 2026. The Challenger Series features 80 men and 48 women who will compete across five events in five countries. The season will launch at Newcastle’s Merewether Beach before heading to South Africa, California, Portugal, and Brazil.

2025 WSL Challenger Series Schedule:
Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia: June 2 – 8
Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: June 30 – July 6
Huntington Beach, California, USA: July 29 – August 3 (US Open festival window: July 26 – August 3)
Ericeira, Portugal: September 29 – October 5
Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: October 11 – 19

The Challenger Series features athletes from the seven WSL Regions, including Australia/Oceania, Asia, Africa, Europe, Hawaii/Tahiti Nui, North America, and South America. At the conclusion of the season the top 10 men and the top seven women will qualify for the 2026 Championship Tour.

“As we head into the 2025 Challenger Series season, the WSL is excited for new changes, including the increase in women’s qualifiers to the CT,” said Travis Logie, WSL Senior Tour Manager, Challenger Series. “We look forward to kicking the season off at the iconic Surfest Newcastle, and to see who will earn their spot in 2026.”

WSL Longboard Tour Returns to Four Familiar Locations

The 2025 WSL Longboard Tour will start at the Huntington Beach Longboard Classic, then head to Bells Beach, Australia, and Surf Abu Dhabi in the UAE. The World Longboard Champions will be decided in El Salvador.

“Following an incredible season, we’re thrilled to announce another four event schedule for the 2025 Longboard Tour,” said Will Hayden-Smith, WSL Senior Tour Manager, Longboard Tour. “We can’t wait to return to these great locations for even more unforgettable performances from our surfers.”

2025 WSL Longboard Tour Schedule:
Huntington Beach, California, USA: July 26 – 30 (US Open festival window: July 26 – August 3)
Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia: September 17 – 21
Surf Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE: October 21 – 26
El Sunzal, El Salvador: November 5 – 9
Longboard Tour Qualification Process and Finals Format for 2025

The 2025 WSL Longboard Tour will host 24 men and 24 women. Each 24-person field will be made up of the following: Top 10 competitors from the 2024 Longboard Tour, seven surfers selected from the WSL Regions (with at least one qualifying event per region), five season wildcards, and two event wildcards.

During the first three events, competitors will aim to qualify for the fourth and final event, the one-day, winner-take-all Finals that will determine the World Longboard Champions. The Top 8 men and Top 8 women on the rankings after Stop No. 3 will earn a place in the Surf City El Salvador Longboard Championships. Similar to the WSL Championship Tour Finals format, competitors will be seeded into brackets determined by their rankings, and the winners will be crowned the 2025 WSL Longboard Titles.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

Big Blue Surf Film

Big Blue Surf Film

Driving through Morocco’s hippy surf trail is a mesmerising journey along the Atlantic coastline, where golden beaches meet rugged cliffs and the air carries the scent of salt and eucalyptus. This iconic route weaves through laid-back towns like Taghazout and Imsouane, famed for their world-class waves and bohemian vibe.

Hop on board with @jan.poort and partner as they slide through North Africa sharing waves and good vibes along the way.

The Hunter – Kyllian Guerin

The Hunter – Kyllian Guerin

Filmed during an unforgettable journey across South Africa from mid-June to late July 2023, The Hunter captures Kyllian’s pursuit of adventure, featuring breathtaking landscapes and some of the most incredible waves on the planet.

Divided into three parts, the film is a nod to our primal instinct as hunters, echoing the predator’s relentless drive to explore, chase, and conquer. Directed by Kyllian Guérin, with cinematography by Gabriel Boin and stunning graphic design by Roch Tastet, The Hunter takes viewers deep into the heart of South Africa’s raw and untamed beauty.

Riding Mountains

Riding Mountains

Pipeline, located on Oahu’s North Shore in Hawaii, a legendary wave that attracts surfers and photographers from across the globe. Known for its powerful and perfectly shaped barreling waves, Pipeline offers some of the most challenging and rewarding waves in the world.

Breaking over a flat tabletop reef, full of hidden caverns and caves. This is NOT a break that you want to go over the falls, jagged, underwater lava spires are amongst the dangers that await the fallen surfer.

Full respect to all the surfers, and the lifeguards on the North Shore who police this stretch of water.

Last Orders

Last Orders

Taxi for Reubyn Ash, don’t worry, he’ll be back. In the meantime pop on a brew, and kick back with Reubyn, Joss and the crew as they whip into the north coast of Cornwall.

Winter escapes are calling, but click those wetsuit boots together as we all know there’s no place like home, as can be seen by these snippets from the last couple of weeks chasing swells.

Film and edited: @offshoresphoto