WSL Releases 2019 Championship Tour Dates Including Pipeline

WSL have released the 2019 Championship Tour dates for both the men’s and women’s tours. The tour will be starting in Australia, with a break in Bali, before heading back to Margret River and onto Brazil, South Africa, North America, French Polynesia, Europe and Hawaii showcasing the world’s best surfers from around the world. The big news is that Pipeline is on the schedule after the WSL had a failed attempt to open the season in Hawaii due to permitting issues. The Surf Ranch Pro will also make a second appearance, and in a change to the usual proceedings, the three stop Australian leg takes a Baliense break before returning to Margaret River in Western Australia, despite this year’s cancellation due to heightened shark activity.

Press Release: The WSL today released its 2019 Championship Tour calendars for the men’s and women’s tours, taking an elite group of men and women surfers to some of the most exotic locations on the planet in determining the world’s best surfers for another season.

Crowning World Champions since 1976, the WSL Championship Tour has cemented itself as the benchmark and proving grounds for the world’s best surfing, celebrating champions from Mark Richards (AUS) and Margo Oberg (HAW) to Tom Curren (USA) and Frieda Zamba (USA), Wendy Both (ZAF), Kelly Slater (USA), Lisa Andersen (USA), Andy Irons (HAW), Layne Beachley (AUS), Mick Fanning (AUS), Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Gabriel Medina (BRA), Carissa Moore (HAW), John John Florence (HAW), Tyler Wright (AUS), and many more.

“The WSL Championship Tour is home to the world’s best surfing,” Sophie Goldschmidt, WSL CEO, said. “We have an international field of men’s and women’s surfers and a global tour of the world’s best waves in some of the most idyllic locations in the world. Working with our many stakeholders, we’ve shifted the start of the season from March to April, increasing the offseason for the world’s best surfers to recover and continue to push the boundaries of high performance surfing, also creating a more fan friendly condensed calendar.

2018 has seen a generational shift on tour with new stars emerging and staking their claim at some of the best waves in the world.

“Very pleased to announce a healthy and diverse 2019 schedule to challenge the world’s best surfers throughout the year,” Kieren Perrow, WSL Commissioner, said. “This level has to be the proving ground and the platform for the advancement of the world’s best surfing and we’re very happy with where it’s at next season.”

Once again returning to world-class venues from Australia to Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa, North America, French Polynesia, Europe and Hawaii, a key change in the 2019 CT calendar is the breakup for the three-event Australia leg with a break following the Gold Coast and Bells Beach events before recommencing with the Bali event and returning to Margaret River as the fourth stop of the season.

“Margaret River has been a key stop on the CT for several seasons now and we had the unique and unfortunate circumstance of having to cancel this season’s event due to aggressive shark activity in the area,” Perrow said. “Working with our surfers, event partners and the local community, we’ve moved the dates of the Margaret River event later in the year to improve the pacing of the season as well as ensure the best chance for world-class conditions at all breaks.”

2019 Men’s Championship Tour Schedule*:
Gold Coast Men’s Pro: April 3 – 13, 2019
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: April 17 – 27, 2019
Bali Men’s Pro: May 13 – 24, 2019
Margaret River Pro: May 27 – June 7, 2019
Oi Rio Pro: June 20 – 28, 2019
J-Bay Open: July 9 – 22, 2019
Tahiti Pro Teahupo’o: August 21 – September 1, 2019
Surf Ranch Pro: September 19 – 22, 2019
France Men’s Pro: October 3 – 13, 2019
Meo Pro Peniche: October 16 – 28, 2019
Billabong Pipe Masters: December 8 – 20, 2019

“The Tour is committed to quality locations and that’s essential in challenging the world’s best surfers,” Adrian Buchan, CT surfer and surfer’s representative, said. “The diversity in the waves on tour makes it a demanding schedule for the men and women in determining both the world title as well as who’s at the top. The surfers on tour require a variety of skills to perform so it’s great that it’s well balanced.”

“In terms of the pacing, the feedback we’ve had from a lot of the surfers is positive on the later start and longer offseason in terms of being able to prepare for the year ahead as well as breaking up the longer blocks of events into more manageable legs. I think both changes will contribute to the surfers performing at their best.”

The women’s Championship Tour schedule mirrors the men’s schedule in quality venues, but will see the transition of the Vans US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach from a CT event to a QS10000 (alongside the men’s), as well as joining the men’s CT event in Peniche, Portugal.

“The 2019 Women’s Championship Tour schedule is one of the strongest I’ve ever seen in my career, both as an athlete and as a commissioner,” Jessi Miley-Dyer, WSL Women’s Commissioner, said. “It’s a testament to the WSL’s commitment to both women’s surfing and creating a true platform for the advancement of the world’s best surfing. We have a great schedule next season and I’m excited to see what the women do with it.”

2019 Women’s Championship Tour Schedule*:
Gold Coast Women’s Pro: April 3 – 13, 2019
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: April 17 – 27, 2019
Bali Women’s Pro: May 13 – 24, 2019
Margaret River Pro: May 27 – June 7, 2019
Oi Rio Pro: June 20 – 28, 2019
J-Bay Open: July 9 – 22, 2019
Surf Ranch Pro: September 19 – 22, 2019
France Women’s Pro: October 3 – 13, 2019
Meo Pro Peniche: October 16 – 28, 2019
Hawaii Women’s Pro: November 25 – December 7, 2019

* All events subject to change.

The world’s best will compete later this week at the Surf Ranch Pro presented by Hurley in Lemoore, CA from September 6 – 9, 2018.

For more information, check out WorldSurfLeague.com