Surfing takes a step into the future
Titles to be decided in artificial waves
THE World Surf League’s slogan of the “world’s best surfers in the world’s best waves” will take a futuristic step forward next year when what may well be the final event of the season is staged in the WSL Surf Ranch facility in Lemoore, central California, hundreds of kilometres from the ocean.
The overwhelmingly positive response from all involved in the Future Classic event staged in the artificial waves designed and created by the Kelly Slater Wave Company in September has led the WSL to include events at Lemoore for men and women on the 2018 Championship Tour (CT).
“Based on the results of our test event this year and the feedback from surfers training at the facility throughout the season, next September’s event has the potential to be something special for surfers and fans,” Sophie Goldschmidt, WSL CEO, said.
“We’re only scratching the surface of how this technology can be applied and it is completely game-changing for the sport.”
Dubbed the Future Classic, the event saw the organisers experiment with formats and judging criteria. Former world champions Gabriel Medina of Brazil and Carissa Moore of Hawaii captured the men’s and women’s crowns respectively.
“The experience of competing at Surf Ranch is pretty extraordinary,” Adrian Buchan, CT competitor and athlete representative, said. “What the team have created is hard to fathom at first – a perfect, 300-metre-long, bi-directional wave in the middle of rural California. I have no doubt that both the quality of the wave and the experience is befitting of hosting a worldclass CT event.”
The exact date for the event will be revealed early next week when the WSL releases its official 2018 schedule of events. With rumours that the number of events on the CT will be curtailed dramatically, it is possible that the Surf Ranch event will be the titledeciding final event of 2018
This year’s WSL men’s and women’s title races are coming down to the final events of the season in Hawaii – the Billabong Pipe Masters in memory of Andy Irons at Pipeline from December 8-20 and the Maui Women’s Pro at Honolua Bay from November 25-December 6.
Meanwhile, the penultimate event on the men’s Qualifying Series (QS), the Hawaiian Pro, is under way at Haleiwa in Hawaii.
Davey van Zyl of Glenashley has boosted his ranking by progressing to round three of the QS10000 rated event after finishing runner-up in both his heats to date.
Coming into the event ranked No 87, Van Zyl is already guaranteed a minimum of 1 000 points, which would be his second best haul of the season behind his 17th place finish at the Ballito Pro in July.
A Top 80 finish in the yearend rankings would ensure that he gets a start in the major QS10000 events next year.
Michael February of Kommetjie will have to wait for the final QS event of the season at Sunset Beach starting on November 25 to try to accumulate the 4 500 points he needs to finish in the QS Top 10 after losing out in the round two at Haleiwa.