And the shake-ups from the WSL headquarters keep coming. Overnight they released the much-anticipated schedule for the 2018 Championship Tour and among a raft of tweaks there have been two foundation-shifting decisions.
This being the call to drop both Fiji and Trestles from the tour, replaced by events at Keramas, Bali and the Surf Ranch in Lemoore, California respectively.
The loss of these two events is sure to be a blow for surf fans around the globe. Fiji has delivered some of the most iconic moments and best waves in the history of our sport while, as a contrast, Trestles has consistently been the yardstick for performance surfing on tour.
The Women received some good news upon the release of their schedule, finding out they will be visiting J-Bay. The image of Steph Gilmore flying down the line on a Supertubes wall is enough to put a smile on every surf fans face. It’s great the girls get to showcase their skill at one of the planet’s most iconic waves.
In the WSL’s official press release WSL CEO Sophie Goldschmidt addressed the changes stating:
"We're excited about the release of the 2018 calendar, which includes some important changes designed to ensure we continue to champion the best surfing across the world and with a view to delivering long-term investment for the sport.
"Indonesia is universally regarded as home to world-class waves and is a location where the League is exploring long-term opportunities for the sport. While Fiji has been a multi-year pillar of the Dream Tour and we may return in future, appropriate support from the government of Fiji is needed to bring the world's best back to Cloudbreak and Restaurants.”
WSL Commissioner Kieren Perrow also weighed in with mixed emotions.
"The 2018 calendar has some of the most significant changes we have implemented in many years. While we sadly depart from some locations and say thank you to the communities who have supported us, we are also excited with the return to Indonesia and to hold the first-ever CT event in a wave system at Surf Ranch. As the sport evolves we will continue to explore opportunities to enhance the schedule, collaborating with our stakeholders – surfers as well as partners."
But what about the surfers themselves? How do they feel about losing their annual holida … ahem … stop in Fiji? Surfers Rep Ace Buchan delivered a balanced assessment of the situation.
"As we move into a new era of professional surfing, it's reassuring to have the support of WSL and commitment to putting the world's best surfers in the world's best waves. Whilst we are disappointed at losing Fiji and Trestles for 2018, we are really excited to be returning to Keramas, Indonesia and for the inaugural Surf Ranch event. I have no doubt that the 2018 season will be injected with some fresh excitement from these new venues."
Here are the two full schedules:
2018 World Surf League (WSL) Men's Championship Tour:
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, Australia – March 11 – 22, 2018
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, Australia – March 28 – April 8, 2018
Margaret River Pro, Australia – April 11 – 22, 2018
Oi Rio Pro, Brazil – May 10 – 19, 2018
Bali Pro, Indonesia – May 27 – June 9, 2018
Corona Open J-Bay, South Africa – July 2 – 13, 2018
Tahiti Pro Teahupo'o, Tahiti – August 10 – 21, 2018
Surf Ranch Lemoore, California/USA. September 5 – 9, 2018
Quiksilver Pro France, France – October 3 – 14, 2018
MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal, Portugal – October 16 – 27, 2018
Billabong Pipe Masters, Hawaii/USA – December 8 – 20, 2018
The 2017 WSL Men's Championship Tour will finish with the Billabong Pipe Masters in memory of Andy Irons in Hawaii, USA from December 8 – 20, 2017.
2018 World Surf League (WSL) Women's Championship Tour:
Roxy Pro Gold Coast, Australia – March 11 – 22, 2018
Rip Curl Women's Pro Bells Beach, Australia – March 28 – April 8, 2018
Margaret River Pro, Australia – April 11 – 22, 2018
Oi Rio Pro, Brazil – May 10 – 19, 2018
Bali Pro, Indonesia – May 27 – June 9, 2018
Corona Open J-Bay, South Africa – July 10 – 17, 2018
Vans US Open of Surfing, USA – July 30 – August 5, 2018
Surf Ranch Lemoore, California/USA. September 5 – 9, 2018
Roxy Pro France, France – October 3 – 14, 2018
Hawaii Women's Pro, Hawaii/USA – November 25 – December 6, 2018
The 2017 WSL Women's Championship Tour is culminating next week at Honolua Bay, Hawaii with the Maui Women's Pro.
