Latest news with #CurlPro
The Guardian
02-05-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Pipeline to return as WSL finale with one-day decider scrapped for 2026
Australian surfers are the big winners in a revamped 2026 World Surf League calendar that has axed the divisive finals day to decide the world champions. The WSL has announced a new schedule that sees the Championship Tour pushed back from a January start to kick-off at the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach in April. This is followed by events at Margaret River and Snapper Rocks, giving Australian surfers a flying start in their home breaks. 'I think kicking off the tour in Australia is a great way to start,' WSL boss Ryan Crosby said. 'There's so many amazing and iconic waves in Australia, it was a really good opportunity for us to start the season here and we're excited to do that. 'This change actually does a lot of things for us as it puts us into a lot of really good swell periods for all of our venues. 'It also allows us to bring the European leg into October, which is a big help for us because that's a really good window for them so that'll be a big improvement. 'Portugal will now be in a time of year when the wave will actually be better.' There are still 12 events, with the Pipe Masters in Hawaii held in December the tour finale, with a win in that event worth 15,000 points instead of the usual 10,000. The controversial mid-season cut has been softened, coming after the ninth tour stop at Lower Trestles in California, and that will be determined by a surfer's best seven results. The fields of 36 men and 24 women will then be narrowed to 24 men and 16 women for stops 10 and 11 before all surfers return for the iconic North Shore event, with the top eight seeded. Crosby said surfers were surveyed as well represented by a new advisory council in discussions about the changes. 'We were talking about what's the optimal form for the league and what do we want it to look like and the answer that kept popping up for us was finishing at the world's most iconic wave,' Crosby said. 'We were listening to surfer feedback, to fan feedback - we spent a lot of time actually talking to the surfers.' Crosby didn't believe that the current finals format, where the top five surfers compete in one-day winner-take-all decider, was unanimously unpopular and said seeding surfers at Pipe meant they retained an element of it. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion 'There are differing opinions on the format across the board ... I will say I think there were more of the preferred the world champion being decided by aggregate points,' the American said. 'This new system, in the way that it's designed, really gives us what we think is the best of both worlds.' West Australian Jack Robinson, who won at Bells Beach last month and has competed in the one-day finals over the three years its been held, backed crowning the world champion at Pipeline. 'Pipeline is what it's all about - there's a reason so many people dedicate their lives to mastering it,' he said. 'Starting my 2023 season with a win at Pipe was huge, but I can only imagine how incredible it would be to end the season winning both the event and the world title there. 'It's exciting to see the CT keep evolving, and I'm stoked the WSL is listening to feedback and working hard to make the tour better for everyone.' CT1: Bells Beach, Australia CT2: Margaret River, Australia CT3: Snapper Rocks, Australia CT4: Punta Roca, El Salvador CT5: Saquarema, Brazil CT6: Jeffreys Bay, South Africa CT7: Teahupo'o, Tahiti CT8: Cloudbreak, Fiji CT9: Lower Trestles, USA CT10: Surf Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates CT11: Peniche, Portugal CT12: Pipe Masters, Hawaii, USA
Perth Now
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Aussie surfers get boost in new-look World Surf League
Australian surfers are the big winners in a revamped 2026 World Surf League calendar that has axed the divisive finals day to decide the world champions. The WSL has announced a new schedule that sees the Championship Tour pushed back from a January start to kick-off at the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach in April. This is followed by events at Margaret River and Snapper Rocks, giving Australian surfers a flying start in their home breaks. "I think kicking off the tour in Australia is a great way to start," WSL boss Ryan Crosby told AAP. "There's so many amazing and iconic waves in Australia, it was a really good opportunity for us to start the season here and we're excited to do that. "This change actually does a lot of things for us as it puts us into a lot of really good swell periods for all of our venues. "It also allows us to bring the European leg into October, which is a big help for us because that's a really good window for them so that'll be a big improvement. "Portugal will now be in a time of year when the wave will actually be better." There are still 12 events, with the Pipe Masters in Hawaii held in December the tour finale, with a win in that event worth 15,000 points instead of the usual 10,000. The controversial mid-season cut has been softened, coming after the ninth tour stop at Lower Trestles in California, and that will be determined by a surfer's best seven results. The fields of 36 men and 24 women will then be narrowed to 24 men and 16 women for stops 10 and 11 before all surfers return for the iconic North Shore event, with the top eight seeded. Crosby said surfers were surveyed as well represented by a new advisory council in discussions about the changes. "We were talking about what's the optimal form for the league and what do we want it to look like and the answer that kept popping up for us was finishing at the world's most iconic wave," Crosby said. "We were listening to surfer feedback, to fan feedback - we spent a lot of time actually talking to the surfers." Crosby didn't believe that the current finals format, where the top five surfers compete in one-day winner-take-all decider, was unanimously unpopular and said seeding surfers at Pipe meant they retained an element of it. "There are differing opinions on the format across the board ... I will say I think there were more of the preferred the world champion being decided by aggregate points," the American said. "This new system, in the way that it's designed, really gives us what we think is the best of both worlds." West Australian Jack Robinson, who won at Bells Beach last month and has competed in the one-day finals over the three years its been held, backed crowning the world champion at Pipeline. "Pipeline is what it's all about - there's a reason so many people dedicate their lives to mastering it," he said in a statement. "Starting my 2023 season with a win at Pipe was huge, but I can only imagine how incredible it would be to end the season winning both the event and the world title there. "It's exciting to see the CT keep evolving, and I'm stoked the WSL is listening to feedback and working hard to make the tour better for everyone." THE 2026 CT CALENDAR: CT1: Bells Beach, Australia CT2: Margaret River, Australia CT3: Snapper Rocks, Australia CT4: Punta Roca, El Salvador CT5: Saquarema, Brazil CT6: Jeffreys Bay, South Africa CT7: Teahupo'o, Tahiti CT8: Cloudbreak, Fiji CT9: Lower Trestles, USA* CT10: Surf Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates CT11: Peniche, Portugal CT12: Pipe Masters, Hawai'i, USA** * End of regular season, start of post-season ** Full CT fields rejoin post-season surfers to compete for Pipe Masters Titles
West Australian
02-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Aussie surfers get boost in new-look World Surf League
Australian surfers are the big winners in a revamped 2026 World Surf League calendar that has axed the divisive finals day to decide the world champions. The WSL has announced a new schedule that sees the Championship Tour pushed back from a January start to kick-off at the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach in April. This is followed by events at Margaret River and Snapper Rocks, giving Australian surfers a flying start in their home breaks. "I think kicking off the tour in Australia is a great way to start," WSL boss Ryan Crosby told AAP. "There's so many amazing and iconic waves in Australia, it was a really good opportunity for us to start the season here and we're excited to do that. "This change actually does a lot of things for us as it puts us into a lot of really good swell periods for all of our venues. "It also allows us to bring the European leg into October, which is a big help for us because that's a really good window for them so that'll be a big improvement. "Portugal will now be in a time of year when the wave will actually be better." There are still 12 events, with the Pipe Masters in Hawaii held in December the tour finale, with a win in that event worth 15,000 points instead of the usual 10,000. The controversial mid-season cut has been softened, coming after the ninth tour stop at Lower Trestles in California, and that will be determined by a surfer's best seven results. The fields of 36 men and 24 women will then be narrowed to 24 men and 16 women for stops 10 and 11 before all surfers return for the iconic North Shore event, with the top eight seeded. Crosby said surfers were surveyed as well represented by a new advisory council in discussions about the changes. "We were talking about what's the optimal form for the league and what do we want it to look like and the answer that kept popping up for us was finishing at the world's most iconic wave," Crosby said. "We were listening to surfer feedback, to fan feedback - we spent a lot of time actually talking to the surfers." Crosby didn't believe that the current finals format, where the top five surfers compete in one-day winner-take-all decider, was unanimously unpopular and said seeding surfers at Pipe meant they retained an element of it. "There are differing opinions on the format across the board ... I will say I think there were more of the preferred the world champion being decided by aggregate points," the American said. "This new system, in the way that it's designed, really gives us what we think is the best of both worlds." West Australian Jack Robinson, who won at Bells Beach last month and has competed in the one-day finals over the three years its been held, backed crowning the world champion at Pipeline. "Pipeline is what it's all about - there's a reason so many people dedicate their lives to mastering it," he said in a statement. "Starting my 2023 season with a win at Pipe was huge, but I can only imagine how incredible it would be to end the season winning both the event and the world title there. "It's exciting to see the CT keep evolving, and I'm stoked the WSL is listening to feedback and working hard to make the tour better for everyone." THE 2026 CT CALENDAR: CT1: Bells Beach, Australia CT2: Margaret River, Australia CT3: Snapper Rocks, Australia CT4: Punta Roca, El Salvador CT5: Saquarema, Brazil CT6: Jeffreys Bay, South Africa CT7: Teahupo'o, Tahiti CT8: Cloudbreak, Fiji CT9: Lower Trestles, USA* CT10: Surf Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates CT11: Peniche, Portugal CT12: Pipe Masters, Hawai'i, USA** * End of regular season, start of post-season ** Full CT fields rejoin post-season surfers to compete for Pipe Masters Titles
ABC News
27-04-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Australians Isabella Nichols and Jack Robinson claim Bells Beach Pro titles
Jack Robinson and Isabella Nichols have made it a double triumph for Australia with thrilling victories in the Rip Curl Pro finals at Bells Beach. A resurgent Nichols claimed the biggest victory of her surfing career by downing young Brazilian star Luana Silva in the final. An hour later, Robinson completed the magical afternoon for Australian surfing. Nichols threw down the gauntlet with a big early score of 8.33 points and backed it up to win 16.26 points to 12.67. The 27-year-old only made her way back onto the elite Champions Tour (CT) this year. Loading Twitter content She advanced all the way to the final of this month's El Salvador Pro, then went one better on Sunday at the famous Victorian break. "The process for this win has honestly been a 15-year process," Nichols said. "I've been coming here since I was 15 years old. "All the trips down here, three times a year, to come down and work on my technique, and it's all paid off. "To have a bell, honestly, this does not feel real. "I'm speechless." Nichols's only other victory on the CT came three years ago at the Margaret River Pro. Loading Twitter content Paris Olympics silver medallist Robinson left it late before edging out Japan's Kanoa Igarashi 14.14 points to 13.87 in the men's final. "Far out man, it's just a surreal feeling," Robinson said. "It's been a special week, I've had my whole family here." ABC Sport Daily is your daily sports conversation. We dive into the biggest story of the day and get you up to speed with everything else that's making headlines. The ABC of SPORT Sports content to make you think... or allow you not to. A newsletter delivered each Saturday. Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
West Australian
25-04-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Local lad Xavier Huxtable stunned the surfing world by taking down world No.1 Italo Ferreira at the Rip Curl Pro
Xavier Huxtable had to win his way into the Rip Curl Pro via trials before the event and the rookie from Jan Juc used all his local knowledge to send world No.1 Italo Ferreira packing in a monumental upset at Bells Beach on Anzac Day. A day after veteran star Sally Fitzgibbons sent the women's world No.1 packing, Huxtable took out the round of 32 clash with the Brazilian star who has finished top three in three of four events this season. Huxtable, 22, went to local Anzac Day Dawn Service before heading to the beach for his clash with the 'best surfer in the world' and had the local crowd 'stomping' after the biggest win of his fledgling career. 'I can't believe it. I literally can't comprehend it. I was paddling in, trying to take it all in, but I still don't think I have it's unbelievable,' he said. 'I mean, I kind of was nearly on yesterday, and then had to reset. And then this morning, got up early, went down to the Anzac parade, and watched all that. Took that all in. It was really sick. 'Then came straight here and went out. And yeah, luckily got a few out there, and I was able to kind of turn it back on. And yeah, found a few good ones.' Huxtable knew he had to bring nothing but his best against the world No.1 and said 'it came off' after a brilliant opening wave scored 7.33, a score Ferreira couldn't match. 'I was like, I'm gonna have to attack every section that comes at me. And it came off,' he said. 'I got to the end of it, and I looked up and the whole stand, like all my family friends, everyone was up there just screaming. Just they got me so excited, like that feeling it's pretty much impossible to replicate. And I got to the end, looked up and seen everyone stomping and yeah, just like, say thanks everyone for supporting me.' Huxtable will take on American Griffin Colapinto in the round of 16.
