The World Surf League (WSL) has announced the 2022 World Longboard Tour schedule. Manly Beach, Huntington Beach, and Malibu will host this year’s Longboard competitions for the men’s and women’s divisions. The first two events of the season in Manly Beach and Huntington Beach will be worth 5,000 points each, while the final event in Malibu will have 10,000 points on offer. The World Titles will be determined by the highest points in the best two of three competitions.
The competitions will host 20 surfers for the men's division and 20 surfers for the women's division. Each field will be made up of the Top 10 from the 2021 rankings, seven surfers selected from the regions, one WSL wildcard, and two event wildcards.
“We’re looking forward to kicking off the World Longboard Tour and crowning World Champions later this year at the iconic break of First Point, Malibu,” said Devon Howard, WSL Longboard Tour Director.
“We’re also excited that this year’s Tour will start at Manly Beach then continue on at Huntington Beach. All of this Tour's breaks are steeped in longboard history spanning back to the 1960s, where champions were crowned and surf culture as we know it today entered the world stage.”
“We’re very excited to bring back the World Longboard Tour in 2022,” said Jessi Miley-Dyer, WSL SVP of Tours and Head of Competition.
“The Longboard community is very passionate, and we appreciate all the feedback we got from them as we were planning the future of this important division in professional surfing. This year, the World Longboard Tour will have three events, and we can’t wait to crown World Champions at the iconic First Point, in Malibu.”
2022 WSL Longboard Tour Schedule:
- Manly Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: May 16 - 24, 2022
- Vans Duct Tape Invitational, Huntington Beach, California, USA: August 3 - 7, 2022
- WSL Longboard Championships, Malibu, California, USA: October 3 - 13, 2022
The 2022 World Longboard Tour will kick off at Manly Beach, Australia as part of the Sydney Surf Pro Challenger Series event from May 16 - 24, 2022. Considered by many as Sydney's most popular surfing beaches, Manly Beach has a very long and celebrated history with surfing.
Not only was it on the next beach over that Duke Kahanamoku introduced surfing to Australia, but it was in Manly Beach in 1964 that Phyliss O’Donnell and Midget Farrelly were crowned the first surfing World Champions. Manly Beach will host the world’s best longboarders as they try to earn as many points as possible to establish their World Title campaigns early in the season.
DUKE KAHANAMOUKU
The marvellous Hawaiian, undisputed champion sprint distance swimmer of the world, some of whose natatorial feats are said to have astounded the fishes, as did the exploits of Pegoud, the French aviator, in the clouds, cause wonderment amongst the birds of the air. He is here seen performing one of his famous surfing accomplishments. This is not by any means his most daring achievement. Whilst dashing forward at an incredible speed, he stands on his head and does other things of an acrobatic description. Similar boards to the one he is shown using have been imported into Australia, but so far none of our surfing experts have been able to imitate his sensational deeds.
It is supposed, however, that the breakers that roll in on our shores are of a different formation, and not suitable for the purpose. All doubts on that subject would have been set at rest had Kahanamouku visited here this Summer, as was supposed to have been his intention. He has on several occasions expressed his willingness to come, but the time he originally offered to make the trip was regarded as inopportune by the officials of the Swimming Association who were carrying on the negotiations, and they fell through, owing to the date they suggested as a substitute clashing with the great water festival that is to be held at Honolulu on February 18 and 24 next. Visitors from all parts of the world have been known to go to Hawaii merely to witness Kahanamouku shoot the waves in the extraordinary fashion depicted above. DUKE KAHANAMOUKU (1913, December 14). Sunday Times (Sydney, NSW : 1895 - 1930), p. 20 (SUNDAY TIMES GLOBE PICTORIAL). Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article126315151
SWIMMING: Kahanamouku and 100 yards championship. KAHANAMOUKU AND SURF BOARD. by Cecil Healy.
Representatives of the Press were invited to witness a private exhibition of surf-board riding by Kahanamouku at Freshwater on Thursday. It was to have been held the previous day, but the intention accidentally became public property and as several thousand people were attracted to the vicinity, Association officials decided to postpone it. Business considerations, unfortunately, prevented the writer from being present. Freshwater enjoys the reputation of being, on the whole, the best beach for shootable breakers, but the conditions, I understand, were far from being ideal for the purpose on that particular day.
The waves, for instance, were breaking too close to the shore to permit of a good 'run' being obtained, and, moreover, were of the 'dumping' variety; also the board itself, which was made locally, was not exactly what was required. It weighed in the neighbourhood of 100lb, whereas those in use at Honolulu, are only a quarter that weight. However, despite the disadvantages mentioned the Duke succeeded in assuming the perpendicular, and negotiating several shoots in his familiar poster attitude. On one occasion, whilst laying flat on the board, with a deft movement he swung the board right about, and proceeded backwards for a while before repeating the action and facing shorewards again. A number of our leading surfers were spectators of the display, and from what I can gather the general impression amongst them was that he did wonderfully well under the circumstances, but they were sure it merely amounted to an indication of what he is capable of doing under more favourable conditions. They have no doubt that when he has had opportunities of adapting himself to the vagaries of our surf, and strikes a suitable day, he will be able to do things of a really sensational nature. The dextrous manner in which he handled the heavy board when taking it out through the breakers would appear to have greatly surprised the Sydney men.
Record entries have been received for the year's State championships. Two are to be decided at the initial carnival, which is to be held at the Domain Baths next Saturday afternoon lamely, the 100yds and 880yds. The Olympic champion, Duke Kahanamouku, and his brilliant travelling companion, George Cunha, are competing in the former event. It will be their first public appearance in competition. Incidentally, it will constitute the first occasion that an overseas champion has raced in Australia. The visitors will be opposed by the cream of the Commonwealth's sprint-distance swimmers. Australian record-holder Albert Barry will defend his title of 100yds champion of New South Wales W. Longworth, runner-up in both State and Australian 'hundred' championships last season, will also be one of those who will endeavor to achieve for this State the honour of checking the Hawaiian's triumphant march. SWIMMING : Kahanamouku in 100yds Championship : (1914, December 30). Referee (Sydney, NSW : 1886 - 1939), p. 16. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120278130
Duke Kahanamoku carrying his board up the beach at Freshwater. Photo by Frank Bell (1884-1923)
DEE WHY CARNIVAL. KAHANAMOKU AND HIS SURF BOARD.
D. P. Kahanamoku, the famous Hawaiian swimmer, gave an exhibition on the surf board at the Dee Why surf carnival on Saturday. The beach was lined with people, all anxious to obtain a good view. The various events were watched with interest, especially the performance of Kahanamoku. He came out with his surf board, plunged into the water and continued to swim out until those watching from the beach wondered when he would stop. After covering nearly half a mile, Kahanamoku turned and prepared for a roller, which came along a moment after ; he caught it, and as the wave carried him shorewards he performed all kinds of acrobatic feats on the board, and finally dived into the water as the roller broke. The crowd showed their appreciation in a very hearty manner. Kahanamoku remained in the surf for nearly an hour, and he was accompanied at intervals by Miss Letham, of Freshwater, and it was a rare sight to watch both swimmers on the surf board.
The various surf events under the control of the New South Wales Surf Bathing Association were well contested. An open-air concert at night concluded the day's sport. Details :—
Grand Parade of Clubs.—Dee Why, 1 ; North Steyne, 2.
Three-legged Race.—North Steyne, 1 ; Collaroy, 2.
Pennant Rescue and Resuscitation Competition.— Metropolitan Division, third round ; Bondi A, 57.77points, 1 ; Manly A, 57.47 points, 2 ; Coogee, 56.66points, 3 ; North Steyne, 52.03 points, 4.
Novice Surf Race.—A. V. Rein (Manly), 1 ; C. D. Bell (Manly), 2.
Tug-of-War.—Collaroy, A. L. Melrose, capt. ; C. Knight, J. Walton, A. Thew, J. Jack, J. Bloomfield, D. Scully), 1.
Beach Relay Race.—First heat : Collaroy, 1. Second heat : North Steyne, 1. Third heat : Coogee, 1. Final :Collaroy (L. Chinchen, T. V. Smith, A. Sheldon, L. Sheldon), 1 ; North Steyne (E. Goulding, G. Morgan,O. H. G. Merrett, C .Whitehead), 2.
Alarm Reel Race.—Manly (H. M. May, belt, O. Mater, H. Buhl, F. Bennett, D. West), 1 ; NorthSteyne (L. Hind, belt, F. Nicholls, B. McEwan, E. Goulding, N. Thompson), 2.
Cock Fight.—Balmoral ( J. Doudney, C. Walker), 1.Surf Brace Relay Race.—Manly (J. Brown and N. Smith), 1 ; North Steyne (C. Healy, L Solomon), andBondi (J. G. Brown and H. Fletcher), dead heat.
Novice Alarm Reel Race.—First heat : North Steyne,1 ; North Bondi, 2. Second heat : Coogee, 1. Thirdheat : Bondi, 1. Final : Coogee (J. Leary, H. Mason,H. McClure, R. Harret, M. Reubenstein), 1.
Wheelbarrow Race.—North Steyne (H. Nicholls, F. E. Nicholls), 1. DEE WHY CARNIVAL. (1915, February 8). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 13. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15549791
Competitors will then head to California, where the next two events of the 2022 season will take place. The Vans Duct Tape Invitational in Huntington Beach will host the first California event from August 3 - 7. Huntington Beach has served as the stage of several professional surfing competitions throughout the years. The break is also set to host the Vans US Open of Surfing, the fourth stop of the Challenger Series, from July 30 to August 7. The World Longboard Tour will conclude at one of the sport's proving grounds, the iconic First Point in Malibu, California from October 3 - 13. Surfers’ two best results will be used to determine the Longboard World Titles and final 2022 Rankings.
Sydney Surf Pro Challenger Series
May 16 - 24, 2022
The eight-day event will see 160 of the world’s best surfers battle it out at Manly Beach as they look to secure their spot on the 2023 Championship Tour (CT).
“We can’t wait to return to Sydney in 2022,” said WSL APAC General Manager Andrew Stark. “After an incredible one-off CT event at North Narrabeen this year and a strong debut Challenger Series event at Manly in 2020, to get back and continue our tradition at Manly is really exciting. Having one of only eight of the Challenger Series events globally at Manly is a testament to the importance of this place in the world of competitive surfing.”
The Sydney Surf Pro is supported by the NSW Government through Destination NSW.
The second of three competitive tiers for the world’s best surfers, the 2022 WSL Challenger Series will feature 96-man and 64-woman fields, drawn from the seven WSL Regional Qualifying Series around the world. Challenger Series surfers will compete for a chance to advance to the elite WSL CT in 2023, with surfers counting their best five of eight results on the Challenger Series in hopes of finishing in the Top 10 men’s and Top 5 women’s spots by the end of the season.
The 2022 WSL Challenger Series will consist of eight events, beginning at Snapper Rocks on Australia’s Gold Coast, Australia from May 7 – 15 and concluding in Haleiwa, Hawai’i from November 26 – December 7.
The 2022 WSL Challenger Series Schedule:
- Gold Coast, Australia – May 7 – 15, 2022
- Manly, Australia – May 17 – 24, 2022
- Ballito, South Africa – July 20 – 27, 2022
- Huntington Beach, USA – July 30 – August 7, 2022
- Ericeira, Portugal – October 1 – 9, 2022
- Landes, France – October 15 – 23, 2022
- Piha, New Zealand – November 5 – 13, 2022
- Haleiwa, Hawai’i – November 26 – December 7, 2022
NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said: “The Sydney Surf Pro celebrates the features of our city and lifestyle that make Sydney an unforgettable destination to visit, and we’re looking forward to welcoming thousands of athletes, officials, and supporters to enjoy Manly this May.”
Member for Manly James Griffin said: “Manly has a long, proud history as an Australian surf capital for board riders of all abilities, from amateurs riding their first waves at local surf schools to the world’s best, who have been competing here since the first world championship in 1964.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the WSL and welcome the Surf Pro back to Manly next year,” said Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan. “The event is great for our local economy, gives our community a chance to see some of the best surfers in the world and our local surfers get to surf at home.”
COVID-19 Protocols
*All tour stops and dates are subject to change due to applicable COVID-19 related restrictions, including global travel restrictions. The health and safety of athletes, staff, and the local community are of the utmost importance and the WSL has a robust set of procedures in place to keep everyone safe. These plans are unique to each Tour stop.
Watch LIVE
The World Longboard Tour will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and WSL’s YouTube channel, as well as the free WSL app. Check local listings for coverage from the WSL's broadcast partners.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
