WSL Archives - Page 4 of 6 - New Zealand Surf Journal

Billy Stairmand: Inside The Mind Of Our Olympic Hope

Derek MorrisonFeb 14, 2020July 2, 20200

He’s New Zealand’s Olympic hope for 2020, but only a few short years ago, Billy Stairmand was struggling to light his competitive fire. Now he’s in the best form of his life. This is how the 30-year-old Raglan surfer rebuilt his career. As the World Surf League Qualifying Series came...

Kai Lenny Stuns The World At Nazaré

Derek MorrisonFeb 12, 2020February 12, 20200

Hawaiian Kai Lenny has continued his incredible run of form at the Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge, which ran today in massive waves at Praia do Norte, in Nazaré, Portugal. He was joined on the winner’s dais by women’s best wave winner Justine Dupont. The Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge presented by...

Monster Storm Gives Nazaré Challenge The Green Light

Derek MorrisonFeb 11, 2020July 2, 20200

Monster northern hemisphere storm gives Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge the green light as new teams format is unveiled amid whispers that a new Guinness World Record could potentially be set on Tuesday (GMT). The World Surf League Big Wave Tour issued a Green Alert on Sunday (NZST) for the Nazaré...

Kelly Slater Confirmed For Piha Pro

Derek MorrisonFeb 10, 2020July 2, 20201

Eleven-time World Champion Kelly Slater has confirmed he will launch his 2020 season in New Zealand this March at the 2020 Corona Piha Pro. The Goat, as he is known, is widely regarded as the greatest professional surfer of all-time, with comfortably the most title victories, 11, and no less...

Bethany Hamilton Awarded Wildcard For Piha Pro

Derek MorrisonDec 17, 2019July 2, 20200

Inspirational Hawaiian surfer Bethany Hamilton has been awarded the international wildcard spot for the Piha Pro Challenger Series Event to be held at Piha in March 2020. Hamilton has had a few years away from competing while she has focused on her feature film Unstoppable, which tells her incredible life...

Ricardo Christie Ends Filipe Toledo’s World Title Race At Pipe

Derek MorrisonDec 17, 2019July 2, 20200

Mahia surfer Ricardo Christie has saved his best for last in the 2019 World Surf League Championship Tour, despatching World Title hopeful, Felipe Toledo in the Round of 32 at the Billabong Pipe Masters in Memory of Andy Irons. It was a thrilling Round of 32 at Pipeline, Hawaii, that...

Watch: Piha Pro Unveiled With Paige Hareb And Ricardo Christie

Derek MorrisonSep 10, 2019October 8, 20190

Kiwi pro surfers Paige Hareb and Ricardo Christie discuss what it means for surfing in New Zealand following the announcement of the Piha Pro today. The World Surf League today confirmed the Piha Pro QS10,000 will take place in March 2020, 2021 and 2022. The Piha Pro will be part...

Piha Pro Confirmed: Here’s Everything You Need To Know

Derek MorrisonSep 10, 2019November 27, 20191

It’s official! World Surf League today confirms the Piha Pro QS10,000 is real and will take place in March 2020, 2021 and 2022. The World Surf League (WSL) hasn’t been to New Zealand shores for five years – its last event a women’s 6000-rated Qualifying Series (QS) event held in...

WSL Announces Challenger Series For 2020, Adds Piha To Calendar

Derek MorrisonSep 10, 2019October 8, 20190

The World Surf League (WSL) has today announced a new level of competition that will provide athletes more opportunities to qualify for the elite Championship Tour (CT) with the launch of the Challenger Series in 2020. The announcement also confirms that Piha will host a QS 10,000 event in March...

As The Whistle Blows: Life At Teahupo’o, Tahiti

Derek MorrisonSep 3, 2019September 10, 20190

Our friends at Flatroc Films capture a glimpse of life as it is inside the World Championship Tour when it coincides with a macking swell at Teahupo’o reef pass in French Polynesia, Tahiti. Prepare to be mesmerised. Press play. Enjoy.