- WSL / Andrew Nichols
- WSL / Andrew Nichols
Nolan Rapoza (USA) winning his Round Three heat at the Powerade Surf Open Acapulco QS1,000 From long, rippable walls to screaming barrels, Playa Revolcadero can produce the goods. - WSL / Andrew Nichols

One of World Surf League (WSL) North America's premier Qualifying Series (QS) events, the Hurley Surf Open Acapulco QS 1,000 is locked in for another big year beginning July 20 - 22. This event has provided some the region's most exciting moments and holds a stacked list of previous winners -- including 2018 Championship Tour (CT) Rookie sensation Wade Carmichael.

Now, in it's third consecutive year of competition, Playa Revolcadero will take center stage as mainland Mexico's only QS event since 2012.

A Brief History

Dwight Pastrana (MEX) earning fourth-place in his Round Four heat at the Powerade Surf Open Acapulco QS1,000 Dwight Pastrana's air-game in 2017 was one of the best the event has seen since Italo Ferreira came to town. - WSL / Andrew Nichols

Gustavo Duccini and his dedicated team first brought this event to life in 2012 following a prominent year in Mexico's professional scene in 2011 -- which featured two higher-rated men's, then known as 4-Star (now equal to a men's QS 4,000), QS events in Mazatlan and Puerto Escondido. But, after losing those venues, Acapulco became the new site and Playa Revolcadero came to life from 2012 - 2014.

After a brief hiatus in 2015 due to lack of sponsors and support, Duccini garnered back that support and recisistated the Surf Open Acapulco from the dead.

"This event is the symbol of the surf industry development in Mexico," Duccini said. "It's very important because it's a way for a lot of professional Mexican surfers to show their performance to possible sponsors, national press and the world. Also, its an opportunity for them to compete against some of best from around the region, and even from around the world, and motivate themselves to keep pushing on in their professional career."

Aside from the Los Cabos Open of Surf, Playa Revolcadero remains the only other event within Mexico -- and one of just three in Central America's wave-rich coastline this season.

What's At Stake

Che Allan (BRB) at the Powerade Surf Open Acapulco QS1,000 Every heat counts at this point in the season. - WSL / Andrew Nichols

While 1,000 points may not seem like a huge bragging right, at this point in the year those points mean a lot. This marks the last event before the prestigious Vans US Open of Surfing QS 10,000, and a chance to garner last-minute points before the re-seed following that event are up for grabs.

Surfers, such as No. 132 ranked Nolan Rapoza or No. 111 Jordy Collins, who sit just outside the Top 100 have the opportunity to capitalize and secure their place in the QS 10,000s heading into the back-half of 2018 -- which means a shot at the apex of competitive surfing, the Triple Crown of Surfing.

The Prestige

2017 Powerade Surf Open Acapulco winner Carlos Munoz (CRI) (L) and runner-up Cole Houshmand (USA) (L) This event provided Carlos Munoz his long-awaited, first-ever QS win in 2017. - WSL / Andrew Nichols

The sought after chair-up professional surfers dream of takes everything they possess to achieve at every event from a QS 1,000 all the way up to a QS 10,000. A field of competitors that begins with anywhere from 48 to 120 is whittled down to just two, and only one emerges victorious.

The Surf Open Acapulco series has produced an array of winners from freesurf extraordinaires to current CT competitors, and everything in between. Tanner Hendrickson took down the first-ever QS event on Acapulco's shores and Carlos Munoz got his long-awaited breakthrough win here last year. Who will be next?

2017: Carlos Munoz
2016: Rafael Teixeira
2014: Luke Davis
2013: Wade Carmichael
2012: Tanner Hendrickson

The Hurley Surf Open Acapulco QS 1,000 will run July 20 - 22 at Playa Revolcadero, Acapulco, Mexico.

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