- WSL / Will H-S
- WSL / Will H-S

The third annual Hainan Wanning Riyue Bay International Surfing Festival will take place from November 23 - 28 and will host both the International Surfing Association (ISA) China Cup, a National Team competition and the Hainan Classic, a men's ASP 4-Star Qualifying Series (QS) event. This historic surfing festival will take place on Hainan Island in the South China Sea.

Dane Jordan, ASP Australasia General Manager has just returned home from events in the Philippines and Indonesia and is thrilled to see the expansion of surfing in the Asia, Pacific region.

“I've been going to Hainan for four or five years now and it's great to see the birth and growth of a surf culture there,” Jordan said. “I'm really excited for the third annual Hainan Wanning Riyue Bay International Surfing Festival and want to thank the ISA for making this event possible. There are some talented surfers from that region that will get the chance to learn and compete against some of the world's best surfers in an event that will go down in history.”

Brent Dorrington The Gold Coast's Brent Dorrington at last year's Hainan Classic. - WSL

Luke Hynd from the Gold Coast is one of Australia's rising talents and will be heading to China for his first time to compete at the third annual Hainan Wanning Riyue Bay International Surfing Festival.

“I'm so stoked to be going to China for this event,” Hynd said. “China is one of the last places I'd expect surfing to take me, but it will make the event much more special because it's a completely new place and culture. These events are always fun because of the supportive team atmosphere and the honour of representing Australia in my chosen sport which is a pretty rare thing to do. I've represented Australia in the ISA juniors the last three years, but surfing in the opens will be much more difficult. The icing on the cake is being able to do the 4-Star QS afterwards. I'll have experience at the break and be able to get some much needed QS ranking's points leading into next year.”

ISA President Fernando Aguerre has been a driving force behind taking surfing events to new countries and new locations and is proud to return to China for the biggest and best Hainan Wanning Riyue Bay International Surfing Festival yet.

“I am very happy and proud to bring the ISA back to China after two successful Hainan Wanning Riyue Bay International Surfing Festivals,” said Fernando Aguerre. “Thanks to our partners at Womei Media, led by CEO, Mr. Yang Dunhao, who delivered all of the financial and political resources to help ensure the event. This will be the most important global surfing festival in 2014.”

Deivid Silva Brazil's Deivid Silva finished equal 5th at last year's Hainan Classic and will return to compete in China again this year. - WSL

Aguerre continued, “For an entire week, this coming November, China will become the surfing capital of the world. The opportunities for the development of surfing in China are quite impressive. With China's National Team competing in the China Cup for the first time in its history this year, as well as the return of this incredibly successful global event, we will continue to boost China's surfing status to a new level.”

The eight invited National Teams in the China Cup include: South Africa, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Panama, Costa Rica, Argentina, and for the first time ever, China. Each National Team will include their country's best four men and two women shortboarders, who will compete for Team and Individual Gold Medals and the honour of representing their nations.

Following the completion of the ISA China Cup, the International Surfing Festival will continue with the Hainan Classic from November 25 - 28 and will carry a Men's 4-Star ASP QS rating, with a total prize purse of $95,000 USD. This historic competition will be the third ASP QS event in China. Brazilian Caio Ibelli was crowned winner of the Hainan Classic January 2013. His victorious start to the year set him up for his best ASP season ever last year. In 2012, Irishman Glenn Hall was crowned winner of the event. His early season win set him up to qualify for the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour. A field of 96 athletes is expected, including a number of local Chinese surfers.

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