- WSL / Ed Sloane
- WSL / Ed Sloane
Cloud 9 The beauty of Cloud 9 - WSL

Late September will see a mass of the world's best surfers head to the Philippines island of Siargao and its perfect right-hander of Cloud 9 for the 22nd Annual Siargao Surfing Cup QS1,500.

In its second year as a Qualifying Series (QS) 1,500 event the World Surf League will once again team up with the Asian Surfing Championship (ASC) to co-sanction the event. This will no doubt help to attract some of the world's best surfers hunting for qualifying points.

General Luna's Mayor Rusillion has been a strong supporter of this event and surfing at Cloud 9 for a long time and is often referred to as the Godfather of surfing in Siargao. Mayor Rusillion in conjunction with Governor Sol Matugas and the local government are excited to welcome WSL and ASC back to their island for the biggest international sporting event in the Philippines.

Last year's event winner and local legend John Mark Tokong has been surfing in a number of events throughout Asia this year has now made Cloud 9 his focus and is keen to claim back-to-back titles in 2016.

John Mark Tokong John Mark Tokong will be hard to beat in the hollow right-handers at Cloud 9 - WSL / Ed Sloane

"I'm super stoked to compete again in this year's competition," Toking said. "I've trained hard at Cloud 9 but also in Indonesia in the past few months. I really hope the waves will be good and that I can win again.

Placing third at Cloud 9 as a 16-year-old, Chris Zaffis can't wait to get back to the Philippines, a place where he competed in his first ever QS event.

"I have been to Cloud 9 a few times now," Zaffis said. "It's been one of my favourite spots in the world and I've been going back every few years. It is such a sick little slab with some cool locals - I can't wait to get back for sure."

Chris Zaffis (AUS), 3rd place at the 20th Annual Siargao Cloud 9 Surfing Cup Chris Zaffis as alway looking comfortable in the tube - WSL / ASP/Will H-S

Having locked in a win at the Mentawai Pro earlier this year at a similar set up and having a solid result at Cloud 9 in 2014, Zaffis is coming into the event with a solid amount of confidence as he hopes Cloud 9 serves up some hollow pits in which he is so comfortable.

"I did the QS event there when I was 16, a couple years ago, and got 3rd. It was my first QS and I was just having a good time getting barrelled, just like I was at the Mentawai Pro. I just really hope we score a good swell and have a sick time getting barrelled with the boys again."

Cloud 9 on finals day of the 20th Annual Siargao Cloud 9 Surfing Cup Lets hope Cloud 9 turns on for the 2016 Siargao Surfing Cup - WSL / ASP/Will H-S
World Surf League
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