The World Surf League (WSL) North America office is excited to announce Alyssa Spencer and Michael Dunphy the 2022 Regional Qualifying Series (QS) Champions after incredible performances throughout the 2021/22' season. A remarkable, four-win season for Spencer put her atop rankings by xx points as Dunphy's impressive back-to-back wins to finish the season pushed him 1,600 points above the pack.
The 18-year-old takes down her first-ever QS victory over Kirra Pinkerton.
A groundbreaking year for Spencer started at the WRV Outer Banks Pro presented by Pacifico where she earned her maiden QS victory before placing equal third at the Nissan Super Girl Surf Pro QS 3,000. The 19-year-old then went on to take top honors at the Jacksonville Super Girl Surf Pro QS 3,000, SLO CAL Open at Pismo Beach presented by French Hospital Medical Center QS 1,000, and Ron Jon Roxy Pro QS 1,000 in Cocoa Beach, Florida - where she also won the Pro Junior competition.
"This year is really special," said Spencer. "The amount of talent coming from the North America region in the women's is huge right now. All of the girls have been pushing me so much to want to continue to get better and better everyday. It's such an amazing generation to be apart of and I am so happy to be leading the rankings to end the year."
An remarkable comeback by Spencer in the Final notched her first major QS victory over Caroline Marks.
"At the start of the year I never would've imagined that I would've won 4 events by the end of the year," added Spencer. "I am in a really good spot right now being really happy with the work I've been putting in and feeling good mentally and physically. Going into this year I had never won a QS event and also ended a few spots away from tour qualification which was hard. I have also had the best team around me and I feel like that was something so important in my success this year."
Now, it's a second chance for Spencer who fell just two heats short of qualification in 2021 as she heads into the Challenger Series with plenty of momentum. Joining Spencer from North America include (in ranked order) Caitlin Simmers, Chelsea Tuach, Sawyer Lindblad, Leilani McGonagle, Zoe Benedetto, Kirra Pinkerton, and Havanna Cabrero.
In a wave-for-wave Final, Dunphy took down event threat Cole Houshmand and secured his place atop the rankings.
For Dunphy, this marks his first multi-win season since 2015 and now carries back-to-back regional victories heading into the 2022 Challenger Series. A runner-up at the WRV Outer Banks Pro presented by Pacifico behind Taro Watanabe started the Virginia Beach, Virginia competitor's season at No. 2 before having a disappointing result at the SLO CAL Open at Morro Bay presented by French Hospital Medical Center QS 1,000.
But, Dunphy recovered brilliantly to earn an equal-third at the Cabarete Pro presented by Carambola Surf House QS 1,000 and notching a win at the Ron Jon Quiksilver Pro QS 1,000 and Barbados Surf Pro presented by Diamonds International QS 3,000.
"Taking down the North American ratings feels like a big accomplishment to me at this point," said Dunphy. "The level is just so high these days. Everyone rips, everybody takes it serious. There's no easy heats anymore, and there's a serious crop of amazing young surfers coming out of America right now. So to spearhead the charge heading into the challengers feels great."
The 31-year-old earned his first win since 2015 and in decisive manner over event threat Jett Schilling.
"I tried to turn the page quick on Florida, and come down here with the goal to win," added Dunphy. "And there was extra motivation to get through heats just to share that lineup with only a few other people since the waves were fun the last few days. My standout moment was definitely finals day at Soup Bowl. to take the final out yesterday in a back and forth battle with Cole (Houshmand) in pumping surf at the Bowl, with my friends and girlfriend supporting on the beach, I couldn't have drawn it up much better to be honest."
Dunphy is joinedd by a stacked regional cast into the 2022 Challenger Series that includes (in order of rank) Kei Kobayashi, Evan Geiselman, Nolan Rapoza, Cole Houshmand, Levi Slawson, Kade Matson, Alan Cleland, Cam Richards, and Jett Schilling.
The Challenger Series begins May 7 - 15 at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro.
Alyssa Spencer and Michael Dunphy Lead North America Charge Into 2022 Challenger Series
Andrew Nichols
The World Surf League (WSL) North America office is excited to announce Alyssa Spencer and Michael Dunphy the 2022 Regional Qualifying Series (QS) Champions after incredible performances throughout the 2021/22' season. A remarkable, four-win season for Spencer put her atop rankings by xx points as Dunphy's impressive back-to-back wins to finish the season pushed him 1,600 points above the pack.
A groundbreaking year for Spencer started at the WRV Outer Banks Pro presented by Pacifico where she earned her maiden QS victory before placing equal third at the Nissan Super Girl Surf Pro QS 3,000. The 19-year-old then went on to take top honors at the Jacksonville Super Girl Surf Pro QS 3,000, SLO CAL Open at Pismo Beach presented by French Hospital Medical Center QS 1,000, and Ron Jon Roxy Pro QS 1,000 in Cocoa Beach, Florida - where she also won the Pro Junior competition.
"This year is really special," said Spencer. "The amount of talent coming from the North America region in the women's is huge right now. All of the girls have been pushing me so much to want to continue to get better and better everyday. It's such an amazing generation to be apart of and I am so happy to be leading the rankings to end the year."
"At the start of the year I never would've imagined that I would've won 4 events by the end of the year," added Spencer. "I am in a really good spot right now being really happy with the work I've been putting in and feeling good mentally and physically. Going into this year I had never won a QS event and also ended a few spots away from tour qualification which was hard. I have also had the best team around me and I feel like that was something so important in my success this year."
Now, it's a second chance for Spencer who fell just two heats short of qualification in 2021 as she heads into the Challenger Series with plenty of momentum. Joining Spencer from North America include (in ranked order) Caitlin Simmers, Chelsea Tuach, Sawyer Lindblad, Leilani McGonagle, Zoe Benedetto, Kirra Pinkerton, and Havanna Cabrero.
For Dunphy, this marks his first multi-win season since 2015 and now carries back-to-back regional victories heading into the 2022 Challenger Series. A runner-up at the WRV Outer Banks Pro presented by Pacifico behind Taro Watanabe started the Virginia Beach, Virginia competitor's season at No. 2 before having a disappointing result at the SLO CAL Open at Morro Bay presented by French Hospital Medical Center QS 1,000.
But, Dunphy recovered brilliantly to earn an equal-third at the Cabarete Pro presented by Carambola Surf House QS 1,000 and notching a win at the Ron Jon Quiksilver Pro QS 1,000 and Barbados Surf Pro presented by Diamonds International QS 3,000.
"Taking down the North American ratings feels like a big accomplishment to me at this point," said Dunphy. "The level is just so high these days. Everyone rips, everybody takes it serious. There's no easy heats anymore, and there's a serious crop of amazing young surfers coming out of America right now. So to spearhead the charge heading into the challengers feels great."
"I tried to turn the page quick on Florida, and come down here with the goal to win," added Dunphy. "And there was extra motivation to get through heats just to share that lineup with only a few other people since the waves were fun the last few days. My standout moment was definitely finals day at Soup Bowl. to take the final out yesterday in a back and forth battle with Cole (Houshmand) in pumping surf at the Bowl, with my friends and girlfriend supporting on the beach, I couldn't have drawn it up much better to be honest."
Dunphy is joinedd by a stacked regional cast into the 2022 Challenger Series that includes (in order of rank) Kei Kobayashi, Evan Geiselman, Nolan Rapoza, Cole Houshmand, Levi Slawson, Kade Matson, Alan Cleland, Cam Richards, and Jett Schilling.
The Challenger Series begins May 7 - 15 at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro.
Alyssa Spencer
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