Last year witnessed the first glimpse of professional surfing's future with regional events taking the front stage. The newly formatted Challenger Series now creates the bridge between regional competition and joining the Championship Tour (CT) with a hyperfocus on surfers able to earn points close to home before taking to the road around the world.
North America's 2022/23' Regional QS season kicks off April 28 - May at Huntington Beach, California.
Now, an event that provided one last opportunity for North America's competitors to join that Challenger Series returns as the 2022/23' Qualifying Series (QS) kickoff beginning April 28 - May 1. The iconic Huntington Beach Pier arena will play host to some of the region's top men and women competitors looking to make their mark among a heavily-stacked field.
This marks the fifth edition of this event, starting with an inaugural men's event in 2017, 2018, and 2019 before women joined the contest in 2021. An all-important start is on the line to begin the QS year with valuable points and a chance to join the likes of Hizunome Bettero (2017), Kevin Schulz (2018), Crosby Colapinto (2019), Caitlin Simmers and Nat Young (2021) to notch wins.
The 14-year-old made her QS debut at the Jack's Surfboards Pro with a statement to be made - eliminating No. 1 seed Kirra Pinkerton.
A big opportunity awaits the women with some of the top-seeded surfers heading to Australia early for Challenger Series preparations, leaving the door wide open for some emerging talents to shine such as 2021 standout Bella Kenworthy. However, they will still deal with the likes of confirmed Challenger Series competitors Sawyer Lindblad, Leilani McGonagle, Zoe Benedetto, and Havanna Cabrero.
The Floridian Championship Tour qualification threat made his mark on moving day at the Jack's Surfboards Pro.
The men's side features heavy-hitters Kei Kobayashi, Evan Geiselman, and Jett Schilling before they take to the Challenger Series. But those who narrowly missed out will be looking to capitalize on the early season opportunity and get their campaigns started on the right foot.
Watch all the Jack's Surfboards Pro action LIVE beginning April 28 - May 1 at www.WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL App, or WSL YouTube platform.
The Hunt Begins: Jack's Surfboards Pro
Andrew Nichols
Last year witnessed the first glimpse of professional surfing's future with regional events taking the front stage. The newly formatted Challenger Series now creates the bridge between regional competition and joining the Championship Tour (CT) with a hyperfocus on surfers able to earn points close to home before taking to the road around the world.
Now, an event that provided one last opportunity for North America's competitors to join that Challenger Series returns as the 2022/23' Qualifying Series (QS) kickoff beginning April 28 - May 1. The iconic Huntington Beach Pier arena will play host to some of the region's top men and women competitors looking to make their mark among a heavily-stacked field.
This marks the fifth edition of this event, starting with an inaugural men's event in 2017, 2018, and 2019 before women joined the contest in 2021. An all-important start is on the line to begin the QS year with valuable points and a chance to join the likes of Hizunome Bettero (2017), Kevin Schulz (2018), Crosby Colapinto (2019), Caitlin Simmers and Nat Young (2021) to notch wins.
A big opportunity awaits the women with some of the top-seeded surfers heading to Australia early for Challenger Series preparations, leaving the door wide open for some emerging talents to shine such as 2021 standout Bella Kenworthy. However, they will still deal with the likes of confirmed Challenger Series competitors Sawyer Lindblad, Leilani McGonagle, Zoe Benedetto, and Havanna Cabrero.
The men's side features heavy-hitters Kei Kobayashi, Evan Geiselman, and Jett Schilling before they take to the Challenger Series. But those who narrowly missed out will be looking to capitalize on the early season opportunity and get their campaigns started on the right foot.
Watch all the Jack's Surfboards Pro action LIVE beginning April 28 - May 1 at www.WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL App, or WSL YouTube platform.
Jack's Surfboards Pro
The 16-year-old overpowered a formidable field featuring some of North America's best and topped Zoe Benedetto in a big Final.
The soon-to-be Challenger Series competitor started off in flawless fashion in tough, Huntington Beach conditions.
Moving day implications unfolded as the women made their big debuts and the men continued to overpower Huntington Beach.
Some of the region's best and emerging talents look to make their mark at the first stop of the 2022/23' Qualifying Series season.
A nail-biting finish to the 2021/22' Qualifying Series season put Cabrero into the Challenger Series, now she's looking for more.
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