BANZAI PIPELINE, Oahu, Hawaii, USA (Sunday, January 28, 2024) - Competitors prepare to launch their World Surf League (WSL) 2024 Championship Tour (CT) campaigns at the Lexus Pipe Pro Presented by YETI, from January 29 through February 10, 2024, at the iconic Banzai Pipeline on Oahu's North Shore. The class of 2024 has arrived and started to put some time in the lineup in anticipation of another action-packed four weeks in Hawaii. The WSL Tours and Competition team will make the first call tomorrow, Monday, January 29 at 7:30 a.m. HST for a possible 8:00 a.m. start to the opening day of the competition.
Lexus WSL Awards Celebrate Achievements of 2023 Season
The world's best surfers were honored at the Lexus WSL Awards last night, celebrating the achievements of the 2023 season and welcoming the start of the 2024 WSL Championship Tour. The evening commemorated the newly crowned World Champions across the Championship Tour, Longboard Tour, and World Junior Championships, as well as honors to the 2023 Challenger Series Winners, 2023 CT Rookies of the Year, 2023 Vissla CT Shaper of the Year, and Impact Award recipients.
The WSL Impact Award was awarded to Carissa Moore (HAW), Kanoa Igarashi (JPN), and Puamakamae DeSoto (HAW). The WSL Impact Award recognizes individual surfers who demonstrate the greatest impact and outstanding effort to inspire, educate, and empower the global surf community to protect the ocean.
Rookies Fired Up For Debut Among World's Best Surfers
If most surfers have the treacherous left and righthand reef break somewhat figured out with years of experience, heavy barrels, and big learnings in the memory bank, for some, it will be a big first this week. Seven surfers are fresh new additions to the CT, having conquered the disputed Challenger Series in 2023.
California will be well represented with newcomers Sawyer Lindblad (USA), Alyssa Spencer (USA), Kade Matson (USA), Cole Houshmand (USA), and the World No.3 Griffin Colapinto's (USA) younger brother, Crosby Colapinto (USA). Houshmand will lead the talented field of men's newcomers into the new season. The powerful goofy foot has dominated the Challenger Series with two event wins and will be a major threat in all conditions.
The rookie with the most previous appearances at the CT level (13 wildcard spots), Jacob Willcox (AUS) will join the field as well, but it's likely Eli Hanneman (HAW), who will draw the most cheers from the North Shore crowds as the Hawaiian starts a new chapter of his competitive career on home turf.
The Lexus Pipe Pro offers all the rookies a golden opportunity to stand out from the get-go. But of course, they will have to contend with some of the best to grace the famed Hawaiian lineup, including 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), local superstar John John Florence (HAW), Gabriel Medina (BRA), event wildcard Moana Jones Wong (HAW), 2023 Pipe Pro winner Jack Robinson (AUS), and the five-time World Champion Carissa Moore (HAW).
Big Matchups for Lexus Pipe Pro Opening Rounds
Last season ended in spectacular fashion at the WSL Finals with the crowning of Caroline Marks (USA) and Filipe Toledo (BRA) as the World Champions. This week's festivities will revive some epic battles that went down in 2023 and undoubtedly create new rivalries on Tour as 34 men and 17 women put everything on the line for a spot in the Top 5 and eventually a shot at a World Title.
The two reigning World Champions must bring their A-game as they face off against local wildcards in their first heat of the season. Marks will face a previous winner at Pipeline, Moana Jones Wong (HAW), and Toledo will be against the Hawaii / Tahiti Nui region winner in 2023, Shion Crawford (HAW).
Select Your Lexus Pipe Pro Picks Now for WSL CT Fantasy
WSL CT Fantasy is open for the 2024 Lexus Pipe Pro Presented by YETI and will lock after Elimination Round 2. Sign up, create your team, and start playing now. Players can register now at ctfantasy.worldsurfleague.com and on the free WSL app.
Lexus Pipe Pro Presented by YETI Women's Opening Round Matchups:
Heat 1: Tyler Wright (AUS), Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW), Luana Silva (BRA)
Heat 2: Carissa Moore (HAW), Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Brisa Hennessy (CRC)
Heat 3: Caroline Marks (USA), India Robinson (AUS), Moana Jones Wong (HAW)
Heat 4: Caitlin Simmers (USA), Gabriela Bryan (HAW), Isabella Nichols (AUS)
Heat 5: Molly Picklum (AUS), Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), Alyssa Spencer (USA)
Heat 6: Lakey Peterson (USA), Johanne Defay (FRA), Sawyer Lindblad (USA)
Lexus Pipe Pro Presented by YETI Men's Opening Round Matchups:
Heat 1: Yago Dora (BRA), Matthew McGillivray (RSA), Kade Matson (USA)
Heat 2: Gabriel Medina (BRA), Callum Robson (AUS), Deivid Silva (BRA)
Heat 3: Jack Robinson (AUS), Rio Waida (INA), Kelly Slater (USA)
Heat 4: Griffin Colapinto (USA), Seth Moniz (HAW), Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR)
Heat 5: Ethan Ewing (AUS), Cole Houshmand (USA), Jackson Bunch (HAW)
Heat 6: Filipe Toledo (BRA), Samuel Pupo (BRA), Shion Crawford (HAW)
Heat 7: John John Florence (HAW), Caio Ibelli (BRA), Jake Marshall (USA)
Heat 8: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA), Liam O'Brien (AUS), Imaikalani Devault (HAW)
Heat 9: Ryan Callinan (AUS), Jordy Smith (RSA), Frederico Morais (POR)
Heat 10: Connor O'Leary (JPN), Kanoa Igarashi (JPN), Eli Hanneman (HAW)
Heat 11: Barron Mamiya (HAW), Ian Gentil (HAW), Crosby Colapinto (USA)
Heat 12: Miguel Pupo (BRA), Italo Ferreira (BRA), Jacob Willcox (AUS)
The Lexus Pipe Pro Presented by YETI is proudly supported by Lexus, YETI, Vissla, Florence Marine X, Red Bull, 805 Beer, Bonsoy, Cup Noodles, Pacifico, Sambazon, SHISEIDO, Turtle Bay, Spectrum Hawaii, True Surf, Surfline, Apple Watch, Mananalu Water, Eventbrite, Pura Vida, Alt Sports Betting, and Hawaii Tourism.