Staying Social

Kai Otton (AUS) appears to have a good setup for the Hurley Australian Open of Surfing. The Championship Tour (CT) surfer, who's ranked No. 18 in the world, will compete in the event at Manly Beach. For him and many CT surfers the event in Manly is prep for the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, the first CT stop of the year. -- @ottz16: View from the @reef_usa mansion. Waves are on the cook today. Day 1 #australianopenofsurf

California native Sage Erickson said goodbye the Golden State for bit and headed straight to the Gold Coast. Don't miss Erickson's Faces of 2015 interview. -- @sageerickson: Home you were amazing while it lasted, hello Australia for 2 and 1/2 months! ! ! Ill miss every person and every last surf session @ my local! Photo : @jmehren

Kolohe Andino (USA) and pal Luke Davis (USA) made their way Down Under together for the Hurley Australian Open. The two recently appeared in the Volcom Pipe Pro QS3000, where Andino got some season warm-up, while Davis began the hunt for enough Qualifying Series points to join Brother on the CT next year. -- @koloheandino22: the kid and i have arrived in sydney, australia / @lifewithoutandy where yat

Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW) may have qualified for the 2015 women's Samsung Galaxy Championship Tour, but she doesn't seem to be taking her new spot for granted: So far this season, she has competed in two QS6000 events, the Samsung Galaxy Hainan Pro and the Hurley Australian Open. For a handful of CT surfers, QS points can be a backup to requalify at the end of the year if they don't rack up enough points in the elite contests. Weston-Webb's first event as a CT surfer will be the Roxy Pro Gold Coast. -- @tatiwest: So much fun strolling around the #Manly #Corso yesterday afternoon. Got my @kananishine tattoos looking aaaamazing! || Photo: @j_hannan

Mason Ho (HAW), big brother of women's CT surfer Coco Ho, spent some quality time with his mom before heading off to compete in Australia. Ho was the only surfer who is not on the elite CT to make the Final at the Volcom Pipe Pro. He came in second behind World No. 3 John John Florence and ahead of World No. 4 Kelly Slater. -- @cocom4debarrelkilla: Starting my morning off right! momma lovinn

The Championship Tour's lone New Zealander Ricardo Christie opted not to compete in any QS events prior to his elite Tour debut. Check out Christie's Faces of 2015 interview. Training appears to be going well. -- @ricardochristie: #RVCAROHA @tbhphoto

Lakey Peterson (USA) also chose not to compete in any QS events ahead of the 2015 Championship Tour season. The Californian ripper, however, appears more than eager to get things underway in Australia. -- @lakeypeterson: Can't wait to get back here and put a jersey on again... #snapper #notlongnow photo- @wsl