Before the first Wave Challenge kicks off the surfers get a crash course from the inventor of the wave, the greatest surfer of all time, Kelly Slater. He dials in to let them know a Surf Ranch wave moves a lot faster than a wave in the ocean. And then he can't resist ribbing the squad, loving that whoever wins the competition will be fresh meat for him on next year's Championship Tour.
The first Wave Challenge is all about performing a combination of surfing turns. Put simply, that means moving a surfboard across the wave in a variety of maneuvers which demonstrate mastery and versatility. The idea is to link several turns which all look different -- for this challenge, it's about flexing your range.
If you want to make in on the WSL Championship Tour, you have to be able to do it all. There's no room for one-trick ponies on the CT, where everyone can execute a full battery of turns, get barreled and do airs, often all on one wave.
Even the best surfers in the world have an Achilles heel and the contestants are about to be put under the microscope at The Surf Ranch.