SNAPPER ROCKS, Queensland, Australia (Friday, April 26, 2024) - The Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro presented by GWM, Stop No. 1 of the 2024 World Surf League (WSL) Challenger Series (CS) is set to commence tomorrow at the world-class sand bottom point break of Snapper Rocks. Over 120 of the world's best up-and-coming surfers have descended on the Gold Coast to get their 2025 Championship Tour (CT) qualification campaigns underway at the first event, which holds an event window from April 27 to May 4, 2024. A call will be made tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. AEST for a potential 8:00 a.m. start.
Relegated Surfers Eye Challenger Series Redemption Fresh off the Mid-season Cut event in Western Australia, a number of elite athletes were unable to qualify for the second half of the CT season and will now start their requalification journeys this week at Snapper Rocks. Callum Robson (AUS), a former CT Rookie of the Year, was unable to find a rhythm in the first five events of the CT season and is now hoping to get his year back on track on the Gold Coast, a location where he claimed his biggest win in 2022.
"I'm stoked to be back competing on the Gold Coast," Robson said. "It's been a rough start to the year for sure, but it's good to know that the Challenger Series has so many good waves, and I can come back here and try and improve my performances in good surf. We've got a great crew of Aussies traveling with the Challenger Series this year, so I'm feeling really good about what's ahead and excited to get back in the jersey."
Isabella Nichols (AUS) is another competitor who fell short of the Cut line in Margaret River for a second year running but is confident she is in the right headspace to get back on Tour by year's end. Hailing from Queensland's Sunshine Coast and now residing on the Gold Coast, Nichols is feeling right at home ahead of the competition commencing this weekend.
"These last few weeks have been like a yoyo for me," said Nichols. "There have been lots of ups and downs, but I've been here before, and I know I can do what needs to be done, so I take a lot of confidence from that. I'm also in my favorite place in the world. I love it here, so I'm just excited to get the Challenger Series happening at this amazing wave with a great forecast for the next few days."
A competitor without the pressure of being relegated or hunting for qualification points is teen sensation Sierra Kerr (AUS), who, although qualified for this year's Challenger Series through her World Junior title, is only going to compete in select events as she looks to gain experience. The Snapper Rocks local almost took down eight-time World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) at last year's Gold Coast event, and she hopes for more shake-ups when the competition gets underway tomorrow.
João Chianca and Lakey Peterson Enjoy First Glimpse of Snapper Ahead of 2025 CT Season
In the last two days, the WSL announced that Snapper Rocks will return to the CT schedule in 2025, as well as Lakey Peterson (USA) and João Chianca (BRA) being awarded the WSL CT Season Wildcards for the 2025 season. This week, the pair will get first-hand experience at empty Snapper Rocks ahead of the location's return to the elite level next season. For Peterson, it's a location she's had plenty of experience at, having won the event as a CT in 2018. The Californian standout is hoping to reinstate some confidence with a strong showing when the competition gets underway.
"It's been a few years since I've been here, and I'm just over the moon to be here competing," Peterson said. "The bank is so good, and it just feels like such a part of surfing history here in Coolangatta and Snapper Rocks. I feel like every surfer looks forward to the experience of competing here, so I'm really grateful. It's so good to hear it's on the CT schedule next year. I'm really happy to get the wildcard next year. The Cut is brutal, but I feel like I've earned this wildcard spot over time, and now it's about refining and improving my surfing and my competing. The talent here is amazing, so it will be a really good test."
For Chianca, it's a massive event, as it will see him return to competition for the first time since suffering a horrible wipeout while free surfing in Hawaii. Chianca has been recovering for almost four months and is excited to be healthy and back in the competition jersey.
"It's so good to be back," Chianca said. "It's been a long road to get here, but I'm feeling great, and I want to thank everyone who has helped to guide me to this place. It's amazing to get back into competition at such a rippable, perfect wave. I'm so excited to compete here this week."
Brent Dorrington and Ziggy Aloha Mackenzie Win Gold Coast Trials
Gold Coast duo Brent Dorrington (AUS) and Ziggy Aloha Mackenzie (AUS) have claimed victory at the Gold Coast Trials event today in pumping surf at Snapper Rocks. The pair had to overcome a stacked field of some of Queensland and the Gold Coast's best surfing talent.
Former QS competitor Dorrington will take on Leo Casal (BRA), Kai Martin (HAW), and Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) in his first heat of the event, whilst upstart Mackenzie will do battle with Zoe Benedetto (USA), Jessie Van Niekerk (RSA) and Keala Tomoda-Bannert (HAW) in Heat 1 of the Round of 48.
Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro Presented by GWM Men's Round of 80 Matchups: HEAT 1: Tide-Lee Ireland (RSA) vs. Josh Burke (BRB) vs. Levi Slawson (USA) vs. Jordy Maree (RSA) HEAT 2: Jarvis Earle (AUS) vs. Cauã Costa (BRA) vs. Kai Paula (HAW) vs. Taro Watanabe (USA) HEAT 3: Charly Quivront (FRA) vs. Guilherme Ribeiro (POR) vs. Rafael Teixeira (BRA) vs. Daniel Emslie (RSA) HEAT 4: Leo Casal (BRA) vs. Kai Martin (HAW) vs. Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) vs. Brent Dorrington (AUS) HEAT 5: Heitor Mueller (BRA) vs. Luel Felipe (BRA) vs. Ryan Huckabee (USA) vs. Sheldon Simkus (AUS) HEAT 6: Owen Moss (USA) vs. Robert Grilho (HAW) vs. Winter Vincent (AUS) vs. Carlos Munoz (CRC) HEAT 7: Riaru Ito (JPN) vs. Tully Wylie (AUS) vs. Oscar Berry (AUS) vs. Kyuss King (AUS) HEAT 8: Rinta Oooto (JPN) vs. Joh Azuchi (JPN) vs. Kai Odriozola (ESP) vs. Dylan Moffat (AUS)
Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro Presented by GWM Men's Round of 64 Matchups: HEAT 1: Caio Ibelli (BRA) vs. Mihimana Braye (PYF) vs. Adin Masencamp (RSA) HEAT 2: Joao Chianca (BRA) vs. Nolan Rapoza (USA) vs. Luke Slijpen (RSA) HEAT 3: Deivid Silva (BRA) vs. Reef Heazlewood (AUS) vs. Tiago Carrique (FRA) HEAT 4: Miguel Pupo (BRA) vs. Jackson Bunch (HAW) vs. Shion Crawford (HAW) HEAT 5: Frederico Morais (POR) vs. Maxime Huscenot (FRA) vs. Edgard Groggia (BRA) HEAT 6: Callum Robson (AUS) vs. Nat Young (USA) vs. Alister Reginato (AUS) HEAT 7: Marco Mignot (FRA) vs. Jett Schilling (USA) vs. Gatien Delahaye (FRA) HEAT 8: Dakoda Walters (AUS) vs. Mikey McDonagh (AUS) vs. Kauli Vaast (FRA) HEAT 9: Samuel Pupo (BRA) vs. Alejo Muniz (BRA) vs. Joel Vaughan (AUS) HEAT 10: Mateus Herdy (BRA) vs. Morgan Cibilic (AUS) vs. Alan Cleland (MEX) HEAT 11: Jacob Willcox (AUS) vs. Kolohe Andino (USA) vs. Ian Gouveia (BRA) HEAT 12: Eli Hanneman (HAW) vs. Jadson Andre (BRA) vs. Lucas Silveira (BRA) HEAT 13: Kade Matson (USA) vs. Dimitri Poulos (USA) vs. Lucca Mesinas (PER) HEAT 14: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. George Pittar (AUS) vs. Michael Dunphy (USA) HEAT 15: Michael Rodrigues (BRA) vs. Joan Duru (FRA) vs. Kian Martin (SWE) HEAT 16: Ian Gentil (HAW) vs. Justin Becret (FRA) vs. Luke Thompson (RSA)
Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro Presented by GWM Women's Round of 48 Matchups: HEAT 1: Zoe Benedetto (USA) vs. Jessie Van Niekerk (RSA) vs. Keala Tomoda-Bannert (HAW) vs. Ziggy Aloha Mackenzie (AUS) HEAT 2: Nanaho Tsuzuki (JPN) vs. Yolanda Hopkins (POR) vs. Eweleiula Wong (HAW) vs. Saffi Vette (NZL) HEAT 3: Leilani McGonagle (CRC) vs. Laura Raupp (BRA) vs. Anastasia Venter (RSA) vs. Zahli Kelly (AUS) HEAT 4: Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) vs. Paige Hareb (NZL) vs. Anon Matsuoka (JPN) vs. Ariane Ochoa (EUK) HEAT 5: Kirra Pinkerton (USA) vs. Sara Wakita (JPN) vs. Talia Swindal (USA) vs. Kobie Enright (AUS) HEAT 6: Zoe McDougall (HAW) vs. Amuro Tsuzuki (JPN) vs. Rosie Smart (AUS) vs. Maud Le Car (FRA) HEAT 7: Tessa Thyssen (FRA) vs. Sophia Medina (BRA) vs. Nora Liotta (HAW) vs. Sierra Kerr (AUS) HEAT 8: Daniella Rosas (PER) vs. Taina Hinckel (BRA) vs. Philippa Anderson (AUS) vs. Sol Aguirre (PER)
Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro Presented by GWM Women's Round of 32 Matchups: HEAT 1: Lakey Peterson (USA) vs. Bella Kenworthy (USA) HEAT 2: Nadia Erostarbe (EUK) vs. Erin Brooks (CAN) HEAT 3: India Robinson (AUS) vs. Teresa Bonvalot (POR) HEAT 4: Isabella Nichols (AUS) vs. Macy Callaghan (AUS) HEAT 5: Luana Silva (BRA) vs. Sarah Baum (RSA) HEAT 6: Bronte Macaulay (AUS) vs. Vahine Fierro (FRA) HEAT 7: Alyssa Spencer (USA) vs. Ellie Harrison (AUS) HEAT 8: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) vs. Francisca Veselko (POR)
"I'm just here to have fun," Kerr said. "I'm not too focused on trying to qualify at the moment. I'm still a kid and just want to have fun, and what's more fun than surfing empty Snapper? It's cool having moments like the one last year with Steph, and I'm hoping to have more moments like that this year. Let's see what happens."