Top 10 WSL Highlights
These Highlights left us speechless!
Get ready for a wave of excitement as we look back at some of the most unforgettable moments in WSL history! The World Surf League (WSL) is the premier surfing organisation, showing the world's best surfers competing in different locations around the world. From huge wipeouts, comebacks to mind-blowing victories, these highlights will make you wanna grab your board and also hit the waves.
Let's take a trip down memory lane and relive some of the most unforgettable moments in the history of WSL!
10. First surf competition - A Blast from the Past
Let’s start our highlights at the very beginning of the WSL, the first-ever WSL competition. This event was held at Makaha on the legendary Oahu North Shore in Hawaii in 1964. This historic event featured surfing legends like Miki Dora, Bob McTavish, and Joel Tudor, showing the early days of professional surfing with single-fin longboards, focused on smooth, stylish riding. It marked the birth of the competitive surfing scene we know today.
9. An inspiring comeback story by Hamilton!
Surf legend Bethany Hamilton began surfing at just three years old, she improved quickly and by eight, she was competing and secured her first sponsorship by ten years old. At 13 she had a tragic attack by a tiger shark who took her left arm. Nonetheless, within a month, she was back in the water, and within a year, back in competitions. Doing the thing she loves the most, surfing. Her dedication, passion and strength rewarded her with a national surfing title in 2005. In 2008, Bethany started surfing in the World Surf League (WSL). Not only did she qualify, but she got an impressive 14th-place finish on the World Qualifying Series Rankings, with the highlight of winning the Women's Pipeline Championship in 2014.
Beyond her athletic achievements in surfing, Bethany wrote a bestselling autobiography, "Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board," sharing her experiences and inspiring story, and its popular movie adaptation. Today, she remains an icon, a champion surfer, a bestselling author, and a great role model who inspires athletes and people worldwide.
8. The Wipeout that will make you hold your breath
The wipeout that will make you hold your breath... Andrew Cotton, a big wave surfer from the UK, took home the Wipeout of the Year Award in 2017 for a reason that will leave you with your mouth open. At Nazaré, Portugal, on November 8th, 2017, Cotton was riding a massive 50-60 foot wave (around 17 metres!) when the monstrous wave's whitewater crashed over him. It ended up in a huge wipeout, and it literally launched into the sky.
Even with a lot of extensive training, these wipeouts happen. Andrew broke his back, but after a 6-month recovery, he was back in the water, surfing at his local beach. “The first dip back in the ocean, I felt like I was re-learning again” he said during an interview with Red Bull. And within a year, he was back at Nazaré, tackling the big waves once more. Talk about dedication!
“Coming back from the injury was about learning to enjoy the things you can do, and not thinking about the things you can't.” - Andrew Cotton
7. Youngsters take over! - Youngest surfer girl in the Championships
Caroline Marks isn't just a talented surfer, she's a record-breaker! At 15, she became the youngest surfer ever to qualify for both the WSL Championship Tour and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Her journey began at the beach in Florida, where Caroline, inspired by her surfing brothers, started surfing at the age of 10. Her talent grew rapidly, leading her to dominate the qualifying circuit (QS) and secure a spot on the Championship Tour at the young age of 15.
Since joining the CT, Caroline has continued to impress. She's surfing against legends like Stephanie Gilmore and Carissa Moore, proving her ability to compete with the best of the best! She earned the Rookie of the Year honours in 2018, claimed her first WSL Championship win at the Boost Mobile Pro the following year in 2019 and last year in 2023, she celebrated her first-ever World Championship title.
6. Youngsters take over 2.0! - Youngest surfer boy in the Championships
Gabriel Medina, born in Brazil, defied age stereotypes when he became the youngest WSL Champion at 20 years old. His surfing journey began at 8, winning his first national title two years later and becoming the youngest World Junior Tour champion at 15. At just 17, he secured his spot on the WSL Championship Tour.
Medina's journey continued with consistent top-three finishes over the next few years, ensuring his position as a dominant force in the sport. He won the World Title again in 2018 and 2021, solidifying his status as one of the greatest surfers of all time. After a period prioritising his mental health in 2022, Medina is back on the waves, excited to hunt those waves again. "I want to enjoy this gift God gave me, which is surfing,"
With the 2024 Olympics in Tahiti, we are excited to see both Marks and Medina shred the waves of Teahupo'o reef pass. They are definitely leaving their mark on the surfing world, with talent, determination, and drive!
5. Kelly Slater Makes History with 11th World Title Win
It was Wednesday, November 2nd 2011 when Kelly Slater wrote history. On that autumn day in San Francisco, he won the surfing competition against Dan Ross at the Rip Curl Pro Search. Riding the waves, Slater secured his legendary status by clinching his historic 11th ASP World Title.
The waves at the Ocean Beach break were a challenging three-to-five foot (1-1,5M!) high with a northwest swell. It was the third heat when Kelly’s moment came. He took off on an inside right-hander, showing his signature smooth style and powerful moves. He didn't score a perfect 10, but the 7,60 was enough to take the lead and his eleventh world title. The 2011 ASP World Title wasn’t just a win for Kelly, it also came on the one-year anniversary of the passing of his close friend and rival Andy Irons. The symbolism of today was not lost on Slater. Slater acknowledged the emotional weight of the win, expressing his desire to celebrate his memories with Andy.
The records didn’t stop there, because at 39 he also became the oldest ASP World Champion ever! Age is definitely just a number when it comes to surfing.
4. New World Record of the Biggest Wave ever surfed
Located on the coast of Portugal, Nazaré isn't just a beach town, it is the battleground for big wave surfers. Every year, during the big wave season, the town transforms into a spectacle that draws a massive crowd.
Just recently in April 2024, German big wave surfer, Sebastian Steudtner, defied the odds and surfed a giant 93-foot (28 metres) wave, officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the biggest wave ever surfed!
But Nazaré isn't just about the men. It's a place where anyone can test their skills against these giants. In fact, the crowd in 2020 also saw Maya Gabeira, a fearless Brazilian surfer, riding a 73-foot (22.4 metres) wave on February 11th, the biggest wave ever ridden by a woman. This shows that Nazare is a perfect place for thrill-seekers and a place to push the boundaries of human capability.
However, experts predict an epic upcoming swell that could rewrite history. A new generation of big wave surfers are eager to rewrite this story!
3. Perfect 10 in Women’s Surfing
Get ready for another jaw-dropping moment in woman surfing history, but not so long ago! Brazilian surfer Tatiana Weston-Webb made waves (pun intended) when she scored the first-ever perfect 10 for a woman at the infamous surf break in Teahupo'o, Tahiti.
Known as the "wall of skulls," Teahupo'o has been considered ‘too dangerous’ for women. But Weston-Webb and other fearless female surfers are changing this game. Her perfect 10 wasn't just a personal victory; it was a massive win for women's surfing in general. It proved that women can conquer the biggest and most challenging waves on the planet!
While Weston-Webb didn't win the heat, her perfect score sent shockwaves through the surfing world. It's a moment that will be remembered for years to come.
2. Celebrating Pioneering Women Champion
Historically, professional surfing was a male-dominated sport. Women were often relegated to the sidelines, with limited opportunities to compete at the highest level. However, a group of talented female surfers challenged the status quo and paved the way for future generations.
Surfers like Joyce Hoffman, the first woman to surf the legendary Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii in 1968, and Linda Benson, big wave surfer and surfboard shaper, were instrumental in establishing surfing as a global sport for females. Also Margo Oberg, a four-time world champion (first one at 15 years old!), dominated the sport in the 1960s and 70s, showcasing the incredible talent and skill of women surfers.
Their determination, energy and passion helped create a supportive platform for future generations of female surfers to shine and shred. They inspired countless other girls to pick up a surfboard too!
1. Scoring the Perfect Heat
For a pro surfer, the perfect heat, a two-wave total score of 20 points, is the ultimate goal. However, earning this score requires exceptional skill and nerve. Judges are critical, and a perfect 10 wave requires a flawless combination of commitment, difficulty, old and new school moves, speed, power and style.
In the past, until 2002, a surfer's performance was judged based on his best three waves, which meant that a perfect heat had to be a perfect 30, scoring 3 waves of 10 points. Shane Beschen was the first and the only surfer ever to score three Perfect 10-point rides in a single heat surfing three flawless tube rides at the Kirra Pro in Australia in 1996. Are we ever going to see another triple 10 again?
Since then, the rules and criteria changed, and today, only the two highest-scoring waves count towards the final heat total. The 11-time world surfing champion from Florida, Kelly Slater, is the only surfer who scored three Perfect 20 heats. He first achieved this in 2005 (Billabong Pro - Tahiti), then repeated this amazing score in 2013 (Volcom - Fiji) and in 2016 (Billabong Pro - Tahiti).
We can learn a lot from watching Slater rip it on those waves!
And when are you ready to write WSL-history?! Let's start small and improve your surfing skills in our camps in Bali or Sri Lanka.
BOOK NOW