LOS ANGELES, Calif., USA (Saturday, May 14, 2022) - The World Surf League (WSL) 2022 Longboard Tour is ready to commence its first stop at the GWM Sydney Surf Pro in Manly Beach, Australia. The competition starts on Monday, May 16 for the opening rounds with the remaining rounds running within the holding period through May 24, 2022. This event will be the first of three stops in 2022, with the next competitions running in Huntington Beach and Malibu, California, USA.
The first two events of the season in Manly Beach and Huntington Beach will be worth up to 5,000 rankings points each, while the final event in Malibu, the Longboard World Championships, will award 10,000 points to the winners. The World Titles will be awarded to the highest-ranked woman and man based on their best two results out of the three events.
Where: 2022 Longboard Tour Schedule
GWM Sydney Surf Pro, Sydney, NSW, Australia: May 16 - 24, 2022
Vans Duct Tape Invitational, Huntington Beach, California, USA: August 3 - 7, 2022
WSL Longboard Championships, Malibu, California, USA: October 3 - 13, 2022
Who: Meet the 2022 Longboard Tour Competitors
Each stop on the 2022 Longboard Tour will host 20 surfers for the men's division and 20 surfers for the women's division. Each field will be made up of the Top 10 from the 2021 rankings, seven surfers selected from the regions, one WSL wildcard, and two event wildcards.
The lists below include all regional qualifiers eligible to compete in the 2022 Longboard Tour. Confirmed competitors will be released ahead of each Longboard Tour event.
- Indicates competitors who will not be competing at GWM Sydney Surf Pro. *
2021 Longboard World Rankings Top 10
Women's
1 - Honolua Blomfield (HAW)
2 - Alice Lemoigne (FRA)
3 - Chloe Calmon (BRA)
4 - Kelis Kaleopaa (HAW)
5 - Soleil Errico (USA)
6 - Avalon Gall (USA)
7 - Natsumi Taoka (JPN)
8 - Zoe Grospiron (FRA)
9 - Sally Cohen (HAW)
9 - Kirra Seale (HAW)
Men's
1 - Harrison Roach (AUS)
2 - Kai Sallas (HAW)
3 - Ben Skinner (GBR)
4 - Edouard Delpero (FRA)
5 - Kevin Skvarna (USA)
6 - Justin Quintal (USA)
7 - Tony Silvagni (USA)
8 - Taylor Jensen (USA)
9 - Kaniela Stewart (HAW)
10 - Lucas Lecca (PER)
2022 Regional Invitees
Women's
Haley Hansen Bridget (ZAF)
Hiroka Yoshikawa (JPN)*
Tully White (AUS)
Ophelie Ah-Kouen (REU)
Kelia Moniz (HAW)
Lindsay Steinriede (USA)
Maria Fernanda Reyes (PER)
Men's
Steven Sawyer (ZAF)*
Taka Inoue (JPN)
Declan Wyton (AUS)
Joao Dantes (PRT)
Keoki Saguibo (HAW)
Cole Robbins (USA)
Rodrigo Sphaier (BRA)
2022 Longboard Replacements
Women's
Victoria Vergara (FRA)
Rachael Tilly (USA)
Men's
Augusto Olinto (BRA)
Jefosn Silva (BRA)
Dylan Macleod (ZAF)
2022 Longboard Tour Season Wildcards
Women's
Kaitlin Mikkelsen (USA)
Men's
Phil Rajzman (BRA)
Event Wildcards
GWM Sydney Surf Pro
Kirra Molnar (1st at Port Stephens event)
Mia Francis (2nd at Port Stephens event)
Ben Considine (1st at Port Stephens event)
Jack Entwistle (2nd at Port Stephens event)
Vans Duct Tape Invitational Wildcards to be determined
WSL Longboard Championships to be determined
First Stop: Longboarders Prepare for GWM Sydney Surf Pro pres. by Rip Curl
The 2022 Longboard Tour will kick off at the GWM Sydney Surf Pro at Manly Beach, Australia on May 16, 2022. Considered by many as Sydney's most popular surfing beaches, Manly Beach has a very long and celebrated history with surfing.
Considered the birthplace of Australia, Manly Beach was the location where surfing's first ever World Champions, Phyllis O'Donell and Midget Farrelly, were crowned in 1964. The small cove of Freshwater Beach to the North end of Manly is where Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku introduced surfing to Australia for the first time in 1914. These two key historical moments in the world of surfing, along with producing some of the sports most successful competitors including seven-time World Champion Layne Beachley, it's safe to say that Manly is one of the most historically important beaches in the surfing world.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.