LOWER TRESTLES, San Clemente, California (August 25, 2022) - The World Surf League (WSL) Final 5 are headed to Lower Trestles in San Clemente, California for the Rip Curl WSL Finals, the one-day winner-take-all event to decide the undisputed World Champions. The competition will run on the best day of waves determined by the WSL Tours and Competition team between September 8 - 16, 2022.
Pictured: Carissa Moore (HAW) will return to the Rip Curl WSL Finals which holds a competition window from September 8 - 16 - WSL / Heff
About the Host Venue: Lower Trestles in Southern California
The cobblestone point of Lower Trestles is one of the most high-performance and iconic waves in the world, providing a natural stage for the world's best to put on their final performances of the year. Last year's inaugural Rip Curl WSL Finals was a show not to be missed and this year promises to be no different, with a mix of returning and new faces to the World-Title showdown.
The venue enables fans to have the best possible viewing experience to witness the world's best surfers up close and personal.
finals bracket - WSL
10 Top Ranked Surfers To Compete in One-Day Rip Curl WSL Finals
Each finalist earned their place in the Rip Curl WSL Finals based on competition results during the ten 2022 regular-season Championship Tour (CT) events. Now, the Top 5 men and the Top 5 women from those leaderboard results will battle it out for the World Title.
Rip Curl WSL Finals: How It Works
The number one rated male and female surfer will both receive a bid directly into the Title Match, a best-of-three showdown to determine the World Champion. The remaining surfers will enter the Rip Curl WSL Finals bracket based on their year-end rankings.
Each Match will be a traditional heat format, two competitors locking in their two highest-scoring waves -- both out of a possible 10 points for a possible 20-point heat total. Match 1 for the women will see a new face in the Rip Curl WSL Finals in Brisa Hennessy (CRI), take on seven-time World Champion Stefanie Gilmore (AUS). For the men, Match 1 will be Kanoa Igarashi (JPN), who narrowly clinched his spot in the Final 5 with a brilliant performance in Tahiti, up against 2019 World Champion Italo Ferreira (BRA).
Whoever wins Match 1 will then face World No. 3 in Match 2: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) for the women, and Ethan Ewing (AUS) for the men.
The winner of Match 2 will then face-off against the number two ranked surfer: Johanne Defay (FRA) for the women and Jack Robinson (AUS) for the men. The winner of Match 3 will then move on to the best-of-three Title Match, where they will face World No. 1, Carissa Moore (HAW) and Filipe Toledo (BRA). The first surfer to win two out of three Title Matches becomes the undisputed 2022 World Champion.
The crowning of the 2022 World Champions will immediately follow the final Title Match of the day.
The Rip Curl WSL Finals is proudly sponsored by, Rip Curl, Craft 1861, Red Bull, Shiseido, Oakley, Hydro Flask, Flying Embers, 805 Beer, Sambazon, Expedia, Pura Vida, Fu Wax, Surfline, True Surf, and Turtle Bay.
Watch LIVE The event window for the Rip Curl WSL Finals opens on September 8 and holds a competition window through September 16, 2022. The event will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, WSL's YouTube channel, and the free WSL app. Check local listings for coverage from the WSL's broadcast partners.
COVID-19 Updates The health and safety of our athletes, staff, and the local community are of the utmost importance and the WSL has been working closely with local authorities to put a robust set of procedures in place to keep everyone safe.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
About the WSL The World Surf League (WSL) is the global home of competitive surfing, crowning the undisputed World Champions since 1976 and showcasing the world's best surfers on the world's best waves. WSL is comprised of the Tours and Competition division, which oversees and operates more than 180 global competitions each year; WSL WaveCo, home of the world's largest high-performance, human-made wave; and WSL Studios, an independent producer of unscripted and scripted projects.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.