MALIBU, Calif., USA (Monday, October 3, 2022) - The 2022 Cuervo Classic Malibu Longboard Championship, the final stop on the World Surf League (WSL) Longboard Tour, is scheduled to run on October 4 - 5, starting at 7:35 am PDT and crown the 2022 World Longboard Champions. The competition will be held at First Point in Malibu, Calif. and is expected to have clean, two-to-four foot conditions with the swell building throughout the competition and peaking on Wednesday, October 5.
Malibu's First Point is one of the crown jewels of the Southern California coastline, having drawn crowds to experience its renowned waves for decades. With a history rooted in surf culture and near perfect right-hand point break, the venue is the ultimate canvas for longboarders to showcase their unique styles to the world. The race for the World Title is tight but only one man and one woman will walk away as the 2022 Longboard World Champions.
Reigning World Champion Honolua Blomfield Seeks Fourth World Title
Honolua Blomfield (HAW) is the reigning World Champion, winning her first World Title at just 18 years of age and her third in 2021. Blomfield, from the North Shore of Oahu, is considered one of the best noseriders in surfing. Even though she comes into this event with a significant rankings lead, her fight is not yet over as she needs to look out for Chloe Calmon (BRA), Soleil Errico (USA) and Rachael Tilly (USA) who are not far behind. As the pressure builds into tomorrow, Blomfield has her eyes on that fourth World Title.
Hot on her heels is World No. 2 Calmon, who is seeking her first World Title, and to become the first Brazilian woman to achieve this feat. Calmon placed second under Blomfield at the Sydney Surf Pro and is now looking for redemption. This goofy-footer is more than confident on her back hand and is ready for the peeling right-handers at Malibu.
Current World No. 3 is Malibu, California's own Errico. The local hero brought a World Title home in 2018 at the age of 17 and now looks to bring her surf-rich community another big event win. With her talented ability to connect drop-knee turns and noserides, Errico will be battling hard for her second World Title here at Malibu.
Tied with Errico for third place in the rankings is San Clemente local Tilly. Tilly, who is a few months younger than Errico, claimed the title of youngest World Champion at age 17 back in 2015 and has been searching for her second title ever since.
"I missed competing over the past two years and am really enjoying being amongst the excitement and energy of all the women," said Tilly. "It's been a fun year so far traveling and competing with them and to finish the season off at Malibu is great. Malibu is a perfect canvas to put on a show and I can't wait to watch the men and surf with the women!"
All of these top-ranked competitors will have their work cut out for them as the entire women's contingent is staked with an abundance of talents from around the world including World No. 5 Kelis Kaleopa'a (HAW), Tully White (AUS), Natsumi Taoka (JPN) and Alice Lemoigne (FRA).
Kaniela Stewart (HAW) will be fighting for his first World Title at Malibu. - WSL / Ito
Kaniela Stewart Sets Eyes on Maiden World Title
Known in the surfing community as the "style master, Waikiki's Kaniela Stewart (HAW) has both elegance and power on the waves. He jumped two spots on the rankings after placing 2nd at the Vans US Open of Surfing Duct Tape Invitational. Now, Stewart is sitting as World No. 1 and has an opportunity to take home his first World Title.
"I am super excited to head into Malibu at the top of the rankings and looking at a chance to win my first World Title," said Stewart. "I just have to stay super focused and keep a good mindset. Something that I've noticed in my surfing that has made me improve in the last few years is the flow, style, and drawing the right lines going into maneuvers and coming out of them. The most important thing I've been focusing on is making sure that there is little to no space for errors, so like no falling, no wobbly movements, making sure everything is super controlled, and making sure every maneuver is performed at its best."
Taylor Jensen (USA) and Harrison Roach (AUS) are both currently tied for the second position on the rankings. Like Blomfield, Jensen is also fighting for his fourth World Title. Jensen defeated Stewart during the Finals at the Vans US Open of Surfing Duct Tape Invitational and hopes to be able to take him down again at Malibu. Roach is recognized in Australia and around the world as one of the best longboarders on the planet. He started the year off with a bang, winning the first event of the season but still has yet to win his first World Title.
These three renowned surfers are more than capable of claiming the World Title, but with 10,000 points up for grabs it's almost anyone's game. World No. 4 and WSL Longboard Tour veteran Ben Skinner (GBR) is sure to put on a show as he has a chance to become the first British World Champion. Skinner will be joined by a long list of Tour veterans including Kai Sallas (HAW), Tony Silvagni (USA), and Jefson Silva (BRA) as well as the fresh faces of Declan Wyton (AUS), Tosh Tudor (USA) and Kaimana Takayama (USA), who are hoping to make their mark at Malibu.
2022 Cuervo Classic Malibu Longboard Championship Women's Round 1 Matchups:
Heat 1: Soleil Errico (USA), Natsumi Taoka (JPN), Victoria Vergara (FRA)
Heat 2: Chloe Calmon (BRA), Mason Schremmer (USA), Sally Cohen (HAW)
Heat 3: Honolua Blomfield (HAW), Alice Lemoigne (FRA), Hiroka Yoshikawa (JPN)
Heat 4: Rachael Tilly (USA), Avalon Gall (USA), Maria Fernanda Reyes (PER)
Heat 5: Kelis Kaleopa'a (HAW), Sophia Culhane (HAW), Zoe Grospiron (FRA)
Heat 6: Tully White (AUS), Kaitlin Mikkelsen (USA), Lindsay Steinriede (USA)
2022 Cuervo Classic Malibu Longboard Championship Men's Round 1 Matchups:
Heat 1: Taylor Jensen (USA), Lucas Garrido Lecca (PER), Edouard Delpero (FRA)
Heat 2: Harrison Roach (AUS), Justin Quintal (USA), Trials Winner 1
Heat 3: Kaniela Stewart (HAW), Kaimana Takayama (USA), Trials Winner 2
Heat 4: Ben Skinner (GBR), Tony Silvagni (USA), Tosh Tudor (USA)
Heat 5: Declan Wyton (AUS), Taka Inoue (JPN), Kevin Skvarna (USA)
Heat 6: Kai Sallas (HAW), Cole Robbins (USA), Phil Rajzman (BRA)
The Cuervo Classic Longboard Championships are proudly supported by Jose Cuervo, O'Neill, Hydro Flask, Flying Embers, 805, Aviator Nation, Gibson, Turtle Bay, and Boxed Water.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.