TEAHUPO'O, Tahiti, French Polynesia (August 18, 2023) - Following the completion of the 2023 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), the WSL Final 5 have been determined and are ready to compete at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, California for the Rip Curl WSL Finals. The one-day winner-take-all event will crown the undisputed 2023 World Champions. The competition will run on the best day of waves determined by the WSL Tours and Competition team between September 8 - 16, 2023.
WSL Final 5 Welcomes Returning and Fresh Faces
Each finalist earned their place in the Rip Curl WSL Finals based on competition results during the ten 2023 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.
Carissa Moore (HAW) enters the Rip Curl WSL Finals as the No. 1 seeded competitor for the third year in a row. Moore started her season with a win at the Billabong Pro Pipeline. She then earned back-to-back wins at the Margaret River Pro and Surf Ranch Pro. Moore finished last season runner-up to Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), and is eager to add a sixth World Title to her already incredible career.
This will be the first Rip Curl WSL Finals appearance for two-time World Champion Tyler Wright (AUS) who enters the event as the No. 2 seeded competitor. Wright performed consistently throughout the season, winning the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach and earning five Finals appearances. This is the first time she has been in contention for a World Title in the last five years.
Phenom sensation and No. 3 seed Caroline Marks (USA) now has her second opportunity at battling for a World Title, her first being in 2019. Marks earned two impressive event wins this season, the Surf City El Salvador Pro and recently the SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro. She hopes to be the first goofy-foot woman to win a World Title since Chelsea Georgeson (AUS) in 2005.
Australia's rising star Molly Picklum had an amazing come back this year after falling off the CT in 2022. Picklum made at least the Quarterfinals at every event this season, won the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach, and placed runner-up at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach and the Corona Open J-Bay. She now looks to add her name to a list of just four women who have won the World Title in the last 15 years.
Championship Tour Rookie Caitlin Simmers (USA) has made a name for herself and put the world's best on notice this season. The 17-year-old won two events this year and clinched her spot in the WSL Final 5 with a runner-up finish in Tahiti. She now has the potential to win a World Title her first year on Tour.
Reigning World Champion Filipe Toledo (BRA) heads to the Rip Curl WSL Finals as the No. 1 seed for the second-consecutive year. Toledo won three events this season, the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach, Surf City El Salvador Pro, and Corona Open J-Bay. He is now determined to cement himself in surfing history with back-to-back World Titles.
San Clemente, California's own Griffin Colapinto (USA) has made his dream of competing in his own backyard for a World Title a reality. Colapinto earned himself the No. 2 seed by winning the Surf Ranch Pro and finishing runner-up at Hurley Pro Sunset Beach, Margaret River Pro, and Surf City El Salvador Pro. The 25-year-old knows every inch of the cobblestone reef that makes Lower Trestles a world-class wave, and now looks to bring California its first World Title since 1992.
Ethan Ewing (AUS) will make his second Rip Curl WSL Finals appearance as he has clinched the No. 3 spot. Ewing won the prestigious Rip Curl Bells Beach Pro and had back-to-back Finals appearances at the VIVO Rio Pro and Corona Open J-Bay.
Similar to Picklum, Joao Chianca (BRA) also fell off Tour last year and had to requalify via the Challenger Series. He returned his sophomore year, more dominant than ever and won his first CT event at the MEO Rip Curl Portugal Pro. Chianca enters the Rip Curl WSL Finals as the No. 4 seed and is hungry for his maiden World Title.
Jack Robinson (AUS) started his season in perfect form, winning the Billabong Pro Pipeline. He then maintained the rankings lead by claiming a third and a second-place finish at Sunset Beach and Portugal, respectively. But, Robinson suffered multiple injuries through the middle of the year and came into the SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro in 8th place on the rankings. He needed to win the event to secure his spot in the WSL Final 5 and he did just that, overcoming Gabriel Medina (BRA) in the Final.
Final 5 Women
Carissa Moore (HAW)
Tyler Wright (AUS)
Caroline Marks (USA)
Molly Picklum (AUS)
Caitlin Simmers (USA)
Final 5 Men
Filipe Toledo (BRA)
Griffin Colapinto (USA)
Ethan Ewing (AUS)
Joao Chianca (BRA)
Jack Robinson (AUS)