The World Surf League (WSL) North America Qualifying Series (QS) is back in Central California for the SLO CAL Open at Morro Bay presented by Surfing For Hope and Surfing For Hope Longboard Classic beginning December 4 - 10. The QS makes its return after competition earlier this year and marks the inaugural Regional Longboard Qualifying Series appearance at Morro Rock. Some of North America's best are set for a pivotal halfway point of the 2023/2024 QS season and first event of the 2023/2024 Regional Longboard QS season.
Defending event winner Taj Lindblad had one of the world's most memorable chair-ups and returns for more at Morro Rock among the North America contingent.
A special, maiden victory for Taj Lindblad earned him one of the world's most memorable chair-ups, riding to the podium on a horse alongside family friends. Lindblad hasn't found the success he's looking for so far in the 2023/2024 season, but now prepares for an important back half to the year with plenty of points on offer to join the Challenger Series contenders in 2024.
"I'm excited, it looks like there's plenty of waves on the forecast and I'm excited to be back in cold water again," said Lindblad. "It felt like the first contest where everything was just flowing for me and it was a cool feeling. Obviously the chair-up was really fun and hopefully I can do it again. My best friends that I surfed with every day are making the Tour and it shows we're all on the right path and just motivates me that much more."
Lindblad will face off with the likes of an in-form Kolohe Andino, 2023 Challenger Series contenders Dimitri Poulos and Jabe Swierkocki, former event runner-up and recent CT qualification threat Nolan Rapoza, reigning Pro Junior Regional victor Reed Platenius, current No. 2 John Mel, No. 3 Levi Slawson, former event victor Kei Kobayashi and many more.
After a memorable Final against her sister, Mathea Dempfle-Olin is back to defend her maiden QS win at Morro Rock beginning December 4 - 10.
Mathea Dempfle-Olin also earned her first WSL victory in memorable fashion, overtaking her sister Sanoa in the Final, and putting Canada back on the radar of rising threats alongside Pro Junior Regional victor Platenius. Now, Dempfle-Olin returns to the cold waters of Morro Rock ready for more and to kickstart her season.
"I feel like with every event it happens so quickly and then it's in the past so I haven't thought about it in a while but I know going there will bring back all the good memories," said Dempfle-Olin. "Hopefully we get some fun waves and I can do it again. Looking back I feel like the stars aligned being on different sides of the draw and making the Final together. At the end of the day there's no one else I want to see do better than my sister but I defenitely wanted to take that win and happy with how I performed there."
Dempfle-Olin will take on the likes of rising threats Sara Freyre, Mia McLeish, Noah Klapp, 2023 Challenger Series contender Ella McCaffray, recent O'Neill Cold Water Classic victor Autumn Hays, and more.
The 2023 WSL Longboard Tour season wildcard Liv Stokes showed she can hold her own among the world's best and now looks to kick off the 2023/2024 Regional Longboard QS in Morro Bay in good form.
North America Longboard Talents Set to Take On Morro Rock
After the inaugural Surfing For Hope Longboard Classic last year in Pismo Beach, the event returns this time to Morro Rock with some of the region's top longboarders in attendance.
Liv Stokes earned her first-career win in Virginia Beach to close out the 2022/2023 season and helped secure her wildcard onto the WSL Longboard Tour where she competed among the world's best. Now, Stokes looks to kick off the new season with another big result toward requalifying for the 2024 WSL Longboard Tour.
"Going into Virginia [last year] I didn't think I could qualify so I went in with no pressure and it meant so much to come out on top of that one and hopefully I can get a win here," said Stokes. "I'd been wanting to make the Longboard Tour since I was a kid so that was a dream come true to get the season wildcard. I didn't do as well as I hoping to but I only lost by one point so I didn't feel as discouraged and felt like my surfing was there. It just gave me more fire."
Stokes will match up against WSL Longboard Tour veteran Kaitlin Mikkelsen, fellow regional threats Indie Hoffman, Luella Pace, Brooke Stephens, and more.
A whirlwind WSL debut year for Richie Cravey in 2022/2023 landed him as North America's regional victor, a spot on the WSL Longboard Tour and now prepares to defend his title starting in Morro Bay.
A dream run through his first-ever WSL season earned Richie Cravey his maiden victory and the North America Regional Longboard title. Cravey took that success to the world's best in 2023 and nearly requalified via his ranking there. Now, the Cardiff, California competitor looks to pick up where he left off heading into a new season.
"I have some friends around Morro Bay and I've never paddled out there so I'm really excited," said Cravey. "I'll have some shoes to fill since my brother won 'The Big, Bad and the Ugly' there (laughs) but I'm looking forward to it. What a year it's been. A year ago this time I just finished my first WSL event ever. I ended up as the regional champ which was a huge accomplishment for me and then going to travel around world with my family and competing."
Cravey will face a stacked field that includes WSL Longboard Tour veterans Kevin Skvarna, Cole Robbins, and Kaimana Takayama, along with threats Dakota Faircloth, Brendan White, Chase Lieder, and more.
Event organizers will convene at 7:00 a.m. PST for a possible 7:30 a.m. PST.
Watch LIVE
The SLO CAL Open at Morro Bay presented by Surfing For Hope and Surfing For Hope Longboard Classic will run December 4 - 10 and be shown live at WorldSurfLeague.com, the free WSL App, and WSL's YouTube channel.
Opening Day Looms at SLO CAL Open at Morro Bay presented by Surfing For Hope
Andrew Nichols
The World Surf League (WSL) North America Qualifying Series (QS) is back in Central California for the SLO CAL Open at Morro Bay presented by Surfing For Hope and Surfing For Hope Longboard Classic beginning December 4 - 10. The QS makes its return after competition earlier this year and marks the inaugural Regional Longboard Qualifying Series appearance at Morro Rock. Some of North America's best are set for a pivotal halfway point of the 2023/2024 QS season and first event of the 2023/2024 Regional Longboard QS season.
A special, maiden victory for Taj Lindblad earned him one of the world's most memorable chair-ups, riding to the podium on a horse alongside family friends. Lindblad hasn't found the success he's looking for so far in the 2023/2024 season, but now prepares for an important back half to the year with plenty of points on offer to join the Challenger Series contenders in 2024.
"I'm excited, it looks like there's plenty of waves on the forecast and I'm excited to be back in cold water again," said Lindblad. "It felt like the first contest where everything was just flowing for me and it was a cool feeling. Obviously the chair-up was really fun and hopefully I can do it again. My best friends that I surfed with every day are making the Tour and it shows we're all on the right path and just motivates me that much more."
Lindblad will face off with the likes of an in-form Kolohe Andino, 2023 Challenger Series contenders Dimitri Poulos and Jabe Swierkocki, former event runner-up and recent CT qualification threat Nolan Rapoza, reigning Pro Junior Regional victor Reed Platenius, current No. 2 John Mel, No. 3 Levi Slawson, former event victor Kei Kobayashi and many more.
Mathea Dempfle-Olin also earned her first WSL victory in memorable fashion, overtaking her sister Sanoa in the Final, and putting Canada back on the radar of rising threats alongside Pro Junior Regional victor Platenius. Now, Dempfle-Olin returns to the cold waters of Morro Rock ready for more and to kickstart her season.
"I feel like with every event it happens so quickly and then it's in the past so I haven't thought about it in a while but I know going there will bring back all the good memories," said Dempfle-Olin. "Hopefully we get some fun waves and I can do it again. Looking back I feel like the stars aligned being on different sides of the draw and making the Final together. At the end of the day there's no one else I want to see do better than my sister but I defenitely wanted to take that win and happy with how I performed there."
Dempfle-Olin will take on the likes of rising threats Sara Freyre, Mia McLeish, Noah Klapp, 2023 Challenger Series contender Ella McCaffray, recent O'Neill Cold Water Classic victor Autumn Hays, and more.
North America Longboard Talents Set to Take On Morro Rock
After the inaugural Surfing For Hope Longboard Classic last year in Pismo Beach, the event returns this time to Morro Rock with some of the region's top longboarders in attendance.
Liv Stokes earned her first-career win in Virginia Beach to close out the 2022/2023 season and helped secure her wildcard onto the WSL Longboard Tour where she competed among the world's best. Now, Stokes looks to kick off the new season with another big result toward requalifying for the 2024 WSL Longboard Tour.
"Going into Virginia [last year] I didn't think I could qualify so I went in with no pressure and it meant so much to come out on top of that one and hopefully I can get a win here," said Stokes. "I'd been wanting to make the Longboard Tour since I was a kid so that was a dream come true to get the season wildcard. I didn't do as well as I hoping to but I only lost by one point so I didn't feel as discouraged and felt like my surfing was there. It just gave me more fire."
Stokes will match up against WSL Longboard Tour veteran Kaitlin Mikkelsen, fellow regional threats Indie Hoffman, Luella Pace, Brooke Stephens, and more.
A dream run through his first-ever WSL season earned Richie Cravey his maiden victory and the North America Regional Longboard title. Cravey took that success to the world's best in 2023 and nearly requalified via his ranking there. Now, the Cardiff, California competitor looks to pick up where he left off heading into a new season.
"I have some friends around Morro Bay and I've never paddled out there so I'm really excited," said Cravey. "I'll have some shoes to fill since my brother won 'The Big, Bad and the Ugly' there (laughs) but I'm looking forward to it. What a year it's been. A year ago this time I just finished my first WSL event ever. I ended up as the regional champ which was a huge accomplishment for me and then going to travel around world with my family and competing."
Cravey will face a stacked field that includes WSL Longboard Tour veterans Kevin Skvarna, Cole Robbins, and Kaimana Takayama, along with threats Dakota Faircloth, Brendan White, Chase Lieder, and more.
Event organizers will convene at 7:00 a.m. PST for a possible 7:30 a.m. PST.
Watch LIVE
The SLO CAL Open at Morro Bay presented by Surfing For Hope and Surfing For Hope Longboard Classic will run December 4 - 10 and be shown live at WorldSurfLeague.com, the free WSL App, and WSL's YouTube channel.
Taj Lindblad
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