San Clemente’s Rip Curl Finals to determine top surfer of 2023.
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif.—Surf’s Up at Lower Trestles Beach!
“It’s so fun out there today!” exclaimed an enthusiastic young surfer with bleached hair to his dad, as they sat under a beach umbrella on Sept. 8.
Just behind them, the World Surf League (WSL) officials were putting the final touches on a two-story platform for the upcoming Rip Curl WSL Finals. This exciting event is the pinnacle of the professional surfing world tour.
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The World Surf League Championship Tour’s final contest, known as the Rip Curl WSL Finals, will determine the male and female world champions in a thrilling “winner-takes-all” showdown. The event window is open until Sept. 16.
Lower Trestles beach is renowned for its high-performance and iconic waves, making it the perfect stage for the world’s best surfers to showcase their skills and deliver a spectacular performance to end the year, according to league spokeswoman Delia Kang.
The event window was carefully chosen to ensure optimal weather conditions and the best swell patterns for the top 10 professional surfers in the world. As the afternoon progressed, a “Yellow Alert” indicated that the contest would likely begin within the next 24 hours, coinciding with a large swell generated by Hurricane Jova in the South Pacific Ocean.
“It’s good they are not having the contest today because tomorrow’s going to have much better surf, mate,” remarked an athletic middle-aged man to The Epoch Times.
The five male contenders for this year’s title are Ethan Ewing of Australia, Joao Chianca of Brazil, Jack Robinson of Australia, Griffin Colapinto of the United States, and defending champion Filipe Toledo of Brazil. The female contenders include Molly Picklum of Australia, Tyler Wright of Australia, Caroline Marks of the United States, Catlin Simmers of the United States, and five-time women’s world champion Carissa Moore of Hawaii.
“This is their chance to win a World Title and stake their claim in history,” said spokeswoman Kang. “This moment is what the competitors have worked toward their entire lives.”
The decision to start the contest will be made by league officials on Sept. 9 at 7:30 a.m.
The contest will kick off with the women’s heats in Match 1, followed by the men in Match 2. The winners of Match 3, both male and female, will then face the top-ranked contenders in a thrilling best-of-three title match. The ultimate victor will claim the prestigious Duke Kahanamoku World Champions’ Trophy, named after one of surfing’s early icons.
The finals are free and open to the public. To watch the event online, visit: https://www.worldsurfleague.com/watch
To access Lower Trestles, park off the I-5 Freeway exit of Cristianitos Road and enjoy a scenic 20 to 25-minute walk to the beach.
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