The Founders’ Cup of Surfing presented by Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold, heard of it? The answer is probably no, well the World Suf League announced the historic region-versus-region team’s event featuring a cross-section of the world’s best surfers to be held at Kelly’s Surf Ranch on May 5 – 6, 2018.
Stephanie Gilmore of Australia surfing at the Future Classic in Lemoore, CA, USA
The event is made up of 5 teams – USA, Brazil, Australia, Europe and World. Each team is comprised of male and female surfers from the elite WSL Championship Tour, who will compete in the two-day event. The competition will be hosted against a festival backdrop honoring the culture of surfing – food, music, beverage, art and special guests will all be on site for enjoyment.
“This technology has captured the imagination of the global surfing community and created a number of new opportunities for the WSL,” Sophie Goldschmidt, WSL CEO, said. “The Founders’ Cup of Surfing will be the organization’s first public event at the facility and we’re very excited to showcase the wave and the world’s best surfers through this unique team format in May.”
Lineup at the Future Classic in Lemoore, CA, USA
A private test event of the Surf Ranch last September proved very successful, paving the way for the May Founders’ Cup of Surfing to be the first time the public will be allowed onto the grounds.
The Founders’ Cup of Surfing will see men and women competing alongside one another in the team format, a first for WSL events that will add a new dimension to surf competition. The teams will be made up of three men and two women from each region, and the five-person teams will compete against one another throughout the course of the two-day event.
Jordy Smith, universally-regarded as one of the most progressive and powerful surfers on the planet, will captain the five-person World Team this May.
“Being able to captain the World Team is a real honor,” Smith said. “Our respective countries may not have the same numbers at the elite level as USA, Brazil and Australia, but we are able to draw from a huge talent pool. I’m frothing on the team aspect. It should be really exciting.”
Jordy Smith of South Africa surfing at the Future Classic in Lemoore, CA, USA
