Vans Surf Pro Classic Introduces Lamberts Bay to World Surf League
QS1,000 and JQS1,000 Rated Events for Men & Junior Men
The Vans Surf Pro Classic will introduce a new venue to the World Surf league (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) when the inaugural edition of the internationally rated event takes place at YoYo’s in Lamberts Bay on the weekend of 14-15 May.
Comprising a QS1,000 rated event for men alongside a Junior QS1,000 event for boys, the Vans Surf Pro Classic will feature the cream of the country’s open and 18-and-under surfers in the first professional surfing contest to be staged north of Bloubergstrand on the country’s West Coast.
“The Vans Surf Pro Classic was created to help enable our local talented surfers to progress through the QS, and to be able to go back to the roots of surfing by surfing new off the track waves,” says Warren Talbot, Vans SA Marketing Manager. “Vans celebrates 50 years of “Off The Wall” this year, and what better way to do that than to give back to our creative expressers by giving them a platform through surfing.”
There is prize-money of R30 000 at stake for the men, along with priceless points on the WSL QS rankings which determine competitors’ qualification for and seeding into all rated events worldwide. The juniors are competing for a R20 000 prize-purse and points towards the selection of the WSL Africa squad who will represent the region in the annual WSL World Junior Championships.
The points from both events will also count towards determining the 2016 men and junior WSL Africa regional champions, titles which are currently held by David van Zyl (Glenashley) and Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay) respectively.
The local West Coast Boardriders club will be hosting the Vans Surf Pro Wildcard Trials at Lamberts Bay on Friday 13 May with the winners of the open and U-18 divisions earning free wildcards directly into the WSL events.
“I’m excited and honoured to be part of an event that not only exhibits a groundbreaking new contest venue in South Africa but also provides the aspiring local tour surfers with a opportunity to gain rankings on the world qualifying tour,” says Josh ‘Dutchie’ Louw of the West Coast Boardriders.
Christian Surfers South Africa will be volunteering their invaluable serves to ensure the smooth running of the event.
Entries for the Vans Surf Pro Classic can be submitted through the www.worldsurfleague.com website.
The Vans Surf Pro Classic is proudly supported by Red Bull who will host a Red Bull Airshow with R5 000 on offer for the surfers completing the best aerial manoeuvres. The media partner is Zigzag Surfing Magazine.
Slade Prestwich will be one of the top seeded surfers in the Vans Surf Pro Classic at Lamberts Bay. Photo By: WSL / Poullenot
About the World Surf League
The World Surf League (WSL), formerly the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), is dedicated to celebrating the world’s best surfing on the world’s best waves through a variety of best-in-class audience platforms. The League, headquartered in Santa Monica, is a truly global sport with regional offices in Australasia, Africa, North America, South America, Hawaii, Japan and Europe.
The WSL has been championing the world’s best surfing since 1976, running global events across the Samsung Galaxy Men’s and Women’s Championship Tours, the Big Wave Tour, Qualifying Series, Junior and Longboard Championships, as well as the WSL Big Wave Awards. The League possesses a deep appreciation for the sport’s rich heritage while promoting progression, innovation and performance at the highest levels.
Showcasing the world’s best surfing on its digital platform at WorldSurfLeague.com as well as the free WSL app, the WSL has a passionate global fan base with millions tuning in to see world-class athletes like Mick Fanning, John John Florence, Stephanie Gilmore, Greg Long, Gabriel Medina, Carissa Moore, Makua Rothman, Kelly Slater, Adriano de Souza and more battle on the most unpredictable and dynamic field of play of any sport in the world.
About the Surfing South Africa
The Vans Surf Pro Classic is registered with Surfing South Africa, recognised by the Dept. of Sport and Recreation as the national controlling body for the sport and a member of the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC)
About Vans
Vans®, a VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC) brand, is the original action sports footwear, apparel and accessories brand. Vans authentic collections are sold globally in more than 75 countries through a network of subsidiaries, distributors and international offices. Vans also owns and operates nearly 600 retail locations around the world. The Vans brand promotes the action sports lifestyle, youth culture and creative self-expression through the support of athletes, musicians and artists and through progressive events and platforms such as the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing®, the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing, Vans Pool Party, Vans Custom Culture, Vans Warped Tour®, and Vans’ cultural hub and international music venue, the House of Vans.
Issued on behalf of:
WSL Africa
Contact: Colin Fitch – Operations Manager
Tel: 021 534 5738
Email: cfitch@worldsurfleague.com