Confirmed: The WSL x Redbull Airborne Events Will Run At Snapper, Keramas, and France

Although we reported on it one month ago, today the WSL made it official: the Red Bull Airborne series will run at Snapper, Keramas, and France this season, adjacent to those CT events. 

For those who don’t know, Red Bull Airborne is an 18-man air-specific competition. Six surfers hit the water at once and try to nail their two best airs in 30 minutes. After all three preliminary heats have concluded, the six surfers with the highest two-air combo (irrespective of which heat they were in) move onto the final, which is decided in similar fashion. 

Yago Dora won the inaugural Red Bull Airborne in France last October. 

Le champ! Photo: WSL

The WSL has elected the Quik Pro Snapper, Corona Pro Bali, and Quik Pro France to run the three-event series this year, which begs the question: how much does the WSL hate goofy-footed surfers? The CT already employs a vast majority of righthanders, now even the Air Tour will be 2.5 to .5 in favor of the regulars. Arguably unjust but let’s hear what the WSL President of Tours, Operations, Management and Acai Bowls has to say:

“After the success of the Red Bull Airborne France in 2018, we are excited to launch the Red Bull Airborne Series,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, WSL CEO. “Thanks to Red Bull’s support, we can now launch Red Bull Airborne events on the Gold Coast, in Keramas, and in Hossegor. Additionally through this partnership, Red Bull will activate against the WSL’s unique Championship Tour and Big Wave properties to engage both consumers and athletes. By working closely with Red Bull, their innovation and support will help us further elevate and promote the sport.”

After years of mutual animosity, we must applaud the current partnership between Red Bull and the WSL, who both (definitionally) stand to gain from this symbiotic relationship. 

Oh, and we’re also pretty psyched to watch some air shows in 2019, which, based on the France event’s rankings, will most certainly include: Yago Dora, Griffin Colapinto, Jack Freestone, Eithan Osborne, Kalani David, and Matt Meola, along with 12 other punters that might change from event to event. 

Let it rain, boys!