Here Are Your World Tour Qualification Scenarios As Of Haleiwa

It’s crunch time in the race to qualify for the World Tour with at least two elite-level veterans set to sail off into the sunset unless they can provide a miracle at the season ending Pipe Masters. 

Neither Kai Otton (AUS) nor Adam Melling (AUS) have bothered competing on the World Qualifying Series while they’ve been doing World Tour events, opting instead to back themselves to stay out of the relegation zone. With the pair ranked equal 31st heading into the Pipe Masters, that looks close to impossible. The 30th ranked Alejo Muniz (BRA) is in a similar position having not contested the World Qualifying Series while doing the World Tour this year. So too Keanu Asing (Haw) and Dusty Payne (Haw) though at 23rd and 26th respectively they will be backing themselves for a strong finish at Pipe to keep their place on tour. 

According to World Surf League Tour Coordinator, Al Hunt, the cut-off for World Tour qualification via the WQS will be somewhere around the 18 000 point mark, with ten surfers from the WQS graduating to the elite level. 

So far the top ranked surfer on the WQS is Kanoa Igarashi on 21,750 points (USA) guaranteeing himself a spot on next year’s World Tour. Leo Fioravanti also looks certain to make next year’s World Tour on 20,750 points, which will make him the first Italian to reach surfing’s elite level. Australian Connor O’Leary, on 19,775 points also looks likely to make the cut. 

This is what #1 looks like on the QS right now. (Image: WSL/Smorigo)

Beneath him, everyone from the 4th placed Joan Duru (France) down to the 38th placed Matt Banting (AUS) are all in with a chance. With two WQS 10,000s remaining, in the form of the Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa and the Vans World Cup at Sunset, WQS ratings are set to change dramatically.  

Of those in contention there are a total of nine surfers who are already on the World Tour. Some like Filipe Toledo (BRA, 9th), Adriano De Souza (Bra, 7th) and Stuart Kennedy (AUS, 18th) are certain (or in Stu’s case likely) to retain their spots on tour through their elite level results.

Fellow World Tour surfers Jack Freestone (Aus), Davey Cathels (Aus), Ryan Callinan (AUS), Jeremy Flores (France) and Jadson Andre (Bra), meanwhile, are all within striking distance on the WQS, though need strong finishes at the Hawaiian Pro Haleiwa and/or the Vans World Cup at Sunset. 

Matt Banting (AUS), ranked 38th on the WQS, is also still a mathematical chance of qualifying with two strong results in the final two events.