(Coolangatta, QLD/AUS - Friday, February 1, 2019) - Stop No.1 of the 2019 World Surf League Men's and Women's Championship Tour, The Quiksilver and Boost Mobile Pro's on the Gold Coast will incorporate a local connection like never before with the inclusion of more Queensland and Australian surfers in the event trials.
For the first time in the event's history, the trials will comprise a minimum of 9 from 16 Men and 7 from 12 women being Gold Coast or Queensland surfers. The selection will include a mixture of Queensland state champions, local boardriders club competitors, highly ranked Queenslanders from the Qualifying Series in 2019 along with Regional QS and JQS winners from 2018. The Trials will eventually gift one male and one female a spot into the main event.
"Engaging with local surfers in the areas we run events is extremely important to the WSL," said General Manager World Surf League Australia / Oceania Andrew Stark. "We see opportunities like this as a way to give back to to the communities that share their waves. This reconfiguration of the trials on the Gold Coast is an awesome way to involve the local surfers and shine a light on the talent pool in that area, particularly in a place like Queensland which is well regarded for perpetually producing world class surfers."
The reconfiguration will ensure that the state of Queensland and the Gold Coast is well represented at this year's event, especially after the recent retirement of surf stars like Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Bede Durbidge and Josh Kerr.
1978 World Surfing Champion, Gold Coast legend and Snapper Rocks local Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew is thrilled to see a greater involvement of local surfers at this year's Championship Tour event. He believes the inclusion of not only the Queensland Championship Circuit winner's but also members of the Snapper Rocks Surfboard Club, Kirra Boardriders and D-Bah Boardriders will help inspire the future generations of Queensland surfers.
"This revamped trials creates a phenomenal opportunity for local surfers from Kirra, Snapper Rocks and D-Bah to have a shot at gold," Bartholomew said. "Cooly has developed so many world class surfers and to have a legitimate homegrown trials offers a potential pathway to glory for the qualifiers. With local legends Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Bede Durbidge and Josh Kerr retired from the CT, this could be the defining moment when new stars emerge to represent a town that has produced more World Champions then anywhere on earth."
Surfing Queensland CEO Adam Yates said. "We wholeheartedly support the WSL for this new look trials draw and we're thrilled that there will be more opportunities than ever for our Queenslanders to compete on the world stage."
The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast and Boost Mobile Women's Pro Gold Coast Trials will run on April 2, 2019, and will comprise of 16 Men and 12 women. Head to www.worldsurfleague.com for more information or check the Free WSL App. The main event will then run from April 3 - 13 and open the 2019 WSL Championship Tour.
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast Trials 2019 Allocation
- WSL - Snapper Rocks BRC - Spot 1 - TBD
- WSL - Snapper Rocks BRC Spot 2 - TBD
- WSL - Local Trials Spot 1 (Kirra/Dbah/Snapper Trials) - TBD
- WSL - Local Trials Spot 2 (Kirra/Dbah/Snapper Trials) - TBD
- Surfing Queensland - QCC Winner - Lincoln Taylor
- Surfing Queensland - U/18 Winner - Alister Reginato
- Surfing Queensland/WSL - Highest QLDer on QS after Manly
- WSL - Highest Australian from the 2018 QS not in the event - Ethan Ewing
- WSL INTL - Highest Australian on QS after Manly
- WSL - Regional JQS Winner 2018 - Kehu Butler
- WSL - Regional QS Winner 2018 - Jackson Baker
- WSL INTL - Wildcard - TBD
- Quiksilver - Queensland Surfer - TBD
- Quiksilver - Australian Surfer - TBD
- Quiksilver - Australian Surfer - TBD
- Quiksilver - International Surfer - TBD
Boost Mobile Pro Gold Coast Women's Pro TRIALS 2019 Allocation
- Surf Qld - QCC Open Winner - Sasha Baker
- Surf Qld - U/18 Winner - Holly Williams
- WSL - Snapper Rocks BRC x Spot 1 - TBD
- WSL - Snapper Rocks Surfriders x Spot 2 - TBD
- WSL - Local Trials Spot 1 (Kirra/Dbah/Snapper Trials) - TBD
- WSL - Local Trials Spot 1 (Kirra/Dbah/Snapper Trials) - TBD
- WSL - Australian Pro Jnr Winner - Zahli Kelly
- WSL - Australian Regional Rankings Winner - Kobie Enright
- WSL - Highest Aussie from the 2018 QS not in the event - Keely Andrew
- WSL INTL - Wildcard - TBD
- WSL INTL - Highest QLDer on QS after Manly - TBD
- Boost Mobile Allocation - TBD