Dakar to Host First-Ever WSL Event in West Africa

Teaser: 2019 Senegal Pro

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The inaugural Senegal Pro brings professional surfing to West Africa for the first time ever!

The Senegal Pro will welcome a brand new Qualifying Series stop at the end of March.

What?

World Surf League will bring its Qualifying Series to West Africa for the first time ever in a couple of weeks, with a men and women's QS1,500 in Dakar, Senegal. The event will be part of the African regional tour and offer an incredible opportunity for surfers to discover an exciting new location as well as a first time experience for locals to compete with professional athletes.

A gem goes unridden, hence the name 'Surfer paradise'. - WSL / Laurent Masurel

Surfing is not new in Senegal, in fact a strong local community has developed on the main spots around the capital city of Dakar, and the country is also increasingly popular with tourists for the quality of the waves, the clement weather year-round

Where?

Dakar is the westernmost point on the African continent. The capital sits on a little peninsula well exposed to swells from most directions. Its unique shape also means that various spots work with different wind conditions and offer plenty of options to score great surf.

Map view of Dakar, Senegal - WSL

The event will have two possible locations to maximize the chances of running in ideal conditions:

• A reef out front of the surfer paradise surf camp with lefts and rights that can get pretty hollow and shallow depending on tides and the swell height.

• And the virage beach on the northern side of the peninsula, a more exposed beachbreak that receives more swell from the North if conditions are smaller.

Local organizer Oumar Seye lays into a big layback on home turf. - WSL / Laurent Masurel

When?

The Senegal Pro will unfold from March 27-31, check out daily recaps, pictures, videos and more right here.

In the meantime, check out below a few shots from the area, courtesy of an ancient trip from master photographer Laurent Masurel.