The first stop on the 2016 World Championship Tour. Photo: WSL
The 2016 Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast begins on March 10th and has a 12-day waiting period that runs through March 21st. The first event of the 2016 Samsung Galaxy World Surf League Championship Tour is highly anticipated as it opens the exciting 11-event season.
Leading up to the event window, the Gold Coast has been absolutely scintillating with swell after swell firing at the Superbank in successive repetition. The Gold Coast’s Superbank is a man-made righthand point break that even Kelly Slater’s Frankenstein wave pool cannot recreate. Long growing sections of barrels and ramps are offered starting behind the famous rock and turn into a leg burning completions at Little Marley’s and beyond. The current condition of the bank can only be described as pristine and primed for one heck of an exhibition of professional competitive surfing. If conditions warrant it, Kirra or Duranbah may be utilized as backup venues.
Surfline’s official event forecast: “Nothing major (like recent Winston swell) expected. However, steady trade windswell/swell to produce plenty of rideable surf first several days of the waiting period.”
The start to an unprecedented run in 2015, Filipe Toledo emerges victorious at Snapper. Photo: WSL
2015 event champion Filipe Toledo will be keenly focused on defending his title and kickstarting a solid shot at the 2016 world title. Last year’s event runner up, Julian Wilson, will be resolute to win his maiden Quik Pro Gold Coast title in 2016. Reigning world champion Adriano de Souza arrived early on the Gold Coast and has since been stamping his working-class ethic all over the Snapper lineup, serving early notice that he plans to defend his world title with full vigor.
Pre-event favorites include: Julian Wilson, John John Florence, Felipe Toledo, Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning, and Joel Parkinson. Injured ‘CT surfers, Owen Wright, Bede Durbidge, and Alejo Muniz, will be replaced by Adam Melling, Stuart Kennedy, and Sebastian Zietz respectively. New or returning faces to the ‘CT top 34 in 2016 include: Caio Ibelli, Kanoa Igarashi, Jack Freestone, Alex Ribeirio, Conner Coffin, Davey Cathels, and Ryan Callinan.
Two additional wildcards rounding out the field of 36 surfers are yet to be announced.
Former event champions: 2015: Filipe Toledo (2015), Gabriel Medina (2014), Kelly Slater (2013), Taj Burrow (2012), Kelly Slater (2011), Taj Burrow (2010), Joel Parkinson (2009), Kelly Slater (2008), Mick Fanning (2007), Kelly Slater (2006), Mick Fanning (2005), Michael Lowe (2004), Dean Morrison (2003), Joel Parkinson (2002).
All the Live and On Demand action of the 2016 Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast can be viewed at the WSL website.
