Alys Barton is changing the way we think about British surfing. Photo: Laurent Masurel // WSL
Great Britain may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you mention professional surfing, but Welsh wave rider Alys Barton is working to change that. She just became the first ever British surfer to qualify for the World Surf League’s Challenger Series .
Her spot was secured with a second-place finish at the WSL Pro Taghazout Bay, a regional qualifier held at the eponymous Moroccan break. The event was a banner performance for Barton, where she won nearly all her heats – only losing in a tense final against current ISA World Games Champion Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri of Spain. The Qualifying Series 4,000 event gave her enough points to finish the season fifth overall in Europe.
British surfers have competed in WSL events before – Patrick Langdon-Dark and Sky Brown have been awarded event wildcards to compete in Challenger Series events. However, this is the first time a UK surfer, male or female, has qualified outright for an entire season.
Barton’s performance at the WSL Pro Taghazout secured her CS placement. Photo: Laurent Masurel // WSL
