The ISA’s World Surfing Games solution could draw criticism from CT surfers who now have a tight calendar. Not to mention from nations that don’t have CT surfers. Photo: Pablo Jimenez//ISA
The International Surfing Association quietly announced its solution to the WSL’s Cloud 9 event overlapping with its 2026 Olympic qualifier. In an ephemeral Instagram story, the ISA said that Championship Tour surfers competing at Cloud 9 would be pre-seeded into round three of the World Surfing Games in Peru, allowing them to rush from Asia to South America for the competition.
“The dates for the 2026 ISA World Surfing Games in Peru were established and published well in advance, based on an open window in the international competition calendar available at the time,” the statement reads. “As part of the previously announced LA28 Olympic Qualification System, CT athletes competing at the ISA WSG will enter directly into round three, which is scheduled to start on November 11.”
To be clear, this exception for the CT surfers is a new change and was not previously part of the qualification system.
An ISA spokesperson told The Inertia they informed national federations of the format change via an official communication. They did not specify when they sent the communication.
The statement delicately avoids directly insulting the WSL, but the ISA also gets in its jabs with phrases like “well in advance” and “previously announced.” Back in May, the ISA announced the dates for the World Surfing Games, November 6-15, its first qualifier for the 2028 Olympic cycle.
However, in July, the WSL announced that it would add an extra event at Cloud 9, Philippines to the 2026 schedule – most likely as insurance in case the ongoing military conflicts in the Middle East disrupt the Abu Dhabi wave pool event. The catch: the dates for Cloud 9, October 31-November 10, overlap with the World Surfing Games. CT surfers would have to choose between the world title race (and a paycheck) or the Olympic qualifier, which awards a slot to the highest finishing men’s and women’s teams.
Sources close to the matter told The Inertia that the WSL had no wiggle room in the dates for the Cloud 9 event and the ISA refused to change the dates of the World Surfing Games. On the other hand, one could argue that the date overlap is the latest tit for tat in the public dispute between the ISA and WSL over the 2028 Olympic qualification system.
The WSL has accused the ISA of failing to consult it before reducing the Championship Tour’s role in the Olympic qualification system. Other sources contend it was the WSL that failed to respond to the ISA’s emails. Neither side has provided evidence to substantiate claims. The ISA ultimately revised the system after CT surfers threatened to boycott ISA events, according to sources who spoke with The Inertia.
The ISA’s solution will most certainly receive criticism from multiple angles. National federations without CT surfers will be upset that their chances at winning the Olympic slots are diminished by the head start given to CT surfers. CT surfers, however, may not be happy either. They will have to travel halfway around the world from the Philippines to Peru and, if the Cloud 9 event utilizes the entire window, jump straight into heats with jet lag and no time to warm up at the venue, Punta Rocas.
If we reference the 2025 World Surfing Games format — 164 men and 127 women — male CT surfers starting in round 3 would have to pass six heats to win the event, while women would have to pass five heats. However, a male CT surfer who loses in round three and goes straight to repechage would need to claw through 11 heats to win the event, while a CT woman in the same scenario would need to get through eight heats.
While it remains to be seen how the format will look in the first two rounds without CT surfers, one important point to note is the number of women competing. In 2025, the 127 women nearly filled out the entire 128-surfer format. If more than 128 women enter the 2026 event, the format needs to move up to the next bracket size, which would add more heats, crunching the limited time available to finish the event.
By committing to starting round three on November 11, the ISA limits its options to pick the best swell window. It would be difficult, or perhaps impossible, to call a lay day once the CT surfers arrive.
The men’s format in 2025 fit 192 surfers, with 18 spots to spare, so the number of men’s heats will likely remain unchanged in 2026.
Seeding CT surfers straight into round three is unprecedented territory. One could argue that the move goes against the Olympic principles of universality and fair play, favoring a few countries and disadvantaging the majority. Don’t be surprised if there is pushback, perhaps even a formal legal challenge, to the CT surfers’ free pass.
