Every month your newsfeed is bombarded by media outlets posting about new additions to the Netflix cache. Sometimes they’re good (the reboot of Arrested Development). Sometimes it is very meh (anything with Pee Wee Herman…dude gives me the creeps). But fear not because the surfing world’s version of coming-soon-to-a-screen-near-you has just arrived with a fresh crop of new talent.
As the Vans World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach finished up today (congrats Mick!), the top 10 WQS surfers were decided with a sure slot in the 2016 Championship Tour. And the list does not disappoint:
Caio Ibelli (BRA)
Jack Freestone (AUS)
Kolohe Andino (USA)
Miguel Pupo (BRA)
Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Kanoa Igarashi (USA)
Alex Ribeiro (BRA)
Conner Coffin (USA)
Davey Cathels (AUS)
Ryan Callinan (AUS)
Jack Freestone (AUS)
Kolohe Andino (USA)
Miguel Pupo (BRA)
Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Kanoa Igarashi (USA)
Alex Ribeiro (BRA)
Conner Coffin (USA)
Davey Cathels (AUS)
Ryan Callinan (AUS)
But things could change as we head into Pipe. A few of the top seeds who’re also already on the Championship Tour (Kolohe, Miguel Pupo for example) could do well enough to double qualify, making room for other top seeded QS surfers. That means the likes of Dusty Payne and Stuart Kennedy, both of which had an amazing showing out at Sunset, could move up into the qualifying slots. But the way we it is already, it’s sure to be an amazing year. Imagine Connor Coffin’s man carves at J-Bay! Kanoa Igarashi’s above-the-lip progression in Portugal! Ryan Callinan threading the needle on his forehand at Cloudbreak! But before we look too far ahead, we still have this year to finish up…all roads lead to the Banzai.
