WSL 4-event Longboard Tour for 2023 – new format, dates, locations

Well the 2022 three-stop series was the best year in a while, especially after that epic at Malibu, and it’s looking like the WSL is out to ramp it up a little for ’23.

Here’s the latest news release from the WSL:

MALIBU, Calif., USA (Thursday, October 6, 2022) - The World Surf League (WSL) announced the 2023 WSL Longboard Tour schedule following yesterday's conclusion of the Cuervo Classic Malibu Longboard Championship. The WSL Longboard Tour celebrates traditional lines of surfing with updated and progressive approaches. This series not only crowns the men's and women's Longboard World Champions each season but also highlights the special style of surfing expression at some of the most idyllic venues on the planet. 

“We’re excited for the new developments and growth for the WSL Longboard Tour,” said Jessi Miley-Dyer, WSL SVP of Tours and Head of Competition. “The intention of the new structure is to create improved opportunities for surfers to compete. We’ve added more tour stops, incorporated wider qualification, and are committed to crowning World Champions in the water with a new one-day Finals-format. We look forward to the 2023 season and beyond to continue to celebrate the world’s best longboarding.” 

“The new Finals format will elevate the Longboard Tour and surfers,” said Kirra Seale, Senior Manager of the WSL Longboard Tour. “We’ve consulted with the competitors and they are excited about the 2023 schedule and new format. We are definitely scaling things up and giving new faces a chance to be seen on the Longboard Tour.”

Four-Stop Longboard Tour Features New Locations and Format 

The 2023 WSL Longboard Tour will consist of four stops around the world. The season’s time-frame is designed to make travel more accessible for athletes to compete. The 2023 locations include celebrated events and point-breaks from around the world. 

2023 WSL Longboard Tour Schedule*

Bells Beach Longboard Classic (Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia): August 30 - September 2, 2023
Surf City El Salvador Longboard Classic (El Sunzal, El Salvador): September 19 - 25, 2023
Longboard Championship (Malibu, Calif., USA): October 3 - 13, 2023

*Fourth Longboard Tour event to be announced at a later date 

The 2023 Longboard Tour will host four competitions in total. So far, the schedule will visit Bells Beach in Australia, El Sunzal in El Salvador, and Malibu in USA. The fourth competition will be announced at a later date. 

Located 100 kilometers southwest of Melbourne in the heart of Torquay, Bells Beach is one of the most iconic waves in Australia and the world. Bells Beachsits in a bay between two headlands creating a natural amphitheater for the long and powerful right-hand wave that breaks along the reef point. El Sunzalis the beach with some of the most surfing history in El Salvador and a favorite of longboarders. The long right point break is very consistent and breaks in deep water, allowing it to handle a range of swells. First Point in Malibu is rich in surf culture and California heritage. It has long been regarded as one of the best point breaks in California, consistently breaking over a cobblestone reef and sand.

New One-Day Format to Crown 2023 World Champions

The first three events will count towards qualifying for the fourth and final event, the Malibu Longboard Championship. The Top 8 men and Top 8 women on the rankings will be given a spot in this one-day, winner-take-all event, which will determine the World Champions. Similar to the WSL Championship Tour Finals format, the competitors points will go down to zero and they will be seeded into brackets determined by their rankings with priority given to the higher seed in the opening round. The winners of the Malibu Longboard Championship will be crowned the 2023 World Champions. 

Longboard Tour Qualification Process for 2023 

The 2023 Longboard Tour will host 24 male and 24 female competitors. Each 24-person field will be made up of the following: 

Top 8 competitors from the 2022 Longboard Tour, 
14 surfers selected from the WSL Regions (with at least one qualifying event per region),and 
Two event wildcards selected by the Tours and Competition Team. 

The 2022 season finished with Soleil Errico (USA) and Harrison Roach(AUS) claiming the 2022 Longboard World Titles at the Cuervo Classic Malibu Longboard Championship Presented by O'Neill.