2023 World Surf League Explained

Event:	2023 World Surf League
Location:	Hawaii, Portugal, Australia, El Salvador, Brazil, South Africa, French Polynesia, United States
Dates:	January 29th 2023 - September 15th 2023
Men:	Filipe Toledo
Women:	Caroline Marks
Prev:	2022
Next:	2024

The 2023 World Surf League was the 46th season of all iterations of the tour circuit for professional surfers. Billabong Pipe Masters will be the first round of the tour.^[1]

For the third time, the season will end at Lower Trestles, in San Clemente, USA, with the top five seeded men and women from the season going head to head to determine the champion at the WSL Finals.^[2]

Filipe Toledo and Stephanie Gilmore were the defending champions.

The 2023 season will also contribute towards qualification for the 2024 Summer Olympics, where surfing will make its second appearance as an Olympic sport. The top ten surfers in the men's final standings and the top eight surfers in the women's final standings will earn quota places at the Olympics, subject to a maximum of two men and two women per NOC.^[3]

Qualifier Athletes

The first five events of the 2023 Championship Tour will be contested by the WSL top 36 men and top 18 women.

The top 36 men consist of:

• The Top 22 finishers from the 2022 Championship Tour rankings
• The Top 10 finishers on the 2022 Challenger Series rankings
• Two WSL season wildcards
• Two event wildcards

The top 18 women consist of:

• The Top 10 finishers on the 2022 Championship Tour rankings
• The Top 5 finishers on the 2022 Challenger Series rankings
• Two WSL season wildcards
• One event wildcard

The 2023 CT season will start with 36 men and 18 women. Halfway through the season, the field will be reduced to 24 men and 12 women. The top-ranked surfers will automatically requalify for the 2024 CT, as well as continue on to the second half of the Tour, where they will be joined by one men's and one women's season-long wildcard, and one men's and one women's event wildcard. ^[4]

Women's 2023 Championship Tour Qualifiers

Top 10 Qualifiers from 2022 Championship Tour Rankings

• Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
• Carissa Moore (HAW)
• Johanne Defay (FRA)
• Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA)
• Brisa Hennessey (CRI)
• Lakey Peterson (USA)
• Courtney Conlogue (USA)
• Tyler Wright (AUS)
• Gabriela Bryan (HAW)
• Isabella Nichols (AUS)

Top 5 Qualifiers from 2022 Challenger Series Rankings

• Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW)
• Macy Callaghan (AUS)
• Molly Picklum (AUS)
• Caitlin Simmers (USA)
• Sophie McCulloch (AUS)

WSL Season Wildcards

• Caroline Marks (USA)
• Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)

WSL Replacement

• Teresa Bonvalot (PRT)

Men's 2023 Championship Tour Qualifiers

Top 22 Qualifiers from 2022 Championship Tour Rankings

• Filipe Toledo (BRA)
• Italo Ferreira (BRA)
• Jack Robinson (AUS)
• Ethan Ewing (AUS)
• Kanoa Igarashi (JPN)
• Miguel Pupo (BRA)
• Griffin Colapinto (USA)
• Caio Ibelli (BRA)
• Connor O'Leary (AUS)
• Callum Robson (AUS)
• Samuel Pupo (BRA)
• John John Florence (HAW)
• Matthew McGillivray (ZAF)
• Jordy Smith (ZAF)
• Kelly Slater (USA)
• Barron Mamiya (HAW)
• Nat Young (USA)
• Jake Marshall (USA)
• Kolohe Andino (USA)
• Jadson Andre (BRA)
• Seth Moniz (HAW)
• Jackson Baker (AUS)

Top 10 Qualifiers from 2022 Challenger Series Rankings

• Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA)
• Ryan Callinan (AUS)
• Rio Waida (IND)
• Maxime Huscenot (FRA)
• Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR)
• Michael Rodrigues (BRA)
• Ian Gentil (HAW)
• Joao Chianca (BRA)
• Liam O'Brien (AUS)
• Ezekiel Lau (HAW)

WSL Season Wildcards

• Gabriel Medina (BRA)
• Yago Dora (BRA)

WSL Replacement

• Carlos Munoz (CRI)

Schedule

The championship series will consist of the following events, subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[5]

!Round!Date!Event!Location

1	January 29–February 10	Billabong Pro Pipeline	Banzai Pipeline, Oahu, Hawaii
2	February 12–23	Hurley Pro Sunset Beach	Sunset Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
3	March 8–16	MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal	Supertubos, Peniche, Portugal
4	April 4–14	Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach	Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia
5	April 20–30	Margaret River Pro	Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia
6	May 27–28	Surf Ranch Pro	Lemoore, California, United States
7	June 9–18	Surf City El Salvador Pro	Punta Roca, La Libertad, El Salvador
8	June 23–July 1	Vivo Rio Pro	Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
9	July 13–22	Corona Open J-Bay	Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cape, South Africa
10	August 11–20	SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro	Teahupo'o, Tahiti, French Polynesia
11	September 7–15	Rip Curl WSL Finals	San Clemente, California, United States

Results and Standings

Event Results

!Round!Event!Men's Champion!Men's Runner Up!Women's Champion!Women's Runner Up

1	Billabong Pro Pipeline	Jack Robinson	Leonardo Fioravanti	Carissa Moore	Tyler Wright
2	Hurley Pro Sunset Beach		Griffin Colapinto	Molly Picklum	Caroline Marks
3	MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal		Jack Robinson	Caitlin Simmers	Courtney Conlogue
4	Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach	Ethan Ewing	Ryan Callinan	Tyler Wright	Molly Picklum
5	Margaret River Pro		Griffin Colapinto	Carissa Moore	Tyler Wright
6	Surf Ranch Pro	Griffin Colapinto		Carissa Moore	Caroline Marks
7	Surf City El Salvador Pro		Griffin Colapinto	Caroline Marks	Tyler Wright
8	VIVO Rio Pro		Ethan Ewing	Caitlin Simmers	Tyler Wright
9	Corona Open J-Bay		Ethan Ewing	Lakey Peterson	Molly Picklum
10	SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro	Jack Robinson		Caroline Marks	Caitlin Simmers
11	Rip Curl WSL Finals		Ethan Ewing	Caroline Marks	Carissa Moore

Men's Standings

Points are awarded using the following structure:

Position	+/-	Surfer	WCT 1	WCT 2	WCT 3	WCT 4	WCT 5	WCT 6	WCT 7	WCT 8	WCT 9	WCT 10	Finals	Points
1		(O)	5th	1st	17th	3rd	5th	3rd	1st	9th	1st	9th	1st	58,300
2	1	(O)	17th	5th	9th	1st	5th	3rd	9th	2nd	2nd		2nd	48,080
3	1	(O)	17th	2nd	5th	5th	2nd	1st	2nd	17th	9th	9th	3rd	50,860
4		(O)	3rd	3rd	1st	9th	3rd	5th	9th	9th	9th	17th	4th	44,290
5		(O)	1st	3rd	2nd	17th		17th	17th	17th	5th	1st	5th	43,950
6			9th	9th	9th	9th	1st	5th	9th	17th	3rd	2nd	-	43,240
7			9th	17th	3rd	9th	9th	5th	17th	1st	5th	5th	-	41,610
8		(O)	5th	9th	17th	3rd	3rd	9th	17th	3rd	9th	5th	-	39,035
9		(O)	2nd	9th	17th	17th	9th	5th	9th	5th	9th	3rd	-	37,985
10			9th	17th	9th	2nd	9th	9th	17th	3rd	9th	17th	-	33,145
11			17th	33rd	5th	5th	5th	9th	5th	17th	5th	17th	-	31,035
12			17th	17th	9th	17th	5th	17th	5th	5th	9th	3rd	-	30,950
13			17th	9th	9th	17th	9th	2nd	5th	9th	17th		-	28,750
14		(O)	17th	9th	17th	9th	17th	9th	5th	9th	3rd	17th	-	28,100
14			9th	17th	9th	17th	17th	17th	3rd	9th	5th	9th	-	28,100
16		(O)	5th	17th	17th	9th	9th	9th	17th	9th	9th	9th	-	27,325
17			5th	17th	17th	17th	9th	17th	3rd	9th	17th	9th	-	26,110
18			3rd	5th	9th	17th	17th	17th	9th	17th	17th	17th	-	24,120
19		(O)	33rd	5th	17th	5th	9th	9th	17th	17th	17th	17th	-	22,780
20			9th	17th	3rd	33rd	9th	17th	9th	17th	17th	17th	-	22,695
21			9th	17th	5th	33rd	33rd	17th	9th	17th	9th	9th	-	22,280
22			9th	9th	17th	17th	17th		9th	9th	17th	9th	-	20,855
23			17th	9th	17th	17th	17th	9th	17th		17th	9th	-	16,875
Cut after mid-season
24			17th	17th	17th	5th	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	8,735
24			17th	5th	17th	17th	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	8,735
24			17th	17th	5th	17th	17th	-	-	5th	-	-	-	8,735
27			9th	9th	17th			-	-	-	-	-	-	8,235
28			17th	17th	17th	9th	33rd	-	-	-	-	-	-	7,310
29			17th	33th	33rd	9th	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	6,245
30			17th	17th	17th	33rd	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	5,320
30			17th	17th	33rd	17th	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	5,320
32			17th	17th	17th	33rd	33rd	-	-	-	-	-	-	4,255
32			17th	33th	33rd	17th	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	4,255
34			33rd					-	-	5th	-	-	-	1,060
34								-	-	-	-	-	-	1,060
WC			-	-	9th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	9th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	33rd	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			33rd	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			33rd	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	33rd	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	33rd	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	-	9th	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	17th	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5th	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5th	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	17th	-	0

• Event Wild Card Surfers do not receive points for the WSL. Their results on each event are indicated on the above table but no ranking points are awarded.

Kelly Slater received the WC for the 2023/24 and as a former World Champion, his points for the remaining of the season will count.

Miguel Pupo received the WC for the 2024 season, due to injury at the Bells Beach event. Miguel and Kelly are the WSL Season Wildcards at CT 2024.

(Q) The athlete has qualified for the Final Five

(E) The athlete has no chance of qualifying for the Final Five

(O) The athlete has qualified for the Olympic Games, pending ratification from its NOC

Women's Standings

Points are awarded using the following structure:

Position	+/-	Surfer	WCT 1	WCT 2	WCT 3	WCT 4	WCT 5	WCT 6	WCT 7	WCT 8	WCT 9	WCT 10	Finals	Points
1	2	(O)	9th	2nd	9th	5th	3rd	2nd	1st	3rd	5th	1st	1st	59,870
2	1	(O)	1st	5th	9th	5th	1st	1st	3rd	3rd	3rd	5th	2nd	62,490
3	1	(O)	2nd	3rd	17th	1st	2nd	9th	2nd	2nd	3rd	3rd	3rd	62,065
4	1		9th	5th	1st	9th	9th	3rd	9th	1st	9th	2nd	4th	49,070
5	1	(O)	5th	1st	5th	2nd	5th	5th	5th	5th	2nd	5th	5th	54,070
6			17th	5th	9th	3rd	5th	5th	3rd	9th	5th	5th	-	41,115
7			3rd	9th	17th	9th	5th	5th	9th	5th	1st	9th	-	40,760
8		(O)	5th	9th	3rd	5th	9th	3rd	5th	9th	9th	5th	-	38,980
9			5th	3rd	9th	9th	9th	9th	5th	5th	5th	9th	-	35,505
10			3rd	9th	9th	5th	9th	9th	5th	5th	9th		-	31,805
11		(O)				17th	9th	5th	9th	9th	9th	9th	-	20,930
Cut after mid-season
12		(O)	5th	5th	9th	17th	9th	-	-	-	-	-	-	14,710
12			9th	9th	5th	9th	5th	-	-	-	-	-	-	14,710
14			17th	17th	2nd	9th	9th	-	-	-	-	-	-	14,065
15			9th	9th	9th	3rd	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	13,915
15			9th	9th	3rd	9th	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	13,915
17					5th	9th	9th	-	-	-	-	-	-	11,010
18		(O)	9th	17th	9th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	6,265
WC			-	-	-	-	3rd	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	5th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			9th	-	-	-	-	5th	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			9th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	9th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	9th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	9th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	-	-	9th	-	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9th	-	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9th	-	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3rd	-	0
WC			-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9th	-	0

• Event Wild Card Surfers do not receive points for the WSL. Their results on each event are indicated on the above table but no ranking points are awarded.

Johanne Defay received the WC for the 2023/24 and as a former Final Five, her points for the remaining of the season will count.

Johanne and Brisa are the WSL Season Wildcards at CT 2024.

(Q) The athlete has qualified for the Final Five

(E) The athlete has no chance of qualifying for the Final Five

(O) The athlete has qualified for the Olympic Games, pending ratification from its NOC

Challenger Series

2023 Men's Challenger Series

!Round!Event!Men's Champion!Men's Runner Up

1	Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro	Samuel Pupo	Imaikalani deVault
2	GWM Sydney Surf Pro	Cole Houshmand	Jacob Willcox
3	Ballito Pro	Cole Houshmand	Frederico Morais
4	Wallex US Open of Surfing	Eli Hanneman	Crosby Colapinto
5	EDP Vissla Ericeira Pro	Deivid Silva	Jake Marshall
6	Corona Saquarema Pro	Samuel Pupo	Mihimana Braye

Ranking	+/-	Surfer	Events						Points
			1	2	3	4	5	6
1			33rd	1st	1st	9th	5th	17th	28,065
2			1st	33rd	33rd	25th	25th	1st	23,400
3			5th	2nd	5th	9th	5th	17th	22,035
4			3rd	25th	33rd	2nd	33rd	3rd	21,670
5			65th	9th	25th	1st	49th	3rd	21,105
6			2nd	9th	25th	25th	9th	5th	19,185
6			25th	5th	2nd	33rd	9th	9th	19,185
8			33rd	25th	9th	5th	2nd	25th	17,565
9			49th	5th	3rd	33rd	9th	9th	17,470
10			49th	25th	17th	9th	1st	17th	17,120
CT Qualification Line
style=text-align:left	11		style=text-align:left		5th	33rd	17th	9th	9th	5th	style=	16,130
style=text-align:left	12		style=text-align:left		17th	33rd	17th	5th	3rd	9th	style=	16,050
style=text-align:left	13		style=text-align:left		25th	3rd	9th	25th	9th	9th	style=	16,045
style=text-align:left	14		style=text-align:left		33rd	3rd	17th	49th	17th	5th	style=	14,630
style=text-align:left	15		style=text-align:left		3rd	17th	33rd	9th	49th	17th	style=	13,205
style=text-align:left	16		style=text-align:left		25th	5th	9th	9th	49th	33rd	style=	13,085
style=text-align:left	17		style=text-align:left		33rd	9th	3rd	25th	33rd	25th	style=	12,805
style=text-align:left	18		style=text-align:left		-	-	5th	3rd	49th	49th	style=	12,030
style=text-align:left	19		style=text-align:left		17th	25th	49th	5th	9th	25th	style=	11,665
style=text-align:left	19		style=text-align:left		25th	33rd	9th	5th	17th	25th	style=	11,665
style=text-align:left	21		style=text-align:left		5th	25th	33rd	9th	49th	25th	style=	11,465
style=text-align:left	22		style=text-align:left		49th	65th	9th	65th	3rd	49th	style=	10,605

Legend

• Note: The top 10 men qualified for the 2024 Championship Tour.

Men's CT 2024

Source

2023 Women's Challengers Series

!Round!Event!Women's Champion!Women's Runner Up

1	Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro	India Robinson	Sawyer Lindblad
2	GWM Sydney Surf Pro	Isabella Nichols	Sally Fitzgibbons
3	Ballito Pro	Bronte Macaulay	Vahiné Fierro
4	Wallex US Open of Surfing	Sawyer Lindblad	Sally Fitzgibbons
5	EDP Vissla Ericeira Pro	Alyssa Spencer	Luana Silva
6	Corona Saquarema Pro	Erin Brooks	Sophie McCulloch

Ranking	+/-	Surfer	Events						Points
			1	2	3	4	5	6
1			1st	3rd	-	9th	3rd	5th	26,915
2			3rd	2nd	5th	2nd	5th	9th	26,430
3			2nd	17th	17th	1st	9th	5th	25,865
4			9th	5th	5th	17th	1st	5th	24,235
5			9th	1st	3rd	9th	25th	9th	22,725
CT Qualification Line
style=text-align:left	6		style=text-align:left		5th	17th	9th	5th	2nd	9th	20,610
style=text-align:left	7		style=text-align:left		25th	17th	1st	9th	5th	17th	19,965
style=text-align:left	8		style=text-align:left		-	-	5th	5th	9th	3rd	18,895
style=text-align:left	9		style=text-align:left		25th	5th	33rd	17th	25th	1st	18,345
style=text-align:left	10		style=text-align:left		5th	25th	2nd	17th	17th	9th	17,765
style=text-align:left	11		style=text-align:left		9th	9th	9th	25th	9th	2nd	17,760
style=text-align:left	12		style=text-align:left		9th	9th	33rd	33rd	5th	3rd	17,470
style=text-align:left	12		style=text-align:left		9th	25th	9th	3rd	5th	25th	17,470

LegendNote: The top 5 qualified for the 2024 Championship Tour.

Women's CT 2024

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2023 Billabong Pro Pipeline. 2023-01-28. World Surf League. en.
2. Web site: World Surf League Announces 2023 Championship Tour Schedule. 2023-01-28. World Surf League. en.
3. Web site: How to qualify for surfing at Paris 2024. The Olympics qualification system explained . Olympics.com . 21 February 2023.
4. Web site: 2023 WSL Championship Tour Class. 2024-02-22. World Surf League. en.
5. Web site: Event Schedule. 2023-01-28. World Surf League. en.