Surfest earns vital slot in 2022 qualifying series schedule

The 5000-point men's and women's City of Newcastle Pro contests, not held in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be in the later timeslot of March 28-April 3. The 2020 carnival finished on March 8.

Surfest organisers wanted the later date in the schedule, which is part of a new-look qualification system.

The Merewether contests will be the last on the regional QS circuit, making it the grand final for surfers trying to finish among the top 10 men and top six women on the rankings and progress to the next level of qualifying, the Challenger Series. That tour, which offers the top 12 men and leading six women a spot in the Championship Tour, starts on the Gold Coast in early May.

Smith said Surfest could have opted for an earlier slot but they pushed to host the finale.

"We're very happy with the spot we're in," Smith said.

"I think from the discussions early on, WSL are paying respect to the event and we're really happy with that.

"We couldn't get a better date for a QS 5000 and it's a great Australian leg, so I think it's going to be a pretty good tour for Australasian surfers. I'm really excited."

Smith also hoped for top surfing conditions in the later window.

"There will be more offshore wind and not so many of the nor-easters earlier in the day," he said.

"And you've got a predominantly, and decent, south swell coming through. We're happy with that."

In Surfest's absence this year, Newcastle hosted a Championship Tour event as the WSL battled COVID outbreaks and restrictions to bring back professional surfing.

Smith said Surfest, though, was ready to return.

"From the Surfest point of view, I think it just made us appreciate that Surfest is really a part of Newcastle," he said of the year off.

"People are saying it's good to see you coming back. All our sponsors are back and we're over the moon."

Smith said the Surfest carnival was set to start on March 10 and the list of events would remain unchanged from recent years. Locals-only Lake Mac Pro Junior wildcard trials will be held on December 11 at Redhead and the wildcard trials for the main Surfest contests will be on February 26 at Port Stephens.

Also part of the regional series is the Port Stephens Pro (QS1000) from February 27 to March 1.

AAP reports: A swathe of lower-tier World Surf League (WSL) events have been added to the Australian leg of next year's tour schedule to help offset the loss of Snapper Rocks on the Championship Tour and create a rare four-month competition window.

Seven Qualifying Series, four Pro Junior and two Challenger Series events have been added to bolster the top-level Championship Tour (CT) stops at Bells Beach and Margaret River.

Not since COVID-19 hit has the global surfing body committed to such a long run of events in one country.

The WSL announced in August the Gold Coast CT event at Snapper Rocks would not return after it was postponed in 2020 because of COVID-19 and cancelled this year when the Queensland Government refused to cover quarantining costs for surfers.

Instead, a second-tier Challenger Series event will be held at the popular break, which could still lure the world's best to the break after the Margaret River Pro and before the CT's return to Indonesia's G-Land after 24 years.

A mid-season cut-off of lower-ranked CT surfers will also see many of them obligated to requalify in the lower-tier events, stacking those fields with a mix of current and emerging talent.

It follows a re-jigged 2021 season that had four of the eight CT events held in Australia despite the scrapping of both the Bells Beach and Snapper Rocks stops.

"We had a good run of events earlier this year and are excited for even more action in the summer and autumn months of 2022," Australia and Oceania WSL boss Andrew Stark said.

"The spread across multiple tours is unprecedented with multiple junior, qualifying, Challenger Series and Championship Tour events taking place across four states in four months.

"It's going to be an exciting time not only for competitors, but for surf fans here in Australia and watching live around the world."

AUSTRALIAN SUMMER OF SURFING

Pro Junior Events

* March 12-13 - Lake Mac Pro Junior, Newcastle

* March 21-23 - Tweed Coast Pro Junior, Tweed Coast

* May 4-6 - Gold Coast Pro Junior, Gold Coast

* May 14-16 - Sydney Surf Pro Junior, Manly

Qualifying Series Events

* February 10-13 - Phillip Island Pro QS1000, Phillip Island

* February 22-25 - Carve Great Lakes Pro QS1000, Pacific Palms

* February 27- Mar 1 - Port Stephens Pro QS1000, Port Stephens

* March 4-6 - Maroubra Pro QS1000, Sydney

* March 14-19 - Central Coast Pro QS3000, Avoca

* March 21-27 - Tweed Coast Pro QS5000, Tweed Coast

* March 28-April 3 - City of Newcastle Pro QS5000, Newcastle

Championship Tour Events

* April 10-20 - Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach CT, Bells Beach

* April 24-May 4 - Margaret River Pro CT, Margaret River

Challenger Series Events

* May 7-15 Gold Coast Pro Challenger Series, Coolangatta

* May 17-24 Sydney Surf Pro Challenger Series, Manly.

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