Virtual Event Goes Live in SA

The virtual contest, exclusive to South African surfers, will run heats featuring one clip per one wave per surfer, with a final to be held on 15 August. Whoever has chosen the right clips to make it heat by heat, will keep their best clip for the final ... or not. It depends on your strategy! Due to the incredible run of surf, organisers are allowing Saffa surfers to enter waves free-surfed in South Africa from last year 1 March 2019 to an extended 25 July this year.

The Rip Curl E-Pro has a R10,000 first prize and R5,000 for the runner-up. Red Bull has stepped in with a R10k Best Tube Ride award specialty prize. It is up to surfers to work with videographers, and share their prizemoney.

Many top SA surfers have already entered. These include Chad Du Toit, Max and Jake Elkington, Eli Beukes, Luke Slijpen, Dan Emslie, Mike Frew, Surprize Maphumulo, James Ribbink, Davey Van Zyl, Beyrick De Vries, Dylan Lightfoot and Dan Redman. The rest will be announced soon.

TUBULAR EVENT: There will most likely be some entries from the JBay area. Photo Kody McGregor

To enter, please mail Craig Jarvis on info@craigjarvis.co.za to inform the SWS of your entry, and he'll explain the rules. You'll have from now until 25 July to mail / wetransfer / Whatsapp your entries as single rides to Jarvi. If you have any excellent clips already in the bag, speak to the videographers and get them ready.

Surfers enter one wave (one video clip) per heat, and there will be seven in total, running 1-15 August. For every heat they advance through, they must strategically choose a new wave, and new clip. Surfers have to decide where to drop their best clips to stand the best chance of advancing, and ultimately, winning.

The Surf Web Series is a direct response to the challenges brought about by COVID-19. It is all about having fun, and showcasing excellent waves and the best surfers in the country. Waves can't be bigger than 8ft, so if you’re holding any bangers from Dungeons or Sunset, bank them for the upcoming big wave tour.

After the South African event, the tour moves to Japan, and will then head out for the rest of the tour. It culminates with a world ranking, and a Global Final, where surfers from different countries will come up against each other for the Surf Web Series World Title. Details of the full tour can be found on the website here

The Mexican Contest can be viewed and analysed on the @surfopenleague Instagram account, and interested parties can follow how that surf event played out, all the way through to the action-packed final. This year, it is a Combined Tour, with men and women allowed to enter. The tour founders and event organisers are committed to introducing a Women’s standalone tour soon, along with a Longboard Tour, Big Wave Tour and Bodyboard Tour.

The Rip Curl E-Pro is supported by Surfing South Africa. Surfing South Africa is the recognised governing body for the sport in South Africa and is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), the African Surfing Confederation (ASC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA).

Wavescape is the official Rip Curl E-Pro media partner.

SWS 2020

Chile: July 2020
South Africa: August 2020

Japan: TBA
Costa Rica: TBA
Brazil: TBA
USA: TBA
Hawaii: TBA
Global Final: December, exact dates TBA.