World Surf League’s Andrew Stark reveals plans for Championship Tour schedule in the wake of Gold Coast Pro
Surfing’s global governing body has made a huge call on the future of the world tour schedule beyond 2028 in the wake of the Gold Coast Pro. Full details here.
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Surfing’s governing body has declared it intends to keep the Gold Coast Pro on the world’s top-tier tour well beyond its current four-year deal.
It comes in the immediate aftermath of the hugely successful World Surf League Championship Tour event at Burleigh Heads where thousands packed the sand and point to watch the globe’s best compete.
Gold Coast was a staple of the Championship Tour but was taken off the schedule after 2019 and relegated to a second-tier Challenger Series competition.
World Surf League Asia Pacific boss Andrew Stark said the organisation now wanted to keep it on the tour for the long term.
“That is our intention. We never wanted to leave to be honest and we are stoked to be back,” Stark said.
“We have a great partnership with Experience Gold Coast and Tourism and Events Queensland. Everyone loves the Gold Coast so we want to be here well into the future.
“We have a four-year deal and when the time is right we will talk to them about extending it into the future.”
Olympic silver medallist and Championship Tour surfer Jack Robinson said it was imperative the Gold Coast Pro remained so Australia can build on a generation of surfing talent in the lead up to the 2032 Brisbane Games.
“We need it here forever, especially with the Olympics coming,” Gold Coast-based Robinson said.
“There is so much talent and we don’t want to lose our footing on the world stage.
“We were the most dominant surfing nation in the world for so many years and I feel like we are coming back into that now.
“I think it is our time again and it’s really important to keep the event here for all the talent that we have.”
Fellow Gold Coaster and current world No. 4 Isabella Nichols said the event was loved by every athlete on tour.
“It’s the best place on Earth. We come here and not once have I heard from any of the CT surfers that they don’t like it here,” Nichols said.
“Everyone says is it the best place. We have so many amazing waves down the Coast like Burleigh and Snapper, good food and it’s a great location.
“It would be silly to move it anywhere else. If I think of a CT event I think of the Gold Coast.”
The Gold Coast Pro returned with a bang this year, with the entertainment on land just as big as the action in the water.
“We are coming out of this first year on the Championship Tour on the Gold Coast looking different to what it is to 2019,” Stark said.
“The site it a lot bigger. What we have done a lot differently is the live entertainment experience.
“We wanted to make sure when fans come there is professional surfing in the water and a whole lot of fun on the shore.”
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