European Qualifying Series Set to Get Underway at Rip Curl Pro Anglet

Rip Curl Pro Anglet wildcard Kai Odriozola. Image credit: / WSL / Masurel

Tuesday, August 17, 2021

The 2021 QS1,000 Rip Curl Pro Anglet is just around the corner and with it the start of the 2021/22 European Qualifying Series (QS) season. The event is scheduled from August 24-29 in the beautiful town of Anglet in the French Basque Country.

It’s the sixth edition of what has become a surfer and fan-favorite event thanks to the quality of the venue, waves and the general laid back vibe of Anglet. Each year the best surfers from all over Europe set up camp on any of the numerous Nouvelle-Aquitaine coastline spots in search for the perfect training ground. By the end of August, they descend on the Chambre d’Amour beachbreak where they’re met with fun summer conditions.

The competition is fierce and this year will be no different. The very best of European surfing will be there fighting for the event win and a solid start in their qualifying campaign for the 2022 Challenger Series.

Reigning European Champions Vasco Ribeiro (PRT) and Leticia Canales Bilbao (ESP) will headline the rosters alongside former Championship Tour athletes Joan Duru (FRA) and Aritz Aranburu (ESP). An army of perennial QS standouts and the best young up-and-comers will complete the 120 Men and 56 Women fields next week.

It’s also the first event back in Europe after the Tokyo Olympic Games, and the public can look forward to watching Olympians Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR), Leon Glatzer (DEU), Anat Lelior (ISR), Yolanda Hopkins (PRT), Teresa Bonvalot (PRT) and Pauline Ado (FRA) compete in Anglet.

Wildcards Announced for Rip Curl Pro Anglet

Rising young talent Kai Odriozola (ESP) and Sophia Medina (BRA), the sister of two-time World Champion Gabriel Medina, have been awarded wildcards into the event.

15 year-old Odriozola is the oldest of two Basque brothers who burst onto the junior scene this year, and he’s already making waves, currently sitting in second position on the regional Under-18 rankings.

At 16, Sophia Medina is also only starting to show up at events but already collecting accolades for her progressive surfing. Although points from this event won’t count towards her regional qualifying campaign, Medina will rack up experience against an unfamiliar field at a new location.

Season-Long Race for Challenger Series Qualification Starts in France

The 2021/22 European Qualifying Series started in July and will wrap up on April 10, 2022 before the brand new, full Challenger Series (CS) schedule gets underway. The Top 9 Men and 7 Women on the European rankings plus a wildcard in each field will get a seat at the CS table and a shot at qualifying for the ultimate battleground, the Championship Tour.

Between now and then, surfers will compete at various locations across the continent and beyond with events returning to the Azores, France, Portugal, Spain and more. All the events, dates are subject to change due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions in various countries.

Watch the Event Finals LIVE

For the first time, the final two days of competition at the Rip Curl Pro Anglet will be webcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL’s YouTube channel, and the WSL Qualifying Series Facebook page with English commentary. Event broadcast partner MCS Extrême will feature the event LIVE with French commentary for the final two days as well.

Rip Curl Pro Anglet Press Event and Part

A press session will be held on Wednesday, August 25, 2021 at 6 p.m on the rooftop of the ‘Espace de l’ocean’. Mr Claude Olive, Mayor of Anglet, Mathieu Lefin, President of Rip Curl Europe, Cheyne Bradburn, Events and Marketing at WSL, will be joined by surfers Pauline Ado (FRA), Teresa Bonvalot (PRT) and Kyllian Guerin (FRA).

A private party will follow from 7-11 p.m, hosted by Rip Curl.

COVID-19 Updates

The health and safety of athletes, staff, and the local community are of the utmost importance and there are a robust set of procedures in place to keep everyone safe. Athletes, staff, media and the public will be required to show proof of the “Health Pass” before accessing any of the event facilities or the beach.

The WSL encourages fans to follow the event online and watch the final two days of competition LIVE at WorldSurfLeague.com.

Restrictions on large gatherings unfortunately mean that the Surf de Nuit has been cancelled this year and will be back in 2022, conditions permitting.

The 2021 Rip Curl Pro Anglet (Men's & Women's) is scheduled from August 24-29, 2021, at La Chambre d’Amour, Anglet - Nouvelle-Aquitaine / France. For all results, photos, videos and press releases, log on to worldsurfleague.com.

The Rip Curl Pro Anglet is supported by the City of Anglet, Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Council, Rip Curl, Tourtel Twist (supplier), Caraïbos, Groupe CLIM, MCS Extrême and Virgin Radio.

The World Surf League would like to sincerely thank all the partners, sponsors and suppliers of the 2021 Rip Curl Pro Anglet who allow this event to run despite the uncertainty of the current global pandemic.

About MCS Extrême

The 2021 Rip Curl Pro Anglet LIVE webcast will be available with French commentary exclusively on MCS Extrême. This brand new platform is the only one showcasing all the best surfing, LIVE and in French. You can watch the Rip Curl WSL Finals, as well as all four Challenger Series events of 2021 including the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro France from October 16-24, 2021.

Aside from all the WSL action, MCS Extrême will offer 600hrs of LIVE extreme sports (2021/22 season) featuring FISE, X Games, NitroCircus World Games & Nitro Rallycross, Street League Skateboarding, King of the Air and more.

Enjoy a unique and tailor-made experience, with documentaries and innovative shows to bring you closer to the athletes and their craft. LIVE action, interviews, backstage shots… MCS Extrême is simply Extreme.

Watch the 2021 Rip Curl Pro Anglet LIVE for free at mcsextreme.tv

About Rip Curl

Rip Curl is a world-leading brand of surfing sportswear as well as a major athletic sponsor, with manufacturing and sales facilities around the globe. Since launching in 1969, this hugely popular global brand has been committed to providing surfers with all the equipment they need, no matter where their travels lead them. Its dynamic line of products ranges from wetsuits and surfboards to apparel, accessories, watches, mountain wear and footwear.

For more information, please visit ripcurl.com

About the WSL

Established in 1976, the World Surf League (WSL) is the home of the world's best surfing.

A global sports, media and entertainment company, the WSL oversees international tours and competitions, a studios division creating over 500+ hours of live and on-demand content, and via affiliate WaveCo, the home of the world's largest high performance, human-made wave. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, the WSL has regional offices in North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and EMEA.

The WSL annually crowns the men’s and women’s surfing World Champions. The global Tours and Competition division oversees and operates more than 180 global contests each year across the Championship Tour, the development tiers, including the Challenger, Qualifying and Junior Series, as well as longboard and big wave properties.

Launched in 2019, WSL Studios is an independent producer of unscripted television projects, including documentaries and series, which provide unprecedented access to athletes, events, and locations around the world. WSL events and content are distributed on linear television in over 743M+ homes worldwide and across digital and social media platforms around the world, including WorldSurfLeague.com.

WaveCo includes the Surf Ranch Lemoore facility and the utilizing and licensing of the Kelly Slater Wave System.

The WSL is dedicated to changing the world through the inspirational power of surfing by creating authentic events, experiences, and storytelling to inspire a growing, global community to live with purpose, originality, and stoke.

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

Press Release Source: www.worldsurfleague.com