World Surf League Class of 2016 Determined
Brazil's Caio Ibelli, a former WSL Junior Champion, will join the world's elite in 2016, leading the rookie class onto the Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour. Image: WSL / Kirstin
LOS ANGELES, California/USA - The 2015 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour season has come to a close, with Brazilian battler Adriano de Souza clinching his inaugural men’s title and Hawaiian phenom Carissa Moore claiming a third women’s title.
The 2016 elite men’s Championship Tour (CT) will be contested by the WSL Top 34, made up of the top 22 finishers on the 2015 CT season, the top 10 finishers on the 2015 Qualifying Series (QS) and two WSL wildcards.
2015 Top 22 CT:
- Adriano de Souza (BRA)
- Mick Fanning (AUS)
- Gabriel Medina (BRA)
- Filipe Toledo (BRA)
- Owen Wright (AUS)
- Julian Wilson (AUS)
- Italo Ferreira (BRA)
- Jeremy Flores (FRA)
- Kelly Slater (USA)
- Nat Young (USA)
- Josh Kerr (AUS)
- Bede Durbidge (AUS)
- Joel Parkinson (AUS)
- John John Florence (HAW)
- Wiggolly Dantas (BRA)
- Taj Burrow (AUS)
- Kai Otton (AUS)
- Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
- Adrian Buchan (AUS)
- Keanu Asing (HAW)
- Michel Bourez (PYF)
- Jadson Andre (BRA)
2015 Top 10 QS (minus double qualifiers from CT):
- Caio Ibelli (BRA)
- Kolohe Andino (USA)
- Jack Freestone (AUS)
- Miguel Pupo (BRA)
- Alejo Muniz (BRA)
- Kanoa Igarashi (USA)
- Alex Ribeiro (BRA)
- Conner Coffin (USA)
- Davey Cathels (AUS)
- Ryan Callinan (AUS)
WSL Wildcards: Jordy Smith (ZAF) and Matt Banting (AUS)
The 2016 elite women’s Championship Tour (CT) will be contested by the WSL Top 17, comprised of the top 10 finishers on the 2015 CT, the top six finishers on the 2015 QS and the WSL wildcard.
2015 Top 10 CT:
- Carissa Moore (HAW)
- Courtney Conlogue (USA)
- Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
- Bianca Buitendag (ZAF)
- Tyler Wright (AUS)
- Lakey Peterson (USA)
- Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW)
- Johanne Defay (FRA)
- Nikki Van Dijk (AUS)
- Malia Manuel (HAW)
2015 Top 6 QS (minus double qualifiers from the CT:
- Sage Erickson (USA)
- Chelsea Tuach (BRB)
- Keely Andrew (AUS)
- Alessa Quizon (HAW)
- Coco Ho (HAW)
- Laura Enever (AUS)
WSL Wildcard: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
The 2016 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour season will commence with the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast from March 10 - 21, 2016.
Comments
So, 13 Australians out of the Men's Top 32, plus 10 Brazilians, 5 Americans, 2 Hawaiians, and 1 each from France and Tahiti.
For the Womens we have 5 Australians out of the Top 16, plus 5 Hawaiians, 3 Americans, and 1 each from South Africa, France and Barbados.
No further retirement announcements to come...??
Wonder what Bede's plans are...
Probably in traction in some hospital watching the 'Big Bash' for the next month.
Yes, I'd be very surprised to see Bede back but he might hang out for an injury wildcard for the following year or announce his retirement when he has more of an idea of his recovery timeframe.
Yeah, feels like it might be about his time to call it a day but when you look at his ranking (12) and who he finished in front of such as Parko, John John and Taj, he might be motivated to continue.
At the same time it must be disheartening to be seen to "fly under the radar" for 10 years but I guess that's part of having a cruisy and mellow personality.
Makes you wonder how the guys at the back end of the rankings deal with sponsorship when the no. 12 and previous no.2 has had well-publicised struggles.
I had him in my fantasy team and his performances got me the win on quite a few occasions. I think he is surfing better than ever. That bank they surfed on in the finals in France, he was the only one doing man turns and not flying through the air.
Agree Bede and Fanning both improved their surfing levels. If Bedee is out for year that gives Melling the next highest rated surfer the injury wildcard, so he is pretty much on tour for 2016.
The Map of WCT 2016 Tour:
https://story.mapme.com/surf-wct2016