The WSL joins the Noosa Festival of Surfing for 2019

Tuesday 4th December, 2018 - The Noosa Festival of Surfing has always been a showcase of the pinnacle of global contemporary Longboarding.

Hosting innumerable world champions past, present and future across assorted disciplines, in addition to countless doyens of the surfing community, the festival has been a stunning display of talent from quite literally the best surfers in the world.

In 2019, not only will this be true once more, the Noosa Festival of Surfing will also help decide the 2019 world champion, proudly hosting the World Surf League [WSL] for the Noosa Longboard Open, to incorporate the men’s and women’s world longboard championships within the festival program.

Soleil Errico

With the more familiar events of the Noosa Festival of Surfing taking place from the 2nd to 6th of March, this schedule will be immediately proceeded by the WSL’s Noosa Longboard Open, from the 7th to 10th March 2019.

"There are so many gifted longboard surfers who compete in our events and it's very exciting that we will be providing them with opportunities to showcase their talents at a world-class wave like Noosa," said WSL Longboard Tour Manager Will Hayden-Smith. "This event has an open format, which will allow surfers from all over the world the chance to sign up and compete toward being crowned the 2019 World Longboard Champions."

Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones welcomed the addition of the championship to the Noosa Festival of Surfing line-up.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Queensland to further stamp its position as a world-class longboarding destination,” Ms Jones said. “We look forward to welcoming the competitors and their support teams to the Sunshine Coast for what promises to be an exciting festival of surfing in March 2019… This event gives tourists yet another great reason to visit.”

Newly-crowned WSL world champions, South Africa’s Steven Sawyer and Californian (and festival regular) Soleil Errico, are sure to be prime contenders for the 2019 Noosa Longboard Open. With the current title race having recently culminated in Taiwan, 2018’s King and Queen of longboarding are more than likely to travel to Noosa next March to defend their newly-won titles in the year to come.

The prospect of a world title opportunity is also certain to bring an influx of the planet’s finest to our shores, many taking place in the myriad of Noosa Festival divisions, as well as the WSL event, the first stage of the yet to be fully announced 8-10-stop 2019 World Tour.

In addition to this exciting development, four wildcard entries will be up for grabs, with the two highest finishers in both the men’s and women’s open divisions of the festival gaining this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. While many world title contenders also compete on the World Longboard Tour, the wildcards will be awarded to those not yet qualified, adding a new dimension of excitement to the 2019 Noosa Festival of Surfing.

Prolonging the timeframe of 2019’s ‘celebration of the joy of surfing’, the oceanic enthusiasm will now extend to nine incredible days in a superb display of contemporary longboarding, from the 2nd to the 10th of March 2019.

For further information and an upcoming full schedule of events, visit the website at: www.noosafestivalofsurfing.com

Join the Noosa Festival of Surfing on social media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NoosaFestSurf  | Instagram: @noosa_festival_of_surfing

Comments

Mata's picture
Mata's picture
Mata Tuesday, 4 Dec 2018 at 12:32pm

Shame that a (once) local, family based event has sold off to the WSL. Maybe they can keep their soul, we’ll soon see ...

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Tuesday, 4 Dec 2018 at 1:45pm

You're mistaken.. the Noosa Festival of Surfing hasn't been sold off to the WSL. NFOS will run as normal from 2nd to 6th of March. It'll then be followed by the WSL’s Noosa Longboard Open from 7th to 10th March. So, two competitions back to back.

rees0's picture
rees0's picture
rees0 Tuesday, 4 Dec 2018 at 4:43pm

Who’s the source of the press release Ben? The way its worded with them “hosting” the wsl comp seems like it integrated into the festival somehow.

Seems like a strange partnership always felt the festival was so far removed from the wsl not really familar with the pro longboard side of it but.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Tuesday, 4 Dec 2018 at 5:39pm

The whole eight days is under the banner of the NFOS, but the usual events we’ve seen in previous years will be run prior to the WQS event.

I was mainly correcting the comment that the WSL event had bought out the NFOS. 

rees0's picture
rees0's picture
rees0 Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018 at 4:35pm

Ok cheers will still be a great event have enjoyed attending and streaming the last couple of years and so long as they keep the surf dogs im cool with it.

Will swellnet be broadcasting the wsl side of things?

Mata's picture
Mata's picture
Mata Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018 at 3:56pm

From memory Swellnet broadcasts last year’s Noosa Festival of Surfing?

Terminal's picture
Terminal's picture
Terminal Tuesday, 4 Dec 2018 at 12:36pm

The hipsters will be devastated. Noosa, you used to be cool...

Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone Tuesday, 4 Dec 2018 at 1:06pm

Well they just cursed the comp for any hope of good waves.

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Tuesday, 4 Dec 2018 at 1:25pm

Swellnet pioneered Qld Triple Crown & webcast *Roxy / *Quicky / *Noosafest
Many combos of mens/womens/long/short/freestyle live webcasts over 5 years now!
We all said & knew swellnet did this event proud & this day would eventually come!

Here's a link celebrating swellnet's inaugural year...
http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2014/02/20/3947331.htm

I personally love the local gab & crafty Noosa handcam that pans with the riders
This made it possible for one cam to track 3 set waves thru to the end of their rides
These personal handcrafted touches will fade with WSL circus.

(15/Aug/2018) Swellnet reported on Noosafest multi year deal with World Safaris?
https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2018/08/15/noosa-festiva...

Makes one wonder if Qld tourism bought them out as part of WSL takeover.
Surely that secures facebook firstpoint & WSL lockout rules apply.

I guess that leaves swellnet holding the baby for the triple crown Oz Whomp off.

WSL Pro Leggomen will be flippin' their lidz as I speak...One of us! One of us!

Anyhow! Qlders wish to thank swellnet for elevating our event to world standard.
3 cheers for swellnet! Hip Hip Hooray! Take a bow crew!

crg's picture
crg's picture
crg Tuesday, 4 Dec 2018 at 1:49pm

8 days straight of surf at Noosa is needed to complete both comps? Good luck.

Big Undie's picture
Big Undie's picture
Big Undie Tuesday, 4 Dec 2018 at 4:03pm

Why Lord Why ?

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Tuesday, 4 Dec 2018 at 4:19pm

Attracting tourists maybe.

I'll make sure I'm not within 500 miles of Noosa for that 8 days.

lost's picture
lost's picture
lost Tuesday, 4 Dec 2018 at 10:36pm

I can see it now - WSL event in 20cm waves

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018 at 12:55am

lost in translation! Noosa WSR is renowned as world's premiere small wave venue.
The contest gathers the finest small wave surfers from around the Blue Planet.
Fewer delays looks like a dream & any WSL venue would love a similar problem.

WSL are not fussy & will defile any WSR that Govts throw under their Circus Train

(BWT< > swt) + (Pool Parties < > Shark Tanks) + (Stadium < > Shopping Malls )
Nordic flowrider strips the Mall clean of $1000 Wetties faster than Kmart socks.

World Shopping League:
Corona coldie for Noosa Longboard oldie & a lite for his hotdog!

Mata's picture
Mata's picture
Mata Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018 at 9:08pm

Eh?

barrel_pig's picture
barrel_pig's picture
barrel_pig Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018 at 7:45am

.

B.B.Blitz's picture
B.B.Blitz's picture
B.B.Blitz Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018 at 7:57am

Awesome timing, I'll be in Bali during the whole circus avoiding the beards,bro's,cordshorts,alaia's,drop ins, cries of 'party wave' (nah mate fuck off),boutique beer sippers , statue like posers hogging perfect waves that beg to be shredded, car park music aka Jack Johnson........sad, whatever happened to the unlocatable waft of weed smoke, localism,heavy rock blaring out pre surf, grommets in their place, beaten up boards,,Joe public avoiding our gaze...........oh how times have changed....everything wrong with surfing incased in '10 days of pure stoke'.

Terminal's picture
Terminal's picture
Terminal Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018 at 8:12am

Not to mention three times the usual number of legrope-less mals torpedoing through the surf zone

Fozza's picture
Fozza's picture
Fozza Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018 at 8:33am

"....the whole circus avoiding the beards,bro's,cordshorts,alaia's,drop ins, cries of party wave' (nah mate fuck off),boutique beer sippers , statue like posers hogging perfect waves that beg to be shredded, car park music aka Jack Johnson........sad, whatever happened to the unlocatable waft of weed smoke, localism,heavy rock blaring out pre surf, grommets in their place, beaten up boards,,Joe public avoiding our gaze....." Sounds like Bali to me

B.B.Blitz's picture
B.B.Blitz's picture
B.B.Blitz Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018 at 4:09pm

Ha ha yes but not where I go in Bali....

redmondo's picture
redmondo's picture
redmondo Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018 at 9:24am

A celebration of ripple riding. It is a wonderful festival, the surf dogs are the superstar draw cards. And there has been some cooking waves for the event. I believe Logan will be there, walking on water feeding the masses with a loaf of bread and a bit of tripe.

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018 at 9:28am

Wow! barrel_pig that's a frightful thought & I think you still may be 100% right.
I caught a glimpse of your impending doom.

Ok! Maybe I jumped to conclusions.(I urge a 2nd read + site visit for bigger picture)

WSL comp is an 'add on' to the longstanding 'World Safaris' Noosa Festival
In essence swellnet may well present back 2 back webcasts of the Noosa Festival
WSL webcast then possibly followed by their own continued Noosa Festival Webcast
My apologies if I'm again reading this wrong.

I know barrel_pig attends most, near all east coast Whomp offs.
Qld basherz will oblige our visiting whomperz by again linking to Noosa Festival site.
https://www.noosafestivalofsurfing.com/

Note: WSL-(IN) vs Womp Comp-(OUT).
(Qlders feel sorry for barrel_pig & other attendees)
I did check all links to Comp sign on- entry forms (Womp Comp is noticeably absent)

[New 2019 Festival Rules]
*Naturally barking mad Hang Ten top dog Koala hunt is free to roam Nat Park
*No free range foaming at the mouth Whomperz are to be released into the Park.
*Whomperz may compete in Festival either on leash or as owner's deckhands!
[QLD Whomper fence is reactivated] Festival goers stick to the rails & boardwalks.

redmondo's picture
redmondo's picture
redmondo Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018 at 12:03pm

Hard Rocking heavy shreders take on little cove and first point. Make sure you wear your floaties.

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018 at 4:08pm

WSL Noosa Festival LGBTQIA/Grom mentor Longboard Ambassador announced.
https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/tony-abbotts-noosa-dropin-a-...

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018 at 4:22pm

Seriously abbotts a strange cunt but shes having a whing about 'that' wave.....her moment of glory! whoopee.......1 inch ankle biter..not sure whos the weirdest.

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018 at 9:07pm

As you said simba ...everything about the gurl.

That aside! Abbott was the only surfer on East Coast wearing a wettie that day.
Take a closer look at Abbott's op shop wettie...In particular the huge left bicep tear.

I'm sure some news media reported the wild man in the same arseless hobo suit.
In fact I'm pretty sure that's what young Ms Sunshine Ivy's dour stare is drawn too.
The emperor has no clothes!

Capt Lizard Man was mid way shedding his skin while swooping on his innocent prey!
Swellnetonians can decide if that's weird behaviour for Abbott. (A few might argue!)

Phil Jarratt's picture
Phil Jarratt's picture
Phil Jarratt Thursday, 6 Dec 2018 at 11:55am

Interesting conspiracy theories but the reality is the Noosa Festival incorporated an ASP pro longboard event for about a decade before we decided to run an independent logger pro from 2013. The partnership with WSL makes a lot of sense and the total event will be eight days as it has been since 2008. I ran 15 of these events from 1998 and only once (1999) were we skunked for waves on the point.

redmondo's picture
redmondo's picture
redmondo Thursday, 6 Dec 2018 at 8:14pm

Clearly colluding with surf Nazi Illuminati.

No mal half a quiver's picture
No mal half a quiver's picture
No mal half a quiver Saturday, 8 Dec 2018 at 8:50am

A comp dedicated to 2 moves cross stepping and drop knee cutbacks. I almost fell asleep typing it without even watching it.