Sierra Kerr, Erin Brooks, Kelly Slater Claim Fiji Wildcards

Though the CT season has paused to make way for the Olympic big top, preparations for the remaing events are still underway.

Today, three wildcards for the Corona Fiji Pro were announced with few people surprised at the names. Sierra Kerr and Erin Brooks, both of whom have put down big performances in heavy waves, have taken the two women's slots with Kelly the only wildcard recipient for the men.

The second men’s wildcard spot will go to the winner of the Fiji Trials, which will be held on the best day at Cloudbreak between July 1st and 31st.

The Corona Fiji Pro will run from August 20th - 28th.

Sierra Kerr at the Nias Pro last month (WSL/Tim Hain)

The full presser is as follows:

Currently leading the 2024 Challenger Series rankings, 16-year-old Erin Brooks (CAN) is only a couple of solid results away from securing a full-time spot at the elite level. Having spent weeks training in Fiji earlier this year, along with her incredible performances in hollow left-handers all over Indonesia, Brooks will look to play spoiler at Cloudbreak as the Top 10 women are all vying for a spot in the WSL Final 5. 

2024 WSL World Junior Champion Sierra Kerr (AUS) has spent the last few years chasing hollow, left-hand barrels from Indonesia to Tahiti and has shown the world she is setting the bar when it comes to backside tube-riding. The 17-year-old accepts the event Wildcard as the reigning WSL World Junior Champion and is fresh off some incredible performances at the regional level, most notably her 10-point ride at the recent Nias Pro. 

Announced earlier this year, 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) accepted the event wildcard for Fiji, a location where he has claimed four CT victories (2005, 2008, 2011, 2012) and even posted a perfect heat total, one of only ten in CT history. Always a standout at one of his favorite locations on the planet, Slater will be looking for a fairytale in what could be one of his last competitive appearances at the elite level. 

Comments

nextswell's picture
nextswell's picture
nextswell Tuesday, 16 Jul 2024 at 5:39pm

Haha. You didn’t finish the sentence. ‘What could be one of his last competitive appearances at elite level’ ….for 2024

bbbird's picture
bbbird's picture
bbbird Tuesday, 16 Jul 2024 at 6:03pm

Hope they have goldilocks waves...


where you dont need +75kg to hold down the rail and fins...

bbbird's picture
bbbird's picture
bbbird Tuesday, 16 Jul 2024 at 6:25pm

BarbB's picture
BarbB's picture
BarbB Wednesday, 17 Jul 2024 at 1:30pm

how many times does Kelly go over the falls and get dropped in on in this video? If so, I love it.

Remigogo's picture
Remigogo's picture
Remigogo Tuesday, 16 Jul 2024 at 6:31pm

Top choices. Sierra and Erin will ruffle a few feathers. Kelly for the win.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Tuesday, 16 Jul 2024 at 6:45pm

Either way, hope it's pumping.

bbbird's picture
bbbird's picture
bbbird Tuesday, 16 Jul 2024 at 6:57pm


Owen would go....

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Tuesday, 16 Jul 2024 at 9:00pm

This is so insane. Imagine having the skill to be able to do that. Fucka!

Blingas's picture
Blingas's picture
Blingas Tuesday, 16 Jul 2024 at 9:40pm

You could say the best ever performance. Mind blowing

bbbird's picture
bbbird's picture
bbbird Tuesday, 16 Jul 2024 at 7:29pm

BarbB's picture
BarbB's picture
BarbB Wednesday, 17 Jul 2024 at 1:36pm

medina's 1st scoring wave sick

bbbird's picture
bbbird's picture
bbbird Tuesday, 16 Jul 2024 at 8:00pm


some words and sounds of wisdom....of what is possible being there;....beyond what is sold...

tail high to the sky's picture
tail high to the sky's picture
tail high to the sky Tuesday, 16 Jul 2024 at 9:17pm

Wsl getting their dates wrong again. Slater won in 05,08,12, and 13. The event wasn't even held in 2011....

uncle_nico's picture
uncle_nico's picture
uncle_nico Tuesday, 16 Jul 2024 at 10:01pm

...and Sierra didn't win Nias like the pic is tagged?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 17 Jul 2024 at 8:02am

Yeah...that was a bit of a stuff up.

Fixed now.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Wednesday, 17 Jul 2024 at 6:35am

Any of you Fiji regulars see much happening on the charts for the next two weeks over there?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 17 Jul 2024 at 8:03am

Keep in mind the next good day is gonna be taken by the Fiji Trials.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Wednesday, 17 Jul 2024 at 8:44am

Noted.

Fluiddreams's picture
Fluiddreams's picture
Fluiddreams Tuesday, 23 Jul 2024 at 12:50pm

Good to know the dates so you you can plan your trip around the circus and groupies.

Gowsa's picture
Gowsa's picture
Gowsa Wednesday, 17 Jul 2024 at 10:25am

Who does Sierra Kerr Surf for....
Aus or US ?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 17 Jul 2024 at 10:28am

Australia.

From the presser:

"LOS ANGELES, Calif., USA (Monday, July 15, 2024) - Sierra Kerr (AUS) and Erin Brooks (CAN) have been awarded the wildcard spots into this year’s Corona Fiji Pro Presented by Bonsoy, Stop 9 on the World Surf League (WSL) 2024 Championship Tour (CT). The prodigious talents will join 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) and the winner of the upcoming men's local trials, who will also compete as wildcards in the event when the CT returns to Cloudbreak from August 20 - 29, 2024. "

iamlegend's picture
iamlegend's picture
iamlegend Wednesday, 17 Jul 2024 at 1:28pm

Kelly should have retired from pro surfing after his 2022 Pipe pro win at the age of 50 and 30 years after his first pipe win - it was epic. Leave the wildcards to the new generation of pro surfers.

Nate1212's picture
Nate1212's picture
Nate1212 Wednesday, 17 Jul 2024 at 1:54pm

I’m all for giving some future talent a chance. But I think the actual leader of the CS rankings Bella Nichols should have got the spot over either sierra or Erin.