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
Haha. You didn’t finish the sentence. ‘What could be one of his last competitive appearances at elite level’ ….for 2024
Hope they have goldilocks waves...
where you dont need +75kg to hold down the rail and fins...
how many times does Kelly go over the falls and get dropped in on in this video? If so, I love it.
Top choices. Sierra and Erin will ruffle a few feathers. Kelly for the win.
Either way, hope it's pumping.
Owen would go....
This is so insane. Imagine having the skill to be able to do that. Fucka!
You could say the best ever performance. Mind blowing
medina's 1st scoring wave sick
some words and sounds of wisdom....of what is possible being there;....beyond what is sold...
Wsl getting their dates wrong again. Slater won in 05,08,12, and 13. The event wasn't even held in 2011....
...and Sierra didn't win Nias like the pic is tagged?
Yeah...that was a bit of a stuff up.
Fixed now.
Any of you Fiji regulars see much happening on the charts for the next two weeks over there?
Keep in mind the next good day is gonna be taken by the Fiji Trials.
Noted.
Good to know the dates so you you can plan your trip around the circus and groupies.
Who does Sierra Kerr Surf for....
Aus or US ?
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. "
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.
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.