Aussie Challenger Series Surfers Set

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Form Guide

With the Australian Qualifying Series now complete, the surfers promoted to the Challenger Series have been decided.

Seven men plus one wildcard from the Australia/Oceania region get to advance, while four women and one wildcard also get the green light.

The top seven men surfers are:

  • Reef Heazlewood
  • Jarvis Earle (though he placed second he's double qualified via the World Junior Championships)
  • Alister Reginato
  • Joel Vaughan
  • George Pittar
  • Billy Stairmand
  • Mikey McDonagh
  • Te Kehukehu Butler

While the top four women are:

  • Kobie Enright
  • Paige Hareb
  • Ellie Harrison
  • Nyxie Ryan

Kobie at left, and Reef at right

However, they're not the only non-CT Aussies in the draw as surfers that placed in the back 10 - i.e 11th to 20th - in last year's CS also get another chance.

That tranche of male surfers include:

  • Dylan Moffatt
  • Jacob Willcox

And in the women:

  • Bronte Macaulay
  • Nikki van Dijk

Yet they're still not the only non-CT Aussies as the rules stipulate "three men and two women who were CT surfers in the prior season that did not requalify for either the CT or the Challenger Series" are also thrown into the CS draw. That includes:

  • Morgan Cibilic

Take all these lower qualifiers with a grain of salt as the rules are murky and liable to shift. Also, as there are three tours and surfers compete on at least two of them it can be hard to track the means of their qualification.

If you're still with me, here are the rules for CS qualification straight from Woz HQ:

  • 12 men and 7 women from the CT who did not make the Mid-season Cut,
  • 10 men and 5 women from the previous year's Challenger Series rankings,
  • 3 men and 2 women who were CT surfers in the prior season that did not requalify for either the CT or the Challenger Series,
  • 49 men and 30 women as allocated by the seven WSL regions (Australia/Oceania, Asia, Africa, Europe, Hawaii/Tahiti Nui, North America, and Latin America), and
  • The men's 2022 World Junior Champion,
  • The women's 2022 World Junior Champion, and
  • 5 men's and 3 women's wildcards per event.

Enter all correspondence - i.e pointing out where I've fucked up - in the comments below.

Comments

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 10:54am

Is it not 4 Australian women who get a shot from the QS?

matts's picture
matts's picture
matts Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 10:55am

Think its 4 + 1 for the women..

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 10:56am

From another thread:

After all said and done Aussie contestants for the ‘challenging’ series are:

Men (7): Reef Heazelwood, Jarvis Earle, Alister Reginato, Joel Vaughan, George Pittar, Billy Staitmand, Mikey McDonagh
* Te Kehukehu Butler

Women(4): Kobie Enright, Paige Hareb, Ellie Harrison, Nyxie Ryan,

* Jarvis Earle earned his spot being Junior World Champion so I imagine this would make way for Te Kehukehu

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 11:03am

Yep, all correct. Not sure where I got two from.

It sure aint a simple affair with surfers from numerous regions and tours, plus a bit of ad hockery, making the CS.

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 11:43am

Must be one of the most confusing qualifying processes in world sport?

Stu2d2's picture
Stu2d2's picture
Stu2d2 Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 11:37am

Certainly difficult to understand.
Any reason why none of the guys from Oceania went to Barbados to the current 5000? I get it’s a long way to go but I assume those points could’ve counted and changed the qualifiers?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 12:28pm

They can't do it. The QS is no longer global but regional with surfers largely confined to competing in their region, which for us is 'Australia/Oceania'.

Stu2d2's picture
Stu2d2's picture
Stu2d2 Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 3:55pm

So how did Jesse Mendes win the Kuri 5000 and why were a bunch of Japanese and Indo’s at Mereweather? Seems like there is some kinda cross pollination…

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 3:58pm

Hence I said "largely confined" to regions. There are ways for surfers to compete in other regions, however I think they're very limited in what they can do (one or maybe two comps a year) and how they do it (provisions on why they can/can't enter).

It's complicated as hell to figure out and I frankly can't be arsed.

tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 5:06pm

"Q: How are rankings affected when competing in events outside one's region?
A: All rankings are regionally based. For example, if you are a WSL European member, you receive priority in WSL European sanctioned QS, Junior and Longboard events. You receive points and a ranking that qualifies you for the appropriate tour events and championships.

You may register for events outside your region but may not get in due to a limited format size. If you do get in, you are eligible to win prize money, but you will not receive points that count toward your ranking." https://www.worldsurfleague.com/pages/member-services-faqs

Stu2d2's picture
Stu2d2's picture
Stu2d2 Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 8:11pm

Yet Billy Stairmaids best result of 3900 from Kuri and Reef’s 2nd best result from Taiwan counted towards their best 5 results.

tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 8:48pm

Yep, just to make it more complicated it seems some of the events are 'co-sanctioned' across the WSL Asia region and the WSL Oceania region. As well as the Krui and Taiwan, the Nias event counted too.

tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 9:06pm

And in Oz the Central Coast ProQS3000 and the City of Newcastle Pro QS5000 are co-sanctioned across the Asia region.

Stu2d2's picture
Stu2d2's picture
Stu2d2 Thursday, 30 Mar 2023 at 9:14am

Gotcha - cheers.

bbbird's picture
bbbird's picture
bbbird Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 8:28pm

If the judges multiplied the WSL / ASA chosen wave quality (1-10) by the wave height x number of the difficult manoeuvrers per wave made by each surfer, it could be just as bamboozling ....
however.... there are so many talented surfers out here, the cream rises to the top (eventually .....or fades into obscurity, still rippping at their local breaks)
for those that tried hard


or

bbbird's picture
bbbird's picture
bbbird Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 8:42pm

if you make it to the WSLtop...
your girlfriend may sing this song.....

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Wednesday, 5 Apr 2023 at 10:47am

If ever a keyboardist wished he had a electric guitar.

tyzee63's picture
tyzee63's picture
tyzee63 Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 8:46pm

pretty sure he only surfed the comp as he was already in Krui, he wasn't able to accrue any points from his win.

dawnperiscope's picture
dawnperiscope's picture
dawnperiscope Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 1:03pm

Well done Stu, that must have been painful.
You'd have to have some skin in the game I reckon to be bothered spending the time to understand it.
Can imagine Roy & HG calling Elo .. the murderer mach II

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 1:19pm

It's a mess!

Great to sea Georgie Pittar getting through!

canetoad's picture
canetoad's picture
canetoad Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 3:40pm

Good stuff from all.
Enjoyed watching/following the QS OZ.
Dont give up Soli.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 4:01pm

Got to shout out to Nyxie Ryan, one of the shredders around here, who gets a shot.

Mikey McDonagh is back for another crack at it- he'll do better this time.

seal's picture
seal's picture
seal Wednesday, 29 Mar 2023 at 4:37pm

I really hope Bronte Macauley can get a wildcard after what she's been through and she will have a crack in bigger waves like Pipe and Chopes if she re-qualifies for the CT tour again.

Dogrockdog.'s picture
Dogrockdog.'s picture
Dogrockdog. Saturday, 1 Apr 2023 at 3:31pm

She woulda killed it in some of the events she missed.

Johan Wohlleben's picture
Johan Wohlleben's picture
Johan Wohlleben Thursday, 30 Mar 2023 at 12:27am

Bronte shreds and is respectful in the lineup.

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Monday, 3 Apr 2023 at 11:34pm

Great Job #1 Surf Journo Stu...

Finally! We can now run the Wave Pool borg Assimilation for 2022/23
Starts from (bottom) of Wave Pool League ~ Juniors > QS > CS > CT > Olympics > Champions

tbb explained how Ripcurl integrates downtown product placement thru the whole WSL Matrix.
WE can now examine this in detail with final WSL QS promotions.
Kinda like Robo Starkie on Acid! (See for yourselves! Very Fast & effective Concreting Job.)
Who needs Surf for a World Surf League?

Urbnsurf just hosted Past #1 > Reigning #1 > Current #1...just sayin' watch this space!
Plenty more of Oz #1's queuing to join the Wave Pool Party!
Ripcurl urbnsurf Wave Pool punches well above it's weight!
The heavier water & longer rides are perfect prep for long lighter Bells walls > see winner!
If all level all era Champs are onto it, then any surfers ranked below them will likely catch on!

Also note @ 2022 Bells > Kelly checked out the Night Session lighting for his day/nite CT Ranch...Shh!
........................................................................................................................................................................................................
[ No Entry ] This is VIP Penthouse Pool Party level...gotta start down the wading end (Below!)

Next Level Ultimate Urbnsurf Ambassador...Happy Women's Day! (Ripcurl Logos for all!)
https://www.facebook.com/urbnsurf/videos/happy-international-womens-day-...
^
Kanoa / Owen Wavegarden Ambassadors win Olympic Silver / Bronze + Sally WG Fourth
^
2019-2023 Wavegarden Model F1 Jack (Yellow) 2023 CT pitstop promo at Ripcurl Urbnsurf
https://www.facebook.com/urbnsurf/photos/a.1749473495265635/246454670042...
https://mobile.twitter.com/AlpineF1Team/status/1641092867652300800
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=533727612268775&set=a.495157546125782
+
Ripcurl Urbnsurf Ambassadors #4 Tyler (Bells Champ) > #1 Molly (Yellow) 2023 CT
^
Filipe strengthens legs at Rip Curl Urbnsurf wave pool to ring Rip Curl Bells / 2022 CT Champ
^
Filipe finds his wave pool legs to win 2021 CT Ranch Wave Pool comp (Others say their legs are burning!)

^ Climb CS Ripcurl Pool Ladder to the Holy Grail ~ CT Golden Amber Ranch Grotto.

Leonardo : Alaia Bay Wavegarden Flight Commander > 2022 CS Champ
Ryan : Urbnsurf model > CS R/U
+
Kanoa : Wavegarden Ambassador > 2021 CS Champ (see 2022 CT Fab #5 / Olympic Silver Medalist)

Note WSL LB Tour Trialled day/nite Ranch Leg > CS has no Prized Pool > CT Launch Pad only!

^ Climb QS Ripcurl Pool Ladder to CS Wave Garden Flight Academy

Reef : Urbnsurf WG Flight Commander
Jarvis : Ripcurl Urbnsurf QS R/U

^ Climb QS Ripcurl Pool Ladder to Urbnsurf CS Flight School Academy.

Nyxie : Ripcurl Urbnsurf QS Champ
Ellie : 2022 Ripcurl Urbnsurf QS R/U

^ Grom Climbs Ripcurl Pool Ladder to QS Ripcurl Urbnsurf Pool Party
Ellie : 2021 Ripcurl Urbnsurf Gromz Champ

^ WSL Gromz get baptized at the wading end & climb up the Ripcurl VIP Pool Party Ladder

Wave Pool mandated WSL Tour...starts here for our pesky gromz...

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Monday, 9 Oct 2023 at 9:58am

Pointy end of the Changaz and aside from Jacob Wilcox, looking a bit quiet for the Aussie males.

With that being said a pretty staunch group of rookies in the top 10 currently.

3/5 women are Aussies.