This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)
On September 6-9, 2018 in Lemoore, CA over 100 miles from the Pacific Ocean, history was made during the first ever World Surf League Championship Tour event in a wavepool – specifically Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch.
The times they are a changin’, from format changes to venue type, surprises to exceeded expectations, we’re stoked for the future of surfing. Athletes adapted to a leaderboard format borrowing organization from Street League Skateboarding and Pipe/Slopestyle Snowboarding, in which they were guaranteed a certain number of runs to perform and obtain their high score.
One of the first-ever paid-ticket entry surf contests, the Surf Ranch experience was not your normal surf contest with a lake and activities like the Carver WaveBank. The WaveBank was heavily used and appreciated throughout the event, even during the 100+ degree weather. Young and old, novice and experienced, attendees made their own waves and felt the flow out in the desert!
Filmer and Editor: Gabriel Nakamura
Executive Producer: Neil Carver
Producer: Peter Shu
Additional Footage: Guigo Foggiatto
Riders: Kevin Tran and Rex Mascheroni
Music: Pond – Moth Wings