EXCITEMENT is building ahead of the 2020 Sydney Surf Pro, the opening event of the newly-announced World Surf League (WSL) Challenger Series, will take place at the iconic Manly Beach from March 8 to 14.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
With 10,000 qualifying points on offer for both the men's and women's winners, this year's event has attracted the most impressive field in the event's recent history - including three South Coast products.
One of them is two-time WSL World Champion Tyler Wright (Culburra Beach) who is returning to competition in 2020 after 18-months away from the tour recovering from illness and injury.
Wright, who just re-signed with Rip Curl, is another competitor with an impressive past on the Northern Beaches, taking the 'Beachley Classic' CT event as a 14-year-old, the youngest CT winner in history.
Related content: Tyler proves she's Wright back where she belongs
Wright will be joined by three of Australia's Provisional Tokyo Olympic Team qualifiers, including her brother Owen Wright, Julian Wilson and Gerroa's Sally Fitzgibbons.
The field will also contain reigning four-time WSL World Champion, Carissa Moore (Hawaii), who will be surfing in select events outside of the Championship Tour, as she prepares to represent Team USA at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in July.
Moore will compete for the first time in 2020, at the Sydney Surf Pro, an event that she won in 2013 and 2014.
Related content: Comeback kid Owen slides Wright onto Aussie Olympic team
2015 WSL World Champion Adriano de Souza (Brazil) will return to Manly in 2020 for the first time since he won the event in 2014.
De Souza has a strong affiliation with the Northern Beaches, with the Brazilian veteran taking the World Junior Title at North Narrabeen back in 2005.
The Sydney Surf Pro will see a total of 19 men's and 11 women's Championship Tour (CT) competitors challenging each other at Manly, the highest number in the event's history.
