The first-ever Rip Curl WSL Finals, a one-day winner-take-all event to decide the undisputed world champions, will run on the best day of waves between September 9-17 at Lower Trestles, San Clemente.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
For the first time in history, the men's and women's world titles will be decided on the same day with reigning four-time WSL Champion Carissa Moore (Hawaii) and two-time WSL champion Gabriel Medina (Brazil) leading the WSL final five.
The WSL final five, featuring Gerroa's Sally Fitzgibbons, were determined based on points accrued during the seven 2021 regular-season CT events, with each surfer's top five of seven results counting toward their year-end ranking and the top five men and women on the WSL leaderboard earning their place at the Rip Curl WSL Finals.
"All eyes are on the Rip Curl WSL Finals, and we're very excited to finish the 2021 season by crowning the world champions at Lower Trestles," SVP of tours and head of competition Jessi Miley-Dyer said.
"This is set to be the biggest day in surfing history with the men's and women's world titles being decided on the same day.
"We have the top surfers in the world in this event and I can't wait to see who will take it all home."
The top-ranked male and female surfers Medina and Moore will have a major advantage over the other WSL final five contenders as they will be seeded directly into the title match, a best-of-three showdown to determine the world champion.
The remaining surfers will enter the Rip Curl WSL Finals bracket based on their year-end rankings.
The women will be the first to take the water with match one and will alternate with the men for the remainder of the day.
Match one will see France's Johanne Defay (fifth-placed) take on Snapper Rocks' Stephanie Gilmore (fourth), followed by Angourie's Morgan Cibilic and United States' Conner Coffin.
Both matches will have a traditional heat format, in a head-to-head competition.
Whoever wins each heat will then face world number three on the WSL leaderboard - Fitzgibbons for the women's match two and Brazil's Filipe Toledo for the men's.
The winner of match two will then face-off against the number two ranked surfer in a head-to-head competition with a traditional heat format.
The Brazilian duo dominating the rankings' second spot are Tatiana Weston-Webb and Italo Ferreira.
The winner of match three will move on to the best-of-three title match, where they will face the world number one Moore and Medina in a head-to-head competition with a traditional heat format.
The first surfer to win two out of three heats becomes the undisputed 2021 world champion.
We depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.