Just 4 days after the 2022-23 Qualifying Series tour ended in Barbados on Sunday, the new season is set to begin.
Despite the quick turnaround, all the major players are expected to be ready to go when the 2023-24 QS begins on Thursday. Here are the details.
What: Jack's Surfboards Pro QS 3000
When: Thursday, April 6th through Sunday, April 9th
Where: Southside Pier, Huntington Beach Ca.
The QS is the first step for tour hopefuls. Top surfers in the QS at seasons' end, make the Challenger Series, the last step before the Championship Tour.
This year, the Jacks Pro was raised from a 1000 to a 3000 meaning the winner gets 3000 points on their season opening ledger, making it a must do for surfers hoping to get off to a good start.
The surfers who won their way into the Challenger for 2023-24 based on points for last season are Crosby Colapinto, Jett Schilling, Jabe Swierkocki, Evan Geiselman, Cole Houshmand, Josh Burke and Dimitri Poulos. For the women were Sawyer Lindblad, Zoe Benedetto, Bella Kenworthy and Leilani McGonagle.
"I'm super excited coming into the Jacks Pro because my mind feels like it is in a good position right now, " said Colapinto, who won the Barbados Pro on Sunday. "I'm starting to learn how to surf my heats better and I'm excited to surf more heats. I've been working really hard on my mental game doing these QS events."
The event features last year's women's winners Sawyer Lindblad as well as the last 5 QS winners this year on the men's tour.
Crosby Colapinto (Barbados Open), Cole Houshmand (Cabaret Pro), Jett Schilling (Ron Jon), Taj Lindlblad (SLO CAL Morro Bay) and Dimitri Poulos (SLO CAL Pismo) are all set to appear.
On the Womens side, the top 5 in last year's rankings, Sawyer Lindblad, Zoe Benedetto, Bella Kenworthy, Leilani McGonagle, and Ella McCaffrey are all confirmed to appear.
A few locals coming in on a roll are Wheeler Hasburgh and Vela Mattive.
Hasburgh has dedicated himself to being a steady name on the QS tour this past season and the results have been promising.
Over the past 5 events, he has a 5th (in the Dominican Republic), a 9th (SLO CAL at Pismo) and a pair of 25th place results. He also had a 4th and 9th in the junior events in Barbados and Pismo.
"I think staying focused and calm has helped," Hasburgh said. " I've just been having fun and enjoying my time competing. I'm excited about Jacks. I'm going to go in there with a similar mindset, but use the things I've learned last season and implement them this season."
Mattive had a 9th place finish at Morro Bay, a 7th place result in the Barbados junior event and a 17th place standing at Pismo.
"I'm so excited to start a new season after a good result in Barbados (13th in the QS)," she said. "Jacks is really a fun event I just hope the waves cooperate."
Thursdays Schedule is : Mens round 1 at 8:00 am, followed by round 2 at 9:20 am.
The women get into action at 2:40 pm with their round 1 action.