One of the most prestigious competitions in the world of surfing has begun at the Padang Padang spot in Bali. However, no one knows on which day in August the awards will be given out. Organizers, judges, and athletes will be waiting throughout the month for the best waves, the so-called "barrels," to showcase their skills.
A good omen is the appearance of a whale at the tournament site. It has already become a celebrity and the biggest news on the first day of the competition, waving its tail at the participants from the ocean.
This year, the Rip Curl Cup format has been updated. The organizers decided to follow the ideas of gender equality and agreed to hold separate competitions for women alongside the men's. The last time such an event was held in Bali was 21 years ago. James Hendy, President of Rip Curl Indonesia, explained that the decision to create a women's division this year was made after the success of Canadian surfer Erin Brooks, who competed with men in the last Rip Curl Cup and reached the finals, even leading initially.
This year, Erin Brooks will be one of the favorites among the women, competing against formidable opponents such as Sierra Kerr, Laura Enever, Kailani Johnson, and Jasmine Studer. "Today, there are women surfers in the world who are as good as male surfers, so they deserve the same opportunities we give to men," said James at the opening ceremony on Padang Padang Beach in Bali.
Padang Padang Beach has been the venue for the Rip Curl Cup for many years. According to professional surfers, it offers the best waves on the Bali coast. This spot is considered quite dangerous—it’s shallow, with sharp reefs and truly powerful waves. At the same time, it produces the most perfect, beautiful, and impressive "barrel" in Bali, usually forming in the summer, especially in August. Organizers allocate the entire month to wait for it, but it usually happens much faster.
This year, there are a total of 16 male surfers and eight female surfers participating. Half are traditionally from Indonesia, while the other half are top athletes from around the world, including Hawaii, Australia, Portugal, and South Africa.
The Rip Curl Cup has an innovative format for both men and women: each surfer will participate in two 40-minute heats with four people each. The best two results from each heat will be summed, and the top four surfers will advance to the finals. This format ensures that athletes have enough time and waves to avoid being affected by random misfortune, organizers assure.
You can watch the championship broadcast and find out the date on ripcurl.com and worldsurfleague.com. The main party of Rip Curl Cup 2024 will start at 5:00 PM on August 30 and continue until midnight.
Sources: Carve Surfing Magazine, Rip Curl
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