Jun 01, 2023
The World Surf League (WSL) traveled last weekend to California for the sixth stop of the Championship Tour at The Surf Ranch Pro. This sixth event, which also coincides with the sixth edition, saw Griffin Colapinto and Carissa Moore claim victory.
Only five years after the introduction of Kelly Slater's Surf Ranch in the highest category of professional surfing we see how it is losing interest in the surfing world. At the time of the introduction of this competition many already doubted whether the pools and artificial waves would be up to the coast and the spectacular waves on dream beaches.
The Surf Ranch machine generates waves every two minutes of approximately three to four feet in size. Both lefts and rights last about 45 seconds and offer surfers a chance to show off their rail game or do various maneuvers. They said that artificial wave surfing would be spectacular and that surfers would improve every year with practice. And it has been just the opposite, we can see it by the scores. This weekend, 96 waves were surfed in the men's qualifying rounds. Only six scored higher than 8.
This means that security predominates, being much more conservative than in other Championship Tour events, where we can see and enjoy the show and emotions.
After this 6 event and with 3 more to go until the grand finale, the winners of the Surf Ranch Pro are precisely the ones in the top 1. Colapinto in the men's category, after harvesting very good results in general, with this first place and two second places in Hurley Pro Sunset Beach and Margaret River Pro.
In the women's category, Carissa Moore is on the top of the podium, having won 3 championships out of 6. Winning in the Biballabong Pro Pipeline, Margaret River Pro and this one we have just mentioned.
The next event to be held from June 9-18 will be the Surf City El Salvador Pro in La Libertad, El Salvador. We will see who will win this event, will it turn the ranking upside down or will the current leaders continue to widen the gap with their pursuers?
Stay tuned to the social networks of Nautical Channel and our website where we will be commenting on everything that happens with the WSL.