2019 World Surf League

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2019 World Surf League
Location	Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa, French Polynesia, The United States of America, France, Portugal
Dates	3 April 2019 - 20 December 2019
Champions
Men	Italo Ferreira
Women	Carissa Moore
← 2018 2020 2021 →

The 2019 World Surf League was the competition series hosted by the World Surf League, the global championship body for competitive surfing. The 2019 World Surf League consisted of the Championship Tour (shortboard tour), the Qualifying Series (shortboard and longboard), Big Wave Tour, Longboard Tour, Junior Tour, and other specialty tours and events such as the Vans Triple Crown.^[1]

The Annual World Surf League Champion Tour is a professional shortboarding surf tour run by the World Surf League (WSL), formerly known as the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) prior to 2014.^[2]

The Championship tour is divided by gender into the Men’s and Women’s championship series. The 2019 tour consisted of 11 Men’s events and 10 Women’s events. The placings from each event for each competitor are used to determine, at the conclusion of the tour, the overall female and male champions for 2019, referred to by the league as World Champions.

The 2019 tour began in April and ended in December, travelling to the global locations of Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa, America, France, Portugal, Hawaii and Tahiti.^[3] In 2019 the female world champion was Carissa Moore,^[4] from Hawaii, and the male world champion was Italo Ferreira, from Brazil.^[5]

The Quicksilver Pro 2019 was held in the Gold Coast, Queensland at Coolangatta. The male competition was won by Brazilian surfer Italo Ferreria (Brazil), who beat competitor Kolohe Andino (USA) by 0.14ths.^[6]

The Rip Curl Pro was held at Bells Beach in Victoria, Australia from 17–27 April. It was won by John John Florence (Hawaii), defeating Filipe Toledo (Brazil).^[6]

The Corona Bali Protected was the third stop of the men's championship tour in 2019, taking place between 13–25 May in Bali, Indonesia. Kanoa Igarashi (Japan) won this event, defeating Jeremy Flores (France) in the final.^[6]

The Margaret River Pro took place in Western Australia from 29 May to 4 June. John John Florence (Hawaii) defeated Kolohe Andino (USA) to win the event.^[6]

The Oi Rio Pro took place in Saquarema, Rio De Janeiro from 20–23 June 2019. Filipe Toledo (Brazil) defeated Jordy Smith (South Africa) to win the event with a score in the final of 18.04.^[6]

The Corona Open J-Bay took place at Jeffery's Bay, South Africa, from the 9 to 19 July. Gabriel Medina (Brazil) defeated Italo Ferreia (Brazil) for the event win.^[6]

The Tahiti Pro Teahupo'o took place at Teahupo'o in Tahiti, French Polynesia from 24–29 August. Owen Wright (Australia) defeated Gabriel Medina (Brazil) in the final, with a total score of 17.07.^[6]

The Freshwater Pro was held from 19–24 September at the Surf Ranch, in Lemoore, California. Gabriel Medina (Brazil) won the event with a total score of 18.86, defeating Filipe Toledo (Brazil).^[6]

The Quicksilver Pro France took place from 3 to 11 October at Capbreton, Hossegor and Seignosse, Landes, France. Jeremy Flores (France) won the event, defeating Italo Ferreria in the final.^[6]

The MEO RipCurl Pro Portugal took place from 16–28 October at Supertubos, Peniche. Italo Ferreria (Brazil) defeated Jordy Smith (South Africa) in the final.^[6]

The Billabong Pipe Masters is the final event of the men's championship tour, taking place from 9–19 December in 2019. Italo Ferreria (Brazil) defeated Gabriel Medina (Brazil) in the final, while also securing the 2019 World Title.^[6]

Round	Event	Men's Champion	Men's Runner Up
1	Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast	Ítalo Ferreira	Kolohe Andino
2	Rip Curl Pro	John John Florence	Filipe Toledo
3	Corona Bali Protected	Kanoa Igarashi	Jeremy Flores
4	Margaret River Pro	John John Florence	Kolohe Andino
5	Oi Rio Pro	Filipe Toledo	Jordy Smith
6	Corona Open J-Bay	Gabriel Medina	Ítalo Ferreira
7	Tahiti Pro Teahupo'o	Owen Wright	Gabriel Medina
8	Freshwater Pro	Gabriel Medina	Filipe Toledo
9	Quicksilver Pro France	Jeremy Flores	Ítalo Ferreira
10	MEO RipCurl Pro Portugal	Ítalo Ferreira	Jordy Smith
11	Billabong Pipe Masters	Ítalo Ferreira	Gabriel Medina

Points are awarded using the following structure:

Point values are shown using European thousands separators; most English-speaking countries would write these numbers as 10,000 for first place, 7,800 for 2nd place, and so on.

Ranking	+/-	Surfer	WCT 1 (Details)	WCT 2 (Details)	WCT 3 (Details)	WCT 4 (Details)	WCT 5 (Details)	WCT 6 (Details)	WCT 7 (Details)	WCT 8 (Details)	WCT 9 (Details)	WCT 10 (Details)	WCT 11 (Details)	Points
1		Italo Ferreira (BRA)	1st	5th	17th	5th	17th	2nd	17th	9th	2nd	1st	1st	59.740
2		Gabriel Medina (BRA)	5th	5th	17th	17th	5th	1st	2nd	1st	9th	9th	2nd	56.475
3		Jordy Smith (ZAF)	3rd	3rd	17th	5th	2nd	9th	3rd	5th	9th	2nd	17th	49.985
4		Filipe Toledo (BRA)	9th	2nd	5th	17th	1st	3rd	9th	2nd	17th	5th	17th	49.145
5		Kolohe Andino (USA)	2nd	17th	5th	2nd	3rd	3rd	17th	17th	5th	5th	9th	46.655
6		Kanoa Igarashi (JPN)	9th	9th	1st	9th	5th	5th	17th	9th	17th	3rd	17th	40.185
7		John John Florence (HAW)	3rd	1st	17th	1st	5th	INJ	INJ	INJ	INJ	INJ	5th	37.700
8		Kelly Slater (USA)	33rd	5th	3rd	9th	9th	9th	17th	9th	17th	9th	3rd	34.845
9		Owen Wright (AUS)	9th	9th	17th	9th	17th	5th	1st	3rd	17th	17th	17th	34.780
10		Jérémy Florès (FRA)	17th	9th	2nd	17th	33rd	17th	5th	17th	1st	17th	33rd	32.515
11		Julian Wilson (AUS)	17th	17th	9th	3rd	5th	17th	9th	5th	9th	17th	9th	31.515
12		Seth Moniz (HAW)	5th	9th	17th	5th	17th	17th	3rd	17th	9th	33rd	9th	29.525
13		Michel Bourez (FRA)	9th	17th	9th	9th	9th	9th	9th	33rd	9th	17th	5th	29.315
14		Ryan Callinan (AUS)	17th	3rd	9th	5th	17th	9th	17th	17th	5th	33rd	17th	27.535
14		Jack Freestone (AUS)	17th	17th	9th	17th	17th	17th	9th	17th	3rd	5th	5th	27.535
16		Griffin Colapinto (USA)	17th	INJ	17th	17th	9th	17th	9th	3rd	17th	9th	3rd	27.450
17		Caio Ibelli (BRA)	33rd	17th	17th	3rd	17th	17th	5th	17th	17th	3rd	9th	26.885
18		Wade Carmichael (AUS)	5th	17th	5th	33rd	9th	17th	17th	9th	9th	9th	17th	26.760
19		Adrian Buchan (AUS)	17th	17th	5th	33rd	33rd	5th	17th	5th	5th	17th	17th	25.630
20		Conner Coffin (USA)	5th	9th	9th	9th	17th	17th	17th	17th	17th	9th	17th	23.345
20		Peterson Crisanto (BRA)	17th	9th	17th	9th	33rd	9th	17th	33rd	17th	5th	9th	23.345
22		Yago Dora (BRA)	9th	17th	17th	17th	17th	17th	17th	5th	9th	17th	5th	22.780
23		Deivid Silva (BRA)	17th	9th	17th	17th	9th	9th	9th	9th	33rd	17th	17th	21.920
24		Willian Cardoso (BRA)	9th	9th	17th	17th	17th	9th	17th	9th	17th	17th	17th	19.930
24		Jesse Mendes (BRA)	17th	33rd	9th	17th	9th	33rd	17th	17th	17th	9th	9th	19.930
26		Michael Rodrigues (BRA)	17th	17th	3rd	17th	9th	17th	33rd	33rd	17th	9th	33rd	19.640
27		Sebastian Zietz (HAW)	17th	PAR	33rd	9th	17th	5th	17th	9th	33rd	17th	17th	18.300
28		Joan Duru (FRA)	17th	33rd	9th	17th	9th	17th	9th	17th	17th	17th	17th	17.940
28		Ezekiel Lau (HAW)	17th	17th	33rd	17th	17th	9th	17th	9th	9th	33rd	17th	17.940
30		Soli Bailey (AUS)	17th	17th	33rd	17th	17th	17th	17th	17th	17th	9th	9th	15.950
31		Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA)	33rd	17th	9th	17th	INJ	INJ	INJ	INJ	3rd	17th	33rd	14.455
32		Jadson Andre (BRA)	33rd	17th	17th	17th	17th	33rd	5th	17th	33rd	17th	17th	14.320
33		Ricardo Christie (NZL)	17th	17th	17th	17th	17th	17th	17th	17th	33rd	33rd	9th	13.960
34		Frederico Morais (PRT)	-	-	-	33rd	3rd	17th	33rd	-	17th	17th	33rd	10.870
35		Adriano de Souza (BRA)	INJ	INJ	INJ	INJ	17th	17th	5th	INJ	INJ	INJ	INJ	8.995
36		Mikey Wright (AUS)	9th	17th	17th	INJ	INJ	INJ	INJ	INJ	INJ	INJ	INJ	7.570
37		Jacob Willcox (AUS)	-	5th	33rd	33rd	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5.275
38		Marc Lacomare (FRA)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5th	-	-	4.745
39		Reef Heazlewood (AUS)	9th	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4.650
40		Jack Robinson (AUS)	-	-	-	9th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3.320
40		Kauli Vaast (FRA)	-	-	-	-	-	-	9th	-	-	-	-	3.320
42		Crosby Colapinto (USA)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	17th	-	17th	-	2.660
43		Mateus Herdy (BRA)	17th	-	-	-	INJ	-	-	33rd	-	-	-	1.860
44		Jorgann Couzinet (FRA)	-	-	-	-	-	33rd	-	-	17th	-	-	1.595
45		Rio Waida (INA)	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1.330
45		Krystian Kymerson (BRA)	-	-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	1.330
45		Michael February (ZAF)	-	-	-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	1.330
45		Barron Mamiya (HAW)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	1.330
45		Kade Matson (USA)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	1.330
45		Jett Schilling (USA)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	1.330
45		Marco Mignot (FRA)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	17th	-	-	1.330
45		Vasco Ribeiro (PRT)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	17th	-	1.330
45		Miguel Blanco (PRT)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	17th	-	1.330
45		Imaikalani deVault (HAW)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	17th	1.330
45		Billy Kemper (HAW)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	17th	1.330
56		Harrison Mann (AUS)	-	33rd	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	265
56		Xavier Huxtable (AUS)	-	33rd	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	265
56		Alex Ribeiro (BRA)	-	-	-	-	33rd	-	-	-	-	-	-	265
56		Beyrick De Vries (ZAF)	-	-	-	-	-	33rd	-	-	-	-	-	265
56		Tyler Newton (HAW)	-	-	-	-	-	-	33rd	-	-	-	-	265
56		Matahi Drollet (PYF)	-	-	-	-	-	-	33rd	-	-	-	-	265

• Championship Tour surfers best 9 of 11 results are combined to equal their final point total.
• Tournament results discarded

Legend

Source

The Boost Mobile Pro Gold Coast was the first event in the women's championship tour in 2019. It was held on the Gold Coast, and Caroline Marks (USA) defeated Carissa Moore (Hawaii) for the event win.^[7]

The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach was held from 17–27 April, at Bells Beach in Victoria, Australia. Courtney Conologue (USA) won the event, defeating Malia Manuel (Hawaii) in the final.^[7]

The Corona Bali Protected was held in Bali, Indonesia from 13–25 May. Stephanie Gilmore (Australia) won the event, defeating Sally Fitzgibbons (Australia) with a score of 16.83.^[7]

The 2019 Margaret River Pro was held at Margaret River Main Break, in Western Australia, from 29 May- 9 June. Lakey Peterson (Australia) won the event, defeating Tatiana Weston Webb (Brazil) in the final.^[7]

The Oi Rio Pro took place in Saquarema, Rio De Janeiro from 20–28 June 2019. Sally Fitzgibbons (Australia) won this event, defeating Carissa Moore (Hawaii) in the final.^[7]

The Corona Open J-Bay was held from 9–22 July at Jefferys Bay, South Africa. Carissa Moore (Hawaii) defeated Lakey Peterson (USA) in the final to win the event.^[7]

The Freshwater Pro was held from 19–21 September at the Surf Ranch, in Lemoore, California. Lakey Peterson (USA) was the winner of this event.^[7]

The Roxy Pro France was held from 3–13 October at Capbreton, Hossegor, Seignosse, and Landes in France. Carissa Moore (Hawaii) defeated Caroline Marks (USA) to win the event.^[7]

The MEO RipCurl Pro Portugal was held from 16–28 October in Peniche, Portugal. Caroline Marks (USA) defeated Lakey Peterson (USA) to win the event.^[7]

The Maui Pro was the penultimate event of the women's championship tour in 2019. It was held from 25 November to 6 December in Honolulu Bay, in Maui, Hawaii. Stephanie Gilmore (Australia) defeated Tyler Wright (Australia) to win the event.^[7]

Points are awarded using the following structure:

Point values are shown using European thousands separators; most English-speaking countries would write these numbers as 10,000 for first place, 7,800 for 2nd place, and so on.

Ranking	+/-	Surfer	WCT 1 (Details)	WCT 2 (Details)	WCT 3 (Details)	WCT 4 (Details)	WCT 5 (Details)	WCT 6 (Details)	WCT 7 (Details)	WCT 8 (Details)	WCT 9 (Details)	WCT 10 (Details)	Points
1		Carissa Moore (HAW)	2nd	5th	5th	3rd	2nd	1st	3rd	1st	3rd	3rd	59.940
2		Caroline Marks (USA)	1st	3rd	9th	5th	9th	3rd	3rd	2nd	1st	5th	55.545
3		Lakey Peterson (USA)	9th	3rd	9th	1st	5th	2nd	1st	3rd	2nd	9th	55.125
4		Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)	5th	5th	1st	5th	3rd	5th	5th	17th	5th	1st	49.810
5		Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)	3rd	9th	2nd	3rd	1st	5th	5th	5th	5th	5th	48.950
6		Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA)	5th	9th	9th	2nd	5th	9th	5th	5th	3rd	3rd	41.560
7		Courtney Conlogue (USA)	9th	1st	5th	5th	5th	5th	5th	5th	9th	INJ	41.080
8		Johanne Defay (FRA)	5th	9th	9th	9th	9th	5th	2nd	3rd	5th	5th	38.085
9		Malia Manuel (HAW)	3rd	2nd	9th	9th	9th	3rd	9th	5th	17th	9th	35.155
10		Nikki Van Dijk (AUS)	9th	9th	3rd	9th	17th	9th	9th	9th	5th	5th	28.625
11		Brisa Hennessy (CRI)	9th	5th	3rd	5th	17th	9th	17th	9th	9th	17th	27.060
12		Silvana Lima (BRA)	INJ	INJ	5th	9th	5th	9th	9th	9th	9th	9th	25.150
13		Bronte Macaulay (AUS)	9th	9th	5th	9th	9th	9th	9th	17th	9th	9th	23.015
13		Coco Ho (HAW)	9th	5th	9th	9th	9th	INJ	9th	9th	9th	9th	23.015
15		Keely Andrew (AUS)	17th	17th	9th	9th	3rd	9th	9th	9th	9th	17th	22.790
16		Paige Hareb (NZL)	17th	17th	9th	9th	9th	9th	9th	9th	9th	9th	20.880
17		Macy Callaghan (AUS)	9th	9th	17th	17th	9th	9th	17th	9th	9th	9th	19.315
18		Tyler Wright (AUS)	INJ	INJ	INJ	INJ	INJ	INJ	INJ	INJ	INJ	2nd	15.115
19		Sage Erickson (USA)	5th	9th	-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	8.400
20		Isabella Nichols (AUS)	9th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2.610
20		Kobie Enright (AUS)	-	9th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2.610
20		Taina Hinckel (BRA)	-	-	-	-	9th	-	-	-	-	-	2.610
20		Gabriela Bryan (HAW)	-	-	-	-	-	-	9th	-	-	-	2.610
20		Vahine Fierro (FRA)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9th	-	-	2.610
20		Summer Macedo (HAW)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9th	2.610
26		Kailani Johnson (INA)	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1.045
26		Mia McCarthy (AUS)	-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	1.045
26		Bianca Buitendag (ZAF)	-	-	-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	1.045
26		Alana Blanchard (HAW)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	17th	-	1.045

• Championship Tour surfers best 8 of 10 results are combined to equal their final point total.
• Tournament results discarded

Legend

Source

Ranking	+/-	Surfer	Events					Points
			1	2	3	4	5
1		Frederico Morais (PRT)	10.000	6.000	3.700	3.700	3.000	26.400
2		Jadson Andre (BRA)	6.500	6.000	4.500	4.500	2.300	23.800
3		Yago Dora (BRA)	10.000	6.500	4.500	1.100	1.100	23.200
4		Matthew McGillivray (ZAF)	6.700	5.200	5.200	3.800	1.680	22.580
5		Jack Robinson (AUS)	10.000	3.700	3.550	3.000	1.680	21.930
6		Alex Ribeiro (BRA)	6.500	6.000	3.700	3.700	1.680	21.580
7		Miguel Pupo (BRA)	10.000	3.700	3.550	2.200	1.550	21.000
8		Ethan Ewing (AUS)	6.700	6.300	5.200	1.100	1.100	20.400
9		Connor O'Leary (AUS)	5.200	5.200	3.600	3.000	2.650	19.650
10		Deivid Silva (BRA)	10.000	3.700	2.300	1.550	1.100	18.650
11		Morgan Cibilic (AUS)	6.500	3.700	3.600	2.200	2.100	18.100
12		Stuart Kennedy (AUS)	8.000	5.100	2.650	1.125	1.100	17.975
13		Jake Marshall (USA)	8.000	3.550	2.650	2.200	1.550	17.950
14		Barron Mamiya (HAW)	5.200	3.800	3.700	2.650	2.250	17.600
15		Jorgann Couzinet (FRA)	6.500	5.200	2.250	1.680	1.680	17.310
16		Jack Freestone (AUS)	8.000	3.800	3.700	1.100	700	17.300
17		Ezekiel Lau (HAW)	8.000	3.700	2.300	2.250	1.000	17.250
18		Samuel Pupo (BRA)	10.000	3.700	1.550	1.050	840	17.140

Legend

Source

Ranking	+/-	Surfer	Events					Points
			1	2	3	4	5
1		Isabella Nichols (AUS)	6.000	5.200	4.500	4.500	3.700	23.900
2		Bronte Macaulay (AUS)	8.000	5.200	3.550	2.650	2.650	22.050
3		Sage Erickson (USA)	10.000	5.200	3.000	700	700	19.600
4		Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA)	6.500	4.500	3.700	2.650	1.050	18.400
5		Brisa Hennessy (CRI)	6.500	3.700	3.550	1.550	1.050	16.350
6		Macy Callaghan (AUS)	6.500	4.500	2.200	1.050	650	14.900
7		Keely Andrew (AUS)	3.700	3.700	2.650	2.650	1.550	14.250
8		Amuro Tsuzuki (JPN)	10.000	1.680	1.000	700	700	14.080
9		Caroline Marks (USA)	5.200	3.550	3.000	1.550	700	14.000
10		Alyssa Spencer (USA)	3.700	3.700	2.650	2.250	1.680	13.980
11		Zahli Kelly (AUS)	3.700	3.550	3.000	1.550	1.550	13.350

Legend

Source

For the first time in Olympic history surfing will be included in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The WSL 2019 Tour, in conjunction with other events, will be used for Olympic qualification for the 2020 Olympics.^[8]

In an agreement reached by the International Surfing Association and the WSL, it was decided that of the 40 places in the Olympic games, 20 would be determined from the ISA World Surfing games, 18 from the WSL (10 men 8 women) and the remaining 2 for the host nation.^[8]

The following surfers qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics through the WSL;^[9]

Men

Rank	Name
1	Ítalo Ferreira (BRA)
2	Gabriel Medina (BRA)
3	Jordy Smith (RSA)
5	Kolohe Andino (USA)1
6	Kanoa Igarashi (JPN)
7	John John Florence (USA)1
9	Owen Wright (AUS)
10	Jérémy Florès (FRA)
11	Julian Wilson (AUS)
13	Michel Bourez (FRA)

¹ Represented Hawaii in the 2019 WSL, Qualified to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Women

Rank	Name
1	Carissa Moore (USA)1
2	Caroline Marks (USA)
4	Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
5	Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
6	Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA)
8	Johanne Defay (FRA)
11	Brisa Hennessy (CRC)
12	Silvana Lima (BRA)

¹ Represented Hawaii in the 2019 WSL, Qualified to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

The competition format of the 2019 Championship Tour was changed from previous years. In 2019, all competitors were to compete in a Seeding Round. From this seeding round, the two highest scoring surfers in each heat advance to round of 32, and the lowest placed surfer competes in an elimination round. In the elimination round heats, the top two surfers from each heat progress to the round of 32, while the losing four are eliminated. A single elimination format is then used from the Round of 32, with only the heat winner advancing.^[10]

2018 saw 36 Male surfers compete for $607,800 across the tour, while the 18 women on tour were competing for $303,900. In individual events such as the 2018 RipCurl pro, the Male winner Italo Ferreira was awarded $100,000 while the female winner, Stephanie Gilmore, was awarded $65,000.^[11] The WSL announced on 5 September 2018 that female and male surfers, from the 2019 tour onwards, would receive equal prize money.^[12]

This was partnered with three initiatives by the WSL to elevate and enhance equality in female surfing, including; increased marketing of the women’s tour, a "local community engagement program for girls around the world" structured around the world tour events, and "a monthly content series" about the history of female surfing. This change has been recognised as a "wider push to challenge gender norms and improve the status of women across sport industries globally".^[13] An article on the topic found that "female surfers will likely be encouraged to pursue surfing as a professional sport, knowing that the financial cost of their attempts to reach the championship tour will be less daunting" as while professional tour surfers are often supported by sponsors and investors, it is the women on the qualifying tour who must fund their own efforts to go professional.^[11]

This has further been recognised as part of ongoing cultural change with regards to gender equality and social justice not only in sport but in the global community, with it argued that "the voices and experiences of athletes" form critical part of progressive movement.^[13] Kelly Slater stated that "the women on the tour deserve this change. I'm so proud that surfing is choosing to lead sports in equality and fairness. The female WSL athletes are equally committed to their craft as the male athletes and should be paid the same. Surfing has always been a pioneering sport, and this serves as an example of that."^[12] Stephanie Gilmore stated "the prize money is fantastic, but the message means even more. From the moment current ownership became involved, the situation for the women surfers has been transformed for the better in every way", and that she hoped this change would serve "as a model for other sports, global organizations and society as a whole".^[12]

WSL Pure is the philanthropic branch of the WSL, focusing on ocean health and sustainability. The WSL Pure campaign made three commitments to be completed by the end of 2019.

The WSL pledged to remove the usage of single-serve plastics from their events by the end of 2019 in light of their impact on the marine environment. This is due to the breakdown of these single use plastics into microparticles, which bioaccumulate, shown in studies that found 83% of the worlds drinking water is contaminated with microplastic.^[14]

The WSL made the commitment to become carbon neutral by the end of 2019, as the movement of surfers globally to compete and spectate WSL events leaves a substantial carbon footprint. WSL pure pledged to reinvest “the cost of our tour’s carbon footprint into projects that safeguard marine life”.^{[citation needed]}

The WSL further made the commitment to protecting the environments where they hold events. The WSL stated that from trampling over sand dunes, to sunscreen bleaching reefs, wherever we travel, humans leave their mark and our coastal communities are continually feeling this pressure”.^[15] They aim to alleviate and help mitigate this human impact. This includes protecting dunes, ensuring adequate trash removal, the use of reef-safe sunscreen, following local instruction to protect sensitive habitats and donating to local organisations.^{[citation needed]}

• 2019 ISA World Surfing Games

• Official Site