ALAS CEO Karín Sierralta explained the reason for the circuit's change in format: "While we created ALAS to improve the level of surfing in Latin America, today our kids are ready to take on bigger challenges. So, in 2015, we opened it up to the continent, since ALAS is part of the qualifiers for the Pan American Games," she said in a note published on her website.

As it became known months ago, the ALAS tour went from being called the ALAS Latin Tour to the ALAS Pro Tour and is now the Global Tour, in which surfers from all over the world will compete and where stops in different parts of the world will also be held.

“The ALAS Tour has grown significantly since its inception in 2002, and even more so since surfing was included as a sport in the Olympic Games (…) In 2023, we will accept surfers from any of the five continents to compete. For example, last year we had a record number of entries for the El Salvador event, with a total of 330 athletes from 21 countries. For this reason, we decided to change the rules and regionalize the circuit,” he added.

“This year we decided to open up awards to the different regions (ALAS Central America, ALAS South America, and ALAS North America and the Caribbean). This change gives our athletes the opportunity to compete for three titles: the regional titles, the ALAS Continental (which is what the former ALAS Pro Tour was) where any surfer from anywhere in the world can achieve that title, and the third and most prestigious: the Surf City El Salvador ALAS Global Finals. This title raises its prestige as it will have the best four men and women from Europe and the best four men and women from Asia competing. We also plan to invite athletes from other continents,” he reported.

The global finals will be made up as follows:

ALAS 2024 Ranking: 8 men and 8 women

ALAS Central America Ranking: 4 men and 4 women

ALAS South America Ranking: 4 men and 4 women

ALAS North America/Caribbean Ranking: 4 men and 4 women

Asian Confederation: 4 men and 4 women

European Confederation: 4 men and 4 women

Local Representation (El Salvador): 4 men and 4 women

Other Continents: 4 men and 4 women

Wildcards: 12 men and 12 women