Cover photo: WSL/Van Kirk

Competitive surfing will return on August 9 at Slater Pool in Lemoore, California, with the WSL's special event called "Rumble," the organization announced in a statement sent to the press.

The tournament will feature 16 of the world's best players, including Kelly Slater, Caroline Marks, Kolohe Andino, Carissa Moore, Filipe Toledo and Sage Erickson; the rest of the roster is yet to be confirmed, and is expected to be the rest of the top 16 currently living in the United States.

“I can’t wait to get back in the lycra,” said Filipe Toledo, adding: “Knowing that we will be able to give them a live experience from the Surf Ranch in a safe way is exciting. It will be great for us and for our sport and fans.”

The tournament will be mixed doubles and the official list will be announced on August 4 at 9am on the WSL website.

“Utilizing the Surf Ranch gives us the opportunity to use our arena while implementing safety protocols to ensure the health and safety of our competitors, staff, and local community,” said WSL CEO Erik Logan.

Format
Eight teams of one woman and one man will compete against each other from the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.

For each round, teams will surf four waves (two rights and two lefts); each surfer's best score will be combined to create the team's score for that round. Judges will work from a remote location.

The statement clarifies that there will be security controls and that the smallest possible number of personnel will be hired and that the relevant tests will be carried out to avoid generating a source of contagion.

As previously reported, this event is part of a countdown to the 2021 tour that will have regional or national championships in the United States, Australia, France and Portugal.