WSL’s wave pool relationship strengthens with latest event in Melbourne
A crowd of 1000 spectators gathered in the summer heat to watch Jarvis Earle and Sierra Kerr take wins at a WSL QS3000 wave pool comp this weekend. The BYD Pro URBNSURF took place on Saturday in Melbourne, attracting over 120 surfers from Australia and Oceania.
URBNSURF Melbourne, known for hosting the first-ever World Surf League qualifying series at a wave park in 2022, once again provided the stage for the event. The competition featured both male and female surfers showcasing their skills in sunny conditions, with the wave machine delivering consistent waves throughout the day.
URBNSURF CEO Damon Tudor expressed pride in hosting the QS3000 event saying their venue is a great arena for competitions such as this.
“It’s a privilege to be able to bring high-performance surfers together to carve up the waves,” said Damon. “We are so proud to provide the facilities for spectators to take in the action too.”
Wavegarden CEO, Josema Odriozola, watched closely from the company’s headquarters in San Sebastian, Spain. He was pleased that his handiwork could be used to host Australasia’s best.
“Our technology is giving birth to a new style of surfing, the one-day event, and it’s one that is a lot fairer, faster, and has the possibility of national television broadcast – it’s a really nice evolution for professional surfing.”
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Jarvis Earle secured the men’s title along with $10,000 in prize money, thanks to his powerful and precise backhand surfing. “I’m so stoked to take home the win, it was truly an amazing experience to surf amongst so many talented surfers out in the lagoon,” Earle stated. He also praised the atmosphere and the unique experience of surfing consistent waves at URBNSURF.
Sierra Kerr claimed victory in the women’s final, also earning $10,000. Kerr’s performance was highlighted by clean and concise cutbacks. “Wow, what a day surfing in the lagoon. It was great to be out in the waves amongst so many supportive spectators. You could really feel the community at URBNSURF and to come up alongside Ellie Harrison was an incredible experience,” Kerr remarked.
Alister Reginato from Queensland and Ellie Harrison from Torquay finished as runners-up in the men’s and women’s finals, respectively, demonstrating their skills throughout the competition.
The event also featured various activities for spectators, including a halftime show with AFL and NRL legends, a DJ set, a pop-up bar, skin checks, an athlete zone, an experience center, and food offerings.
The event was broadcasted live on the WSL website and app, as well as on Channel 7, thanks to collaborations with Surfing Victoria, Surfing Australia, and the WSL, and support from BYD, Pirate Life, and Rip Curl.
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