World Surfing Games Set to Return to Huntington Beach in September

A surfer practices for the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Sept. 22, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.—The World Surfing Games will return to Huntington Beach for the first time since 2006, the International Surfing Association (ISA) has announced.

“Huntington Beach becomes the first step in our exciting paddle towards the 2024 Olympic Games,” the association’s President Fernando Aguerre said in a statement. “Excellent waves and the strong Southern California surf culture, made Huntington Beach a natural choice for this iconic event.”

With an extra Olympic slot up for grabs for the top men’s and women’s teams at the games, the competition for the coveted ISA World Team Champion Trophy is going to be epic and the most important ever, Aguerre said.

People gather to watch surfers practice for the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Sept. 22, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Hailed as “Surf City USA,” Huntington Beach is one of the best-known surf towns in the world and a mecca for the sport and its history. The beachside city is home to two surfing museums—the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum and Bob Bolen’s Surf Museum—and a surfing walk of fame, surf shops, and surf schools and camps.

This year’s World Surfing Games, hosted by Visit Huntington Beach, is set for Sept. 17–24 at the Huntington Beach Pier. The city hosted the games in 1984, 1996, and 2006.

“The entire Surf City USA community is humbled that the international Surfing Association chose Huntington Beach as the host city for this flagship event,” Visit Huntington Beach CEO Kelly Miller told The Epoch Times in an email. “For the athletes, the road to compete in surfing at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games now officially begins in Surf City USA ... Everyone, young and old alike, is totally stoked!”

Surfers enjoy the waves of Huntington Beach, Calif., on Sept. 22, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Winning men’s and women’s national teams at the games will be allocated one Olympic slot each for their respective country or National Olympic Committee.

The qualification slot will be in addition to the maximum quota of two athletes per country for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

This will be the seventh major International Surfing Association event held in Huntington Beach.

Past World Surfing Games champions include Italo Ferreira of Brazil, Sally Fitzgibbons of Australia, Courtney Conlogue of the United States, and CJ Hopgood and Sofia Mulanovich of Peru.