Every year the World Surf League releases the schedule for the world’s most famous surf competitions, which includes events such as the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, Corona Pro J-Bay and of course the Rio Pro.
One of the comps that surf lovers all over the world keep their eye out for is the eagerly anticipated Fiji Surf Pro. This is one of the biggest events in the surf calendar and professionals from all corners of the globe come together to try and tackle Fiji’s famous Cloudbreak.
Fiji is notorious for its big barrels and breakers, but also for the clean, uniform surf, which means it’s not just excellent for competitions, but it’s also ideal for all levels of surfers throughout the year. In 2017, the women’s Fiji Surf Pro will take place from May 28th to June the 2nd, and the men then take the stage from the 4th of June until the 17th.
If past years are anything to go by, this year’s competition is bound to be full of twists, turns and mouthwatering manoeuvres that had some competitors reach near perfect scores. In the women’s competition in 2016, Johanne Defay of France swept aside Hawaiian Carissa Moore, and had Bianca Buitendag of South Africa and Bethany Hamilton of Hawaii hot on their heels in a fiercely contested semi-final.
The men’s competition last year was particularly heated with Gabriel Medina of Brazil taking home 1st place (and performing this epic 10); Australian Matt Wilkinson came in second – with fellow Australian Adrian Buchan and the iconic American Kelly Slater making it through to the semis.
Keep your eye on the World Surf League Fiji Pro 2017 page to check out exciting news, live links and updates closer to the time of the competition.
History made at Fiji Pro
Boasting some of the best waves in the world means that we see some amazing things at the Fiji Surf Pro competition. Ask anyone though, and their most memorable moment is most likely going to be the day that history was made.
At the 2015 Fiji Surf Pro, Owen Wright beat fellow Australian Julian Wilson to the coveted title. This itself wasn’t what made headlines, but the fact that Wright scored a perfect 20 in the process of beating his competitor.
This video of his perfect heat shows, perhaps, one of the best rides ever recorded. In an interview after taking the title Wright stated "Something special was happening out there. I was just lovin' it. That's a dream come true right there."
Kelly Slater also scored a perfect 10 the next year on Cloudbreak. These are just some of the examples of the epic surfing we’ve come to expect at the Fiji Surf Pro competition every year.
Not a pro but want to surf in Fiji?
The great thing about surfing in Fiji is that there are conditions to suit every level of surfer – from the clean, fun breakers at restaurants to the beasts of Cloudbreak – no surfer will leave disappointed.
The summer months from November to March produce smaller, cleaner surf and is often less crowded. This makes perfect conditions for beginners and those looking for something a little less serious.
From April through to October the surf is much bigger and storms in the Southern Hemisphere produce waves in May, June and July which bring in professionals from all over the world. These are the waves that the competitors in the Fiji Pro 2017 are going to be ripping into.
The Fiji Surf Pro has proven to be one of most exciting surf competitions throughout the last couple of years, and the Fiji Surf Pro 2017 is set to be no different. This is one competition that you definitely don’t want to miss. What are you waiting for? Check availability in Fiji, and remember it gets extremely busy, so book early to avoid disappointment and experience one of the greatest surf competitions in the world.