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The World Surf League’s first-ever WSL Challenger Series event will be heading to Sydney in 2020, after Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, formed a new partnership with the surfing organisation.

The Sydney Surf Pro, which has been secured exclusively for Sydney for three years from 2020 to 2022, will be the biggest professional surfing event to run in NSW with over 200 of the world’s top surfers competing.

The first event, which will include men’s and women’s events, will take place from 8th to 14th March next year.

World Surf League Asia Pacific General Manager Andrew Stark said Manly was the perfect host destination for the event as it has such a rich history in Australian and international surfing, advising "holding the inaugural WSL Challenger Series event here will continue this lineage of historical surfing moments which WSL is really excited about,” he said.

“Manly has such a rich history in Australian and International surfing so holding the inaugural WSL Challenger Series event here will continue this lineage of historical surfing moments which WSL is really excited about.

“The event is sure to attract some of surfing’s biggest stars, it will shine the surfing spotlight on Sydney and will provide a pathway for our athletes onto the elite Championship Tour.

“We’re thrilled that Destination NSW and the other key partners have come on board to ensure Australia will have the opening stop on the newly announced Challenger Series.”

Advising that the event positioned NSW and Manly firmly on the map for the world surfing fraternity, NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres added "the WSL Sydney Surf Pro will be the first event of the WSL Challenger Series, so fans and athletes worldwide will be sizing up the competition as the action unfolds at Manly

“We expect that over the next three years the Sydney Surf Pro will deliver $3.7 million in visitor spend for NSW from more than 4,000 visitors and over 25,000 visitor nights.

“NSW is loved by surfers and travellers alike for our unforgettable coastline, world-class hospitality and the State’s incomparable calendar of sport, art, culture and lifestyle events."

Media reports have suggested that multiple World Surfing Champion Kelly Slater will participate in the event.

Image shows action from the 2019 Vissla Sydney Surf Pro at Manly Beach.

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