The World Surf League Women’s Qualifying Series prepares to descend upon Oceanside, California for the sixth consecutive Paul Mitchell Neon Supergirl Pro QS6,000 July 28 – 30. This event has become the staple for women’s action sports, particularly women’s surfing, representing the highest QS-rated event on North America’s shores. The star-studded lineup includes some of the world’s best women, including three-time WSL Champion Carissa Moore, two-time Championship Tour runner-up Courtney Conlogue, and last year’s event winner Coco Ho.
Former CT competitor and now WSL Deputy Commissioner Jessi Miley-Dyer continues to push women’s surfing further each year with her work to ensure strong career pathways throughout the WSL tours. The Supergirl Pro provides an opportunity to help these surfers qualify with the only all-women’s QS event in North America and 6,000 points up for grabs.
“It’s exciting to see this event continue to return each year and provide these women with such a great opportunity to earn valuable points,” Miley-Dyer said. “Particularly for the younger girls coming up in North America who get to experience surfing against some of the best in the world within their home country. With all the talented surfers coming to Oceanside, the surfing community gets a chance to see some great competition all weekend and we’re looking forward to watching it unfold.”
Local San Diego, California native Tia Blanco is looking for a spark in her season after a slow start to 2017, but can turn that around with a result here. The 20-year-old has surfed this event since its QS inception in 2012 and feels right at home in her backyard of Oceanside.
“It’s always awesome to see this event return — it’s refreshing to know that I will be competing in a familiar environment close to my friends and family,” Blanco said. “I haven’t really found my momentum this year. I am hoping this event I can get a good result and finish the year strong. There is no pressure for me so I am just excited to get the jersey back on.”
Rick Bratman has been a driving force of this event since getting it off the ground in 2012 and now, in its sixth year, hasn’t lost a step. Bratman and his team at ASA Entertainment continually provide a celebration for women’s action sports and music year after year — as well as boasting the world’s largest women’s format of 120 surfers.
“We are really pleased about the expansion of the Paul Mitchell Neon Supergirl Pro in 2017, both in and out of the water,” Bratman said. “Each year we look to add elements that will not only be additive to the entire event experience, but will also further the event’s mission of providing opportunities for young women in areas where they are traditionally under-represented. It is incredibly gratifying to have watched the event become the largest female surf contest in WSL history, and we are proud to have provided a platform for important causes such as sustainability, bullying prevention, breast cancer awareness and female empowerment.”
The Supergirl Pro will begin July 28 and run through July 30 with the live webcast beginning Saturday, July 29. For more information on the event visit www.worldsurfleague.com.
Featured image: @supergirlpro via Instagram