WSL set to return to Sri Lanka this September
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The World Surf League is thrilled to announce that they will be returning to the idyllic right-hand point breaks of Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka, this September for the So Sri Lanka Pro Men’s QS3,000 event. The five-day contest will draw a massive international field of competitors all vying for important QS points as they look to qualify for the elite Championship Tour (CT).
The beautiful and consistent point breaks of the Arugam Bay area are world renowned for offering up long high performance walls with endless turn and tube sections making it the perfect place for a professional event of this size. The last time the WSL held an event in this area it was won by perennial world title threat Julian Wilson in the year that he qualified for the CT.
“Sri Lanka is an incredibly beautiful country with an abundance of waves on offer for surfer’s of all levels so we are stoked to be heading back,” said WSL Asia Event Director Steve Robertson. “With world class surf and solid qualifying points on offer at the So Sri Lanka Pro, we’re expecting a solid field of some of surfing’s biggest names to attend this year’s event.
The event will be broadcast across all WSL channels and will show surf fans around the world just how incredible the surf in Sri Lanka really is.”
The So Sri Lanka Pro will also provide a huge opportunity for some of the local surfers to take on the international professionals as wildcards in the event. This opportunity is something that has been made possible through the WSL and the Sri Lankan Surfing Federation.
“It will be so amazing to have the WSL come back to Sri Lanka,” said Sri Lankan Surfing Federation President Hiran Ukwatte.
“We can’t wait to witness a world class event and watch the positive effect it will have on surf sports in our country and on surf tourism to the area. Arugam Bay is a world-class wave with some fantastic local surfers like D.A Lakshitha,
Praneeth Sandaruwan and Lesitha Prabath to name a few. They will have the opportunity to compete with wildcards, which will be incredible experience for them, particularly as they prepare for the ISA World Games in Japan and Olympic Qualification.