HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif./USA (Wednesday, October 26, 2022) - The surf community of Jacksonville Beach, Florida, will play host to the U.S. Air Force Super Girl Surf Pro, a World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 3000-level event, for a second-consecutive year beginning November 11 - 13.
Championship Tour (CT) elite, former Super Girl victor, and Florida's born-and-raised Caroline Marks (USA) headlines the WSL's return to Jacksonville Beach. Credit: © WSL / Steinmetz
This marks Stop No. 5 for the women’s North America QS 2022/23 season, as well as Stop No. 3 for the Hawaii/Tahiti Nui season. Many of the region’s best will be in attendance alongside emerging talents vying for big points toward Challenger Series qualification as this is a dual-sanctioned event once more.
Event producer ASA Entertainment's incredible success with the Super Girl series on the West Coast for more than 16 years continues spreading the message of women’s empowerment and made it a staple in Oceanside, California. Now, ASA has brought that movement and message back across the country and provides a big opportunity for the next generation such as Jacksonville Beach’s own Lanea Mons. The 14-year-old will be taking on the likes of women she looks up to, including two-time Super Girl winner Sage Erickson (USA) and Championship Tour (CT) elite, 2021 Super Girl victor in Oceanside, Caroline Marks (USA). “I’m super excited for this event, it was so much fun last year and to see all that happening at a wave that I love to surf at all the time,” said Mons. “Something I’ve learned from previous events is to not leave anything left on the wave, finish them strong, and also learning not to make certain mistakes with priority. It’s super cool to see (some of the best women) because I definitely look up to those girls like Caroline (Marks) alot. I got to surf a heat with her and she was ripping, and it’s so cool just to watch them surf the wave I surf nearly every day.”
Mons will look to continue growing her young career, this time at home, with a chance for big points. Credit: © WSL / Nichols Mons continues to improve and impress each event and will be in the mix alongside current North America No. 1, and recent Nissan Super Girl Surf Pro winner Sawyer Lindblad (USA), reigning Jacksonville Super Girl victor Alyssa Spencer (USA), former Super Girl winner Samantha Sibley (USA), and regional standouts Kirra Pinkerton (USA) and Zoe Benedetto (USA).
Along with some of North America’s premier competitors, Hawaii/Tahiti No. 1 Moana Jones Wong (HAW) will make her way to Jacksonville Beach alongside 2022 CT rookie Luana Silva (BRA), proven Challenger Series competitors Brianna Cope (HAW) and Zoe McDougall (HAW), emerging threats Erin Brooks (HAW) and Puamakamae Desoto (HAW), among many more. The dual-sanctioned event provides these competitors points toward their own regional rankings and something Cope is looking to capitalize on.
“This contest has a lot of points on offer which is super exciting (and) it makes the stakes a lot higher for this event with requalifying for the Challenger Series on the line,” said Cope. “Any time in the jersey is an amazing opportunity to grow as a competitor and surfer. I’m focused on getting a good result here to keep my spot on the Challenger Series for next year.”
Cope has put her time in among some of the world’s best up-and-coming, as well as veteran, talents on the Challenger Series and earned runner-up on the Ultimate Surfer as she looks to qualify for the CT.
The Expendables return to Jacksonville Beach to headline the Nissan Concert Series at the Seawalk Pavilion. Credit: © WSL / Steinmetz
“Super Girl Surf Pro is a weekend-long festival celebrating female empowerment,” said Rick Bratman, CEO of ASA Entertainment, the event’s producer. “We are thrilled to have such an exciting and diverse lineup of activities at the event in addition to world-class surfing.”
The surf portion of the event will run daily at the Jacksonville Beach Pier from Friday, November 11 through Sunday, November 13 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m EST. The Festival Village at Seawalk Pavilion will run November 12 from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. and November 13 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Access to surfing, concerts, esports, panels, classes, speakers, volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, skateboarding, autograph signings, comedy and all elements are free to attend. The concert line-up includes The Expendables, Smash Mouth, Less than Jake and Matisyahu and more.
The event will be streamed LIVE on November 12 - 13 across all WSL platforms at www.WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL YouTube channel, the free WSL app, and www.SuperGirlJax.com.