The World Surf League kicked off the annual tour this week in Hawaii where the world’s best surfers will take on the legendary Pipeline surf break in the Lexus Pipe Pro. The WSL reports:
The 2025 Championship Tour is officially underway as the world’s best await opening day at the Lexus Pipe Pro presented by YETI. … Reigning WSL Champion Caity Simmers is back alongside Barron Mamiya to defend their Lexus Pipe Pro titles with a hungry pack of wildcard legends, rookies ready to make their statements, and proven Pipe veterans set to establish themselves in surfing lore. Watch it all go down LIVE January 27 – February 8.
The competition has been delayed due to sub-optimal conditions. The next call is Wednesday, January 29 at 7:45 a.m. HST.
Needless to say, San Clemente is well-represented at the tournament. In fact, almost all of the United States surfers are rooted in the “Spanish village by the sea,” both longtime legends and new rookies. Caroline Marks, 2023 WSL Women’s World Tour Champion and 2024 Olympic gold medalist, calls San Clemente home. Kelly Slater, world champion eleven times before announcing his retirement in 2024, has a home in San Clemente and joined this year’s competition as a wildcard competitor. San Clemente’s Griffin Colapinto, currently ranked third in the world, as well as Cole Houshmand are set to compete. Unfortunately, Griffin’s younger brother Crosby, who earned Rookie of the Year in 2024, won’t be surfing due to a broken elbow, an injury he sustained a few days ago while surfing, according to the Orange County Register.
Last year’s woman Rookie of the Year Sawyer Lindblad and Bella Kenworthy, both from San Clemente, are set to surf in the competition.
Other locals include returning champ Simmers, who was born down the road in nearby Oceanside. Jake Marshall is from Encinitas. Filipe Toledo, surfing for Brazil, now lives in San Clemente.
The world tour will stop in the San Clemente area in June for the eighth Pro competition of the year at Lower Trestles. The local surf break often hosts the Pro Finals, but this year, the tour will end in Fiji.
