Stop No. 8 of the 2014 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT) takes surf fans to the iconic break known as Lower Trestles at San Onofre State Beach in Southern California. A cobblestone point that breaks both left and right, Trestles will host the men’s Hurley Pro and the Swatch Pro for the ladies. The events run from September 9 to September 20 and will be run during the best conditions Lowers can muster up. Historically, Lowers has been the epicenter of high-performance surfing, and there’s no reason to think that’s going to change. And while we won’t see the death-defying barrels of Teahupo‘o, viewers can look forward to an aerial assault at one of SoCal’s best surf spots. Here are five reasons to tune in, or, even better, hike in to see it all go down live!
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The airs
Lowers is one of the most high-performance and air-friendly waves on the World Tour. Expect to see surfers like Gabriel Medina, Taj Burrow, John John Florence, Filipe Toledo, and maybe even 42-year-old Kelly Slater hit the stratosphere at Lowers—rumor has it that last year one of John John’s airs sparked a ballistic missile alert on nearby Camp Pendleton.
The Swatch women’s pro
After a short hiatus, the women’s World Tour returns in the form of the Swatch Women’s Pro. The Lowers canvas perfectly suits women’s surfing, and we can’t wait to see Sally Fitzgibbons, Stephanie Gilmore, Tyler Wright, and Carissa Moore light it up out there. As for you Alana Blanchard fans, she’s going to need some encouragement after a disappointing (so far) 2014 campaign.
The wildcards
Two wildcards, Tanner Gudauskas and Carlos Munoz, will take on the top 34 surfers in the world in the Hurley Pro. Gudauskas, who calls Lowers his local break, is a power surfing machine and figures to give the WCT surfers fits with his local knowledge and never-say-die attitude. Munoz, who hails from Costa Rica, is a high-flying air wizard who, with a bit of luck, could take out anyone who underestimates him. If you like an underdog story, pull for these two.
Lift off at Lowers with Miguel Pupo; photo by Corey Wilson/Surfing magazine
The 2014 ASP World Title race
In the ASP World Title race, Brazil’s Gabriel Medina leads current runner up Kelly Slater by almost 8,000 points. And while surfers can drop their lowest result, if Medina goes on to win the Hurley Pro, it’s going to be an uphill battle for anyone hoping to derail the leader of the “Brazilian Storm.” Can Joel Parkinson, Mick Fanning, Michel Bourez, or Kelly step up and make it a race? We’ll find out at Lowers …
It’s the only WCT stop on the mainland!
If you’re within range, we highly advise making the trek down to Lower Trestles during the contest—the only World Championship Tour event in mainland America. The level of surfing, especially when viewed in person, is insane. Think faster, more powerful, and more futuristic than anything you’ve ever seen in person. As well, Trestles is one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in southern California, and with the world’s best right here, don’t be afraid to fan out and ask for an autograph from your favorite pro. Just make sure it’s the heat winner you’re asking—nobody wants to sign something after losing out.
Watch the Hurley Pro and Swatch Pro live at www.aspworldtour.com.
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