According to a press release, the World Surf League (WSL) has announced Surf Abu Dhabi on Hudayriyat Island in Abu Dhabi as the venue for the 2025 Championship Tour (CT) and the third stop on the 2024 WSL Longboard Tour.
Modon Holding owns and operates Surf Abu Dhabi, a groundbreaking wave facility featuring technology from the Kelly Slater Wave Company. KSWC produces world-leading wave technology to deliver an incredible surfing experience. Together, KSWC and Modon Holding have created a “high performance wave that will be an incredible canvas for the best surfing in the world.”
“We look forward to seeing what the Surf Abu Dhabi facility can offer the world’s best surfers – and the surfing world in general – in the future,” said Ryan Crosby, CEO of the WSL. “Both the evolving wave technology and the region itself present exciting opportunities for the WSL and we are excited to see these come to fruition in the coming months.”
“Working with Kelly Slater Wave Company and Surf Abu Dhabi allows us to create a destination that welcomes surfers of all levels and communities and attracts a new generation of surfers to the region. Together we have created a facility that consistently delivers perfect waves, new wave profiles for every level and the uniqueness of this being the first saltwater-based wave pool. We can’t wait to welcome the world’s best surfers and all the new fans this region brings to the sport,” said Bill O’Regan, Group CEO at Q Holding.
“Working with Kelly Slater Wave Company and Surf Abu Dhabi demonstrates that we have created a world-class facility that will provide perfect waves to a region and help build a whole new surfing community in Abu Dhabi,” said Jeff Fleeher, President of Kelly Slater Wave Company. “Now, partnering with the WSL extends this opportunity even further, creating a platform to showcase the world’s best surfers to new and existing fans, in the heart of the wider Hudayriat Island sporting ecosystem.”
The best of the best are on the World Surf League Championship Tour. Annual world champions are crowned on the tour. This announcement ensures that Surf Abu Dhabi will be an elite stop in the 2025 season. The WSL will release the full competition schedule for the 2025 CT after the Lexus WSL Finals. For now, fans can look forward to competition at world-renowned venues including Banzai Pipeline on the north shore of Oahu, Snapper Rocks in Queensland, Australia, and Cloudbreak in Fiji.
According to the press release, the WSL Longboard Tour will feature three international events culminating in the one-day championship in El Salvador. Surf Abu Dhabi will host the third stop on the Longboard Tour, the Abu Dhabi Longboard Classic Presented by Modon, from September 27-29, 2024.
This competition will play a crucial role in determining qualification for the Surf City El Salvador Longboard Championships, where the men’s and women’s longboard world champions will be crowned in October.
Watch LIVE
The Abu Dhabi Longboard Classic, presented by Modon, will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and the free WSL app. For additional ways to watch through WSL broadcast partners, click here.
