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WSL NORTH AMERICA EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE ITS 2018 CT ROOKIES AND NEW QUALIFIERS

21/12/2017

World Surf League

WSL NORTH AMERICA EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE ITS
2018 CT ROOKIES AND NEW QUALIFIERS
- GRIFFIN COLAPINTO AND CAROLINE MARKS EARN CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR SPOTS IN 2018
- COLAPINTO FINISHES NO. 1 ON THE QUALIFYING SERIES RANKINGS
- MARKS MAKES HISTORY AS YOUNGEST CT QUALIFIER IN HISTORY AT AGE 15
- PATRICK GUDAUSKAS RETURNS TO CT AFTER FOUR YEAR ABSENCE
- MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT WORLDSURFLEAGUE.COM

Caption: A phenomenal North Shore run witnessed Griffin Colapinto (USA) (pictured) earn a runner-up at the Hawiian Pro and fourth-place at the Vans World Cup of Surfing to finish atop the QS rankings.
Credit: WSL/ Tony Heff

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HUNTINGTON BEACH, California/ USA (Wednesday, December 20, 2016) – The World Surf League (WSL) North America office is proud to announce its regional 2018 North America Championship Tour (CT) rookies. Caroline Marks’ (USA) qualification makes her the youngest in history to qualify for the CT at age 15 and Griffin Colapinto’s (USA) phenomenal year ended at No. 1 on the Qualifying Series (QS) rankings after an impressive showing in Hawaii. This marks the first Women’s CT qualifier from North America since 2015 and Colapinto adds another name to the Men's CT contingent from the North America region.
 

Caption: Colapinto's run at the EDP Billabong Cascais Pro kickstarted his big run toward the No. 1 spot among the QS elite.
Credit: WSL/ Poullenot

San Clemente, California, native, Colapinto will join Marks as the only other North America regional representative as a 2018 CT rookie. An exciting year for the San Clemente, California, native finished atop the Men’s QS rankings after back-to-back Finals in Hawaii, finishing runner-up at the Hawaiian Pro QS10,000 and fourth-place at the Vans World Cup of Surfing QS10,000, to close out the year. Those results also earned him Vans Triple Crown Champion to cap off his incredible year -- the first Californian in history do so. 
 
Colapinto entered the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing events ranked No. 7 with an already stellar campaign put together by earning a Quarterfinal appearance at the EDP Billabong Cascais Pro QS10,000 and two equal 9th-place finishes at the Vans US Open of Surfing QS10,000 and Ballito Pro QS10,000.
 
“[The QS] is definitely something that was really hard for me to imagine myself winning,” Colapinto said. “Just because I know in experience how much it can mess with your mind with all the ups and downs. It’s really easy to lose confidence quick when you do the QS. I think the main trick is to learn how to stay even keel, win or lose. There were definitely moments that stand out. My man-on-man heat against Jesse Mendes in Portugal for the QS10,000, I got a 9.5 to make it to the Quarterfinals is one in particular. I think that was the momentum swing that pushed me towards qualifying.”
 

Caption: The 2018 rookie's dynamic air-game and powerful rail surfing will be put to the test against the world's best.
Credit: WSL/ Poullenot

The 19-year-old finished a prolific Junior Tour career in 2016 with a win in Los Cabos and runner-up at the World Junior Championships that set him up for a big 2017. Colapinto’s poise under pressure was noticeable during the early stages of his career and helped set him up for what will now be his rookie season among the world’s best in 2018.
 
“It took a lot of hard work and I worked a lot on my mental game this year,” Colapinto said. “I think that’s a big part of why I’ve done so well and I’ll just have do the same thing that I did this year if I’m going to well at that level. I think it’s really crucial to have that support system that I do with my family being there for me and my friends, as well as everyone who helps me. It can get lonely if you’re not doing very well in the contest.”


Caption: Caroline Marks' domination at Huntington Beach as a Pro Junior could trickle over into a big threat among the CT elite.
Credit: WSL/ Rowland
 
An incredible year for the 15-year-old Marks earned her a spot in the history books after earning runner-up at the Pull&Bear Pantin Classic Galacia Pro QS6,000 and securing a spot on the CT with a No. 7 on the QS. It was only a matter of time before the Melbourne Beach, Florida, raised competitor made her breakthrough to the world’s best after garnering two CT wildcards beginning when she was just 13-years-old. Marks and her family now reside in San Clemente, California, and the work she’s put in has paid off with a terrific run of results.
 
A Semifinal appearance at the Paul Mitchell Neon Supergirl Pro QS6,000 and Barbados Surf Pro QS3,000, along with a Quarterfinal at the Los Cabos Open of Surf QS6,000, paved the way for Marks to make history.
 
“It's been a great year and I'm just so stoked to be on tour," Marks said. "Spain in particular was event where so many girls could've made the Tour and it was my first time there. My boards didn't show up and all these crazy things were happening, but everything was mellow just being there with my dad and C.T. [Taylor] which I think helped keep everything simple -- then next thing I know I'm in the Final. I don't think I really realized what happened until I was up on the podium with Coco [Ho] and I'll never forget that moment. It was insane and I can't believe that's what ended up putting me on the CT next year.”


Caption: Marks not only claimed a spot on the 2018 CT, but also earned the 2017 North America QS Regional Title.
Credit: WSL/ Nichols
 
But, Marks understands the opportunity in front of her and continues to show wisdom beyond her years. The young talent is keeping in mind all the variables that embody an elite Tour surfer as she prepares for her rookie season.
 
“I'm still only going to be 16 next year and it still should be so fun for me, and for the rest of my life," Marks said. "It'll be great with no real pressure on me next with no expectations and I've already had the craziest year of my life. I just want to focus on my surfing and develop that while learning as much as I can at these new breaks. I know what my end goal is and however long it takes me to get there -- I'm willing to work for it. To have the opportunity to be on Tour now is just going to make me better that much quicker being surrounded by that level of talent. I just think it'll help me so much and I'm really looking forward to it.”
 
Marks’ Pro Junior career is also something to take note of as she already has two Vans US Open of Surfing Pro Junior event wins, going back-to-back in 2015 and 2016, and will return there a CT competitor in 2018.
 
Marks will join North America representatives and CT veterans Courtney Conlogue (USA), Sage Erickson (USA), and Lakey Peterson (USA) for the 2018 season.
 
Colapinto’s breakthrough to the Top 34 puts him alongside 11-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater (USA), as well as fellow Californians Kolohe Andino (USA), Kanoa Igarashi (USA), Conner Coffin (USA) and last minute addition Patrick Gudauskas (USA).
 

Caption: The ever-smiling, explosive talent of Gudauskas is something the CT hasn't seen in four years.
Credit: WSL/ John Ferguson

Gudauskas sat at No. 13 on the QS and needed a stumble from Ian Gouveia (BRA) during the Billabong Pipe Masters in Loving Memory of Andy Irons -- who needed to win the event to re-qualify. Now two-time World Champion, John John Florence (HAW), eliminated Gouveia in the Semifinals and, with Italo Ferreria (BRA) double-qualifying through the QS and CT, secured Gudauskas’ spot back on the CT after a four year absence.
 
"It was so crazy because your going back and forth, 'Do I watch it? Do I not watch it?' and my initial reaction was just total stoke when it was all said and done," Gudauskas said. "It looked like Ian [Gouveia] was unstoppable and when John [John Florence] got that last wave we all yelled so loud. It's pretty crazy just with the level of surfing right now and it's pretty empowering to be a part of that -- the talent in San Clemente alone is off the charts with Tanner [Gudauskas], Ian [Crane], Griffin [Colapinto] and Kolohe [Andino]. I honestly haven't really thought about the schedule yet too much, but spending time on the QS and watching events, I cannot wait to get back to Pipeline and Tahiti. Those are my favorite places that I remember competing and Tahiti probably gets the top spot."

"It's incredible with the support around me," Gudauskas said. "Just with the Positive Vibe Warriors crew, I feel like we're all on Tour and that this is a win for a lot of people which is really cool to have that backing. It's such a global community and that day at Pipe my phone and emails were just lighting up from all corners of the world so it felt really special. There's a lot of excitement knowing I'll have my wife with me all next year after we spent the year getting her visas taken care of. It was hard to be away so much this year and a lot of the work was on her I felt, so it's going to be an incredible year with her and everyone else around me."

The 2018 North America season begins at the Ron Jon Florida Pro pres. by Florida Sunshine State Lager Women’s QS6,000 and Men’s QS1,500, January 18 through 24 at Sebastian Inlet, Flordia.
 
Griffin Colapinto’s 2017 Counting Qualifying Series Results:
Ballito Pro QS10,000                                – 9th Place 3,700 points
Vans US Open of Surfing QS10,000       – 9th Place 3,700 points
EDP Billabong Pro Cascais QS10,000     – 5th Place 5,200 points
Hawaiian Pro QS10,000                           – Runner-up 8,000 points
Vans World Cup of Surfing QS10,000   – 4th Place 6,300 points
                                                                        2017 QS Rank: No. 1
 
Caroline Marks’ 2017 Counting Qualifying Series Results:
Girls Make Your Move Women’s Pro QS6,000 – 17th Place 1,050 points
Barbados Surf Pro QS3,000                                  – 3rd Place 1,680 points
Los Cabos Open of Surf QS6,000                         – 5th Place 2,650 points
Paul Mitchell Neon Supergirl Pro QS6,000        – 3rd Place 3,550 points
Pull&Bear Pantin Classic Galicia Pro QS6,000   – 2nd Place 4,500 points
                                                                                      2017 QS Rank: No. 7

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