Entries are officially open for the Royal St Andrews Hotel Rip Curl Cup, a World Surf League Qualifying Series QS 4,000 event which is part of the Port Alfred Easter Festival, from April 3 to 6.
The event marks a major milestone for the festival, being elevated to World Surf League (WQS) Qualifying Series (QS) status for the first time in its three-year history.
With QS 4,000 points on offer for the men and QS 2,000 points for the women, the contest stands as one of the most significant competitive surfing events on the South African calendar.
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome the Rip Curl Cup and the Rip Curl GromSearch to the third Port Alfred Easter Festival,” said Justin Bekker of the Royal St Andrew Hotel.
“Hosting the Rip Curl Cup as a WSL-rated event for the first time lifts the festival onto an international stage and strengthens Port Alfred’s standing as a world-class surfing destination.
“It creates a strong platform for emerging talent while bringing elite-level competition to our coastline. We are proud to partner with Rip Curl in delivering an event of this calibre.”
As a key late-season qualifying series contest, the event is expected to attract a strong field of local and international competitors chasing valuable ranking points and momentum.
It plays an important role in shaping qualification outcomes for the WSL Challenger Series, the next tier of professional surfing.
The contest forms part of a broader Port Alfred Easter Festival programme that includes many sporting and lifestyle events, creating a full, long-weekend experience for surfers, families and visitors.
Port Alfred’s long right-hand sand-bottom break at the mouth of the Kowie River and reliable autumn conditions provide an ideal stage for high-performance surfing.
With favourable swell windows and a compact event zone, the location continues to prove its suitability for events at this level.
Surfers can enter on the official World Surf League platform.
Competitors are encouraged to enter early as participation is limited and interest is expected to be high. - Rip Curl SA
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