After two weeks of huge swell at the competition in Margaret River, the World Surf League Championship Tour is heading to Rottnest Island, marking the first time Western Australia has hosted two world surfing events in the same year.
Supported by the McGowan Government, through Tourism WA, the Rip Curl Rottnest Search will kick off on May 16, and follows the world-famous Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro.
It's the first time Rottnest Island has been included in the tour, with the 10-day broadcast-only event to be held at Strickland Bay on the west side of the island - a location which has a reputation for consistently good waves.
The championship event will be promoted online and through a global television broadcast, with material to highlight the appeal of Rottnest Island as a must-visit surf and holiday destination.
The coverage will target Western Australia's key international tourism markets, including the USA, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the UK and Indonesia.
In December, the McGowan Government, through Tourism WA, successfully negotiated for the Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro to remain on the World Surf League Championship Tour until 2024.
The State Government has been a proud sponsor of the Margaret River Pro for more than 30 years.
The Rip Curl Rottnest Search is a special one-off event. It will be held at Strickland Bay from May 16 to 26.
Although Rottnest Island will remain open for visitors while the competition is held, spectators will not be able to access the event site at Strickland Bay in order to limit environmental impacts to the island.
As stated by Tourism Minister David Templeman:
"Staging two WSL World Championship tour events in WA this year presents a fantastic opportunity for our State, with striking footage of the South West and Rottnest Island broadcast to millions of viewers around the globe both online and on television.
"This history making event on the island paradise - Rottnest, will put our State firmly in the surfing spotlight not just in WA, but around the world, and follows the Margaret River Pro's success showcasing the South West region.
"This year, the Margaret River Pro attracted a strong crowd, with the maximum number of permitted spectators heading to the shore to get their spot early each day of the competition, and large audiences tuning into the livestream of the event online.
"Together, the two elite-level surfing events help to keep the holiday destinations front of mind for people for when the time is right to travel again, through the WSL's global broadcast and social media activity."
