Watch: The Greatest Surf Contest in the World (That You’ve Never Heard Of...)

The World Surf League, and its Championship Tour, is the preeminent home for competitive surfing. It’s like the NBA, the NFL, or the MLB…but for surfing.

However, the WSL isn’t the only circuit circus in town.

And after this season’s curse – in which nearly every stop on Tour was plagued by lackluster surf, and preceded by a pumping swell just before the contest window opened – surf fans need a little breather, a palate cleanser. Enter, the oddly-named, yet always held in pumping surf, Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy.

Held at one of the Maldives best waves, Sultans, the event attracts a who’s who of pro surfers, mostly those either retired from the Championship Tour or don’t bother with it, like Joel Parkinson, Adriano de Souza, Conner Coffin, and Coco Ho.

“This resort has everything. It’s a five-star resort, and it’s also nearby a wave that’s five-star,” said de Souza.

“Today, it’s such an amazing, unique day, because there was a barrel. Also, at four-foot, for me it’s the best size Sultan’s can hold.

“I was watching that wave from Coco [Ho], because I was in the next heat, and I jumped in the water. I saw her in the barrel, and I was like, ‘wow, look at that.’

“Just to be in the water with these stars, I’m pretty sure I’m going to hold onto this for the rest of my life.”

And Parko, who won the single-fin division, said:

“Amazing to be back here. It’s just such a great event. Here at the Four Seasons, it’s just the best holiday. I know we’re here for a surfing event, but it feels like it’s a holiday the whole time.

“The judges were rewarding the tubes. It’s such a nice wave, and as a surfer, you prefer to get tubed. I was lucky enough to find a couple.

“To make the final in the single-fin [division] and get the win after getting a second with Kerrzy last time was really nice. I feel like I’ve put a lot of time and effort into my single-fin surfing.”

Petition to hold more surf contests in waves like this? Anyone?

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