Salt Life WSA Championship Tour 2015/2016 Season

We are stoked to have a new multiyear title sponsor! The Salt Life brand was created in 2003 by four men who weren’t just friends – they were also avid watermen from Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Drawn by their shared passion for ocean-centric activities, they embarked on a journey to develop a brand that wasn’t just a logo… they wanted it to represent a style of life.

The Salt Life brand strives to effortlessly combine function and fashion with an incredible fit tailored for the active lifestyle. With its relentless dedication to provide gear and designs that transcend, it has successfully evolved into a lifestyle brand with worldwide appeal.

Whether it’s surfing, fishing, diving or simply enjoying a day at the beach, those who live and breathe the Salt Life have one thing in common… the ocean and all it has to offer! The brand is a perfect match for WSA and we are excited to partner with them as our title sponsor.  Check them out at http://www.saltlife.com/live-the-life or follow their Instagram @realsaltlife or on Facebook

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Why WSA?

1. We’ve been doing it the longest.  WSA was established in 1961 by Hoppy Swarts, who is recognized as the father of modern surf competitions.  Hoppy and his friends established the original contest format, competition rules and judging criteria that are the nucleus of every modern surfing event.
2. We are the largest.  Let’s face it, customers vote with their dollars.  There is a reason there is always a line at In-N-Out Burger.  We have 50%  more competition members than any other surfing series on the West Coast.  And that’s not counting our highly successful Scholastic Surf Series surfers.  We listen and we don’t rest on our laurels.  We want you to have fun and leave our events feeling like you received good value for your dollar.
3. We are built on a foundation of solid, fair judging.  We hire primarily World Surf League and International Surfing Association judges and pay them the going judges scale.  We have 3 judges on, one rotating, and a head judge for each area, so we make sure our judges are rested and alert.  Our judging panel is fair and impartial, judging solely on the performance of the surfer.
4. We don’t play favorites.  Competitors are not allowed “behind the ropes” in the beach marshal area.  We don’t allow competitors to tabulate heats.  Almost all of our registration is handled online so heats are seeded in advance according to ratings and competitors can’t come down to the beach and jump into whatever heat has an opening and looks the easiest.
5. We are not intimidating.  Surfing is supposed to be fun.  Our beach marshal and contest director welcome questions and go out of their way to explain how things work.  Our judges are available to answer questions at the end of each day, too.  You can email us at [email protected] and we will get back to you right away.
6. We offer a clear and direct path from your first surf contest to making the USA Surf Team.  Our Menehune Surf Fest is the first event for many great surfers.  Some get their start surfing for their school in our Scholastic Surf Series.  Once you begin winning WSAs consistently, earn a spot and compete well in Surfing America Prime, we don’t hound you to continue surfing WSA.  This gives other kids a chance at making a podium and allows you to surf events that are more of a challenge such as Prime and WSL Pro Juniors.  If you do well in Surfing America Prime, you will make it to the Surfing America USA Championships at Lower Trestles, the highest level of junior surfing in the USA.  Do well at Lowers and you’ll have a chance to make the prestigious USA Surf Team.  WSA alumni who have traveled this path include Colin Moran, Trevor Thornton, Griffin Colapinto, Kevin Schulz, Tia Blanco, Frankie Harrer, Lulu Erkeneff, Thelen McKinna Worrell, Nolan Rapoza, Ryland Rubens, Meah Collins, Steffi Kierson, Colt Ward, John Mel, Malia Osterkamp, Kei Kobayashi, Cole Houshmand, Tyler Gunter, Alyssa Spencer, Tiare Thompson, Nick Anderberg, Trevor Anderberg, Micky Clarke, Rachael Tilly, Kirra Pinkerton, Samantha Sibley, Jett Schilling, and Nick Marshall to name a few.  In fact, out of the 21 west coast USA Junior Surf Team members, all but three got their start in WSA! Former WSA Surfer Tia Blanco just won the ISA World Surfing Championships!
7. We make it simple.  We have one district with nine events plus our West Coast Championships.  Surf five events and you qualify for West Coast Championships.  We count your top five results plus WCC to qualify for Surfing America USA Championships or Surfing America Prime.  We don’t have a two tier system and encouarge everyone to surf both tiers or other small districts that allow competitors to avoid competing with the best to make it to WCC and USA Championships.
8. We keep it fun.  It’s surfing.  It’s supposed to be fun.  Although the competition is serious, we make sure our competitors keep a good attitude and learn from their mistakes.  We encourage families and kids to make friends, enjoy our complimentary pancake breakfast and barbeque lunch, and have a great day at the beach.  Plus our events are held at great surf spots up and down the coast, giving them a feeling of a “surf surfari” with friends and family. Plus we provide hundreds of professional photos from staff photographer Jack McDaniel free to competitiors for use on Social Media (as long as you give photo credit to WSA/Jack McDaniel).
9. We encourage good sportsmanship.  We require all parents to read and sign our Parent Code of Conduct.  We will address bad sportsmanship discreetly on the spot and recognize good sportsmanship through our beach announcer and at the end of the season with our Surf Coach USA Midget Smith Good Sportsmanship Award.
10. We are a true nonprofit.  We are a 501 (c) (3) California nonprofit corporation.  Believe me, we aren’t in this for the money.  Our board and staff put in countless hours for little or no pay to make WSA the best surfing association possible.  Every dollar that comes in goes in to making our events better.