Earlier this yr, Travis Rice introduced an growth of his Pure Choice Tour (NST) to incorporate surf, ski, and mountain bike classes. This week, the surf competitors kicks off at a distant atoll within the Pacific Ocean, the place 12 keen athletes will put every thing on the road. The motion begins at midday Pacific time / 3:00 p.m. Jap on Tuesday, Feb. 18, and can conclude with the finals on Thursday, Feb. 20.
Athletes competing within the Pure Choice Surf competitors embody Coco Ho, Milla Brown, Kirra Pinkerton, Anne Dos Santos, Mikey February, Victor Bernardo, Kauli Vaast, Noah Beschen, Eithan Osborne, Harry Bryant, Al Cleland Jr., and Soli Bailey.
“I heard it might be in a brilliant epic location with epic, primarily righthand barrels, and I stated instantly, ‘that’s precisely the place I need to be,’” Dos Santos stated in a press launch. “I used to be frothing so onerous to compete in one thing solely a handful of surfers would get to do.”
On day one, NST surfers face off in one-hour “as reside” classes. There can be two brackets of 4 males and 4 ladies browsing collectively. The surfer with the highest total session impression will transfer on to the subsequent stage.
The second spherical of classes can be a repechage for the ladies and a semi-final for the boys. The entire male surfers will break into two classes and the ladies into one other. The highest total session impression from the second spherical will earn a spot within the closing on Feb. 20.
Each days of the competitors can be live-streamed on Purple Bull TV and Pure Choice’s YouTube channel.
Pure Choice Surf: Judging
As with the NST Snowboard competitors, athletes within the NST Surf competitors can be judged primarily based on their creativity, danger, execution, problem, and total impression. Judges will contemplate how the athletes strategy waves, select distinctive traces, take dangers with daring maneuvers, execute with model, and reply creatively to the distinctive challenges of every ocean wave.
“It’s about who dominates the session with that simple circulation and elegance,” Ian Crane, one of many judges, stated in a press launch. “You understand who’s ripping — it’s a intestine feeling.”
The lineup of judges is sort of as star-studded because the athlete roster. Along with Crane, who’s a professional surfer himself, Pam Burridge and Brad Gerlach will assess the athletes’ performances. Burridge is called an Australian pioneer of feminine professional browsing. Gerlach, the pinnacle choose, was extensively considered one of many sport’s finest tow-in big-wave riders throughout his profession.
“When a surfer pulls one thing off that’s insane, I need them to know that I noticed it,” Gerlach stated within the press launch. “It’s not concerning the numbers; it’s about recognizing greatness once we see it.”
Find out how to Watch the Pure Choice Tour
The NST surf competitors will happen over 2 days: Tuesday, Feb. 18, and Thursday, Feb. 20. Viewers can tune in totally free on Purple Bull TV or Pure Choice’s YouTube channel. The occasion’s Instagram web page, @naturalselectionsurf, will give followers a peek behind the scenes of the occasion.
Roark, one of many presenting sponsors, can also be presenting the premiere of Pure Choice on the Rivian South Coast Theater in L.A.’s Laguna Seaside on Thursday at 6 p.m. When you’re within the space and serious about becoming a member of that occasion, RSVP on the Rivian web site. Eithan Osborne, Kirra Pinkerton, and Brad Gerlach will host the screening and can be obtainable afterward for a brief Q&A.
The NST Bike competitors can be hosted on March 5 in New Zealand. The Ski competitors is slated for April 26 in Alaska. Keep tuned for more information on these occasions and the way to watch them.
