The Next Level

Four Seasons Champions Trophy Steps Up.

- Steve England

"It felt like I landed on pillows … I couldn't believe it. It was so smooth. There was no way I wasn't going to make it." Josh Kerr, beer in hand, is beaming having taken out the Champions Trophy in possibly the best final in elite surfing in 2019 with an incredible 'club sandwich' and a 9.93. I do my best to get him to commit to the 2020 QS "You know when you are done." he smiles. "And I'll probably be back on tour soon anyway with this one," indicating daughter Sierra's promising future on the women's world tour.

'Best final in elite surfing' is a pretty big call, notably when it featured a 38 and 35-year-old, but to my mind, Four Seasons Champions Trophy had something special this year, something that had perked my interest. And it wasn't just lobster night and free cocktails at the worlds most luxurious surfing contest. It had some of the worlds most intriguing, stylish and powerful surfers riding different boards while surfing one the most high-performance waves in the world. As far as contests go WSL is kind of losing me and a lot of others. I'm not sure what it is, but sometimes I think it is a lack of individual flair. But then I love the surfing of Toldeo, Flores, Carmichael, Wright and February so maybe it's just the presentation? Whatever it has lost, this comp had it in spades.