As surfers disembark and catch a first glimpse at the pristine waters somewhere in Micronesia, the first-ever Natural Selection Surf event is set to make its global debut this February. Mother Nature, the lead character in all Natural Selection events, will choose the days, times and waves for a dozen of the most innovative surfers to compete. The event captured by Natural Selection and Aether Films will be broadcast “as live” on Red Bull TV and YouTube over two days: February 18 and then the finals on February 20. Winners will be revealed during the finals broadcast.
A star-studded lineup of 12 athletes – eight men and four women – have been confirmed to compete, including some of the biggest names in the sport. On the women’s side, the competition features surfing’s brightest stars, including Coco Ho (Hawaii), Milla Brown (Australia), Anne Dos Santos (Brazil), and the dynamic rising star Kirra Pinkerton (USA).
“None of us knew what to expect until we got here and that’s exciting — it’s like…surfing! It’s such a hard thing to organize and put together, so I’m grateful to be here with people who are supporting our sport and making exciting things happen,” said Brazilian/Australian big wave specialist Anne Dos Santos. “These girls that I’m going to be competing against are so good in these conditions. We’re going to push each other and feed off that.”
Among the men, expect to see the smooth style of Mikey February (South Africa), the bold energy of Victor Bernardo (Brazil), the versatility of Kauli Vaast (Tahiti), and the youthful flair of Noah Beschen (Hawaii). They will be joined by Eithan Osborne (USA), Harry Bryant (Australia), Al Cleland (New Zealand), and Soli Bailey (Australia).
“It’s a new format that none of us know much about and we’re in paradise. It doesn’t feel like a contest yet, and that’s why it’s so special and different,” explained Olympic gold medalist Kauli Vaast, from the boat on arrival. “I’m excited to have a couple of sessions with all these legends because they’re my friends. Surfing is a small word, and we all know each other and just to be in the water with them is something special for me. And then especially because there are good waves on the way.”
The Natural Selection Surf event will take place in one of the most remote and wave-rich regions in the Pacific Ocean. The handpicked location offers an array of reef passes and perfect barrels, providing the ultimate canvas for both high-performance surfing and hard charging. Surfers will compete on the reef break of Mother Nature’s choosing, with each offering a unique set of challenges, adding to the unpredictability and thrill of the competition.
Confirmed Surfer Lineup:
Women
+ Coco Ho (Hawaii)
+ Milla Brown (Australia)
+ Anne Dos Santos (Brazil)
+ Kirra Pinkerton (USA)
Men
+ Mikey February (South Africa)
+ Victor Bernardo (Brazil)
+ Kauli Vaast (Tahiti)
+ Noah Beschen (Hawaii)
+ Eithan Osborne (USA)
+ Harry Bryant (Australia)
+ Al Cleland (New Zealand)
+ Soli Bailey (Australia)
Dos Santos continued, “I looked around yesterday and I was like, ‘Wow, everyone’s so uniquely themselves. This is so cool. This is exactly where I want to be.’ No one is copying and pasting the same approach, everyone’s here because they’re different and we all acknowledge that and respect that.”
Fans worldwide can catch the innovative format and progressive surfing on Red Bull TV and YouTube starting February 18 and February 20. Natural Selection Surf will then be available to stream on both platforms for free and on-demand following the premiere. Be sure to tune in to catch all the action from this landmark event. And follow @naturalselectionsurf on Instagram to see behind-the-scenes action from now through mid-February. More details on the innovative judging and competition format will be released in the coming weeks.
About Natural Selection Tour
Founded by pro snowboarder Travis Rice, the Natural Selection Tour showcases fan’s favorite athletes in snowboarding, skiing, mountain biking, and surfing. Pushing the boundaries of competitive action sports, the Natural Selection Tour is committed to highlighting the natural world’s most spectacular and challenging venues, with each event designed to test athletes’ skills in unique and progressive ways.
Natural Selection Surf represents the next step in this journey, blending innovation and progression with an emphasis on environmental sustainability and community engagement. The Micronesia event is just the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the Tour in surf.
