Crazy Month, Part 3; The WSL Comes To Town

World Class, Manu Bay

The best kept secret was finally announced this Monday. The WCT is coming to Raglan. From May 15 - 25, the world's elite surfers, 36 men and 24 women will compete at Manu Bay.

Jordy Smith will be back to surf the hallowed Waikato Points

It's a massive deal, in every sense of the word. It's the absolute pinnacle of performance surfing. It's a shot in the arm for surfing in Aotearoa, a much needed one. We all will be exposed to a calibre of surfing rarely seen in this country. I witnessed the exponential development of our surfers because of the 3 Raglan Billabong WQS's '95, '96 and '97.

Imagine if the Points fire up like this for May, the free surfing! Print available HERE

To be in the water or on the fabled rocks at Manu and observe the lines that elite surfers will make. Their approach to sections and the speed they are capable of generating, on OUR waves is life-changing. I know that reads verbose, but it is true.

Our very own ‘CT vet and your 2026 O40’s Champ Maz Quinn the other week at Creeks

At the '96 Billabong WQS a 20 year old Maz Quinn placed 2nd, just behind Aussie Danny Wills, beating Occy and Tim Curren in the final. It was a fairytale finish for Our Maz, the split between 1st and 2nd it was even closer than you think too.

Maz; 'I got on a roll in the early heats, and I had the mindset that I know this wave better than any of these guys. In fact in the 1/4 I had Chris Malloy, I saw a point grower, and got an 8 on it. He paddled up to me and said 'I thought that wave was so shit when you took off and you got an 8.' Yeah sure I was pretty intimidated by those guys because they were all in the Taylor Steele movies. But that 2nd placing was a huge confidence boost, that I was at that level.'

Within 4 years of that Maz was our first WCT surfer [since Ratso and Al Bryne].

Please, please May

I would argue that those '90's WQS's had such a far reaching effect on the level of performance in NZ. Raglan became a powerhouse. DK, Emmerson Tucker, Leon Santorik, Luke Cederman, Mikey Banks, Marc Moore and so many more young Raglan surfers were either in or at those international contests. Exposed to world level surfing in their own backyard.

Will the Ledge fire up in the 10 day waiting period?

Haters are going to hate. I'm sure by now you've seen the online keyboard warriors reeking of NIMBYism. Fuck them, this is a good thing. I've seen it before, the crowds will come, local businesses will prosper. And Raglan is no rookie when it comes to crowd management, the annual Sound Splash Festival brings in 8-10,000 attendees. The WQS's in the 90's were estimated at 5x that, and Manu Bay handled it.

Manu Lines… you could have this on your wall if you want check it HERE

The world's best surfers will be in Raglan days if not weeks prior to kick off. I say get your arse over to Rags for the best show in the world.