World Surf League returns to China for event at Hainan's Riyue Bay

The World Surf League Men's and Women's Qualifying Series 4,000 opened on Thursday in Riyue Bay, Wanning, Hainan province. More than 160 top surfers from around the world are competing, including athletes from China, Indonesia, South Korea, the United States, Australia, Sweden, Brazil, and France.

The opening ceremony was held at the National Surfing Training Base. Will Hayden-Smith and Ty Sorati of the World Surf League attended the launch ceremony. The one-week event is the WSL's first in China since January 2020.

The competition features shortboard surfing, with men's and women's QS 4,000 and junior JQS 1,000 events. It is being conducted under WSL regulations and international standards.

Alongside the competition, Wanning is hosting beach music parties, a duty-free market, surfing photography exhibitions, public surfing lessons, beach sports, and a food festival. An international surfing judges certification course is also scheduled to be held.

Wanning has hosted surfing competitions annually since 2010. The sport has become a signature feature for the coastal city. The return of this international event after five years is seen as a key step in Riyue Bay's development from a surfing hotspot into a high-quality outdoor sports destination.

Over the past decade, Hainan has hosted several surfing competitions and helped develop local talent. Some of those surfers are competing in this event.

The competition will also kick off the 2026 WSL Asia Junior Qualifying Series. Rankings from this season's junior events will determine qualification for higher-tier WSL world championships.