Competitive surfing scores individual rides for difficulty, innovation, manoeuvres, speed, power and flow. Athletes face each other in heats and choose for themselves which waves to ride.
In a heat the two highest single-wave scores are added together. The higher combined score wins the heat; events and season points build the tour rankings.
Surfboard with leash · wetsuit or rashguard depending on conditions · wax and fins
A heat usually runs 25–40 minutes, depending on the round and the conditions.
The 2026 WSL Championship Tour starts with 36 men and 24 women; during a contest the rankings are updated live after every heat.
| League | Teams | People |
|---|---|---|
| WSL Championship Tour – Men | – | 35 |
| WSL Championship Tour – Women | – | 23 |