The names of the surfers who will compete on the 2017 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) have been unveiled.
The 2017 pro surfing season will have 34 men and 17 women competing in the elite club. As always, there are new faces and the usual veterans.
On the men's side, the 2016 world champion John John Florence will defend his maiden title against a strong field of surfers from nine different nations.
The 2017 CT season has 12 Australian surfers, nine Brazilian competitors, four athletes from the US mainland, three surfers from Hawaii, two wave riders from France, and sole representatives from South Africa, Italy, Portugal, and Tahiti. They are:
2017 Men's Championship Tour | Top 34
1. John John Florence (HAW)
2. Jordy Smith (ZAF)
3. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
4. Kolohe Andino (USA)
5. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
6. Michel Bourez (PYF)
7. Kelly Slater (USA)
8. Julian Wilson (AUS)
9. Joel Parkinson (AUS)
10. Filipe Toledo (BRA)
11. Adriano de Souza (BRA)
12. Sebastian Zietz (HAW)
13. Josh Kerr (AUS)
14. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
15. Italo Ferreira (BRA)
16. Caio Ibelli (BRA)
17. Mick Fanning (AUS)
18. Conner Coffin (USA)
19. Stuart Kennedy (AUS)
20. Kanoa Igarashi (USA)
21. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA)
22. Miguel Pupo (BRA)
23. Connor O'Leary (AUS)
24. Ethan Ewing (AUS)
25. Frederico Morais (PRT)
26. Joan Duru (FRA)
27. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITL)
28. Jeremy Flores (FRA)
29. Jadson Andre (BRA)
30. Ian Gouveia (BRA)
31. Jack Freestone (AUS)
32. Ezekiel Lau (HAW)
Wildcards
33. Bede Durbidge (AUS)
34. Owen Wright (AUS), Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Replacements
Nat Young (USA)
Bino Lopes (BRA)
Keanu Asing (HAW)
Jesse Mendes (BRA)
On the Women's CT, defending champion Tyler Wright is one of the seven Australian surfers competing in the Top 17. There will also be four surfers from Hawaii, three surfers from the US mainland, two athletes from France, and a competitor from Brazil. They are:
2017 Women's Championship Tour | Top 17
1. Tyler Wright (AUS)
2. Courtney Conlogue (USA)
3. Carissa Moore (HAW)
4. Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW)
5. Johanne Defay (FRA)
6. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
7. Malia Manuel (HAW)
8. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
9. Sage Erickson (USA)
10. Laura Enever (AUS)
11. Silvana Lima (BRA)
12. Bronte Macaulay (AUS)
13. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS)
14. Keely Andrew (AUS)
15. Coco Ho (HAW)
16. Pauline Ado (FRA)
Wildcard
17. Lakey Peterson (USA)
Replacements
Bianca Buitendag (ZAF)
Alessa Quizon (HAW)
Chelsea Tuach (BRB)
Isabella Nichols (AUS)
The 2017 Championship Tour kicks off with the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast on March 14, in Snapper Rocks, Australia.