The 7th Annual O’Neill Surfing Hainan Open, the longest running surf competition in China, will be held this November at Riyue Bay in Hainan. Global surf brand O’Neill will return as the presenting sponsor. The event is organized by the Riyue Bay Surf Club, the largest surf club in China.
The O’Neill Surfing Hainan Open has long been the proving grounds for Chinese surfers, and has been a representation of the growing surf scene in the world’s most populous country. The first competition in 2008 had just two Chinese surfers, while organizers expect 80% of the approximately 50 competitors this year to be Chinese nationals.
The competition will feature six divisions – Men’s Shortboard, Women’s Shortboard, Men’s Longboard, Women’s Longboard, 16 & Under’s, and Mixed Stand Up Paddleboard.
There will be over 11,000 CNY in prize money, spread across the divisions, as well as goods awarded from the sponsors. The ASP has confirmed that four wildcard slots will be made available to the top Chinese surfers to the competitions that will follow in the fall. – two for the Hainan Classic Men’s Shortboard competition, one for the Women’s Longboard World Title competition, and one for the Men’s Longboard World Title competition.
In addition to the 50-plus competitors, event organizers expect two to three hundred spectators to come to the beach for the event. In addition to being an excellent competition, the event is also arguably Hainan’s best annual beach party.
The competition will begin on the morning of Saturday, November 8th, and continue all day. There will be a party at the Riyue Bay Surf Club on Saturday evening, with a DJ from the United Kingdom. Competition will resume on Sunday morning, and conclude in the early afternoon, with the prize giving ceremony taking place directly afterwards.
