HIC Pro Returns to Sunset Beach
Vans Presents the 2016 HIC Pro | HIC PRO | VANS
Oahu’s North Shore winter surf season will kick off with a revolutionary lineup at the HIC Pro, presented by Vans, a 3-day event with a holding period from October 27 through November 9 at Sunset Beach. The HIC Pro is a World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 3,000 and the official local qualifier for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.
112 athletes from around the world come together at Sunset Beach, a big wave venue that produces the most consistent heavy water waves in the world. Up for grabs: the HIC Pro title; the WSL Hawaii Regional Champion title; and highly sought-after slots into the Vans Triple Crown.
Fifty percent of the 112-man field is comprised of local surfers, led by Hawaii’s top rated regional athlete Eli Olson (Oahu) and teenage world-beaters like Finn McGill (Oahu), Noa Mizuno (Oahu), Matt McGillivray (South Africa) and Riley Laing (Australia).
Olson will fight to stay at the top of the rankings in order to secure the Regional Champion title, which offers a seed into the top QS events for the following year, as well as this year's 10,000's in Hawaii - the Hawaiian Pro (November 12 - 23) and Vans World Cup (November 24 - December 6).
The HIC Pro will also see the return of Australia’s Jack Robinson, the 18-year old upstart who stormed the 2015 Hawaiian winter with big wave skills beyond his years. From the powerful breaks of Western Australia, Robinson stole the surf industry spotlight in Hawaii last year, reaching the final at the HIC Pro, winning the Pipe Invitational, and being crowned the Vans Triple Crown Rookie of the Year.
Another global standout confirmed for competition is Italy’s Leonardo Fioravante, 18, who caused one of the biggest upsets at the Quiksilver Pro France last week after eliminating 11x World Champion Kelly Slater from the competition.
Tune-in October 27 through November 9 to watch the HIC Pro, presented by Vans LIVE at Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.