How It Started
In 2005 the ASP and Rip Curl joined heads to create a first-of-its-kind Floating License to run an annual ‘Rip Curl Pro Search World Tournament’ – a professional men’s contest that will travel around the globe and take the world’s best surfers to man
The first location chosen for the Rip Curl Pro Search in 2005 was Reunion Island's famed St. Leu. The class left-hand reef break turned on for the event, with solid 6-8ft waves making the event one of the best of 05. Australian Mick Fanning won the title, defeating Phil Macdonald in the final.
In 2006 we travelled to a location we dubbed "La Jolla" in Mexico. The result was an amazing event that will go down in history as the greatest ever. Andy Irons defeated Taylor Knox to win.
We landed in Arica, Chile in June 2007, throwing the ASP's best head first into a beast A-frame known as 'El Gringo'. After all the barrels, broken boards, broken bodies and crazy times, it was Andy Irons who tamed the monster.
The Rip Curl Pro Search is an exciting and innovative development for professional surfing. It’s about finding the best waves in the spirit of The Search, which in turn is all about discovery and freedom....
