World Surf League event coming to Dunedin

From 16-21 March 2027, Dunedin’s iconic St Clair Beach will play host to the World Surf League (WSL) Dunedin Pro QS4000 and Junior Pro competitions. The event will be a WSL Qualifying Series, where New Zealand’s best will take on elite surfers from Asia Pacific to achieve up to 4000 qualifying points.
It is expected about 200 surfers will head to Dunedin to compete on the best city surf break in the country.

Mayor of Dunedin Sophie Barker says the event is an exciting addition to the Dunedin events calendar and will showcase the city’s amazing coast and urban surf break.

“Few places in New Zealand have a main surf beach as central as St Clair. The competition will put Dunedin in front of thousands of fans, over broadcast and in person, who maybe hadn’t considered us for their next surfing holiday.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to see some of New Zealand’s and the world’s top surfers compete right at our doorstep. We look forward to welcoming them and their families and friends to our stunning beaches, invite them to explore our diverse experiences, indulge in our quality eateries and discover what makes our city special.”

WSL APAC Tour Director Ty Sorati says: “The WSL is excited to bring the Qualifying Series and Pro Junior competition back to New Zealand, especially to such a fresh and exciting location as Dunedin’s St Clair Beach.

“Following the success of the Championship Tour event earlier this year, it’s great to continue that momentum and bring another level of WSL competition to the country. St Clair is such a great venue with high-quality waves. We’re looking forward to seeing New Zealand’s best surfers, along with the best surfers from across the region, competing right in the heart of Dunedin.”

Gold Coast surfer and competitor Marlon Harrison says: "I’m frothing. I love New Zealand, it's such an amazing country, and I think my surfing suits the waves really well over there, with the power.

“I'm really excited to see how my surfing goes against everyone. With 4000 points on the line towards the end of the season, it puts everyone back in the ballpark for the Challenger Series, and that's where I want to be. That's the goal, and anything I can get my hands on to achieve that would be amazing. I've never been to Dunedin but the waves look insane and the vibe looks incredible. The people in New Zealand are amazing, and I even love putting on a wettie. Bring it on.”

Enterprise Dunedin Acting Destination Manager Teresa Fogarty says the event is intended to become a regular fixture for Dunedin, drawing thousands of people each time, driving awareness of the city to bolster visitor numbers across the year.

“The plan is for the event to become New Zealand’s premier surf festival. It will include world class surfing, live music, food and drink, ocean sustainability programmes, city activations, community initiatives, as well as the Rising Tides Programme, which focuses on helping grow participation among local girls and young women in the sport.

“Unlike most major sporting events that take place indoors, this competition will showcase our city’s beautiful and vibrant coastal setting. As St Clair will be the only South Island location in the circuit, the event presents a strategic opportunity to strengthen Dunedin’s positioning within the growing surf tourism market, particularly with the direct international flights from Gold Coast, Australia, while building our reputation as a top-level surf destination.”

Surf Tourism is one of the fastest growing areas of global tourism with the current market of $US10.7 billion expected to grow to $US16 billion by 2031. In Australia alone an estimated 700,000+ people surf regularly and the Asia Pacific Zone constitutes 36.7% of the global surfing tourism market.

Due to the significant profile of WSL events, regions that host them often experience significant growth in surf tourism right across the year.

It is estimated the event will contribute approximately $NZ4.16 million to the Dunedin economy on an annual basis, including an estimated $NZ3.05 million in visitor expenditure generated from over 2500 projected visitors, comprising 2000+ domestic visitors and 550+ international visitors.

The event is supported by the Dunedin City Council’s events procurement funding which was approved by Council as part of the city Festivals and Events Plan.

The attraction of nationally significant events is a key action within both the Dunedin City Council's Festivals and Events Strategy and Destination Management Plan, supporting the city's long-term visitor economy and reputation as a premier events destination.

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