2022 ISA World Surfing Games Heading to Huntington Beach

It would seem fitting that the 2022 ISA World Surfing Games would take place in “Surf City, USA.”

For the first time since 2006, the International Surfing Association will bring its premier event to the shores of Huntington Beach, California, September 17–24.

“Visit Huntington Beach, the official destination marketing organization for the city, is ecstatic to host the international athletes, their families, team officials, and fans from all over the world and build on the success of past ISA events here this fall,” said Visit Huntington Beach President and Chief Executive Officer Kelly Miller. “The Huntington Beach Pier has been a historic and iconic backdrop for many sporting events and will now welcome back the ISA World Surfing Games for the fourth time.”

The winning men’s and women’s National Teams at these World Surfing Games will be allocated one Olympic slot each for their respective country/National Olympic Committee. This qualification slot will be in addition to the maximum quota of two athletes per country for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

“With an extra Olympic slot up for grabs for the top men’s and women’s teams at these 2022 ISA World Surfing Games, the competition for the coveted ISA World Team Champion Trophy is going to be epic and the most important ever,” said ISA President Fernando Aguerre. “Huntington Beach becomes the first step in our exciting paddle towards the 2024 Olympic Games. Excellent waves and the strong Southern California surf culture made Huntington Beach a natural choice for this iconic event.”

The World Surfing Games is the ISA’s flagship open championship event, having served as the first Olympic qualifying events in 2019 in Miyazaki, Japan, and in 2021 in Surf City, El Salvador.

The 2022 ISA World Surfing Games will be the seventh major ISA Event held in Huntington Beach, expanding its already checkered history with the sport. “Surf City, USA” hosted three editions of the ISA World Surfing Games in 1984, 1996 and 2006, as well as the ISA World Juniors in 2005, 2018 and 2019.