Superbank Destroyed; WSL Forced to Move Snapper Rocks Contest

In an announcement today, the WSL explained the situation at Snapper:

“The stretch of sand from Snapper Rocks to the Kirra groyne—known as the ‘Super Bank’—is famed for producing long, flawless waves. However, after crossing the Gold Coast coastline in early March, ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred has left a deep trough where the famed waves typically break, leaving the iconic super bank and beach without the sand needed to host the upcoming CT event. While the Tweed Sand Bypass System usually helps restore the sandbanks at Snapper much quicker than other beaches, widespread erosion along the Tweed Coast has limited the sand available for replenishment. As a result, while the sand may return in the coming months, it is extremely unlikely to recover in time for the upcoming CT event.”

The new location for the event? Another righthand pointbreak, although not quite as famed as Snapper, yet not far away – Burleigh Heads. Everything else (the comp dates, CT schedule, etc.) will remain the same.

“Snapper Rocks is one of the most perfect waves in the world, and this was an extremely difficult decision to shift locations,” said WSL APAC President Andrew Stark. “Our priority is to ensure world-class conditions for our athletes and fans, and given the state of the bank at Snapper Rocks and the lack of time to replenish the sand, we are confident this is the right decision to ensure the success of the 2025 Gold Coast CT. We are fortunate on the Gold Coast to have another world-class, right-hand point break just up the coast that has a rich history of running elite surfing events, so we will relocate this year’s event to the iconic Burleigh Heads. We look forward to celebrating this event in a community steeped in surfing history. We are grateful to our partners at Experience Gold Coast & Tourism and Events Queensland, who have been so supportive towards reaching this decision. We absolutely look forward to returning to Snapper Rocks in 2026.”