As the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy (SCT) readies to launch for the eleventh time, event organisers are thrilled to add three final names to this year’s star-studded lineup. Joining the previously announced trio of Brazilian world champion Adriano de Souza and Hawaiian super siblings Mason and Coco Ho at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa will be 2012 world champion Joel Parkinson from Australia, Californian style master, Conner Coffin, and local wildcard and 2021 Maldives national champion Hood “Hoobs” Ahmed.
Parkinson first competed in the Surfing Champions Trophy in 2019 – where he reached the Grand Final head-to- head against Josh Kerr – and can’t wait to bring his family back to create more memories at Four Seasons Resort Kuda Huraa in 2023. “My last time in the Surfing Champions Trophy was so much fun,” comments Parko. The surfing was amazing and I loved competing on all the different kinds of boards. I only hope I can drag my family away from all of the activities at Kuda Huraa for long enough to watch my heats!”
“Reconnecting with Adriano will be awesome, we spent so much time competing against each other at the highest level that I’m really looking forward to hanging out in a more relaxed setting, in paradise with our families. I’ve always loved Mason and Coco’s surfing and seeing them on single and twin fins is going to be insane. I can’t wait to come up against Conner again too. He’s a bit younger than me but we’ve been friends for a long time and now that we’re off tour we haven’t seen each other as much, so to have him in a heat at pumping Sultans will be very, very fun.”
“Parko is the man!” says 30-year-old natural footer Coffin, who competed on the championship tour for six years and finished fourth in the world in 2021. “His style is amazing, and even though I grew up in Santa Barbara, where Tom Curren is king, I always watched Joel’s surfing closely too. The last time we surfed against each other was at J-Bay the year that Joel retired, so it will be really fun to have some heats together again.”
“I travelled with Mason for years” says Coffin, “so to come up against him on a single fin would be insane! Obviously Coco rips too, and Adriano is a world champion so his record speaks for itself. He’s such a nice guy out of the water and I can’t wait to hang, it might be a different story in a jersey though! I’ve always seen the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy and thought it looked like a dream to compete in so I’m super appreciative that I’ve been invited. I can’t wait to soak up all the sights and see what the level of local surfing is like too.”
On that front, the event will also showcase the incredible wave-riding talents of local wildcard, Hood “Hoobs” Ahmed, in his first appearance at the Surfing Champions Trophy. “I’m a very happy, proud Maldivian,” says the
32-year-old goofyfooter and surf guide, who was the Maldivian national champion in 2021. “To compete in the Surfing Champions Trophy is a dream, one I never really thought would come true. Having the chance to represent my country in the biggest event in the Maldives is a huge honour for me and my family.”
“I’m really looking forward to surfing with Joel Parkinson, who has always been a favourite, as well as Mason Ho, whose surfing I find very inspiring. My good friend Hussain “Iboo” Areef competed last year and told me it was one of the best experiences of his life so I’m very excited to be involved, and can’t wait to welcome everyone to the Maldives in August!”
This year the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy will run from August 21-28 at the surfer’s paradise of Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa. Surfers will square off in three divisions, riding single, twin and (thruster) tri fin surfboards before the two top ranked competitors surf off to hoist the Surfing Champions Trophy. Heat times are staggered by age and though vibes will be high at all times, with $25,000 in prize money up for grabs the surfers will be going hard in their heats from start to finish. Stay tuned for more updates from paradise as the excitement levels build leading into August.
To catch all the exhilarating action, surf fans can book the Surf & Spa package, available for the entire month of August. The offer includes a session for two with expert Tropicsurf coaches, a two-for-one offer at The Island Spa, 15 percent off non-suite rooms, in-villa welcome refreshments, round-trip airport transfers, and daily buffet breakfast at Café Huraa. To reserve your stay in this surfer’s paradise, book online, email:
reservations.mal@fourseasons.com or call the central reservations department of Four Seasons Resorts Maldives at tel: (960) 66 00 888.
