Published Feb 22, 2025
The inaugural Natural Selection Surf event concluded with Australia's Milla Coco Brown and Soli Bailey emerging as champions after an intense two-day competition in Micronesia. The event featured unpredictable reef breaks and fluctuating swells, challenging a dozen elite freesurfers in a remote atoll setting.
In the women's final, Milla Coco Brown faced off against the USA's Kirra Pinkerton. Brown's dynamic approach and strategic wave selection secured her the victory. Reflecting on her performance, Brown stated, "I paddled out with the mindset to have fun. Kirra has such good power; I knew that I had to step up my game." She also expressed admiration for her fellow competitors, especially Coco Ho, whom she has long regarded as an idol.
On the men's side, Soli Bailey delivered a series of impressive rides to claim the title over Mexico's Al Cleland Jr. Bailey described the experience as one of his most remarkable in surfing, noting, "I just had the sickest day. The ocean gave me some good waves. All the surfers were charging. It was such a special day." Despite the challenging conditions, Bailey's deep positioning and commitment paid off, leading to his top finish.
The Natural Selection Surf event, conceptualized by Travis Rice, aimed to revolutionize surf competitions by bringing top freesurfers to exceptional and uncharted locations. This inaugural event in Micronesia exemplified that vision, providing competitors with the opportunity to explore a new wave in a pristine environment. As participant Noah Beschen remarked, "There were so many unknowns of this place and the wave we surfed. None of us had been there before, and at this point, surfing a new wave is pretty rare—and to score it was special."
The success of this event has set a new standard for competitive surfing, emphasizing adventure, exploration, and the essence of the sport.
Results, stats & predictions provided by: wyldata.com
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Article Sources: https://www.surfline.com/surf-news/different-kind-surf-contest-natural-selection-day-1/216507
Image Source: Natural Selection Tour