Each year the surfing world focuses its attention on the beginning of the ASP's world championship tour.  The Quiksilver Pro at the Gold Coast, then the Easter time Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, gain most of the attention.  However, whilst these events receive the media build up, there are hundreds of surfers working their way up the ratings on the WQS.  Coming towards the end of the first 3 months of the year, we thought we would take a look at how the World Qualifying Series (WQS) is shaping up.
 
The beauty of the WQS is that it takes into consideration the events of the past 12 months in its ratings for the surfers. So even though the ASP's dreamtour may start from the beginning of the year, the WQS is continuously renewing it's ratings from a surfers results of the past year.  
 
 
Currently the ASP is looking to set new change over times, where the present top 32 surfers who are on the dreamtour would be replaced by the top 32 on the WQS.  This could happen at any point in the year, and would mix things up a lot more for the surfers on tour.  Suddenly the Prime and Star events are a lot more important for competitors.
 
So how are the rankings at the moment?  Obviously the dreamtour surfers are doing brilliantly and dominate the top 32 spots in the world.  However, there are some exceptions to the rule.  Australian surfer Daniel Ross is still within the cut off, placing 30th in the rankings.  If the top 32 where to be switched over today, he would be placed and we would loose Raoni Monterio (BRA) who is 35th in the ratings.
 
However, just outside of the cut off point lie some very talented and significant surfers such as Lopez,Cory (USA), Whitaker,Tom (AUS), Larsen,Granger (HAW), Atkinson,Dion (AUS), Powers,Roy (HAW), Kerr,Josh (AUS) and Aranburu,Aritz (EUK) all of whom could break into the top 32 with the right Prime or Star event score.  
 
 
Last month we saw top dreamtour rookie Alejo Muniz (BRA) win the Hang Loose Pro (6* Prime), and Taj Burrow (AUS) retain his title at the Breaka Burleigh Pro (4*), keeping their rankings strong.  This month has witnessed rising WQS surfer Dion Atkinson (AUS) win the Burton Toyota Pro (4*).  However, the Vans Pier Classic at Huntington Beach, USA and the O'Neill Coldwater Classic in Gisbourne, New Zealand, are still to come this month.  WQS competitors still have everything to compete for, as the change over could happen at anytime depending on what the ASP council decides.
 
The great thing about the new structure is that even the best surfers in the world, will be keeping their points topped up but appearing in smaller WQS events.  So more chance for us to see them compete around the world.

 
Look out for a real scrummage at the both the Vans Pier Classic and the O'Neill Cold Water Classic that both on 23rd March.