If you are looking for information about EDP Ericeira Pro, looking forward to watching the World Surf League event in Portugal, want info about the stakes of the competition, or if you ever wondered what it looks like to attend one of the most important WSL Challenger Series surf events in Ericeira, this article has you covered!

How to watch EDP Ericeira from the beach?

The competition takes place in Ribeira d’Ilhas surf spot, and you can check the World Surf League website to see if the contest is on, through their live video. Under the section of the men’s and women’s heats, where you will see which surfers will go next into the water. You can also download their app or follow their Instagram to know if the competition is on hold or not and have a more direct access to all of these infos. The competition can be on hold either when there are no waves or when it’s too foggy -which literally happens every year-, so be sure to check your weather and surf forecast apps before heading to the beach.

Also, be sure to pack with you:

• Sunglasses and sun cream
• Hats or sunshade
• Your towel or a chair to sit on
• Skate, if you want to use the skatepark
• Snack and drinks – you have a nice restaurant but it can super crowded on the weekends and bars are serving at high cost, 7€ for a beer, like whaaaat-
• A trash bag to leave the place clean

When is the best time to go to Ericeira for the WSL ?

To witness the best moments of this important contest, we will advise you to come on the last day (Sunday at 4pm) to watch the men and women finals. This is the most busy day of the year on the beach so if you come by car, be sure to check the rest of the article.

If you prefer chill days, less crowd and more chances to have free goodies by EDP -and let’s be honest, the event hats’ are always iconics- we recommend you to come during the week.

How to park at the EDP Ericeira Pro for the WSL event ?

Every year it’s the same struggle, but there are several options to park (all are for free) on a competition day in Ribeira d’Ilhas:

• Parking 1 – the main & usual: to park there, you might be extremely lucky or a super early bird
• Parking 2 – the land next to the main parking: just take right before the usual parking and park on the grass 
• Parking 3 – for those who want to take the stairs way: if you are willing to go through some stairs – or if you simply don’t want to let your car in a rustic land, your options are; very limited spots in the Miradouro (the closest), at the pizza truck parking (2nd closest), behind Pingo Doce parking (3rd closest), at 58 parking (4th closest) – and yes, it goes until there – Quiksilver parking or Praia da Empa parking (at this point you need to walk 20 minutes).
• Parking 4 – the van lifer dream: stay on the main road and turn a little bit further down the hill, it will put you on a rustic path that ends up on the beach, park a little bit before it on the grass. We recommend this parking if you want to sleep in the surf spot -some event camp there with tents-, enjoy a cool community, barbecues and so on during the whole week of competition! Be sure to let the spot clean.

What is the stake of the World Surf League Challenger Series (WSL CS)?

The Challenger Series takes place throughout the year, across 6 events around the world (you can find the full schedule on the official WSL site), in Australia, USA, Brazil, or… Portugal! When the events are over, scores from all these competitions add up and the top 10 men and top 5 women qualify for the very prestigious “Championship Tour” (CT), which is the highest league in surfing. The CT is made up of 34 male surfers and 18 women surfers, who are recognized as the best in the world. For athletes, qualifying for the CT is a true milestone: they get the chance to surf uncrowded world-class waves, compete with the best, and gain visibility that often leads to better sponsorships. For many, the Ericeira surf competition at Ribeira d’Ilhas is a crucial step toward achieving that dream.

How do a surfer access the World Surf League Challenger Series (WSL CS)?

To compete in this series, surfers need to have already qualified through regional events of the CS, become a world junior champion or have been eliminated from the higher league, the CT. This is why WSL Ericeira Pro brings together both rising stars and seasoned competitors, making it one of the most important surf events in Portugal.