Live Coverage: WCT surfers warming up in Chile for Rip Curl Pro Search

Rip Curl Pro Search

WCT surfers hit Chile to warm up for Rip Curl Pro Search

18 June, 2007 : - -  As you know - the Rip Curl Pro Search world tour surfing event has seen amazing success in the last two years (2005 in Reunion Island and 2006 'Somewhere in Mexico')... Well, Rip Curl has spiced things up by taking the Foster's ASP World Tour to the northern tip of Chile, setting up the contest on Ex-Isla Alacran (Scorpion Island) in Arica, Chile.

First things first - the town of Arica is pretty special. Formerly part of Peru, Arica became part of Chile just over 100 years ago and there are approximately 150,000 people living here today. Fishing is a heavy focus and Ex-Isla Alacran was actually a solo island until the locals built a joining road from the mainland, creating a port on the north side for fishing boats.

Keiran Perrow : photo Warbrick/Rip Curl

The wave chosen for this year's contest breaks off the west side of the island and is nicknamed "The South American Pipeline". Check out the attached pics and you'll see why...  On an epic day, it actually looks like the evil child spawn of Mr Pipeline and Mrs Teahupoo (if they were to get jiggy with it...). With a 10-15ft swell forecast for the start of the event, we should see first hand soon.