Cast Announced for ABC’s “The Ultimate Surfer” Competition Summer Series

The World Surf League announced the cast for ABC’s upcoming summer series “The Ultimate Surfer,” where up-and-coming surfers train and live together as they battle it out at WSL’s Surf Ranch in Lemoore, California.

The two-night premiere of ABC’s new summer series “The Ultimate Surfer” will air at 10 p.m. ET and PT on Monday, Aug. 23 and Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, following new episodes of “Bachelor in Paradise.”

Former NFL quarterback Jesse Palmer is set to host the surf competition series with sports anchor Erin Coscarelli and the iconic voice of professional surfing Joe Turpel to serve as commentators. Eleven-time World Surf League Champion Kelly Slater is the lead consultant and also serves as a special correspondent.

“The Ultimate Surfer” will gather some of the world’s greatest up-and-coming surfers to train and live together as they battle it out at WSL’s state-of-the-art Surf Ranch in Lemoore, California, powered by Kelly Slater’s human-made wave technology, in the hope of competing amongst the best athletes in the world’s fastest-growing sport. Slater will serve as on-air talent and special correspondent for the show.

The surfers competing for the title of “The Ultimate Surfer” this season include the following:

• Anastasia Ashley – 34, Miami Beach, Florida
• Kai Barger – 31, Haʻikū, Maui, Hawaiʻi
• Mason Barnes – 27, Venice, California
• Tia Blanco – 24, Oceanside, California
• Austin Clouse – 27, Jacksonville Beach, Florida
• Brianna Cope – 26, Kōloa, Hawaiʻi
• Luke Davis – 28, Los Angeles, California
• Kayla Durden – 28, Jacksonville Beach, Florida
• Juli Hernandez – 23, Costa Mesa, California
• Zeke Lau – 27, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
• Alejandro Moreda – 35, San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Koa Smith – 26, Sunset Beach, Hawaiʻi
• Malia Ward – 23, San Clemente, California
• Bruna Zaun – 31, Redondo Beach, California

Alliances and rivalries will be front and center in The Ultimate Surfer as men and women compete in individual and team challenges focused on specific surfing disciplines. Weekly eliminations will leave two men and two women as finalists who will vie for the male and female titles of The Ultimate Surfer and the opportunity to compete on the elite WSL Championship Tour, the pinnacle of professional surfing.

Slater’s one-of-a-kind, human-made wave is at the heart of the series.

“The Ultimate Surfer” is produced by Lionsgate’s Pilgrim Media Group and WSL Studios. Pilgrim CEO and President Craig Piligian, WSL CEO Erik Logan, UFC President Dana White and Faye Stapleton serve as executive producers.