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ABC Announces Cast for Surfing Competition Show The Ultimate Surfer , Confirms Jesse Palmer Will Host
Kelsey McNeal/ ABC
Cowabunga!
On Thursday, ABC announced the cast of their new surfing competition series The Ultimate Surfer.
The show, which will premiere on Aug. 23, is hosted by former NFL quarterback Jesse Palmer, who also starred in season 5 of The Bachelor. Joining him as commentators are sports anchor Erin Coscarelli and Joe Turpel, the voice of professional surfing. Additionally, 11-time surfing world champion Kelly Slater will serve as a special correspondent.
The surfers, some of the world's best up-and-coming athletes, competing for the title of "the Ultimate Surfer" include:
Anastasia Ashley, 33, Miami Beach, Florida
Kai Barger, 30, Haiku, Hawaii
Mason Barnes, 26, Venice, California
Tia Blanco, 23, Oceanside, California
Austin Clouse, 26, Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Brianna Cope, 25, Koloa, Hawaii
Luke Davis, 27, Los Angeles, California
Kayla Durden, 27, Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Juli Hernandez, 22, Costa Mesa, California
Zeke Lau, 26, Honolulu, Hawaii
Alejandro Moreda, 34, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Koa Smith, 25, Sunset Beach, Hawaii
Malia Ward, 22, San Clemente, California
Bruna Zaun, 30, Redondo Beach, California
Kelsey McNeal/ ABC
Throughout the series, the competitors will take each other on in both individual and team challenges, which will be centered around specific aspects of the water sport.
Every week there will be competitor eliminations — and at the end, there will only be two men and two women finalists left, who will battle for the male and female "Ultimate Surfer" titles. The winners will also be given an opportunity to compete on the World Surf League's Championship Tour.
Viewers will additionally be able to see the surfers take on Slater's state-of-the-art human-made wave.
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Kelsey McNeal/ ABC Jesse Palmer, Erin Coscarelli, and Joe Turpel
"This is an unprecedented opportunity for two surfers (one man, one woman) to win an opportunity to compete against the best surfers in the world on the WSL Tour," Slater said in a previous press release. "This will put some of the best up-and-comers against each other in a more direct way to see who stands above the rest, and Surf Ranch is obviously a great venue to use for 'The Ultimate Surfer.' I'm excited to watch how they step up to the challenge."
The two-hour premiere will air on Monday, Aug. 23, and Tuesday, Aug. 24 (10:00 - 11:00 p.m. ET), following new episodes of Bachelor in Paradise.
