Surfing: Paige Hareb to take part in inaugural Founder's Cup surfing competition

Paige Hareb will compete in the WSL Founder's Cup in May. Photo / WSL

Paige Hareb will team up with some of the world's best surfers as they hunt glory in the first ever World Surf League Founder's Cup in May.

Hareb will join South African duo Jordy Smith and Bianca Buitendag, as well as Michel Bourez from French Polynesia and Japan's Kanoa Igarashi for the event, which was set to be held at the Surf Ranch in California.

The Taranaki surfer told the Herald that she was excited about the opportunity, but didn't actually know it was official until the World Surf League announcement on Monday.

"They mentioned once that I could be in the team, but that's all I heard of it," Hareb said. "But if they've sent that out to the world I must be in the team."

The team's competition will be the first of it's kind and the first WSL competition to be held on the artificial wave.

The American team looks to be the one to beat. It includes Kelly Slater, John John Florence and Carissa Moore who have a combined 16 world titles. However, every team is packed full of talent in what shapes up to be an event surfing fans won't want to miss.

"Everyone there is amazing," Hareb said. "It'll be cool to be around them and maybe learn a bit."

WSL Commissioner Kieren Perrow said the Founders' Cup of Surfing was going to be a really special part of the 2018 calendar.

"We're really excited to be opening up this amazing facility to the public with this teams event. It's something new for surfing, but I think it will be a lot of fun and exciting to see how the world's best surfers perform in this kind of a format."

Hareb was yet to spend any time at the Surf Ranch, but was hoping to have a practice run or two in the lead up to May's event.

It'll be the first of two stops at the Ranch for Hareb this year, with the Championsip Tour stopping there in September for both men's and women's events.

AUSTRALIA TEAM:
Captain: Stephanie Gilmore
Mick Fanning
Matt Wilkinson
Julian Wilson
Tyler Wright

BRAZIL TEAM:
Captain: Gabriel Medina
Adriano de Souza
Filipe Toledo
Silvana Lima
Taina Hinckel

EUROPE TEAM:
Captain: Johanne Defay (France)
Jeremy Flores (France)
Frederico Morais (Portugal)
Leonardo Fioravanti (Italy)
Frankie Harrer (Germany)

USA TEAM:
Captain: Kelly Slater
John John Florence
Kolohe Andino
Carissa Moore
Courtney Conlogue

WORLD TEAM:
Captain: Jordy Smith (South Africa)
Michel Bourez (French Polynesia)
Kanoa Igarashi (Japan)
Paige Hareb (New Zealand)
Bianca Buitendag (South Africa)