LOS ANGELES, Calif., USA (Friday, June 6, 2025) – The World Surf League (WSL) has officially announced that Jessi Miley-Dyer will step down as Commissioner, concluding over 13 years of influential leadership within the organization.
A former Championship Tour surfer, Miley-Dyer transitioned into sports administration in 2011 when she joined what was then known as the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP). Since then, she has played a central role in transforming the competitive landscape of professional surfing.
Among her key achievements was the historic move to establish equal prize money for male and female competitors in 2018. She further advanced gender equity by helping to unify the men’s and women’s tours in 2022. Most recently, she led the effort to expand the women’s Championship Tour field—an initiative set to begin in 2026—ensuring greater opportunities for the next generation of female surfers.
“With the 2025 regular season complete, and our postseason qualification and expanded women’s field now set, I feel this is the right moment for me to step aside,” Miley-Dyer said. “It’s been the honor of my life to help guide this sport that has given me so much. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together, from raising the level of competition to breaking new ground in gender equality. I’ll always be the WSL’s biggest fan, and I’m excited to see what comes next for both the WSL and our athletes.”
WSL CEO Ryan Crosby expressed deep appreciation for Miley-Dyer’s legacy:
“Jessi has been incredibly influential in competitive surfing, not just as a competitor, but for her vision and commitment to fairness and excellence. Her impact on the WSL and the sport as a whole is profound, and she leaves the organization in a stronger, more inclusive place. We’re grateful for her years of service and wish her nothing but success in what comes next.”
Miley-Dyer’s final event as Commissioner will be the Lexus Trestles Pro, which opens on June 9 at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, California.
The WSL Tours and Competition team will continue overseeing the league’s competitive structure, with a commitment to maintaining elite standards across all divisions and further advancing the sport globally.