WANNING - Some 48 elite surfers from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, France, Peru, South Africa, USA and Venezuela will be competing for $200,000 in cash prizes as the International Surfing Association (ISA) China Cup got underway on Saturday in Wanning Riyue Bay of South China's Hainan province.

A player practises in Wanning Riyue Bay, Hainan province on Jan 6 before the International Surfing Association (ISA) China Cup kicks off on Saturday. [Photo/CFP]

The four-day ISA China Cup, part of the inaugural Hainan Wanning Riyue Bay Festival, features the finest surfers from the eight qualifying countries, based on the results of the 2011 ISA World Surfing Games.

Following the ISA China Cup, the Hainan Classic, an ASP men's 4-star event with a 95,000-dollar prize-purse, will take place between Jan 11 and 14.

With a lot of world-known bays such as Shimei Bay, Riyue Bay and Nanyan Bay, Wanning hosted the international surfing festival for the first time in 2010.