World Surf League cancels 2020 season
SHOWS:
NAZARE, PORTUGAL (FILE - FEBRUARY 15, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
1. PEOPLE STANDING ON MOUNTAIN WATCHING BIG WAVE SURFER AT WORLD SURF LEAGUE COMPETITION
LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (JULY 17, 2020) (WORLD SURF LEAGUE - ACCESS ALL)
2. (SOUNDBITE)(English) WORLD SURF LEAGUE CEO ERIK LOGAN SAYING:
"2020 has been a challenging year, inside and outside of surfing. After careful consideration and extensive discussions with key stakeholders, we have made the decision to cancel the 2020 Championship Tour and Qualifying Series seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic."
NAZARE, PORTUGAL (FILE - FEBRUARY 15, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
3. FINALS ACTION AT NAZARE COMPETITION
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (JULY 17, 2020) (WORLD SURF LEAGUE - ACCESS ALL)
4. (SOUNDBITE)(English) WORLD SURF LEAGUE CEO ERIK LOGAN SAYING:
"While we firmly believe that surfing is amongst the sports best suited for competition to be held safely during the age of unresolved COVID, the current complexities of international travel and the uncertainty of travel in the future have compromised our 2020 season."
5. WHITE FLASH
6. (SOUNDBITE)(English) WORLD SURF LEAGUE CEO ERIK LOGAN SAYING:
"The 2021 CT (Championship Tour) is scheduled to start with our 2020 Hawaiian events at Honalua Bay and Pipeline in November and December of this year. Now this reframing of our Championship Tour moving forward is designed to ensure the world's best surfers are competing in the world's best waves leading to a conclusion of what we are now calling the WSL Finals. Our new single day world title event."
BANZAI PIPELINE, HAWAII, UNITED STATES (FILE) (WORLD SURF LEAGUE - ACCESS ALL)
7. FILE VIDEO FROM WSL PIPELINE MASTERS EVENT
LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES. (JULY 17, 2020) (WORLD SURF LEAGUE - ACCESS ALL)
8. (SOUNDBITE)(English) WORLD SURF LEAGUE CEO ERIK LOGAN SAYING
"Following the kickoff in Hawaii, the 2021 Championship Tour will then travel to Portugal, Australia, Brazil, California, Indonesia, South Africa, and Tahiti before we finish the WSL finals in September of 2021."
NAZARE, PORTUGAL (FILE - FEBRUARY 15, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
9. CAMERAPEOPLE AND FANS AT WSL BIG WAVE SURFING NAZARE EVENT
10. MORE FINALS ACTION AT BIG WAVE SURFING EVENT
STORY: The World Surf League (WSL) officially cancelled the remaining Champions Tour for 2020. The decision was announced by WSL CEO Erik Logan in a video released on Friday (July 17). Logan cited the health and safety of athletes, fans, employees, local communities and the challenges of international travel as the reason for the decision.
"After careful consideration and extensive discussions with key stakeholders, we have made the decision to cancel the 2020 Championship Tour and Qualifying Series seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic," said WSL CEO Erik Logan in a video released on WSL channels today. "While we firmly believe that surfing is amongst the sports best suited for competition to be held safely during the age of unresolved COVID, we have huge respect for the ongoing concerns of many in our community as the world works to resolve this," Logan said.
The 2021 tour will start in November 2020 in Maui, Hawaii for the women and in December 2020 in Oahu, Hawaii for the men, subject to the approval of the State of Hawaii and local government agencies, as well as effective protocols that allow for safe international travel. The 2021 CT season will finish with 'The WSL Finals,' a new single-day World Title Event in September 2021.
(Production: Peter Bullock)
2021 Championship Tour Season*:
*All events and dates subject to change due to applicable COVID-19 related restrictions, including global travel restrictions.
Shiseido Maui Pro presented by ROXY: Maui, Hawaii | November 25 - December 6, 2020
Billabong Pipe Masters: Oahu, Hawaii | December 8 - 20, 2020
MEO Pro Portugal: Peniche, Portugal | February 18 - 28, 2021
Corona Open Gold Coast presented by Billabong: Queensland, Australia | March 18 - 28, 2021
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: Victoria, Australia | April 1 - 11, 2021
Margaret River Pro: Western Australia, Australia | April 16 - 26, 2021
Oi Rio Pro presented by Corona: Saquarema, Brasil | May 20 - 29, 2021
Surf Ranch Pro: California, USA | June 10 - 13, 2021
Quiksilver Pro G-Land: Indonesia | June 20 - 29, 2021
Corona Open J-Bay: South Africa | July 7 - 19, 2021
Outerknown Tahiti Pro: Teahupo'o, Tahiti | August 26 - September 6, 2021
The WSL Finals: Location TBD | September 8 - 16, 2021