For what seemed like an eternity the WSL has maintained silence regarding the fate of the tour under the uncertainty of Covid 19. However, today inboxes throughout the surfing world chimed in unison as a press release arrived from the organisation’s Santa Monica HQ.
‘World Surf League Reveals Finals Location, Confirms Season Start’, read the subject line.
Eager to find out which venue would be hosting the first-ever World Championship deciding finals series, we all dived in.
Lower Trestles.
Hmm, ok.
Lower Trestles.
Well, we did all beg and bay for the return of the Californian wave to the tour.
Lower Trestles.
Well, it’s pretty good… I guess. Hmm.
Perhaps we’ve all had too long to dream of JJF, Gabby and Italo battling it out at 10 ft HT’s or Kandui or Macaronis during a star-studded boat-trip through the Mentawai Islands. I’ve got to be honest and say it felt a little deflating to know the world title will be decided in four-foot beachies.
You know who’s not deflated … Filipe Toledo. Right now he’s a helium balloon bouncing off the ceiling at this news.
Slight disappointment aside, you’ve got to hand it to the WSL for managing to put all of this in place in spite of the fuckery Covid has made of International travel. The logistics must’ve been mind-melting.
The press release also announced the confirmed starting of the 2021 season.
It all begins with the women at Honolulu Bay, The Maui Pro window open between December 4-15.
For the men, the 50th edition of the Pipe Masters will take place between 8-20th of December.
In addition to this, the WSL also announced its return to Sunset Beach. Which we are quietly chuffed with. Sunset can be fluky, but the cream usually always rises to the top out there and it’s usually an entertaining watch.
The Sunset open will also see both the men and women competing, and it will run between January 19-28, 2021.
And that’s not it. In a somewhat surprising move, the 2021 tour will also be making a stop at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz. We’re not exactly sure why, but there you go. The event will take place between February 2-12, 2021.
And that was it. Well, apart from a large asterisk at the bottom which read, ‘All tour stops and dates subject to change due to applicable COVID-19 related restrictions, including global travel restrictions.’
Time will tell if that comes into play.
