DUE to the continued evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Surf League (WSL) is postponing or cancelling all events, at all levels of competition, through the end of May.
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This includes the postponement of the remainder of the events in the Australian leg of the Championship Tour, Bells Beach and Margaret River - affecting Culburra Beach siblings Owen, Tyler and Mikey Wright as well as Gerroa's Sally Fitzgibbons.
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The WSL Big Wave awards, involving Ulladulla Russell Bierke, has also be postponed.
The Quiksilver Pro G-Land - scheduled to take place in a remote part of Indonesia in June - will either be cancelled or moved to an area with more infrastructure.
While full details about the impact these changes will have on the 2020 Tour are not yet available, the WSL is working diligently to land the best solution for surfers and fans alike.
Despite all this uncertainty, WSL's CEO Erik Logan has a message to all the fans and supporters.
"We have every intention of commencing the 2020 Championship Tour season, and all our tours, as soon as possible," Logan said.
"We are already hard at work doing scenario planning for what a reimagined 2020 tour might look like."
The current and quickly evolving changes to international travel are making it extremely challenging to determine an appropriate time to recommence and get surfers to and from event locations safely.
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"I'm a fan, like you, and I want to see the world's best surfers battle it out on the best waves in the world," Logan said,
"However, the WSL's primary concern right now is for the health and safety for our athletes, fans and global employees."
Based on the information the WSL is receiving from global experts and agencies regarding the pandemic, June feels like the most likely time to kick off the 2020 season safely, thus the decision.
"We are a truly global sport," Logan said.
"Moving tours and events between countries is challenging under the best of conditions.
"Under current circumstances, it's just not possible, and will not be for some time to come.
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"As a league that organizes public gatherings, we are also extremely conscious of our social responsibility not to enable and accelerate the spread of the virus."
In the meantime, the WSL is continuing to drive new and fresh surfing content through all of its channels.
The WSL is also engaging fans to share how they would like to see the WSL celebrate surfing during a time when we need to see and experience more of what we love.
"The love of surfing is the bond that holds our global community together," Logan said.
"We want to share positivity during these anxious times, by continuing to celebrate that bond, and our shared passion for this sport, the ocean, our athletes and one another."
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