NSW and WA snap up World Surf League events at the expense of Queensland, despite COVID risks
TueTuesday 16
Snapper Rocks will not be on the World Surf League tour this year.
(
Print text only
Cancel
In a huge coup for New South Wales, Narrabeen on Sydney s Northern Beaches and Newcastle will host two Championship Tour events for the Australian leg of the World Surf League in April 2021.
Key points:
Events at Snapper Rocks in Queensland and Bells Beach in Victoria will not take place in 2021
Narrabeen and Newcastle will host events in NSW, Margaret River and Rottnest will host in WA
Feb 16, 2021
SPONSOR
Today, the World Surf League (WSL) confirmed the updated schedule for the Championship Tour (CT) Australian leg, announcing the three upcoming events in North Narrabeen (NSW), Margaret River (WA), and Rottnest Island (WA). The WSL also announced the cancellation of the 2021 Corona Open Gold Coast pres. by Billabong and the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach.
Australian Leg of 2021 WSL Championship Tour : All tour stops and dates subject to change due to applicable COVID-19 related restrictions, including global travel restric
tions.
Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic pres. by Corona: April 16 – 26
Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro pres. by Corona: May 2-12
We will not see competition on these waves this year. Photo: WSL
The World Surf League continues to deal with every curve ball the pandemic throws at it. This time the League was forced to cancel the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, one of the tour’s most historic events, after an agreement on quarantine could not be reached with the local Victorian Government. The WSL had just announced earlier in the week that the Newcastle Pro had been officially added to the tour. Dropping Bells means there are still three events on the Australian schedule including Margaret River and the Gold Coast.
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach canceled for 2021
February 12, 2021 |
Surfing
The World Surf League (WSL) announced the cancellation of the 2021 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach in Australia.
The professional surfing circuit revealed that it was unable to secure a pre-approved bubble in Victoria ahead of the event.
WSL doesn t go into detail, but it s clear that Covid-19-related restrictions forced the cancellation of the legendary competition.
The event has been held since 1961, when George Ming Smith won the first edition of the Bells Beach Surf Classic.
In 2020, the threat of a global pandemic had already prevented it from getting underway. Unfortunately, we had to cancel the competition because keeping Surf Coast Shire and Victoria Covid-19-free is a top priority, explained Neil Ridgway, brand and marketing manager at Rip Curl.
The World Surf League featured Mikey February in this campaign video for We Are One Ocean, a program that aims to protect 30 percent of the ocean by 2030.