The 2020-21 World Surf League is the 44th season of all iterations of the
tour circuit for professional surfers. After the 2020 season was cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...
, limiting international travel between and within countries namely
Australia,
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
,
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, In recognized minority languages of Portugal:
:* mwl, República Pertuesa is a country located on the Iberian Peninsula, in Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Macaronesian ...
and
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...
. The board changed the tour to a wraparound season of 2020-21, which allowed major changes to the tour schedule, with the Billabong Pipe Masters becoming the first round of the tour.
The season also saw some new events introduced due to
COVID-19 outbreaks and restrictions on travel within countries, notably
Australia, who required surfers to quarantine in
Sydney for 14 days upon arrival.
Narrabeen was chosen as a replacement for the Gold Coast, while Newcastle returned to the tour for the first time in 10 years to replace Bells Beach.
The women's championship tour will compete in
Teachupo'o, French Polynesia for the first time in
15 years, while Mexico was added to the championship for the first time to replace the round left vacant by
Jeffrey's Bay, due to the
COVID outbreak in South Africa.
For the first time, the season will end at
Lower Trestles, in
San Clemente, USA, with the top five seeded men and women from the season going head to head to determine the champion at the
WSL Finals. This was put in place after the positive response to the men's championship event in
2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, as well as allowing surfers who had to isolate with
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickl ...
an opportunity to still win the title.
Carissa Moore
Carissa Kainani Moore (born August 27, 1992) is a Hawaiian American Olympian, world champion surfer and activist. She was the first-ever winner of the Olympic Gold Medal in women's short board surfing in 2020. She was also the 2011, 2013, 2015 ...
and
Ítalo Ferreira
Ítalo Ferreira (born May 6, 1994) is a Brazilian professional surfer hailing from a small community of Baía Formosa, in Rio Grande do Norte on the northeastern coast of Brazil. Ferreira is one of the most explosive surfers in the world, and ...
are the defending champions.
Schedule
The championship series will consist of the following events, subject to change due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...
.
Results and Standings
Event Results
Men's Standings
Points are awarded using the following structure:
Women's Standings
Points are awarded using the following structure:
References
External links
*
{{ASP World Tour
World Surf League
World Surf League
The World Surf League (WSL) is the governing body for professional surfers and is dedicated to showcasing the world's best talent in a variety of progressive formats. The World Surf League was originally known as the International Professional ...