Celebrate!
A hot rumor, fresh off the iPhone, and theoretically debunked or proven correct within hours. Maybe even minutes. For Santa Monica’s World Surf League is set to drop a “major” announcement this morning, maybe afternoon, that declares 2020 will kick off this December in Hawaii, likely Pipeline, and roll directly in to the 2021 season as the first event of the “year.”
Whoa!
Ex-CEO Sophie Goldschmidt’s dream come true!
Don’t you recall when she flew out to Honolulu in order to juggle permits and begin each and every Championship Tour at Pipeline instead of ending it there? It all ended very badly with much egg on haole faces etc. but now could it actually be?
Did Covid-19 provide the end-around she needed but bright and daring current CEO Erik Logan received?
Are you thrilled or does it matter a lick?
Chew on that for a few hours, or minutes, before it gets theoretically debunked or proven correct.
Yea but what about the rumor Jack Robbo and Trev have had a major falling out and Jack has eloped with his chickybabe to get married. ..WSL breaking news.
This really could be the best thing in the history of professional surfing. (Canceling it)
why would we bother with speculating on anything to do with WSL these days when we have Mason Ho, J.O.B., Ben Gravy on Youtube, along with Pentacoastal Ch. 11, and anything Inherent Bummer releases to consume these days?…
So surfers are exempt from global, state & territory restrictions that can change at a moments notice?
how could it be “this morning” when you posted this an hour ago which would have been 4:38 PST unless you’re talking about tmw.
Our posting times are weird. It was up at 9 am-ish. The WSL, it appears, is still sleeping!
Anyone else see the irony in Australia returning to it’s penal colony roots?
I guess since we’re re-litigating the Civil War it makes sense that Australia is going back to the 1780’s/’90’s.
All in the name of Progress™, of course.
I’m stocking up on rum to use as currency.,
Smart man.
I believe the last country to use booze as currency was Angola.
How’s that for being in an exclusive club.
i’m going prospecting for gold dust and nuggets – that way forward. Just cant get to Ballarat tho
Let’s be real, no sane country is going to grant Americans or Brazilians entry until at least next summer. I don’t see Hawaii loosening their state restrictions either, hard to compete at Pipe if you have to stay in your hotel room for two weeks first.
All Hawaii has to do is wait a few more months until everything remotely tourist related is gone and they won’t have to worry about people visiting.
I check Zillow every morning to see if house prices on the north shore have dropped yet. Nada
Funny…my wife and I have been doing the same thing.
I would imagine it will only go up. It is great without tourists here.
In two years I only remember one weekend where there was no traffic between Haleiwa and Sunset so I cam only blissfully imagine what it’s like now.
If i was a local Hawaiian i would be doing everything in my power to can the WSl and take back the surf from the invading hoards that have followed on from pro surfing sinse day 1
I don’t know about that. I’ve been on the NS during A+ days and I see a lot of different types of people. Pros, tourists, locals, etc. I think the “expert only” nature keeps a lot of the carnage down. What used to be a glamour shot in a magazine is now Dusty Payne being revived on the beach.
Everything is still fluid but we’re set to open up on August 1 with no quarantines if tourists or returning locals have proof of a negative Covid test within 72 hours of arrival. But with the latest hysteria our opening might be pushed back even further. It doesn’t mean that Hawaii will allow any contests and if so, they’ll be highly restricted. People caught breaking quarantine are being immediately booted out of here like the Samoan bouncers used to with Ben at Wave Waikiki.
(That last sentence was for you Mara)
There are already around 20 countries letting gringos enter.
This is like the world’s longest break up.
“I can make this work! I can move with you! I’ll take that freelance job I’d always spoken about. Fly home every second weekend. It’s doable. I just need more time… I can change. I can make this work!”
There is no way they will be able to hold a tour that resembles anything like the previous one until 2022 at the earliest I believe. Yes they might be able to hold events but not a calendar of them. How can you legitimately hold a world title when lots of people will not even be able to compete? People from all over the world are currently cut off / banned from other parts. It just won’t work. But lets see if Elo can spin us a good yarn anyway to justify his existence and pay packet. I mean this is the guy who has a pool and can not even organise an event in that whilst the rest of the sport-world was shut down. I am not holding my breath.
UFC can do it, but eloprah is no Dana White
At least he will be able to produce more videos about black people surfing
July 8, 2020 – Erik “ELo” Logan walks up to and touches his nose to his office wall. He’s breathing really hard through his nose, or at least he’s trying to, the hot air reflecting off the wall back to his face, giving him a gnarly sweat mustache. He wonders briefly about whether he should grow a real mustache, ultimately deciding that if he did, it would have to be like Errol Flynn’s. ..
“Errrggghrr,” grunts a voice behind him.
ELo turns around to see Dave Prodan wearing a Survivor Pearl Islands Drake Tribe buff over his mouth (“Poopert” is a “G” according to Dave), standing there, camera on tripod, waiting to film.
“Oh, sorry, I was just trying to get focused for our announcement today,” ELo says.
Pat O’Connell joins them in the office.
“I know. (Point to camera) Let’s get this thing rolling,” says Dave.
*Dave presses record and the red light turns on*
“Hi everyone, Erik Logan, World Surf League CEO here to address and impart disseminate information about recent events and upcoming changes taking place at the WSL and Tour schedules we oversee. Firstly, with a resurgence in Covid-19 here in the United States, where we are headquartered, we have decided to cancel all events for the month until August 11, 2020, when we will reassess our schedules. While we know that you all want surfing, in these grim, dark times, we have to first consider the safety of our professional athletes and staff, as well as spectators. While we might not have surfing now, I believe we, the surfing community, will come out of the pandemic stronger and ready to have fun. We here at the WSL are working hard to make sure we can equip our audience with engaging content that really speaks to something positive and reflects who they are as individuals and what we want from society going forward. Through our contest Rewinds, Transformed series, and continued employment of Sal Masekela, we are moving forward to fully satisfy all your needs. We can get there, I know it.”
*Dave turns off the camera*
“Wow, what a bunch of bullshit! I thought we were announcing Pipe?!” yells Pat.
“You know we can’t do that, Pat. It’s too risky. Just kick the can down the road, no one really gives a shit,” says Dave.
“Oh, Patchy, my poor little munchkin buddy, Dave is right. We don’t really know what we’re going to do anyway, so might as well stall.”
“When are we ever going to do anything?”
“Haha good question. I think its best not to worry about it. I thought out of all of us, you would care least about landing a sinecure.”
“I don’t know what that…”
“It means cushy job with no work,” explains Dave.
“Thanks.”
“Anyway, what are we going to do next? I’m really hankering for some El Pollo Loco. Do you guys think we should order and have it shipped to the office?” asks ELo.
“(Pointing at his bag of Flamin’ Hot Popcorn and homemade Monte Cristo sandwich) I’m good,” says Dave.
“No,” sighs Pat.
“No contact deliiiiiiverrrry, though” singsongs ELo.
“Fine.”
“You, too, Prodie.”
“Fine.”
They sit in ELo’s office looking at their phones to see what they should order.
Fine work KVF and how good is El Pollo Loco!
What? Can you please repeat that?
No world champ (s) crowned in 2020. Run a solid Triple Crown, COVID allowing. Women in all three events. Let’s see what they got!
Start 2021 fresh, COVID allowing, wherever that lands. 2019 qualifiers roll over into 2021.
Or something like that.