WSL Cancels Tahiti Pro Following State Of Emergency In French Polynesia
(Thursday, August 12, 2021) The World Surf League today announces the cancellation of the Tahiti Pro, following the French Government's declared state of emergency for French Polynesia due to COVID-19 and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) moving French Polynesia into a Level 4 zone and advising people not to travel.
Navigating the Championship Tour through a global pandemic has been an extraordinary challenge for the WSL and our primary concern has always been the health and safety of our Surfers, staff, and local communities.
The WSL will not be replacing the Tahiti event on short notice, given the global health and safety conditions at the moment. The Corona Open Mexico presented by Quiksilver will be the last regular-season event of the 2021 WSL Championship Tour season, determining the WSL Final 5 who will qualify for the World Title-deciding Rip Curl WSL Finals at Lower Trestles next month.
Surfers were notified last night that there was an increasing possibility of this cancellation following the High Commissioner and President's press conference where the new protocols were announced, including the suspension of all sporting events in Tahiti. Prior to competition starting today, surfers were informed that the event has been cancelled.
The WSL will continue to work with our athletes and partners on safely completing the remainder of the Championship Tour and Challenger Series seasons and we will adapt as needed moving forward.
The WSL appreciates the ongoing support of our surfers, staff, partners, fans and the communities we visit around the world.
Comments
Current case numbers and deaths are higher than the initial wave, and increasing exponentially.
Am I right Gabby would have won the tour the moment that this was announced if WSL was playing by its old rules?
I think so.
Yeah, except for the Finals at Trestles they could've had another 2001 moment.
10K for a first place finish, yet Gabs is 13K adjusted points ahead of second place Filipe - who's already been knocked out of Mexico.
The WSL would fairly argue this already proves the value of having a finals event.
yes and no.
If Gabe loses at 3ft Trestles despite such a dominant year then it makes a mockery of the "it takes a tour to make a title".
Even if it’s pumping hall-of-fame trestles, any result other than a Gabby win is illegitimate.
Wouldn’t want a one set in a heat type situation… which is exactly trestles. The whole thing just seems woefully bad so Dirk can have his moment
I agree, and could be 12,000 points in front of second place on the day. He got there being consistent all season and on the day of finals, lose to someone below him! I don't understand, sorry
I was just saying the WSL could fairly argue, not necessarily rightly argue.
Most comps have a finals series. Fairness is thrown out the window. In the NRL and AFL, sides now play some teams once and some teams twice. That’s not about fairness.
If sports wanted fairness they would all be like the EPL, every team plays every other team home and away and whoever is on top at the end wins, no finals.
With the WSL, the real test will be if the Trestles event drives higher viewer or media interest. They can always change the structure again if it doesn’t work.
not sure the team sport comparison is valid.
but I take your point.
Case numbers have been dropping last three days. Deaths went 0, 9, 10, 5.
Not quite increasing exponentially, but certainly a significant spike. I'd wait a few weeks to make the 'Exponential' call.
Fair point. I was looking at the 7 day average for case numbers, which shows an impressive J curve. But, the daily stats are a little diff, and equally important (and deaths are much smaller, and thus more difficult to infer a scale from, due to the inherent noise).
Hey Ben,
Fair point agreed - but good on you for putting up real data in a visual way. As visual stories are compelling and easier for most people to digest.
I was talking with a friend in the UK last weekend, the way they analyse their CV19 stats, given that they now have 80% vaccination rates, is by comparing Transmission Rates to Deaths Per Million Rates. The two biggest Transmission Rate spikes in the UK have been August 2020 and then almost a year later in August 2021. The 1st spike was attributed to young people going out over their summer, after being locked down for 6 months. The 2021 spike is because the government opened up the economy, as the 80% vaccination rate allowed them to do so. The quantum of the Transmission Rate spikes, year-on-year are virtually identical. If there's a variation to see, the 2021 Transmission Rate spike is worse than the 2020 one - "exponential" I'd call it. The exciting part is the Deaths Per Million Rate in 2021 is a virtual "non-spike" vs. the 2020 Deaths Per Million Rate - as the 80% vaccination rate acheived over 2020-2021 has meant people don't die at the same rate.
The UK is leading Western Europe in this Vaccinate ~ Recovery rate solution. I'd suggest it's strategically where Australia (and Tahiti) need to be too.
Good on you Ben for starting a sensible, visual dialogue on the efficacy of CV19 solutions on Swellnet, based on real data.
RR
That's good, positive info RR, thanks for sharing mate.
Hopefully if vaccines mean people can still transmit, but not die or require hospitalisation, then we are moving in the right direction.
Covid could be "just another illness", not the killer that it currently is. And we could get on with living again!!
Just to clarify, I wasn't being all contrarian. These daily data are indeed noisy and often get adjusted a few days later (I remember that from following Sweden in the early days of Covid), that's why I suggested giving it a little time.
Something is happening, that's for sure!
You’d just cancel the season and call this year a write off wouldn’t you?
It’s hardly a legitimate season with everything that’s happened.
Felt like a bit of momentum was building through the Aussie leg. But yeah, you're right.
Garn, run a second comp at Barra ya caaarrnts
Puerto would maybe be more of a Tahiti replacement though.
Now we’re talkin
I reckon some of the women will be breathing a big sigh of relief. Possibly some of the blokes too.
JR right on the bubble
Thats really disappointing was really looking forward to that event. You have to give WSL some massive credit for trying extremely hard to give the world some type of world contest for the surfing world to enjoy. Maybe WSL should make Trestles a full contest give everyone a chance.
Im still trying to deal with the blatant obvious ripoff of Wade Carmichael who clearly won his heat against Italo no wonder the Brazilians are unbeatable even when they are outsurfed they still win.
The Chinese really have a lot to answer to and its about time the nations of the world unit and take action to make the rats accountable.
Errr, thanks dad.
Big old asterisk next to this years "champion".
So let me get this right.
If Gab trips over and breaks his toe as he walks down to Trestles and has to withdraw from the event, he will finish 5th for the year even though he is killing it on the ratings?
What other sport in the world treats their athletes with such disdain like this?
This is the most fucked way to crown a World Champion.
Man, don't get me started on Quidditch.
Yes. Thank you for that. Funny chunt!
I don't think he can finish any worse than second given he'll go straight through to the title best of 3 heat decider.
Still doesn't legitimize the championship for me though...
AFL has this set up as opposed to soccer. The finals are a whole new season and no one has come from 8th to win a granny.
You reckon prior knowledge of this influenced Jeremy Flores’ retirement timing?
I really can't see anyone coming from 5th or 4th and taking out the the last event. They will be physically cooked if they made the "final" then have to surf a best of three against a fresh and focussed Gab. Number 2 could cause a upset but my gut is Gab will win it in two.
Yeah, but if hypothetically Gab is injured and can't surf, this format makes a mockery of a World Tour.
Which is why i suspect he wasn't going to Chopes anyway - eg why risk injury.
Go Morgs!
Well that decision probably just guaranteed Chopes will get the swell of the year right in the middle of what would have been the waiting period.
it's been pumping
Saturday looking spicy
https://www.swellnet.com/reports/pacific-ocean/south-pacific/tahiti/teahupoo/forecast
Chopes is pumping right now.
Maybe do a second comp in Mexico but make everyone surf switchfoot to even it up for the goofies
Or just have it at Puerto or Pasquales
Tough break for the Chopes specialists like Owen Wright - especially coming off Mexico where the goofys were at a disadvantage. Is he gonski for next year now? Would be a shame.
If you haven't seen Kauli Vaasts wave/wipeout at Chopes from today or yesterday, go check it out. Nuts!!
There’s some crazy shit going down there atm.
Kauli’s wave was terrifying!
I don’t get how they walk away from wipeouts like his, Fletchers, Rothmans etc
Bigger it gets the deeper it gets? Must help
Was thinking the same GF. How does someone survive that. And imagine the throughts going through his head as he's getting sucked over. Way too much time to think about what might be about to happen. Crazy! I think you're right. More water must help. To a degree!
Yeah it’s nuts.
I’m sure luck must play a part as to where you end up when you come off.
Kinda rolled around mid-water level, spat out the back or pile driven straight to the reef?
haha. I think so far luck has been it.. no one has hit the reef full force at that size. Can imagine it would change the way they approached it if someone had.
Not the exact place you want to find yourself in on Friday the 13th!
Insane!!!
They say that Pipe is the wave that all other barreling surf spots are compared to. I reckon this concept needs a rethink. Teahupoo makes Pipe look like kiddies corner.
That is a void 2nd shot
Here's a unique angle of Matahi's bomb