The Gold Coast Bulletin

NEW WAVE FOR SURF

Pro tours won’t start on Coast

- NICHOLAS MCELROY nicholas.mcelroy@news.com.au

THE Quiksilver and Roxy pros will no longer be the start of the World Surf League under a radical revamp from 2019.

Surfing bosses say a new leg from the sport’s spiritual home, Hawaii, will be introduced to kickstart the season.

However, sources said the Gold Coast leg was likely to remain in its usual slot in March.

The tour would be shortened two months and surfers would have the chance to compete in a “grand-final” event in the wave-rich Indonesian Mentawai Islands in September.

THE Quiksilver and Roxy pros will no longer be the start of the World Surf League under a radical revamp from 2019.

The Gold Coast leg of the prestigiou­s tour has traditiona­lly started the new season.

However, surfing sources say that will change with the introducti­on of a new leg from the sport’s spiritual home, Hawaii.

The starting point of the year would be in Hawaii some time in February.

Sources said the Gold Coast leg was likely to remain in its usual slot in March.

A meeting announcing the changes – held between elite surfers, sponsors, the WSL and the organisati­on’s billionair­e owner Dirk Ziff – was held before the Hurley Pro at in California last month.

However, the elite surfing community has closed ranks with regards to these changes due to fear of backlash from the sport’s powerbroke­rs.

The tour would be shortened from 10 months to eight and surfers would have the chance to compete in a “grand-final” event in the wave-rich Indonesian Mentawai Islands in September.

The Queensland Government, which tips in the bulk of the cash to host the Quiksilver Pro, has locked in the event for next year and is understood to be negotiatin­g for future Gold Coast events.

Tourism and Events Queensland were this week reluctant to give details about whether they had been contacted by the WSL about the changes or the future of the event estimated to be worth $20 million to the local economy.

“This event is not only important to the tourism industry, but ensures we continue to grow the reputation of the Gold Coast as a world-class surfing destinatio­n,” Tourism and Major Events Minister Kate Jones told the Bulletin.

She said the State had long supported the Quiksilver Pro and Roxy Pro at Snapper Rocks because of the return on their investment.

“Every year our beaches are beamed across the world while thousands make their way to Queensland from around the world to see the best surfing live on the Gold Coast,” Ms Jones said.

The WSL has not responded to requests for informatio­n since the California meeting.

Last week Coolangatt­a-based WSL deputy commission­er Renato Hickel confirmed the reshuffle with Portuguese media.

“In 2019, the plan is to start the season in February in Hawaii and end in September in Tahiti,” Hickel said.

“Followed by a special event, in which the five or six (of the) best male ranking and the top three or four of the female would decide the world title.

“This event would, in principle, be in Indonesia.”

The Portugal event, which finished this week, will remain.

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 ?? Picture: WSL ?? Fans will still see surfers like Mick Fanning in the Coast Quiksilver Pros from 2019, but the event won’t start the season.
Picture: WSL Fans will still see surfers like Mick Fanning in the Coast Quiksilver Pros from 2019, but the event won’t start the season.

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