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, limiting international travel between and within countries namely Australia, Indonesia, Portugal and South Africa.^[1] 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.^[2]

Quick Facts Location, Dates ...

2021 World Surf League
Location	Hawaii, Australia, The United States of America, Mexico
Dates	December 4th 2020 - September 17th 2021
Champions
Men	Gabriel Medina
Women	Carissa Moore
← 2019 2022 →

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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.^[3] 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.^[3] The women's championship tour will compete in Teahupo'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.^[4]

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.^[5][6] This was put in place after the positive response to the men's championship event in 2019, as well as allowing surfers who had to isolate with COVID-19 an opportunity to still win the title.^[7]

Carissa Moore and Ítalo Ferreira are the defending champions.

The championship series will consist of the following events, subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[2][8]

More information Round, Date ...

Round	Date	Event	Location
1	December 8–20	Billabong Pipe Masters	Banzai Pipeline, Oahu, Hawaii
2	April 1–11	Rip Curl Newcastle Cup	Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
3	April 16–26	Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic	Narrabeen, New South Wales, Australia
4	May 2–12	Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro	Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia
5	May 16–26	Rip Curl Rottnest Search	Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia
6	June 25–27	Jeep Surf Ranch Pro	Lemoore, California, United States
7	August 10–20	Corona Open Mexico	Barra de la Cruz, Oaxaca, Mexico
8	September 9–17	Rip Curl WSL Finals	San Clemente, California, United States

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More information Date, Event ...

Events cancelled or moved during the 2021 season

Date	Event	Location	Reason
December 4–20	Maui Pro presented by ROXY	Honolua Bay, Maui, Hawaii	Nearby fatal shark attack. Contest moved to Pipeline with Men's event.[9]
February 2–12	Santa Cruz Pro	Santa Cruz, California, United States	COVID-19 outbreak in Southern California, restrictions on public events.[8][10] Originally brought in to replace Portugal.
February 18–28	MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal	Supertubos, Peniche, Portugal	COVID-19 outbreak and restrictions on international travel into Europe.[2][4][8]
April 1–11	Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach	Torquay, Victoria, Australia	Deal with New South Wales Government to quarantine surfers in Sydney.[3][8] Event moved to Newcastle.
May 3–13	Corona Open Gold Coast men's event / women's event	Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia	COVID-19 travel restrictions to Queensland from Sydney.[11][12] Event moved to Narrabeen.[3][8]
June 25- July 9	Corona Open J-Bay	Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cape, South Africa	COVID-19 outbreak of South African variant.[2][8] Replaced by Corona Open Mexico.
Scheduled June	Quicksilver Pro G-Land	Alas Purwo National Park, East Java, Indonesia	COVID-19 outbreak and travel restrictions within Indonesia.[4][8]
August 11–16	Oi Rio Pro	Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	COVID-19[13]
August 24- September 3	Outerknown Tahiti Pro	Teahupo'o, Tahiti, French Polynesia

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