Covid 19 coronavirus: Piha Pro no longer going ahead at later date, World Surf League cancels event

Kiwi surfing fans will have to wait until 2021 for the inaugural Piha Pro.

After the event was cancelled just a day before it was due to start in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, the World Surf League has announced the competition will not take place in 2020.

Initially, the plan was to reschedule the contest for a later date in 2020, however the decision was made to move on and look ahead to the 2021 event instead.

"It was an extremely difficult but necessary decision to postpone the Corona Piha Pro event only one day before it started due to the Covid-19 Pandemic," WSL Asia Pacific general manager Andrew Stark said.

"At the time we felt confident to be able to postpone the event until later this year, but
after much consideration by all key stakeholders, we feel the right decision is to formally
cancel the event for 2020. We are now focused on delivering the event in 2021 and we
sincerely appreciate the New Zealand Major Events' and Auckland Tourism, Events and
Economic Development's support of this decision and for their broader assistance
throughout a very difficult period."

The 2020 event would have seen the World Surf League return to New Zealand for the first time since 2015, when one of the major events on the women's qualifying series was hosted in Taranaki.

A strong field had signed on for both the men's and women's draws for this year's Piha Pro, including 11-time men's world champion Kelly Slater, reigning women's world champion Carissa Moore, and 2015 men's world champion Adriano de Souza.

Some competitors were already in New Zealand for the event, including Pauline Ado of France who decided to remain in New Zealand and is spending lockdown with Kiwi surfer Paige Hareb in Taranaki.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website