The 2021 WSL Championship Tour will see key format changes:
‘The WSL Finals’: The men’s and women’s World Titles will be decided in a single-day event, ‘The WSL Finals’. The top five women and top five men following the 10-event CT season will battle for their respective titles in a new surf-off format at one of the world’s best waves
Equal number of women’s and men’s CT events: The 2021 CT will include 10 events each for both the women and the men, an equal number of events for the first time ever, with the women joining the men to surf at Teahupo’o, Tahiti, one of the world’s most iconic and demanding waves, for the first time since 2006.
Seasonality of the tour: In addition to the redesign of the CT, the schedule will be updated to create distinct seasons between the CT and the Challenger Series (CS). Starting in 2021, the CS will run from August through to December. The QS will run through to the end of June 2021 and determine who has qualified for the Challenger Series. Points from QS events that were completed in 2020 will carry over into 2021. For athlete information on the Qualifying Series and the Challenger Series please see the competitor’s FAQ page.
This evolution has been part of a multi-year discussion, and the final design is a collaboration between the athletes, partners, and the WSL.
2021 Championship Tour Season*:
*All events and dates subject to change due to applicable COVID-19 related restrictions, including global travel restrictions.
Shiseido Maui Pro presented by ROXY: Maui, Hawaii | November 25 – December 6, 2020
Billabong Pipe Masters: Oahu, Hawaii | December 8 – 20, 2020
MEO Pro Portugal: Peniche, Portugal | February 18 – 28, 2021
Corona Open Gold Coast presented by Billabong: Queensland, Australia | March 18 – 28, 2021
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: Victoria, Australia | April 1 – 11, 2021
Margaret River Pro: Western Australia, Australia | April 16 – 26, 2021
Oi Rio Pro presented by Corona: Saquarema, Brasil | May 20 – 29, 2021
Surf Ranch Pro: California, USA | June 10 – 13, 2021
Quiksilver Pro G-Land: Indonesia | June 20 – 29, 2021
Corona Open J-Bay: South Africa | July 4 – 13, 2021
Outerknown Tahiti Pro: Teahupo’o, Tahiti | August 16 – 25, 2021
The WSL Finals: Location TBD | September 8 – 16, 2021
The enhancements to the 2021 CT began with the timing of the WSL Finals, causing subsequent adjustments to some Tour locations. Due to optimal wave timing, the Championship Tour will no longer include Hossegor. However, the WSL, in close partnership with Quiksilver and ROXY, are committed to the region and look forward to hosting an important Challenger Series event in France in 2021.
