Surf’s up! Pro league back in action on man-made waves in Lemoore
For some of the top surfers in the world, competing for the first time since March figures to offer at least a little bit of relief.
The World Surf League will resume Sunday when it hosts the one-day ULTRA Pure Gold Rumble at the Ranch exhibition at the Kelly Slater-built Surf Ranch in Lemoore.
The event will begin at noon Sunday and though it is closed to fans because of the continuing threat posed by the coronavirus, the competition will be shown on FS2 from noon to 2 p.m. and FS1 from 2 to 4 p.m.
In July, officials canceled the 2020 regular season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Plans call for the 2021 tour to start in November in Maui, Hawaii for the women and in December in Oahu for the men, the league office said, pending approval by local government agencies and assuming effective protocols are in place that allow for safe international travel.
For Brazlian surfer Filipe Toledo, competing again Sunday brings satisfaction for him and other surfers.
“”I can’t wait to put the jersey back on,” he said in a news release. “To know we can bring a live experience for fans from the Surf Ranch here in California, in a safe and secure way, is really exciting. It’ll be awesome for us surfing, for our sport and our fans.”
The event will have 16 men and women competing in mixed-doubles team events. Earnings will go to a charity selected by the winning team.
“We’ve missed live surfing and we are excited to bring fans a unique live experience with the Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold Rumble at the Ranch,” WSL CEO Erik Logan said. “Utilizing the WSL Surf Ranch facility in Lemoore, California, we have the opportunity to host this in our own arena, implementing extensive safety protocols to ensure the health and safety of the participants, staff, and local community.”
This story was originally published August 8, 2020 at 2:50 PM.
