2020 Vans US Open of Surfing Canceled Due to COVID-19

The WSL just declared the formal cancellation of the Vans Us Open up of Browsing for 2020.

Disappointing, sure, but predicted news. With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in latest months and situations now spiking in California, Huntington Beach front is not well prepared to host hundreds of hundreds of men and women in six weeks’ time. Not only would it be reckless for spectators, but lots of surfers are nonetheless trapped in international locations the place either the borders are shut, or a 14-day quarantine is essential, equally on the way in and out.

On prime of that, it’s tricky to say if the problem will be improved or worse six months from now. Presently, lots of states which include California are reporting a spike in new infections as businesses and community areas reopen, and a ton can happen among now and August three, when the occasion was meant to get started.

According to Jennifer Lau, VP of Motion Sports at IMG (the enterprise that owns the US Open up of Browsing), “The Vans US Open up of Browsing has normally been about bringing men and women jointly in a healthy, enjoyable and interactive ecosystem, and provided the dimensions and scale of the occasion, we cannot see a way to do that this year without having sacrificing the really thing that makes it so distinctive.”

What does the US Open’s cancellation imply for competitive browsing at massive in 2020? At this level, it would be stunning if the Planet Championship or Qualifying excursions ended up equipped to crown a champion at year’s finish. And which is if they finish up managing any activities at all. Very last thirty day period the WSL declared professional browsing was “on-hold” indefinitely, and while we have not read news 1 way or one more about J-Bay in July, we’re not extremely optimistic. From there, the routine goes Tahiti, Lemoore, France, Portugal and Pipe, but it’s tricky to imagine any of individuals activities managing, apart from maybe Lemoore, and possibly Pipe.

If you are like us, you miss out on competitive browsing extra than at any time, and would be delighted seeing nearly anything at this point—even one more occasion in Lemoore.

This short article at first appeared on Surfer.com and was republished with permission.

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