Competition suspended at Billabong Pipe Masters after WSL staffers test positive for COVID-19
HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The World Surf League announced Friday that it was suspending competition at the Billabong Pipe Masters after multiple WSL staffers, including CEO Erik Logan, tested positive for COVID-19.
“The WSL is committed to prioritizing the safety of the athletes, staff, and surrounding community above all else, and is working closely and transparently with the Hawaii State Department of Health to determine the path forward,” the league said in a statement on Friday afternoon.
Anyone who tests positive for the coronavirus has been instructed by the WSL to self-isolate until they are cleared, and the league says it has implemented contact tracing protocols.
In their statement, the WSL said it did not believe any surfers had been exposed to the staffers who tested positive for COVID-19.
“We have a significant COVID policy in place,” said Marty Thomas, the WSL’s Hawaii tour manager. ”We’ve been testing all of our staff and all of our athletes, which is up to 300 people. We’ve been doing that every four days.
Thomas said everyone was tested again Friday after the positive cases turned up.
North Shore businesses already hit hard by the pandemic had been seeing more visitors drawn by the big winter swells. But those businesses want to make sure it’s still safe.
“Our locals are our biggest resource, and our biggest concern is making sure that those protections are in place,” said Roxana Jimenez of the North Shore Chamber of Commerce. “We understand that we are on the international stage because of the waves, but we need to protect our people first.”
Thomas is optimistic that the competition will resume.
“We need two days of competition, so once we get through this next round of testing, if everything’s all clear and we get approval from the City and County and the state, then hopefully, we can resume competition,” he said.
The holding period for the Billabong Pipe Masters ends on December 20.
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