The fourth date of the CT is rejected by the Ballina city council and it is becoming increasingly complicated for the world tour to continue its plans in the southern continent.

Yesterday, the Ballina Shire Council voted against allowing a Championship Tour event to take place at Lennox Head. This decision has implications for the WSL's plans to hold the fourth leg of its world tour at this location.

Furthermore, this news is not well received by the World Surf League, which had planned to add another date in Australia, in addition to the three already existing, and thus overcome the difficulties of visiting countries with greater obstacles due to Covid-19.

The idea to hold this event in Lennox Head arose last Tuesday in a virtual meeting between Mayor David Wright and WSL CEO Andrew Stark.

On Wednesday, an extraordinary meeting of the Ballina Council was held, in which the councilors voted eight to two against the World Surf League's proposal to hold the tournament.

The Lennox Head Local Council in New South Wales prioritized the concerns of its own community, which are:

- The threat posed by new outbreaks of Covid-19.

- The lack of infrastructure to hold the event.

- Local surfers will not be allowed to surf the waves at this location for a period of 17 days.

The news of the verdict was welcomed by the people waiting outside the venue for the Council's decision; however, the mayor of Lennox Head himself expressed outrage at losing an opportunity that would financially support the region and the junior surfers who would be wildcards for the event.

This is the second time the Lennox community has rejected a CT date, having previously refused to host a stop in its waters in 2008.

The World Surf League is expected to continue searching for a new location in New South Wales in order to finish the 2021 season without having to make geographical changes that could jeopardize the health of competitors and staff.

Written by: Enrique Hernández

General Management: Marco Montero