The WSL shocked the surfing world during the live broadcast of the Barra de la Cruz CT with the news that it had cancelled the Tahiti leg due to the number of Covid cases on the island having increased dramatically.

The statement said the French government had placed the country under a state of emergency and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had placed it on a Zone 4 risk list, advising people not to travel there.

“The WSL will not be replacing the event at short notice, given the global health and safety situation at this time,” the statement added, stressing that this event will be the last of the regular season and will determine the top 5 who qualify for the grand final.

The map of cases in Tahiti shows that they are at their worst since the pandemic began, averaging 650 new cases per day in the last week:

This decision meant that the five finalists have already been determined: Carissa Moore, Sally Fitzgibbons, Johanne Defay, Steph Gilmore and Tatiana Weston Webb.

The same will happen shortly with the men, who are competing in the quarter-finals.

French media reports that there was a private party in Papeete, the capital of Tahiti, which was key to the spread of the virus. Several authorities participated in the party and are now apologising.

Peruvian Miguel Tudela, who had been invited to the trials, lamented the news with a comment on DUKE's social networks in which he placed a crying emoticon.

The WSL Finals will take place from September 8-17 at Lower Trestles. Ten surfers (five women and five men) will compete over one day to determine the world champion.