Remember this? Yeah, let’s hope it doesn’t happen again next year. Photo: WSL
Call it whatchyu wanna call it. An attack. Definitely NOT an attack. A bare-knuckled brawl. Whatever your view on the Mick Fanning shark incident (?), the event shook the surf world and beyond, bringing into question the future of the J-Bay Open, one of the Tour’s longest-running and most iconic competitions.
Despite the (insert preferred descriptor here), the Tour will return to Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa for the 2016 season. In an official statement from the WSL, the 2016 schedule was announced today and the famous (now infamous) right-hander was on there like an old friend who never went away.
But J-Bay’s future was up for debate…heavily. There were murmurs of a vote being held during the France competition with Mick Fanning and Julian Wilson in favor of returning to J-Bay in 2016. However, many surfers were staunchly against it (Brazilians mainly), and claimed that if the contest ran, they wouldn’t be there. Nonetheless, precautions have been taken, shark security hired, and nerves (of some, at least) quelled.
“Athlete safety is a top priority for the league,” WSL Commissioner Kieren Perrow said in the statement. “We have been in constant discussions with our athletes, event organizers and administrators regarding the future of this event. The WSL has made significant investments in the areas of surveillance and response for all current and future Tour spots, and we are currently working with a number of firms specializing in mitigation technology that focus on both athlete safety and the safety of the marine environment.”
Stepping up safety and surveillance is a small price to pay for having J-Bay return for 2016. Think about it. Everyone and their grandmothers knew about the Mick incident – from TMZ to Time Magazine, it was covered by every media source out there. “The Triumphant Return of Mick Fanning” will be a highly publicized event worldwide and the WSL will surely profit. But let’s put on our ignorance-is-bliss earmuffs and pretend we didn’t hear that. Let’s pretend the event is returning because it’s an iconic event – the 2005 final between Andy Irons and Kelly comes to mind – at one of the world’s greatest point breaks. Which it is, sharks and tabloids be damned.
Here’s a full list of the 2016 schedule:
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast – March 10-21, 2016
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach – March 24-April 5, 2016
Drug Aware Margaret River Pro – April 8-19, 2016
Rio Pro – May 10-21, 2016
Fiji Pro – June 5-17, 2016
J-Bay Open – July 6-17, 2016
Billabong Pro Teahupo’o – August 19-30, 2016
Hurley Pro at Trestles – September 7-18, 2016
Quiksilver Pro France – October 4-15, 2016
Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal – October 18-29, 2016
Billabong Pipe Masters – December 8-20, 2016
