The recent surf contest suspension comes as a relief to many North Shore residents exhausted by the headaches they cause for the community each season. COVID-19 has exposed many of the social injustices that often lurk in the shadows of society, and surfing is no different.

Amid sweeping cancellations of Hawaii sporting events, including culturally significant surf contests like The Eddie and the Backdoor Shootout, it was somewhat shocking to learn that the World Surf League was still granted permission to run three World Championship Tour competitions in Hawaii, especially after forfeiting their qualifying events that benefit local surfers.

Although deemed a non-spectator event that was allowed to run on a film permit, the Billabong Pipemasters drew crowds of local residents and international fans who were allowed to congregate at ‘Ehukai Beach Park, most of whom were not social distancing or wearing masks.

Elaborate COVID restrictions were enforced only in the insulated contest area to segregate the public from WSL’s athletes and staff with extensive blockades that usurped standard beach access laws in unprecedented ways. “Aloha Ambassadors” were appointed to block the public right-of-way and escort their fellow surfers out of the same beaches that had already endured two prolonged closures during the pandemic.

Some sources suggest that similar constraints during the Maui Pro contributed to the shark attack that took a man’s life that day. Ironically, the incident prompted the WSL to move the women’s event to Pipeline, which alloted them an extra day of competition that they would not be able to secure on their regular contest permit.

And just for the record, there is nothing to celebrate about excluding the women from Pipe for 50 years. As someone who starts her day at the Pipeline, I shared my sentiments about this year’s contest experience in a Facebook post on Dec. 9.

Funny how they block us out like we are going to give them COVID, when they are traveling from some of the places with the highest cases and bringing their fans with them. How about a resident-only section to protect us from you? Lord, please protect our kupuna and our community.

Just two days later on Dec. 11, the WSL announced that the Pipemasters would be suspended due to a COVID outbreak. The news that five staff members had tested positive for coronavirus emerged with rumors that the WSL was hosting large dinner parties that violated Oahu’s Tier 2 COVID restrictions. Images of these gatherings can be found on the Northshore Community Hub.

While the WSL claimed that none of the athletes had been infected, Brazilian surfer Yago Dora was reportedly offered an exemption from quarantine without a COVID negative test and another surfer who rated high in the event was noticeably coughing unmasked in an interview and an award acceptance speech. This behavior certainly did not sit well with Oahu residents who were being asked to cancel their holiday plans with any family members or friends outside their immediate household.

According to the Hawaii coronavirus case map, the event that resumed Dec. 8-20 coincided with the highest case spike in the islands since the peak of the pandemic in late August and early September.

We can only hope that in the spirit of building back better, the state and city will reconsider its criteria for these coveted contest permits. Perhaps if they were issued to organizations and events based on the way they benefit our local surfers and impact our community, the WSL’s request for the 2021-22 season might be repealed.

Lane Davey, who has been surfing Oahu’s North Shore for 30-plus years, hosted “The Pipeline,” a surf blog for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, contributes to surfing magazines, and lectures on religion and English at the University of Hawaii-Manoa.