NEWCASTLE is in the running to host the state's first WSL Championship Tour event in almost 30 years with the council confirming it has thrown its hat in the ring to bring the world's best surfers back to the city's beaches.
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The Championship Tour - which features Merewether stars Ryan Callinan and Morgan Cibilic, as well as adopted Novocastrian Julian Wilson - began in Hawaii in December before being halted by COVID-19.
It is scheduled to resume at Bells Beach in April, but the Victorian event is unlikely to be held and the WSL has been working to host replacement events in NSW.
One of those was due to be at Lennox Head on the North Coast but Ballina Shire Council voted against hosting the contest on Wednesday.
The other event is Newcastle.
The Newcastle Herald understands the WSL, Newcastle council and Destination NSW have been in negotiations over recent weeks to host an event in late April and the Newcastle and Lennox Head rounds were set to be announced as early as Thursday.
But late contractual complications with the Bells Beach event and Ballina council's last-minute rejection of the Lennox Head contest scuppered those plans.
Newcastle lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes confirmed the ongoing negotiations on Thursday and said the city was ready and willing to host the Championship Tour.
"Bringing a WSL tour event to Newcastle would be a coup for the city and something we are actively working on with the NSW government," she said.
"It's been fantastic to have the support of the NSW government and Deputy Premier John Barilaro to work on attracting the premier international WSL event back to NSW and Newcastle.
"Aside from offering a fantastic sporting spectacle ... the event would be a major economic and confidence boost to our tourism sector at a time when operators are still struggling to overcome the effects of COVID-19 on their businesses."
The WSL did not deny its interest in staging a round in Newcastle, saying it "continues to have conversations" with Australia's state governments about event locations.
"We are currently discussing multiple options to be best prepared to get the CT back on and running," a WSL spokesman said.
"We will share more information in the near future."
The contest would be subject to COVID-restrictions like any other event in NSW and overseas competitors would need to complete two weeks of quarantine beforehand.
Merewether would be the main event site supported by the beaches to the north, including Newcastle beach.
It is not yet known what hosting the Championship Tour would cost the council or how much the state government is willing to tip in.
Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres did not respond to a request for comment by deadline on Thursday.
Despite a potential $10 million boost to the local economy, Ballina council rejected the WSL's plans because of the risk of COVID-19 and environmental impacts.
Surfest, which itself was once a top-flight tour stop but is now a WSL Qualifying Series event, was due to be held in March but was scrapped in November due to the difficulties COVID-19 protocols presented.
Cr Nelmes said Newcastle had a "strong track record of hosting" major events and was "the perfect destination" for the Championship Tour.
"We are always seeking opportunities that will benefit our city, its residents and businesses, and would welcome the chance," she said.
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