Surfing: Ryan Callinan excited about hometown prospects for CT event

The Newcastle Herald revealed on Friday that Newcastle City Council and the state government are in talks with the World Surf League about bringing a CT event to the region in late April.

The 2020 CT was lost to the COVID pandemic and the 2021 season is in limbo. The first event, the Pipe Masters in Hawaii, was completed in December but not before a mid-contest delay because of COVID cases. Events at Sunset Beach and Santa Cruz were cancelled. The Portugal Pro was postponed.

The tour is scheduled to resume at Bells Beach in April but it is unlikely to go ahead. The WSL has been working on alternate events in NSW but one venue, Lennox Head, was ruled out after the local council voted against hosting on Wednesday.

However, Newcastle is also in the frame to host and Callinan was surprised and excited about the prospect.

"Today was the first I'd heard of it," Callinan said on Friday. "I never expected to have an event here, if it's a possibility, but I think they are trying pretty hard up and down the coast to lock in somewhere.

"If it was to be here, that would be so exciting for me and the whole community.

"Hopefully we'll know more in the next week or so.

"Obviously Lennox fell through, which was a bummer, but an event anywhere would be good. If it was here, it would be incredible, if it's anywhere else I'll be happy too, but obviously it would be much nicer to be at home."

Multiple world champions have competed and won in Newcastle at Surfest but the contest has been a second-tier, qualifying series event for the past 30 years.

Callinan, Merewether clubmate Morgan Cibilic and 2020 Surfest champion Julian Wilson, who lives part-time in Newcastle, are among the stars on the CT.

"The QS here is a pretty big event and they get a lot of good surfers, but I think the calibre from QS to CT is just another level," Callinan said. "If it was here, I think the whole city would really embrace it and love to see it."

International competitors would need to serve a two-week hotel quarantine to take part in an Australian leg. Callinan has been back in Newcastle for just over a week after his quarantine following his return from Hawaii and he was confident his fellow surfers were ready to make the sacrifice.

"I know, speaking to a lot of the surfers, we're just keen to get it under way wherever we can," he said.

"Going to Hawaii for three events and there only being one was a real bummer and I think it made a lot us go, we just want to compete.

"We're not keen on another year off. As nice as it was to have a little holiday, we love competing and we want to get back out there. We're as hopeful as anyone.

"[The WSL] are trying their hardest and they are very optimistic about having a whole leg in Australia. I guess if they can get over that hurdle of getting everyone here, it will look really good."

About the surfers doing the hotel quarantine, Callinan said: "I don't think they are excited about it but if they've got to do it, they will."