Nazaré, Portugal: the 2019 APB World Tour will not visit Praia do Norte | Photo: APB

The Association of Professional Bodyboarders (APB) removed the Nazaré Pro from the official World Tour schedule.

The world's best bodyboarders will not have the chance to compete on the big waves of Portugal's Praia do Norte in the 2019 season.

The Nazaré Pro, which had been included in the provisional schedule for 2019, will not be run under the APB insignia.

The professional bodyboarding organization led by Alex Leon updated this year's calendar and removed the Portuguese big wave venue from the list.

The spot has been an important stage on the calendar since 2015, when the mayor of Nazaré, Walter Chicharro, and the APB CEO signed a four-year contract with an optional five-year extension.

So, this year's event should already be confirmed.

The APB has not released a formal statement about the non-inclusion of Nazaré in the 2019 World Tour.

A Reshaped Agenda

According to the new calendar, the men's agenda is now comprised of nine stops. Five of them are World Grand Slam (WGS) events, and four are Qualifying Event Series (QEST) contests.

However, the APB has not yet confirmed two stages - the World Bodyboard Championships in Viana, Portugal, and the Fronton King, in the Canary Islands, Spain.

The event in Viana is expected to crown the new world pro junior champion.

As a result, and except for the Pipeline Pro, the pro bodyboarding season will only run on the second semester of the year.

The new reality raises, at least, two questions.

Is it worth to pursue a career in competitive bodyboarding? And how hard is it for a rider to plan a season ahead with so many changes made on the fly?

2019 APB World Tour | Updated Calendar

Pipeline Pro | Hawaii | February 24 - March 8
Itacoatiara Pro | Brazil | June 10 - 19
Iquique pro | Chile | June 22-30
Antofagasta BBF | Chile | July 4 - 14
Arica Bodyboard Cultura | Chile | July 19 - 28
Kiama Bodyboard King Pro | Australia | August 30 - September 8
Sintra Pro | Portugal | September 10 - 15
Viana Pro | Portugal | September 17 - 22 | TBC
Morocco BGE | Morocco | October 1 - 6
Fronton King | Canary Islands | October 18 - 27 | TBC

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