2012 Quiksilver Pro in Long Beach canceled

The Quiksilver Pro New York surfing contest will not be coming back to Long Beach next year -- despite an announcement to the contrary made last month by the Association of Surfing Professionals.

Quiksilver and ASP announced Friday that the surfing competition would not return to the East Coast as a stop on the 2012 ASP World Title Series. ASP had listed the $1 million competition as taking place on Long Island next year from Sept. 2-14. It would have been one of 11 world title contests, along with those in Fiji, Hawaii, Brazil and other beach areas.

"It is unfortunate that we announce the cancellation of the 2012 Quiksilver Pro New York," ASP International spokesman Dave Prodan said in a statement. "The 2011 installment was a fantastic event with excellent waves, tremendous local support and some of the best surfing we enjoyed all season. That said, we understand the factors leading to Quiksilver's withdrawal of the New York event from the 2012 schedule."

The news was greeted with dismay in Long Beach.

"We are profoundly disappointed," City Manager Charles Theofan said. "It shows that it is not that they don't want to come back to Long Beach, but that there are other factors at play."

Catlin Rawling, a spokeswoman for Quiksilver -- which sponsors part of the surfing tour, manages competitions and associated festivals, and coordinates with host cities -- would not elaborate on why the contest would not return to Long Beach or whether it would be moved elsewhere. Quiksilver still will sponsor other stops on the 2012 professional surfing tour with the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, in Australia, and the Quiksilver Pro France, company officials said.

"It's really disappointing to hear that," said Charles Christensen, owner of Duke Falcon's Global Grill in Long Beach, who was looking forward to the event's potential economic boost. "I am at a loss for words."

Allegria Hotel general manager Mike Witte said in a statement that hotel management was "disappointed" and that last summer's event "was extremely successful" in "showcasing the beautiful city of Long Beach."

Long Beach hosted this year's event from Sept. 4-9. It was scheduled to run nearly two weeks, with four days dedicated to the pro competition and the rest to include other surfing events, concerts and other entertainment. But damage from Tropical Storm Irene days earlier forced the cancellation of the festival and concert portions. The event attracted more than 100,000 people, including repeat spectators, a spokeswoman for Quiksilver said.

"I hope that they will come back one day in the future," Theofan said.