Fortuitous “fate” gave pro surfing a compelling No. 1 vs. No. 2, winner-take-all showdown for the men’s world championship on the North Shore in December.

And, the curse of COVID-19, that is idling its events at least through the end of June, left World Surf League officials with plenty of time to reflect on the future.

The result will be a redesigned “surf-off” format to decide its women’s and men’s world championships beginning in 2021. It was among several changes the WSL announced Tuesday.

Taking a page from the final of the Billabong Pipeline Masters at Ehukai, where Italo Ferreira dethroned fellow Brazilian Gabriel Medina in 2019, the WSL said a final heat of the year will determine its champions.

“The impact of the performances on the fans and the entire surfing world having a head-to-head world championship heat was palpable,” said Erik Logan, WSL chief executive officer, in a video release. “And, its impact wasn’t just a feeling. This was the largest, most consumed heat in the history of professional surfing.”

Instead of just sitting back and basking in its 2019 good fortune during the COVID-19 induced shutdown that began March 15, the WSL did what you would hope MLB, the NBA, NFL, NHL and others are doing and used the time to contemplate with its athletes and partners how it might improve its product.

“Prior to COVID-19 we had been working very hard on how we would evolve the Championship Tour and the more we worked on this transformation, it became clear that this pause, due to COVID-19, allows us to accelerate these changes,” Logan said.

“Now, we were very fortunate that all the elements aligned and allowed (the 1 vs. 2 showdown) to happen (in December). But, as we know, it is not every year that we get a world championship heat,” Logan said.

In fact 2003, when Kelly Slater and Andy Irons matched up at the Pipe Masters for the world title, was the last time.

“Witnessing the drama at the 2019 Billabong Pipe Masters helped solidify our thinking,” Logan said in an email. “The increase in consumption and viewership on our channels during that final heat also reinforced that this is what our fans want to experience as well.”

“So, we made the decision that, going forward, we will ensure that the men’s and women’s world title will be decided in the water,” Logan said.

Details of the seeded bracket will likely come in July.

“I’m really excited about the proposed changes to the championship tour in 2021. It’s new, different and fresh for everyone involved,” said reigning women’s world champion Carissa Moore in an email.

“Having the champion decided on the last day of the season in a surf-off type format will keep the stakes, excitement and anticipation high until the very end. I think there is no better time than now to reinvent and make some positive changes,” Moore said. “ Looking forward to being involved and seeing how it all plays out.”

Moore won her fourth world title in December at the Maui Pro when second-ranked Caroline Marks was eliminated in the quarterfinals at Honolua Bay.

The WSL said it will also make changes to its Challenger Series designed to allow competitors dropped from the Championship Tour a smoother path toward requalifying. In addition, Logan said, the tour’s development tier, the Qualifying Series, will roll out a regional domestic format calculated to involve less travel and expense for competitors trying to launch careers.

While pro surfing awaits a safe and sane return to competition, plans suggest the WSL has been doing more than just treading water.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.