Joao Chianca And Lakey Peterson Receive Season Wildcards
Though there's still six months till they kick in, the WSL today announced their 2025 season wildcards. Lakey Peterson and Joao Chianca will receive a start in every pre-cut contest next year.
Chianca was injured just prior to this year's opening contest, the Pipeline Pro. He's only recently recovered, and will don the coloured vest for the first time since his injury at the forthcoming Gold Coast Pro.
Peterson missed the cut by one place but gets the lifeline owing to her extended success on the CT: In 8 of her 11 CT seasons she's finished in the top 10.
Lakey Peterson (WSL/Cestari)
The other two season wildcard have been granted to Filipe Toledo and Steph Gilmore who both took a break from competition this year.
Also announced yesterday were upcoming event wildcards with Kelly Slater unsurprisingly accepting entry into next month's Tahiti Pro and also the Fiji Pro, to be run at Cloudbreak in August. Slater is also in the draw for the Gold Coast pro; seeded into the Round of 64.
Joining Slater at Teahupoo will be five -time champ Carissa Moore and local favourite Vahine Fierro. The second men's wildcard will be decided via the Trials held on May 18th and 19th.
The two women's and one remaining men's Fiji event wildcards will be determined by the WSL Commissioner's Office closer to the event.
Comments
I personally feel Slats needs to move on however can't wait to see what he does in Fiji and Tahiti
Kelly's latest retirement lasted as long as Mal Meninga's political career.
Bravo Stunet - https://www.facebook.com/abccanberra/videos/mal-meninga-political-career...
hahahaahh..
Im buggered, sorry....
Stu #1 Surf Journo & Comedian...
Qldurrz XXXX Piss Take Award...ONE OF US.
Laugh a minute for the whole 28 seconds...
Almost as Funny as Gibbo's Mike'n'Mal Racist Rant!
eSafety Commissioner [Censored] You pack of bastards are all going to Hell!
Wonder if Shaka Sal gonna go back to the QS
She's registered for both the Snapper and Narrabeen Challenger Series events, so more shakas to come
Yew!
So does this mean no Pipe for Slats unless there's an injury?
He needs a separate wildcard for that.
Which he will probably get.
Good interview of Kelly on Stoked Bloke Show.
In depth. Don't think the kids will listen ....
Too long
I enjoyed it, definitely a unique motivated individual.
Yeah saw that. Was a good listen for sure. Not a surfer mentioned here at all but Nate Florence does a podcast with Grin Reapers over in WA which is another good listen
Cheers, will give that a listen.
Pipe, Fiji and Chopes should be designated as "Specialty" events and have 4-8 wildcards.
Best surfers in the best waves they say...
Emile C for Chopes? Assuming he has recovered.
Eimeo, Matahi, Kauli Vaust…throw in Nate F or Benji Brand as well. If you’re serious about a World Tour you should surf against the best in each event.
Just a thought.
Might go a long way in recovering some credibility for the Woz.
Pipe used to be stacked with locals even like 5 - 10 years ago right?
Interesting thought.
I don't understand the wildcard for Peterson.
This 'extended success' thing is nonsense.
More like usually threabouts but never a true contender.
You missed the cut so get to work in the challengers.
Completely agree, especially with the younger girls who have blown past her up the rankings. Can't help but think it's related to sponsors throwing their weight around, the fact that she's Californian, and that her partner is an osteo who follows her around the world and is likely treating other surfers on tour.
Would much rather see a wildcard given to an up and coming surfer from a less privileged background.
TOS has been amazing…not Snapper crowded.
Jan-Oct : Champion's Challenger Series Tour (11 Largest Arena Events)
Pipe > Sunset > supertubes > Bells > Margs > Goldie > Sydney > Balito > US Open > Ericeira > Rio
Cut surfer Super Sally continues to surf in front of larger more Massive Crowds in more events.
Culminating in a Final with massive beach crowd of 30,000 strong surf fans
As Top tier CT builds to finish > Surfers are hidden away on far off Islands with only one large venue.
Culminating in a Final with 7,000 fans clinging to rubble in the Fog.
Surfing yer best from Jan - April rewards 8 > 9 dwinding events of highly restrictive surf fan interaction...
Surfing yer best from May - Oct rewards 11 events of Massive Fan base and excitement all year long!
Sally Surfs 11 massive packed surf events/year...these fans have no idea where Top Pros Surf nor care!
Pretty sure Sally is bankrolling the WSL all on her own.
WSL would go bankrupt if Sally made the Cut.
With that in mind Sally winds down towards Cut then excitingly teases her fans!
Like Bummer...just missed out again...like a Pro.
Right now only Sally keeps packing out surf fans on expanding WSL overcrowded venues tour.
Recall Sally also surfed most heats to win WSG now 4x over...
Sally surfed Olympics & way more comps than other WSL Pros
She often says she loves competing...it's the Grom stoke she loves...
Ask! How many Comps on the back leg of CT has enough Grom stoke?
Doubt if Sally needs the Money...her sponsors luv her on the Bigger Crowded Venues WSL Tour.
Sure...Kelly is her Mentor & she says so...if he can win at 50 > Why not Sally!
Meanwhile > Top CT Pros are mothballed for another year...secreted away to remote Pacific islands.
Dream Tour = Top Pros > Big City Arenas Finish..20k > 30K > 40k > 50k Finals...In yer dreams!