the ASP & Brazil
To be honest i didn't even check it out online because everything that i stumbled on online about it sounded crap, so cant really comment to much on that.
Just looked at the ASP schedule and yeah its definitely the odd place out...so what is the deal wasn't J bay dropped for it? why?
-Gold Coast/ super bank
-Bells
-Rio (brazil)
-Tavarua (fiji)
-Keramas (Bali/Indo)
-Teahupoo (Tahiti)
-Trestles (USA)
-SW coast (france)
-Peniche (portugal)
-Pipe (Hawai)
What would you change?...what would be the ultimate?
I guess you have to fit the places in to when the waves are going to be best and fairly easy to travel from one place to next and would also be nice if mix of left, rights, heavy, rippable etc
Maybe its even time to drop Bells, as a Victorian its sad to say that from a historical point of view, but from a viewing point of view im sure we could do a lot better.
Good to see Keramas on there, but personally where possible IMO ASP comps should be at left/right combos, i think Lakey Peak would be perfect, quality left and right, consistent chance of barrels but also rippable.
Where abouts in vic are you from Indo?
However, is it just me or does it seem that the ASP is pushing really hard for the Brazil $$$?
This is despite the quality of waves during the Rio events not consistently matching the quality being consistently delivered at other events. Yet they keep holding events there. Why? Maybe it's due to the very large and increasingly cashed-up Brazilian population..
Another question that can be asked is, do they preference the Brazilian surfers while at the event, for the same reason as above?
By: "mowgli"
Yeah, it's due to the population, although it ain't cause it's 'cashed up', it's because Brazil is an emerging surfing nation that has a vast, young, competitive, surfing population. They want to see a WCT on home soil, and although the waves are frequently terrible, why shouldn't they? It's not like the ASP has been so flush it can pick and choose, if a sponsor wants to pony up the cash they'll take it - simple as that.
As for your last question: do you ask the same thing when there's an event in Australia, France, the US? That the local surfers get preference. If not, why do you think there's any difference?
I think for a world champion to be considered the best in the worldthey have to prove themselves in all conditions. 15 ft chopes to 2 ft mush. Isnt the best on the eye and cant say I watched any of it not sure who was surfing good but I bet the usual suspects where in the mix.
The cream wil rise to the top so too speak and aussies dont like losing. The brazzos have the competitive fire and I think this doesn't rub the okker mentality the right way.
As for been overscored I think statistics would show most sports teams tend to win more often on thier home soil.
Where abouts in vic are you from Indo?
By: "goofyfoot"
Phillip Island
I think for a world champion to be considered the best in the world they have to prove themselves in all conditions. 15 ft chopes to 2 ft mush. Isnt the best on the eye and cant say I watched any of it not sure who was surfing good but I bet the usual suspects where in the mix.
By: "rees0"
Thats a good point...
Small sample size but if we use bells and pipe for a very rough example.
In the last 20 years bells beach has been won by an Australian 11 times. Parko has 3, Sunny has 3, Mick has 2, Andy has 2, Kelly has 4. 7 different aussies have won, 3 from Hawaii and one rather freakish American.
Pipe has been won by a local 8 times. Andy has 3, Kelly has 6... 5 different Aussies have won pipe along with one Frenchman.
Take out Kelly and you catch my drift.
I watched a lot of the snapper comp and a bit of the bells and gotta say the Brazilians along with Nat young impressed me the most with their style. Something i thought was lacking prior to this year.
Competitive surfing is just that and the surfer who ticks all the judges boxes is the one who wins.
Oh, I'm not questioning the surfing abilities of this new generation of Brazilian surfer, because they fricken rip (although the constant claiming after every bloody wave is very lame). My questions relate more to the contest itself. And I should stress that for the most part these are just questions, unless otherwise indicated, and that I'm not really pointing fingers or laying blame on anyone. It's more about having a discussion, rather than a petty argument. (an FYI in case anyone wants to get nasty - Mowgli = 26yr old white middle class male from QLD living in Sydney).
Worth noting that a few of the comments in response to the news articles raised some worthwhile considerations, namely - does the presence of a massive, enigmatic, and parochial Brazilian crowd, and maybe even the the threat of reprisals (or an over-zealous parent perhaps?), significantly affect the judge's/ASP's ability to score/run the contest 100% objectively? Maybe, maybe not. Unfortunately if it does it's unlikely they would ever admit that in public (but in an open and honest meeting with the surfer's association behind closed doors?)
One thing I do unashamedly question is, the authenticity behind the "best waves for the best surfers" spin the ASP runs (and the media patsies?) when clearly the waves in Rio suck 90% of the time - IMO showing a clear cash grab. I think you brush aside this factor too readily Stu. The rapidly expanding middle-class in Brazil, a nation that could easily be considered a Tier 3 or even Tier 2 global economic player, is ready (already?) to get behind and embrace (their money included) a sport that hasn't been a feature of country's culture much until very very recently (and still isn't when you put it alongside football but it's making up ground). In this context you can easily ask "why not?", but then when considering the need run contents in great waves, are the numbers stacking up?
However, as reasonably pointed out, should we run at least one event in a 3ft wind-blown beachbreak washing machine to force the so called top competitive surfers (IMO Dane is the best in the world right now but that's a discussion for another day!) to display their adaptability to varying conditions?
My personal preference is no, and I would say most average punters feel the same when recalling previous feedback on events run in cruddy conditions. People WANT to see the best perform on the best, with maybe the occasional day during a waiting period when the waves aren't prime (but still better than most days at your home break so it's ok because the surfer gets tested and you still have some nice wave-candy to mind surf). I for one switched off the webcast pretty early in the piece because I just got frustrated with the short rides that only gave the surfers the "hail-mary" option a lot of the time.
@Indo-dreaming..take out bells? mate your a disgrace!
I always find (ASP) Rio interesting given the IBA (the lids) generally runs a reasonably good comp in Rio at Itacoatiara, this to be fair is one of the weaker comps on the tour. Then again the IBA generally has really good locations.
Fwiw Snapper is hit and miss and Bells is generally miss IME as a spectator. Trestles can be a bit average. Rio is pretty much a miss too.
Is Rio as sketchy as it seems? Favelas everywhere..After watching "City of God" and some other Brazilian movies like elite squad, it seems about as sketchy as northern Mexico.
Brazilians and many south/central American people have such awesome accents.
itacoatiara be good for ASP you think? Looks like a powerful wave when on. That's what they need, a proper wedge, I cant think of any other wedges in asp and they take skill to master and just as fun to watch.
google image itacoatiara
@Indo-dreaming..take out bells? mate your a disgrace!
By: "barley"
ha ha..i thought someone would say something.
Its just if the tour is about quality waves, i think it should miss out or at the very least move it to Winki when possible, as it seems the attitude of some pro surfers is there not to keen on it and ive read on other surfing forums surfers from OS dissing the comp for its waves, I just feel its there just for the historical point of view, is that a good enough reason to keep it?
But if the tour is not about getting the best waves possible and more about variety, then okay its unique so t has it place.
Two words- Jeffries Bay.
Is there a more spectacular sight than J-Bay, 6ft, offshore and doing it's thing?
Rio- Pfffft!
Good read here on the J-Bay vs Rio thing
http://www.surfinglife.com.au/news/world-tour/10231-rio-vs-j-bay
as Shane Dorian has said 'no kook has won bells'!
Well, no kook has ever made the 'CT so it's kind've a moot point.
I agree with Indo.... have the Rip Curl pro at Winki whenever possible coz Bells looks pretty average unless it's solid but I'm no local there so I'm not qualified to rate it I guess.
It's a real shame J-Bay's not on the circuit but with any luck it will be back soon.
As far as Brazil is concerned yeah the waves aren't the best but the surfing was great to watch,(very progressive) and the brazillians surfed well despite their constant claiming and questionable ethics in the water at times. The tour should be involving some less than perfect waves I think because it showcases just how good these CT guys are,whether it be perfection or otherwise. I appreciate how good they are when you can see them generate so much speed and power from normal everyday surf just as much as when they are riding perfection.
The tour like any business must adjust to the economic climate at the time and it seems right now Brazil is one place on the rise both economically and with the popularity of surfing so hosting a WCT event there is a no-brainer really.
that's a good article Indo-dreaming.
Some valid points there. you too Jasper.
ok, i accept the rationale of having an event in Rio. However they really need to suss out some decent back up venues.
sucks about j-bay. i still don't accept the constant claiming. someone needs to have a quiet word to the brazzas (and don't give me the "they're just passionate spiel"...)
I agree with Stu on that one
Yep Brazil (Rio Pro) is a money making scam for the sponsors I think. I believe that the brazilian surfing population per capita probably out number any other nation around this globe???. Just taking a stab at that one cause they seem to be every where and yes they are surfing progressive (as in air time) which is what the young generation want to see. Hey look, good work to Rio and the Brazzas.
Anyways I've got 4 words, Jeffs Bay and G- Land, (Politics tho) - there ya go one left hander and one right hander.
I should of read your J Bay vs Rio thing before writing this Indo? Your from Phillip Island ah? nice looking waves down there , do you know a mate of mine Matt Phillips, I tell people that Matts great great grandad found Phillip Island, whilst sailing around with Matthew Flinders awhile ago. So he got to name it.
Anyways as for the Brazzos having competitive fire, they sure do, Ive never seen the Bell shaken of the trophy and on to the floor, without even battering an eye lid and then continuing to shake it like there was no tomorrow. Woah fire alright.
Wow Mowgil are you a reporter for a news paper company, lawyer? some words there. I do feel for you tho living in Sydney but having some thing good on ya side only 9496 and a half days old. Lucky.
To finish with, I think in my eyes, is that everyone loves visual stimulation.
Watching a pro rip down the line at J Bay, Snapper, Winkis, Pipe or similar is much more pleasing to my brain than Rio close outs (reminds me of Bondi)
Be Happy
feel free to point me in the direction of the right thread if this is discussed elsewhere...
However, is it just me or does it seem that the ASP is pushing really hard for the Brazil $$$?
This is despite the quality of waves during the Rio events not consistently matching the quality being consistently delivered at other events. Yet they keep holding events there. Why? Maybe it's due to the very large and increasingly cashed-up Brazilian population..
Another question that can be asked is, do they preference the Brazilian surfers while at the event, for the same reason as above?
Anyone else suspect the same?