Sebastian Zietz wins the Margaret River Pro over Julian Wilson
MARGARET RIVER, Western Australia/AUS (Saturday, April 16, 2016) - Sebastian Zietz (HAW), former elite tour competitor and injury replacement surfer on the 2016 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour, has claimed victory at the third stop of the season, the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro.
With a solid swell in the six-to-eight foot (2 - 2.5 metre) range and offshore winds, Margaret River’s Main Break delivered for the final day of the men’s competition in Western Australia as well as the last day of the Australian leg, setting up a dramatic Final between Zietz and Julian Wilson (AUS).
Wilson opened the Final quickly with a score on the board, and continued to lock in more points under Zietz’s priority. Zietz responded by posting a 9.10, showcasing his trademark Hawaiian power and style. With only five minutes left on the clock, a set out the back gave Zietz the opportunity to make up lost ground. Wilson took off on the first wave of the set to separate his score, but Zietz answered back to take the lead. Zietz secured a 17.40 two-wave combined score to defeat Wilson’s 16.67.
“I am stoked,” Zietz said. “The pressure was on and I pulled that last maneuver in the white-water and made it. To win was definitely the goal I’d set for a long time. It is epic to win a CT event being against all the top guys and come out on top. I just want to dedicate this win to my family and everyone at home. Thank you everyone who has pushed me and helped me along the way.”
After narrowly failing to requalify for this season’s elite tour, Zietz has served as an injury replacement across the three Australian leg events. Today’s win now vaults the Hawaiian to No. 2 in the world heading into the remainder of the year.
“Falling off tour was really hard and made me feel like a kook, so I just went home and got a lot of waves to get back into rhythm,” continued Zietz. “I was psyched to hit the Qualifying Series and get the call up for the CT. It was an amazing contest. We had killer waves and good wind. Western Australia in general is epic.”
“I love the wave here and the crowd that comes down,” said Wilson. “That was a good final. Massive congrats to Seabass [Sebastian Zietz] for his first win. We were able to go blow for blow and have two great heat totals out there. I am happy to get a good result here and Bells was a better result than last year. I look forward to the rest of the year and to carry that momentum and fire into Brazil.”
Semifinal 1 saw Joel Parkinson (AUS) battle Wilson for a spot in the Finals. Parkinson fought hard to get the first score on the board, but after posting up the score, Wilson fired back to take the lead. Wilson and Parkinson went wave for wave, but Wilson’s 16.60 held strong to keep the lead. Parkinson was not able to find the score to close the 1.10 point gap.
“It was one wave I missed, I think Julian got a 6.90 point ride on it,” Parkinson said. “It did not matter in the end, but I think it really mattered for the rhythm of what waves were in priority. I am pretty angry at myself and I cannot believe I missed the wave. In a positive way, I am really happy that I am angry. It means I care a lot and that I let another opportunity slip by. I am fired up for the next one.”
Italo Ferreira (BRA), the 2015 Rookie of the Year, faced Zietz in Semifinal 2. Zietz locked in a 7.17 to set the rhythm early. The two battled with each wave and the heat saw multiple lead changes throughout. Ferreira struggled to finish off crucial rides, allowing Zietz to take the lead. Zietz threw up a massive 9.10 to strengthen his score even further. Ferreira was not able to find the 9.50 required to take down the injury replacement.
“It was a good result again,” Ferreira said “I got the same result at Bells, and I am so happy that I have been surfing so well in these first three events. Now it is on to Brazil. I have amazing support there. My focus is to get another great result in Brazil.”
Matt Wilkinson (AUS), winner of back-to-back opening events in 2016 on the Gold Coast and at Bells Beach, retains the WSL Jeep Leader jersey with a commanding 24,000 points to Zietz’s 15,750 points as the world’s best surfers leave the Australian leg.
Drug Aware Margaret River Pro Men’s Final Results:
1 - Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 17.40
2 - Julian Wilson (AUS) 16.67
Drug Aware Margaret River Pro Men’s Semifinal Results:
SF 1: Julian Wilson (AUS) 16.60 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.50
SF 2: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 16.27 def. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 13.17
2016 Samsung Galaxy WSL Top 5 (after Drug Aware Margaret River Pro):
1. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 24,000 pts
2. Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 15,750 pts
3. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 14,750 pts
4. Kolohe Andino (USA) 13,700 pts
5. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13,450 pts
Comments
Is the grab rail down carve the new air?
On this, when Tyler tries to do it it looks awkward, not smooth and generally ugly to me. Also her layback snaps are also not too pretty.
She's obviously been trained to pull these off, but I'm not a fan.
Zietz did that exact same move 3-4 times throughout the event and scored in the low 9s every time. Guaranteed heat winner, don't know why the other guys weren't trying to incorporate it into their waves.
only saw the two but he did get a 9.77 in round one for the same turn.
100%
I just hope we don't get back to when single moves, like big airs used to, would determine an event. Happy to see Zeitz get a win but overall Julian's heat was better.
Loved this final,shame it got a bit inconsistent but i thought SZ was the rightful winner,but either way surfing won.......im sorta glad the new guys are coming thru like a breath of fresh air,cant wait for the better events as in fiji etc.
They will now! I agree Craig, If you look at Tyler's surfing now compared to the heat a few years ago in France where she dominated Courtney in the final, I think she's got considerably worse.
But I still love the kid she's got such a great attitude
Julian ripped his waves to pieces. Sebastion's first grab rail was hot. But the winning wave for him was an okay wave with a sharp jam slash on the small inside section that lost all his speed and seemed like a routine snapback sort of cutback to me that was a bit awkward - so not speed, style flow. Julian won comfortably I thought.
I said it after Bells that no-one can tell who wins these heats - both surfers usually look identical except for wave size. A claim will also usually guarantee a win if it's close.
Grabbing rail is saying I'm not good enough.
Parko does those big, beautiful down carves without grabbing rail. Wouldn't that be more difficult/a demonstration of more control - like a no grab barrel? Zeitz's 9.77 earlier was cool but the one in the final looked a bit awkward & less controlled.
I reckon they should add another criteria beyond "innovation, speed, power & flow" to include "grace & beauty" then Parko could get another title or two before he bows out.
(if "frenetic & flappy" were a criteria then Italo would have it sewn up!)
When i watched the heat live i thought Julian was ripped off badly, but watching back on the heat analyzer i can see now it was much closer, although i think Seabass should have lost by a point or point and a half as that grab rail was over scored by a point at least should have been high 7 to low 8,s but no way a 9.10
I think the problem watching it live is Julian was in sync he had 14 turns on 4 waves many of those very nice turns, while Seabass had 4 turns on 2 waves.
In your head your thinking Julian is blowing it up your seeing all these great turns, but well it doesn't work that way its not really who's surfing the best its about who gets two high scoring waves...i guess that's competition surfing.
IMO in the final with two guys and longer time it should be best of three waves.
Julian also surfs to smooth he makes it look too easy, if he had grabbed the rail on any of those turns and looked a little awkward he would have got a 10.
Yep, Julian doesn't sell his turns.
Only saw the last 10mins and the highlights....Julians so smooth and his bottom turn is hardest on tour. I reckon the judges would have been super stoked to give the nod to seabass, possibly the most liked guy on (well off) tour. The guy never hassles in free surfs, often loses heats cause he doesn't use priority.
Also Goofy you onto something there. Tyler can leave those drop wallets at home. I think Courtney has improved more though doesn't bog so often. Enjoying the women's surfing just as much as the mens.
Agree, Courtney on fire!! Love her surfing.
Courtney was my first pick on Fantasy Surfer.
Tenacious ripper.
Seabass overscored, even if he is a nice guy, classic comments from him after he won, he was hilarious. Aim low achieve high, amongst others