The CT class of 2017
With the Pipe Masters done the final adjustments to the 2017 Championship Tour are complete. As always the Top 22 of this year's CT retain their position, plus the Top 10 from the QS (except those who double qualify), and two wildcards round out the field of 34 surfers.
2017 includes one of the largest rookie classes in years. The seven rookies are Connor O'Leary, Ethan Ewing, Frederico Morais, Joan Duru, Leonardo Fioravanti, Ian Gouveia, and Ezekiel Lau.
Jadson Andre, Jeremy Flores, and Jack Freestone all fell outside the Top 22 of the CT but saved their arses with a Top 10 result on the QS.
Only Kanoa Igarishi double qualified.
Gone from the CT ranks are Kai Otton, Adam Melling, Dusty Payne, Matt Banting, Davey Cathels, Ryan Callinan, Alex Rebeiro, and Alejo Muniz though he may yet get an injury wildcard (see below).
The two wildcards for 2017 will go to Bede Durbidge, who spent most of 2016 recovering from his hip injury, and Owen Wright, who sat out all of 2016 with complications from concussion.
Wright's acceptance of his wildcard position for 2017 is contingent upon medical evaluation and approval for competition prior to the start of the season. Should Wright be unable to accept his position for the 2017 season, the wildcard spot will fall to Alejo Muniz.
2016 CT Top 22 Finishers:
1 - John John Florence (HAW)
2 - Jordy Smith (ZAF)
3 - Gabriel Medina (BRA)
4 - Kolohe Andino (USA)
5 - Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
6 - Michel Bourez (PYF)
7 - Kelly Slater (USA)
8 - Julian Wilson (AUS)
9 - Joel Parkinson (AUS)
10 - Filipe Toledo (BRA)
11 - Adriano de Souza (BRA)
12 - Sebastian Zietz (HAW)
13 - Josh Kerr (AUS)
14 - Adrian Buchan (AUS)
15 - Italo Ferreira (BRA)
16 - Caio Ibelli (BRA)
17 - Mick Fanning (AUS)
18 - Conner Coffin (USA)
19 - Stuart Kennedy (AUS)
20 - Kanoa Igarashi (USA)
21 - Wiggolly Dantas (BRA)
22 - Miguel Pupo (BRA)
Wildcards:
- Bede Durbidge (AUS)
- Owen Wright (AUS)
2016 Top 10 QS Finishers:
- Connor O'Leary (AUS)
- Ethan Ewing (AUS)
- Frederico Morais (PRT)
- Joan Duru (FRA)
- Leonardo Fioravanti (ITL)
- Jeremy Flores (FRA)
- Jadson Andre (BRA)
- Ian Gouveia (BRA)
- Jack Freestone (AUS)
- Ezekiel Lau (HAW)
Replacements:
- Nat Young (USA)
- Bino Lopes (BRA)
- Keanu Asing (HAW)
- Jesse Mendes (BRA)
The women finished the season at Maui and their 2017 CT is as below. There's only one rookie, Bronte Macaulay, while a few people have fallen off tour, namely Bianca Buitendag, Alessa Quizon, and Chelsea Tuach.
A few CT surfers saved their hides with QS qualification, those being Nikki Van Dijk, Keely Andrew, Coco Ho, and Pauline Ado.
Old stager Silvana Lima has also made a return via the QS.
The 2017 wildcard has been allocated to Lakey Peterson.
2016 CT Top 10 Finishers:
1 - Tyler Wright (AUS)
2 - Courtney Conlogue (USA)
3 - Carissa Moore (HAW)
4 - Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW)
5 - Johanne Defay (FRA)
6 - Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
7 - Malia Manuel (HAW)
8 - Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
9 - Sage Erickson (USA)
10 - Laura Enever (AUS)
Wildcard:
- Lakey Peterson (USA)
2016 Top 6 QS Finishers:
- Silvana Lima (BRA)
- Bronte Macaulay (AUS)
- Nikki Van Dijk (AUS)
- Keely Andrew (AUS)
- Coco Ho (HAW)
- Pauline Ado (FRA)
Replacements:
- Bianca Buitendag (ZAF)
- Alessa Quizon (HAW)
- Chelsea Tuach (BRB)
- Isabella Nichols (AUS)
Comments
Looking forward to Owen's return.
Bummer about Ottz but he's had a good run and also Adam Melling, super underated surfer imo. Nat Young was good to watch too.
Good lineup for '17 and hopefully Ryan Callinan can requalify for the following year. He's an amazing surfer.
I agree Zen, Callinan was my pick of the young Aussies.
Impressed to see Tatiana Weston-Webb and Johanne Defay rank so high, they had a great year.
I think Ryan is the next generation Parko
Any word on Mick doing a full year or not?
Does anyone think KS can put it together for one last title?
Mick's reportedly doing a full year. At the beginning of the year there was talk of him taking a year off then getting special consideration for 2017, most likely by the commissioner allocating him one of the injury wildcards. When he qualified (after doing just five comps) he spoke about feeling better that he wasn't taking an injury wildcard and that he was ready to jump back on.
KS? I doubt it. He no longer has the game in shifty, inconsistent beachbreaks, or soft reefbreaks as is the case at Trestles, and that's more than a quarter of the tour. That's a lot of ground to concede at any level.
It's funny...MF is one of my favourite surfers but I didn't even notice he was missing most of the year...be interesting to see how his motivation is next year...looks like he enjoyed his time off more than he imagined he would.
KS is also a funny one...injuries, over -experimentation with boards and loss of the invincible aura certainly indicate he can't do it. Be interesting to see him riding suitable equipment, super fit, injury free and get on an early roll...
Word is OW wont return for 2017. And if he does may not go the distance.
Wish him all the best and hopefully proves me wrong. Still have vivid memories of him and Kelly competing in 12 foot Chopes, man on man. Just doesnt get any better than that ! Thanks O.
Someone needs to do some serious research on preventing concussions. Apart from Owen there seems to be a concussion in every big wave event. Given what we now know about the potential consequences, it might be time to do look at helmet design.
Kelly potential 12 Title depends on good surf at Snapper/Kirra and a flying start.
He can't afford to be dead in the water after the Aussie leg.
Agreed. If the surf gets big enough in the Aussie leg to take out the air game from the fly boys, solid Fiji and Chopes, throw away Trestles and Brazil and a solid performance in Europe and Hawaii, I reckon Kelly could get the 12.
There's just the fly in the ointment- JJ (probably Jordy too).
Do you remember Nat Young's first year in the CT at Bells. Amazing surfing.
I wonder if this will be the last year for Margaret River.
I think this is the last year of a 3 year deal.
It depends on whether the WA govt comes up with the funding again, can't see the WSL walking away from a taxpayer under-written CT event. It's money for jam for them.
Isn't this the last year of all the Licenses with the WSL , and next year they want only 2 CT events in Australia , and have to choose between Snapper/Bells and Margies ? So whoevers got the most $'s ?
reports are that the WA govt puts up $2m , Bells $500K , and snapper?
Striders take on Kelly's world title chances in 2017 from Pipe Final post show.
"He can do it. He has to get inspired at those smaller waves. He said the good waves inspire him to do well, right. But he can’t think that way going into this year if he’s really going to go after a world title, he going to have to stay inspired through the bad stuff, you know, whatever Brazil, everywhere, he’s going to have to push through and keep on a good foot through those legs."
Not hard to notice that when Strider mentioned the 'bad stuff' Brazil was first thing that came to his mind.
By Snapper next year, Kelly will be 45 years old. It just ain't going to happen.
Wall, Wally, Wally- yee of little faith.
45 is the new 35.