The Gold Coast Pro Wrap
Alrighty, Snapper has wrapped after its descent back from the lofty heights of the Championship Tour's opening act to its new billing as a second fiddle Challenger Series comp.
96 men, 64 women. It's an insane number of surfers to get through. Sorting through that field felt like a completely random process for large chunks of the opening days. Unless your name is Felipe Toledo, standing out at perfect 3 foot Snapper is an almost impossible feat. Rides and heats were regularly decided by hundredths of a point which is, as they say, within the margin of error. In other words, total luck as to which way the decision goes.
Previously, the cruelty and brutality of pro surfing was considered a taboo subject. Surfers at the bottom of the rankings were thrown into the meat grinder at Pipeline, suffered agonising losses, dropped off tour and were unceremoniously dumped. Never heard from again.
Wade Carmichael and Ace Buchan are two that spring immediately to mind. Matty Wilkinson had a lot more to give when he was “let go”.
Now, the inherent cruelty has become a feature to be thrown into the narrative pot and slow-cooked into a rich stew, to be served up to the mass market fans. Of course, who ends up in the pot, is at the whim and discretion of the WSL. The rules apply to some, but not to others, depending on your level of star power and how much sponsor dollar you bring to the sport. The elegance of the cut is an expense that cannot be afforded to some athletes in pro surfing, and the Woz does not even try and come up with a justification now. The best they could come up with for Sally Fitzgibbons' career-saving wildcard was that she was a “fan favourite”.
Sal (Shield/WSL)
Brutal results all through the opening rounds. Liam O'Brien - injured in a warm-up surf at Pipe on the opening day of the season and destined to be the only qualified CT surfer to have never surfed a CT heat - lost his Round of 96 heat by 0.57. Half a point! How can you judge a surfers career by increments of half a point?
Jacob Willcox, clearly a surfer with a fully intact CT skillset was shredding in his Round of 96, four man heat. Needing a 5.18, he shredded a right for a 6.03, but then got bounced by another score right on the hooter.
Joshe Faulkner, a surfer from the townships behind J-Bay that I'd never heard of needed a 7.11 to progress. He threw a clean, tail-high and fully corked backside rotation air in the final minute. We just saw airs worse than that score 8's at Margaret River.
Needing a 7.11, the judges awarded him a 7.10. That's a loss by one one-hundredth of a point.
Joshe's Unpaid Punt (Dunbar/WSL)
A single point separated first from last in the Round of 96 heat between Julian Wilson, Alex Ribeiro, Santiago Muniz, and Ryan Callinan.
After the opening weekend I was completely unsure as to whether the right surfers were making it through heats. The only ones who stood out to my eye were Nolan Rapoza and Callum Robson. The first for his wild abandon on the vertical backside approach and Robson for his undiluted power game and total composure.
Rapoza has been slogging it out on the Quey for eight years as a total unknown while Robson has come from total obscurity to being a top-tier CT surfer in less than a year.
The point is: Is CT level talent getting stuck in the QS, or now CS, level churn, absent a bit of luck, wasting their best years instead of being given a shot at the Big League?
Examples abound. Ramzi Boukhiam, clearly one of the best goofyfoots on the planet, a genuine athlete who will blow minds at J-Bay, G-Land...all the tour stops, slogging it out on the Quey for a decade.
Getting eliminated in close heats by hundredths of a point.
It don't seem right.
Especially when surfers are being gifted wildcards back onto the tour after consistently poor results.
Ramzi (Shield/WSL)
Fast forwards to Finals Day. It seemed like the comp was fizzing out. With the big names all eliminated and bad weather lashing the beach, the crowds were down. The atmosphere that Snapper can provide, with crowds up to their thighs in water, ecstatic as surfers surfed down the bank, was absent.
Despite that, tension built. The Superbank itself played a starring role. It's ability to transform shapeless lumps of water into steep walls that allowed high performance surfing was brought into stunning relief. Despite being a man-made wave - or at least an artificially-augmented one - it functioned as the polar opposite of Kelly's Tub.
Paddling in, we had no idea what the wave would transform into. Pumpkins turned into Cinderallas. The odd wave on the outside detonated on the behind-the-rock section. Tiny mushburgers became overhead walls that peeled forever. For once, we saw surfers tested as athletes and water-persons. The sweep was relentless, even with jet-ski assist.
Pickles surfed insane. She put a beating on Tyler Wright, then repeated the performance against Bettylou Sakura Jonson, despite much stiffer opposition.
Caitlin Simmers put Sally Fitz in a deep combination after five minutes featuring two scintillating rides.
Yet Pickles, rated twelve on the CT and cut from the tour has to requalify through the CS while Sally Fitz, ranked 15th, is back on tour after being gifted a wildcard. How much of the integrity of the competitive architecture of the sport is the Woz willing to sacrifice to maintain favour with sponsors?
Because absent some compelling justification that is the only conclusion we can reach about the way these wildcards are being dished out.
Pickles (Shield/WSL)
The Pickles/Simmers Final was...sick.
Despite having surfed four times in victory at sea conditions there was no sign of fatigue from either surfer. Pickles caught ten waves, rolling the dice that one of them would do the magical transformation.
The best she could muster was a mid-6. Still, it looked like she had a winning lead with a minute to play.
Simmers final ride: A slick full roundhouse, vertical hit, and soft end hit looked short. It needed a mid-5. Judges gave a 6 and that was the win.
The diminutive Ranga has a style and repertoire that makes Sally's wildcard choice look like a retrograde step. There's a new crew ready to take over womens' surfing and the Woz should let nature and competition take its course.
Caitlin (Dunbar/WSL)
Callum Robson is a phenomenon. A level of composure that hasn't been seen before, or at least not since Damien Hardman. He iced heats twice in the dying moments, first against Ramzi Boukhaim in the Quarters, then Nolan Rapoza in the Semis. His winning ride against Sheldon Simkus was conducted straight out of the gate.
Yet bizarrely, while sponsorship dollars flow to those cut from the tour, upon victory Robson waved his white sled in the easterly gale with nothing but empty real estate.
How can that be..?
Spirits will be flying high at Woz Central in Santa Monica. The sport is flying high. With G-Land, J-Bay, and Tahiti still to play.
//STEVE SHEARER
Comments
Fr you nailed it perfectly...hope someone up the food chain takes note
I bet old Bobby Martinez is loving the unsponsored surfer at front and centre of the ATP whoops WSL
Spot on with the wildcards. Pickles off tour, sally on is a travesty. Pickles can challenge for world titles, sal is well past that conversation. You can't market this, but apparently can script it. You want to open new markets and have no concern about how wildcards are allocated? Ramzi is right there, and has a great argument to be on tour. Always in contention come Haleiwa year in, year out. Why not a Moroccan? They made a big deal about a costa rican in, til he got hurt charging at pipe but didn't get a look in. Sure, nationality is a terrible criteria by which to award wildcards, but is the current way any less opaque and arbitrary?
Matt Dunbar's photo of Joshe Faulkner is incredible.
Not just the aerial, but the composition - Gold Coast skyline in the background, and an apparent millennial momentarily glancing up from their Instagram feed to see real life in action (yep, terribly presumptuous of me, but, wow.. what a pic!).
Was gonna say how much I dug watching Caitlin Simmers surf, that despite Tom Curren still going strong he appears to have been re-incarnated as a sixteen year old girl, that she shouldn't have won but, that Rapazo's untamed, uncoached looking rock 'n' roll backhand was thrilling, that FR76’s takes on these things are a must read, that his comparing Robson to Hardman strikes me as spot on, that Elo must be the most successful Woz/ASP impresario since Rabbit - despite a certain natural abhorrence towards his ilk - and might be just getting started, that I developed a reluctant admiration for Shannon’s ability to talk, and to talk, and to talk, and to keep talking… but then I had a second glance at that photo from Dunbar, and just stared at it for a long time.
Great write up and really enjoyed tuning in and out throughout the event. I enjoyed Jess' commentary too but sorry, that Shannon is like an ice-pick straight to the temporal lobe.
I thought it could have gone either way with Ramsi and Nolan, they both ripped as hard as anyone. Stoked for Callum and having never seen Sheldon surf (and he looks like a Sheldon) I was mucho impressed.
Again, the SN banter added a lot of colour and can't be left unmentioned.
G-Bangerland is gonna be epic and here's hoping Manly turns on in the meantime.
Ps- really enjoying Freerides writing. Bookending the contests nicely.
Another great write up FR.
It has been said many, many times over the years. How are they (I can't even name it they are such a joke) going to attract new markets and masses, when us as surfers can't even understand how it is being run?
If it defies logic to us, how must the average punter or casual watcher going to understand it?
Caitlin has the best style of any female surfer I have seen. I reckon she got extra points just for the stylish roundhouse she did in the final. Her, Pickles and Betty Lou should be on the CT.
Callum beat the shit out of those rights. Sheldon surfed really good. Was a great final. Nolan has an awesome backhand in those waves.
All of these contests are keeping me sane. Bring on G Land.
sent this inquiry re; the cut to WOZ; no response.
Surely the ‘cut’ will result in a significant ‘churn’ of new surfers at the bottom, while the top performers will remain in place for the next decade – so we see a shrinking handful of the top performers winning everything.
So John John, Felipo, Italo, etc will of course remain at the top for many years; but as new young surfers come through the Challenger series into the CT they then get just a handful of competitive events to either ‘do or die’ - mostly die as the experienced operators beat them simply through competitive experience.
These young men and women without that high pressure CT experience (heat management) will drop off again, and a new crop will come through, to again be beaten by the long-term-pros (with the sponsorship dollars and all that experience)
The Challenger Series will be a grind for many and after dropping back into it a couple of times those young surfers will drop out of the professional scene.
It feels to me a bit like the board game Monopoly where the incumbent (accumulator of properties; or in this case competition experience/ $) stays at the top and the rest fall away.
Valid argument. Great points.
I wonder if SF feels how underserving she is of a tour spot? I have yet to hear anyone that thinks she should be on tour.
I doubt it.
"I'm blown away , you don't get many second chances.
I guess all those years of service , just trying my heart out , it's cool to have my body of work seen.
It brings a tear to my eye , it's been an emotional week." S.F
"service"??? wtf
geezus...she said that.
I tried to explain to my wife last time I nicked off down the coast for 6 hours during a good swell, that I was building my body of work and providing my family with a service…….she didn’t seem to get it.
haha!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
She is speaking about serving her sponsors. The companies that pay her to surf in contests. Her “body of work”, refers to that.
The companies control the WSL, obviously.
It’s a fake sport
She totally deserves to be on tour- if she's winning heats. Unfortunately, she hasn't been, and is gifted a spot at the expense of people who are. Am sure people have been having emotional weeks over this whole cut thing since the very first hooter blew through the mists of time, but none of them just got put back on tour. It cuts straight to the heart of why the Ultimate Surfer sucked so badly. The WSL do some amazing stuff, and then undo it, constantly.
Totally deserves it. She was top five last year, won Rotto, quarters at Bells.
Last. Year. Morgs was top 5 last year too…
And out come the Morgs haters... yawn.
But she didn't make the cut THIS YEAR. And if that doesn't matter, why have a cut at all?
Should be a blanket rule that no one who was cut should get a season wildcard, unless injury has played a part in that.
Vaild point for sure.
One thing that is happening on both the men's and women's ratings and cut is that when you look at the cut surfers there are a bunch that you think "how could they not make the cut". Brutal!
Makes the whole thing super exciting almost more so than the world champion title.
It's a rich vein you've hit, FR. Very good.
I'll try to not be cynical and instead say that the judges must have been blown away by the smooth perfection of C Simmers' roundhouse. Or they were plain juicing that one :-)
Deeply impressed by Callum Robson's icy nerves and power. The CT has matured his surfing something crazy.
And yeah, a wildcard or a proper qualification for Ramzi. Would be so good to see him on the big stage.
Sally Fitz is my dreamboat, despite the poostance..met her once at Bendalong beach on a firing north east swell saw her smile and it lit me up.
Cue "Fernando"by Abba...
Did she throw you a shaka ?
No shaka just a smile when i pulled off of a very long left with her on the inside. her brothers i think they were, were going the bowly but short rights, only me and sally going left.
I'll echo the confusion around Simmers' final score to win the heat - seemed way overcooked. That said, she is quite the prospect, with a bit of the Steph/Parko vibe.
I was rooting for Jacob Wilcox to get through and have a quarter final match up with Zeke Lau.
Thanks for the words! Love ya work
Rooting in an American kind of way?
(Forced laugh emoji just to be polite)
After that event it feels like the Challenger Series could perhaps reach its intended potential. That is, not just a way of deciding who qualifies for the CT but as a series in its own right, with fans tuning into each comp, following the rankings, and feeling invested in it the way they do for the CT.
That was the original goal for the WQS back in the day, yet it was never realised. Second-tier and lower comps are only of interest to competitors and their immediate family.
The obstacle to the Challenger Series maintaining its own fervour is wave quality: viewers are far more inclined to tune in when the surf is good. If they swapped out Manly, Huntington, and Saquerema for better locations they'd have a better chance, but instead they have to whittle down 160 surfers in suburban beachbreak dross.
All things aside, and noting they have a lot of issues to iron out, I reckon the CS could shape up to be a successful concept.
Completely agree regarding wave quality.
I think a lot of the initial interest would have been garnered due to the involvement of high-profile CT surfers (Kelly, Steph, Jack, Tyler etc.) but then held due to wave quality and performances by up-and-comers.
Surely this was the WSL's objective in the (now rescinded) ruling for CT surfers to participate in a number of CS events...
agreed
i was actually bored with the few heats i tried to watch earlier in the week when the surf was clean yet found myself glued to watching that last afternoon in miserable conditions
the top 4 to 6 surfers both sides of the draw blew me away, especially the young girls with great styles (and attitudes) like Picklum and Simmers, no bums in the air and straight windmill arms to be seen
that picture of Simmers' cutty above is so good it makes a lot of us dudes look ordinary
thanks for the write up Freeride, great work
Steves writing has made me somewhat interested in what is happing in pro land. I almost look forward to the reviews more than the ripping.
Tho not being a comp head it has been enlightening and sparked interest. Keep up the good work telling it as it is.
Awesome review Steve. I have to say i enjoyed the whole comp. Fun waves and some new faces blowing up - never heard of Nolan before this. Also enjoyed no second chances and wasted rounds. Unreal men's final, Cal deserved the win with sick power hacks and as a Snaps local I'm familiar with Sheldon - watch him in the future! Now the elephant in the room - the women's. As a rule I love the women's CT events, but the early rounds of this event had some absolute plonkers in the 64. Having said that, the finals were good but that 6+ for Caitlin's last wave? No fucking way. Shannon had been on-script all contest comparing her to Steph etc etc etc. Pffft, long way to go for that comparison sweetheart! She's a little shredder for sure, but lets all cool the beans on the Septic WSL hype a minute. As for Sal, well, she did bring two of her personal sponsors to the Wozzle trough. Sounds like a good reason for a wildcard. Cue your best Turdpell voice;
Harvey Norman, the official Jobkeeper-keeping rip-off retail cunts of the WSL
Haval, the official sub-standard Chinese-made unsellable shitbox partners of the WSL....
I think the right people won this contest. Caitlin surfs like some of our top junior blokes , if your allowed to say that, and Callum along with Robbo and Ethan is one of Aussies only hopes. Sheldon also good.
Thought Rabbit was good on the mike but Shannon Hughes should use sign language. Enjoyed the contest, Snapper provided. You have an interesting view of things Freerider, keep it up.
dean nailed it!!! the woz can use Shannon for the sign language for the ladies heats and trade off for turpel with the mens........hahahaha
Imagine going on a road trip with Joey AND Shannon.. I reckon I'd be bailing out at the first set of traffic lights.
Come on mate, don't put yourself down.
If there is two sets of lights between you and a road trip.
You would give Shannon a chance up until the second set of lights surely?
I would have strangled myself with my own seat belt long before the second set of lights.
I reckon Joey would probably have the rear doors child lock on anyway. He'd be onto people like me.
Aahh.. of course, Turps is driving.
Joeys still not ready to hand over the wheel yet.
I reckon I'd be hanging from the first set of lights...
Do you reckon they'd cancel each other out sort of like those white noise systems they have in high-end cars?
You could coast from town to town in utter silence.
No, I reckon Sally deserves a wildcard.
Simmers said "no, not this year".
Molly had a shot and all things considered will get another. (I love her surfing and attitude)
Sally has been at the top level for 14 years and was top five last year with a contest win. Best attitude and still knocking over the big names.
I also though Simmers was over scored on her final wave. Could not believe the score.
Why not let Sal have a wildcard and also let Pickles have a go so the top 10 goes up to 11?
Hahaha are you referring to Spinal Tap are we?
If I never again go ‘out the back with Dometic’ again, that’d be good. There’s product placement & then there’s leg-humping. Kudos to Rabbit & Ronnie, Kaipo & Jess G - all extraordinarily long days & hours put in. Respect to all of you.
I’d love to see some sort of support for the surfers who have no financial support and are winning heats and getting breakthrough results are rewarded via airfare or accom in the next big events as they gain momentum. Travesty ol Cal, and thinking Dion A couldn’t crack a major (think Dion had O’Neill for a bit) and could derail amazing runs to success vs some of the clown college flappers who are sponsored. Munga/Bottle Thompson/Asher/Mitch P/Damon Harvey please go and educate them on point surfing and how to do 5-6 types of varied beautiful turns to link and accentuate the wave, not commit wave crimes.
i thought it got long in the tooth toward the end…that’s just me tho
absolute kudos to the competitors (athletes) that put in the hard yards, travel, and $$$ and then don’t make it thru the first/ second round…as steve mentioned, some of it comes down to very close and questionable decisions- it’s brutal - especially when they are up against ct crew who are there for appearance or practice (or fun)
Think I read that CT surfers are contracted to appear in at least one CS event?
If you had to list the greatest wins in the history of the Championship Tour, it would be hard to go past Sally’s win at Cloudbreak with a perforated eardrum.
If Caitlin does qualify, does anyone truly believe she will take up her spot on tour or relinquish it once again ? . Is she really ready for big Pipeline, Tahiti, Margaret River ?… A phenomenal talent that is undoubtedly going to win many world titles, but in that final she was a schoolgirl surfing against a woman…
Good questions - I reckon she's going to lead the next gen of women that are going to properly step up. This is from 18 months ago, what would that make her? 14ish I'm guessing:
Absolute highlight of the contest was Rapoza shotgunning a can of XXXX with the Swellians , moments after losing his semi . The kid goes alright !
definitely rated callum& ramzi's surfing during the whole event, thought caitlins last wave was good but slighty overscored , was a little pissed that molly pickles didnt win tbh
Not a fan of comparing the up and comers to past surfers. Love seeing individuals not trying to copy anyone and doing there own thing .Too much video watching and over coaching.
"There's a new crew ready to take over womens' surfing and the Woz should let nature and competition take its course."
Great call.
I think Simmers Got the score easily, Pickles 1 turn was a 6 and was awkward.
Lately I have been wanting have a style like Ethan Ewing, now I want to have a style like Caty Simmers.
I realise it's 2 weeks away and should probably keep a lid on it, but fuck it. Models are calling 10-12ft G-Land with light offshores for the first day of comp...
What follows is the least relevant comment anyone's ever made in the history of the interwebs but here it is. My facebook 'memories' have just reminded me of a post of mine from two years ago, which reads:
Stop Press! this just in from the WSL, verbatim: "Live from the Sunrise Shack, Koa Smith opens up, rides, and almost lands a backflip on a fresh Hubboards boogie board that basically breaks the Shaka Scale. He then catches and releases a pesky backyard rat with a new humane trap."
Makes me think the Woz have made some headway since then, maybe that was the low/turning point.
Sounds to me like they’re still mapping out the valley of desperation.
Hard to go wrong beaming footage of good surfing live into the homes of surfers but they seem to do their best to taint it with shit along the way.
That’s just it. We getting all this for free so they probably feel they can do whatever it is they want without repercussion.
Unless there were changes to increase transparency, professionalism and real opinion and assessment of what is being broadcast, I wouldn’t pay for it.
How good do the girls surf especially the ones that got cut along with others I think that get over scored .
Just my opinion but if your on the CT for the rest of the year and the start of the next year the challenger series should be left for the challengers to battle it out ?
Qld Premier thanks swellnet crew for weathering our recent Goldie Hodad Search!
Superbank pension fund has been topped up for yer CS Pokies Jackpot.
Crew shall be showered with less than equal Prize money!
Goldie CS Pro Flood Relief.
https://www.worldsurfleague.com/events/2022/cs/18/boost-mobile-gold-coas...
1st Place m/w = w/m $20,000 each vs ( $80,000 each CT)
2nd = w/m $10,000 each vs ($45,000 each CT)
3rd = w/m $5,000 x 2 ($10,000) vs ($25,000 each CT)
5th = w/m $3,500 x 4 ($14,000)
9th = w/m $2,750 x 8 ($22,000)
17th = w/m $2,000 x 8 ($16,000)
25th = $1,500 (8 women $13,200 vs 12 Men $18,000)
33rd = $1,000 ( 16 women = $16,000)
37th = $1,000 (12 men = $12,000)
49th = $ 775 > (16 Women = $12,400 (vs) 24 Men = $18,600)
73rd = $600 (24 men) 25% of WSL CS men surfers now earn less min wage than their surf sisters!
WSL CS Pro Men officially earn 30% less Comp appearance money...say wot!
Ok! So this is strictly taboo but tbb previously stated "The Split" blows out the gender pay gap!
Yes! In both CT & CS...WSL designed it that way!...hardly an accident!
Ok! So how much has much has CS blown out this so called gender pay Gap...more than crew think!
WSL CS allocates $ 2, 087.50c per Pro CS Comp woman Surfer or $133, 000 / 64 surfers
WSL CS allocates $ 1, 614.59c per Pro CS Comp male Surfer or $155, 000 / 96 surfers
tbb argues this is why WSL are forever delaying Equal Parity Comp numbers...to scoop the pool!
WSL can keep playing this numbers game with very few ever noticing...
Ask! Who else could be bothered reporting on 30% transaction fee on the Bloke's Giant Cheques?
If us blokes are too polite or too stupid to notice...then just let the chix fight over our loose change!
WSL men may be turning sour but WSL is a beacon for women's World Sport > Money for Insta Jam
WSL unashamedly bias Women's Surfing 30% above men's surfing coz upmarket surf chix are booming!
Sure! Tear up yer oversized hairy Comp cheques & stomp up'n'down on 'em...our surf sister's won!
WSL CS goldie Pro chix pooled their 30% Bonus to buy their starving Queen Sally some Food & Clothes
https://scontent.fbne6-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/277350206_101585371...
Just joking...the cash splash pays for Sally's avatar Fish Food bill.
https://scontent.fbne6-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/277346802_101585371...
Who else spotted Sally's Secret Stash Panel? Don't pretend you didn't notice!
Harvey's Heat Recaps
https://mumbrella.com.au/harvey-norman-becomes-a-partner-of-the-world-su...
Further WSL CS brother's cutbacks
*Cutting back on Champ Chariots to Piggy Backs
*Refrain from spraying beer & revert to sculling it...all sounds so gross!
*Tarzan Wave Claims are being scaled down to { I'm the #1 head dippin' kook }
Hope & Pray for more Tranz Surfers to boost the Bloke's bottom line!
Hairy cheque(book) Ha ha! Haven't heard that in years. Think chix are a little different these days so they might bust out the Strawberry Smoothie oversized cheque.
$600 in the back pocket of your boardies to surf perfect Snapper with only three others.
Sounds like a win to me.
Think the Women's work is pretty handy..
Check out the Secret Men's business Top 40.
Clever crew here & there are alive to working the Alt Points...
All eyes are on Callum Robson but WSL are ultra slow at awarding him 10,000 points?
17,760 + 10,000 points = 27,760 #2 Toledo 24,440 hands Oz #1 CT Shirt...(Thank You!)
Not sure if better CS score cancels out a lower CT score & could well be the case, but it don't matter anyhow!
Even if WSL knock off or round off an extra CT Comp score... Callum is still = #1
WSL refuse to stack the 10 grand onto Callum's Play List
Last updated 4th May 2022...(That is an insult to our new World #1)
It also reveals the CS just blew Humble Pie over ELO...lap it up you creep!
Update yer shitty Comp charts to promote yer flash new CS...C'mon you bloody cowards!
https://www.worldsurfleague.com/athletes/9654/callum-robson
Callum should hold the Yellow Jersey...(There's a bun fight right there?)
Surf Punk steals the Lead!
This is now officially an international incident!
Scomo has no other choice but to invade Brazilian Point breaks!
Is it thru shame...that the current WSL #1 Surfer is sponsored by Centrelink?
Or is utter embarrassment to shine a light on an outcast Aussie #1
Will Brazil panic & start buying IKEA furniture?
That's not the weirdest part...
Check the Ewok hyperdrive 4 points into the Top 5 from his Tweed Comp
Jumps over Italo & Kanoa.
May Top 5 should read #1 Oz #4 Oz #5 Oz but WSL are in panic mode?
Because Toledo may very well slip from top as Callum's 10k is most recent on a countback.
+ Italo slips from the Famous 5 > Brazil will Riot & claim CS is the work of Devil's Hands!
https://www.worldsurfleague.com/athletes/tour/mct?year=2022
Oz protest! We demand our Oz Top 3/5 rule our World...make it so ELO!
Note: It was never once mentioned thru Comp that #1 CT Yellow could change Hands in the Final!
Goldie comp fans were robbed of chance to cheer on a new Local #1 Oz North Coast Surfer.
The prestige of surfer/s battling for #1 is the pinnacle of any sport!
WSL blew it big time & owe Callum & Goldie & Surf Fans an apology for Monumental Fuck up!
Call it what you may: Bind "luck" or subjectivity, surfing lacks objective measures. Who determines a margin of error in a subjective appraisal? From my point of view, all the scores are within a margin of error and each competing surfer could argue validity and reliability of the judge's score.
But, if the surfers sign-up for the tour, they must live by the conditions: be it silly scores. I dont think the cut is a bad idea. Everyone needs an incentive to perform at their peak.
The CT vs CS cut could be akin to other sports whereby only the best reresent: think the olympics or football, while there are probably dozens out there capable of competing at the top, there are only some many places.
Until there's objective measures of surfers performance, BS like hundredth of a point separating the sufer who makes the cut and those who dont will happen. It's a joke.
Maybe fit a GPS and accelerometer to their boards. The hardest and fastest wins!
Game changer! haha.
I dont know how speed will go on an uneven track across competitors... bring out the wave pool!!! (god forbid).
Can we define hardness please?
On a scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is punching a shark, 5 might be splashing water towards competitor, 2 colourful language towards competitor/ recommendation, and 1 is sitting on the shoulder, 0 is not paddling out?
Haha