Pipeline: Injuries And Wildcards
Four days to go and the draws are largely set.
The news on the Women's side is that, as a result of being ankle-tapped by the Snapper backwash, rookie Sophie McCulloch is out of the opening event. Sophie is on crutches, foot in a moon boot, and hasn't yet indicated when she'll be returning. Yet with just one result dropped before the cut, she'll be rehabbing like hell to make Sunset (starts Feb. 12th) otherwise her rookie season wil be over before it's begun.
Perhaps Liam O'Brien or Carlos Munoz have some words of consolation?
Speaking of moon boots, Johanne Defay also has her hoof in one. Johanne injured herself while training on Reunion Island and is out for the first two events. Meaning she almost certainly won't make the cut. Meaning the Women's injury wildcard just heated up. Meaning that my earlier reference of Sophie to Carlos and LOB just took on greater....well, meaning.
Boot scooting with Sophie, at left, and Johanne
Replacing Sophie will be Alyssa Spencer, while Portugal's Teresa Bonvalot will replace Johanne.
The Women's wildcard will be last year's winner, Moana Jones Wong. She'll take on Steph and Macy Callaghan in Round 1.
On the Men's side, Stab reported that rookie Ramzi Boukhiam injured himself at Backdoor, however there's been no word from either Ramzi or the Woz that he won't be starting. If he pulls out, Carlos Munoz, who injured himself while competing at Pipe last year, then cruelly missed out on an injury wildcard, will take his place.
There are two Men's wildcards, with one going to Imaikalani deVault, who was the highest ranked Hawaiian on the Challenger Series (that didn't advance). The other wildcard goes to Josh Moniz who won the 2021 (!) Pipeline Trials. We've no idea how that system works.
The Billabong Pro Pipeline starts on January 29th (local time), with the forecast jumping around a lot since we did our Long Range Forecast. Expect a sharper look at the waiting period in the next day or two.
Comments
So what wildcard did Sally get? Sponsor? Seems to be perpetual...
Agree, finished 24th on the Challenger and didn't make the cut. Must be a legit lobby/sook fest from sponsors to justify big spends. Ridiculous, I'd be filthy if I finished higher on the rankings.
I think it has something to do with Sally now having a roll within the IOC.
Really unfortunate for Sophie and must be very dissapointing
But not much comittment to the Hawaiin leg if your still in Oz Mid Jan pre injury?
Yeah I don't know why any pro, particularly rookies wouldn't post up there a couple of months before the big event. I'd rather be surfing sunset and rocky point than snapper.
Yes, what's with these Pro that don't understand that you need to surf Hawaii a LOT to be comfortable there? Now there are 2 Comps in Hawaii, [before the mid-season cuttoff] you think it would almost force people to spend some time preparing, or they will be off tour pretty damn quickly.
No sympathy for pro who don't take their job seriously.
Any idea of the cost of living in Hawaii for 2 months ? , given she is a rookie im not 100% a sponsor would be handing that money over .
Sally Fitz is by far the least deserving wildcard EVER......
At least when the gifted Mikey Wright all those wildcards he had appeal to the audiences. Sally brings nothing
I reckon there’d be a lot of female surfers who would disagree with your last sentence. She’d be a huge role model.
But yes I think there are more deserving women for sure
It's not about deserving, the (non-injury) wildcards are to keep sponsors happy.
Since when was pro surfing a meritocracy?
Here we find some common ground Burls, the mystery of sally fitz and her ongoing free ride... Surfing Australias darling / wsl golden girl, too big to fail, not good enough to deliver
There are probably a lot of reasons not to surf pipeline...
& a lot of reasons to watch and enjoy the show
Arguably one of the best clips I’ve seen on SN for years and in no small measure how the music complements the footage just perfectly.
3rd from the sun, a Hendrix classic from 1967 ffs, interpreted just beautifully.
Cheers bbbird. It’s between you and Udo for most valuable forum contributor. Thanks for all these vids, I would never find them otherwise.
No Johanne! Ooh la la. Not happy.
Will be interesting. DeVault and Moniz could easily take it out, great additions.
Moana very likely to take out the women’s again.
Oui... un happy here as well.
Although.. My other favoured overseas seasoned campaigner in the mix is Courtney Conologue.
Overall the women's heat draws look to be an absolute barrel fest.
Here's hoping their not surfing in moosh, let the men have the moosh if necessary (they've been spoilt) and let the chicks have the barrels and lots of em each round.
Of course best for all is... #stopthemoosh.
Shame about Ramzi as he surfed here at Anchors at the start of the year and was surfing beyond vert. Kanoa and Frederico also turned up on the next swell, Kanoa has the air game but Ramzi was my choice. Fast vertical and aggressive he would go great at Pipe
I heard they use that world cup prediction octopus to choose wildcards. It's wildly nonsensical, but he's incorruptible.
Ramzi out:
Heart-breaking.