Sunset 2023: Finals Day
Sunset 2023: Finals Day
A baffling Finals Day as what at first looked like a grind-out in weird Sunset Point morphed into groomed, pumping six foot Sunset, albeit wildly inconsistent.
First up, the right guy and the right gal won their respective divisions, despite some controversial judging mostly circling around Mens Winner Filipe Toledo. He was pushed hard by Joao Chianca in the Semi, and then Griffin Colapinto in the Finals but always seemed able to lift another notch over his rivals when it came to rail turns. Toledo leaves Hawaii with a fifth and a first, perfectly slotted in second place behind Jack Robinson.
Fil (WSL/Heff)
Early, early days but those two solid results set him in cruise control now with every event favouring him bar Tahiti. He could no show it if he wanted and spend his time with the fam, surfing Trestles everyday, and playing with the kids in the backyard.
Others, of course will be feeling immense amounts of pressure. Kolohe Andino, for instance, who's below the cut-line and not ready to call time on a career before he even wins an event.
Kelly, sitting on the cut with the salvation of the Surf Ranch and Tahiti off in another dimension.
On the Women’s side, Steph is below the cut, although doing better than she did last year. Wildcard Sally Fitz, well below.
The Women's Quarters were held in very fickle Sunset Point, with an unfavourable swell direction shutting down waves at random, while others ran off into deep water. Pickles was happy to catch waves and grind. Fours, fives, and sixes were enough for Pickles to get the job done today. That scoring seemed right on in her win against Brisa Hennessy. Her best wave against Tyler: A sick little pit, rail carve and hit, seemed destined to broach the 7-point mark. Not so. She rode a couple of bomb sets in the Final against Caz Marks but couldn't get touchdown on a late lip hit which would have gone excellent. Pickles admitted to a combination of nerves, confidence, and excitement after her Quarter which got into her legs and made them a little shakey. That shakiness never quite dissipated but pure surf froth got Pickles over the line.
Pickles (WSL/Bielmann)
I wanted a Pickles/Simmers Final but with less than three minutes on the clock against Caz Marks and holding the lead she inexplicably gifted Caz the winning wave.
Carissa had a shocker, gifting Gabby Bryan an easy win, and we were into the Men's Quarters.
Gabby (WSL/Bielmann)
Weird and wobbly Sunset Point was not an impediment for Jack Robinson. He played cat and mouse up near Boneyards with Nat Young, threaded a neat little tube and belted it twice for a mid-7. Perfect join-the-dots surfing with a roaming remit.
Any chance that Ethan Ewing was taking notes were dashed when twenty minutes and change elapsed without catching a wave had passed. Yeah, it was slow. There were breaking waves. He could have put something on the board. History shows that when Ewing marinates in sleepy heats he usually loses. Griff belted a closeouts for a generously scored 6 and when Ewing finally got a wave he bobbled the weird sections. Clear lessons for Team Ewing to learn from that heat about how much pressure he wants to apply to himself. I recommend watching fifty Kelly Slater heats from 2008-2011 or Medina heats from 2021.
I marked the change from Sunset Point to Sunset bowl proper as occurring during QF 4 between Joao and Matty McGillvray, yet Heat Analyser clearly shows the change during Toledo/Ibelli so I'll take a 'Slater' and blame low blood sugar.
Joao (WSL/Heff)
If you did not see the clear upgrade in rail surfing that Toledo bought to the day during that heat, notably first turn in his 8.67 then we'll have to agree you are blind or stupid or both. No disrespect intended, some of my best friends etc etc. Watch the turn speed and then the rooster tail get picked up by the offshore breeze and blown out the back. Huge turn. Fully wrapped at speed. Different level.
Griff was raving on at the time. Finding yourself, gaining spirtual knowledge, keeping a journal, all that stuff. Good for him. I personally have a low tolerance for therapy-speak but everyone is different and if it's working for him then right on, right on.
I preferred the Toledo family man approach. He maintained a “cold heart” and “strong decisions” in his Semi against Chianca and said his preparation for the Final would entail, “water, banana, and hugs from the kids”.
Fil and kids (WSL/Heff)
Therapy-speak aside, Griffin Colapinto is my dark horse pick for World Champ this year. He has an insane work ethic, can beat Toledo in small waves (first among equals there), on airs and repertoire, and is strongly motivated to make the five after just missing out the last two years. He's also forecast and location agnostic - he can win anywhere in any conditions.
He dragged Jack Robbo deep in their Semi and then won the moral victory when Jack broke too late and took off too deep for the first wave of their match-up. It was here the judging got a little whack. Griff smashed a single turn closeout for a mid-4 - looked like a 3. Then laid down three nice turns for a 5.83 - looked a mid-6.
Jack (WSL/Heff)
Robbo on a wave behind, a bomb that had 8 written all over it, over-cooked the opening turn and seemed to dangle in the breeze for a long time.
Griff started smashing him, turn for turn while Jack “retreated” to a tube-riding strategy that never paid off without the supplementary turns needed to match Griff.
In the end, a very comprehensive victory for Griff with a scoreline that flattered Robinson.
Griff (WSL/Heff)
By the time Toledo faced off against Chianca judges had already laid down a template of what was excellent surfing and both surfers provided it. 16.33 Toledo, 15.44 Chianca. Less than a point between them. That seems fair. Could it have gone the other way? When it's that close it could always go the other way. The 'problem' was judges had already paid close-out smashes so heavily meaning Toledo's flawless finishes had to get the extra point. Happy to hear alternative points of view on that observation.
Caz Marks has cleaned up the style a bit but it's still a struggle to watch, especially now with Caity Simmers, Gabby Bryan, and Pickles on tour, not to mention Steph Gilmore. She got the best wave of the heat in the Final, a 7.50 with big backhand turns in the bowl. Inexplicably she tried to paddle-out back through the line-up and spent the crucial part of the heat wearing waves on the head while Pickles casually did laps and rode them. She ran out of time for a back-up.
Caz (WSL/Bielmann)
The opening exchange for the Men's Finals was a classic. Toledo on a smaller wave with perfect execution on three turns. Griff on a bomb, had to race a section he could have pulled into then unleashed a big turn and a too-late closeout hit which he recovered from.
I saw this as a close spread (a point or so) and most judges agreed with me. The outliers overcooked the score and the spread and the whole Final looked distorted from the get go.
A long, long period of nothing then followed when it seemed to dawn on the judging panel what they had done. They'd lost all head-room; paid out too heavily for a (recovered) mistake. Weird scoring was almost inevitable from this point on.
Toledo paddled up the point, then back. Griff sat still then followed him up and back. In pointbreak parlance we call that laying down a burley trail - dragging someone out of position. The strategy failed. Pip would have to rely on surfing.
With six minutes to go, judges gave the next exchange to Toledo by a full 2 points after a huge closeout smash, something he had correctly identified they were now paying.
They then gave the last exchange to Toledo by almost two-and-a-half points - 9.47 to 6.93 - for an even better finishing turn from Pip and that was it.
Did the judges get the final result right..?
Yes, but in a roundabout way.
Sunset delivered. Big time. Continually punching above forecast with its ability to transform any scrap of North Pacific energy into challenging and sometimes perfect wave shapes.
No wavepool will ever be able to replicate that.
Viva Paumalu.
// STEVE SHEARER
Comments
Can't agree that the right guy won, Fil got juiced in both the semi and the final.
Sure the judging was atrocious all around in the final when they cooked the scale, and over-scored the finishing moves, but they really botched the semi giving Fil the top score. Joao got robbed.
I reckon it's a battle to take points from Fil in RH performance waves (+ Brazil) and the rest battle for the leftover points at the other locations. Maybe it is Griff, and perhaps Jack, that can mount a serious challenge with their versatility and hunger.
Medina and JJF are looking human after Hawaii.
For the battlers - Caio has basically booked his cut spot.
Is Caio a battler now? Finished 8th last year, has clearly lifted his game. I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say on pure surfing (not airs) he's right up there
Fair call, did seem to have a good year in 22. From memory he had no board sponsor before Rusty picked him up, seemed very much on/off tour before last year. Can win some heats for sure.
Liked Jack's tube/carve more than Griffin's series of kinda predictable carves ( brilliant though) but I am old.
I’m with you on that, garry-weed
Great win molly .. you little centy coast ripper!!!
Nice write up Steve.
"forecast and location agnostic" Love it! (although with the therapy speak calling him gnostic might be more positive.
Not a stretch on the men's side to think the four semi finalists today could represent 80% of the field at Trestles come September.
I had that thought too. A big gap to everyone else except JJF and Gabs
That first overscored wave by Grif could've been anything. Watch how long he takes to get around the first section, he could've been thoroughly slotted for a long time and came out with time to really nail the end section. To my eyes that wave could've been much better surfed, as dramatic as his final turn was. That should've put the ceiling on it at 8 pts, but still 1-1 1/2 pts better than fil's opener. Agree with your write up Steve, the right guy won.
pinto was given a higher score for turns over jacks barrel? The guy was overscored all day
Is it just my perception or does Filipe almost always go for the smaller waves (that he then rips into)?
100%.
Also was an odd look seeing Toledo cheer so much for Griff in his semi against Jack Robbo.
Yes, that was distasteful IMO.
I thought Robbo hung out with a bunch of Brazilians more than he did the other Aussies on tour ?
It would be about position on the leaderboard more than friendships.
JR will only improve..GC will also improve…both will get better, as will JC.
Andino and Slater not making the cut is no big deal.
“Wildcard Sally Fitz, well below.” Is only there by being gifted a spot…is performing like someone who was gifted a spot and doesn’t deserve to be there
Super happy to see Pickles win her first event. Many more to come, I suspect, and for Caity SImmers too.
And Sunset just grows on me every time I watch it. Such an interesting and multi-faceted wave.
Still, today left a real sour taste. Granted, I'm knackered and beaten after three very hard weeks, so not exactly in a generous mood, but boy can the Wozzle fuck good things up.
Anyhoo, great report as always. Grateful for that.
Why sour taste? The judging?
Yes. And turning it into an Oprah show rather than a competition.
I hear you mate.
In the final, the 4 rides in 4 minutes from 6:15 to 2 minutes to go was, for me, the most entertaining WSL 4 minutes for a long time. Great!
Just rewatched the condensed replays of the Fil v Joao semi and the final.
For anyone who thinks Joao should’ve won, just have a look at how precise, how high and how top to bottom Filipe holds his turns compared with Joao’s more abbreviated versions. It’s undeniable.
As for the final, yeah I’m not a fan of big score for recovered mistakes. Really, griff mistimed and fucked up, not a 9.
Thankfully the quality came through and the right bloke won. Griff nurses that bomb at the end, could’ve had it.
Also I reckon for the bigger waves in the final, Fil’s longer board would’ve looked even better.
Amazing CT venue IMHO.
Oh and thanks FR
I did quickly watch the heat analyser (props to WSL for getting it up so quickly) before I hit send and came to the same conclusions.
I've watched the scores a bunch of times.
I think maybe watch it with the commentary off, because except for some of the weird comments (triple pump?), I don't know how you could come to that conclusion?
There's no way that Fil's 9.10 was as good as Joao's 8.17
Nothing really to add. Missed most of the comp but have been loving these write-ups. Probs catch some of the condensed action on Yootoob.
Onya Molly.
Bit of molly puts a smile on everyone’s dial.
“so I'll take a 'Slater' and blame low blood sugar.”
Brilliant.
To truely ‘take a slayer’ you have to somehow turn the story into him rather than the actual winners
It looks like Joao Chianca's 8.17 in his semi final was better or equal to Filipe's 9.10. Thoughts, discuss...
Very impressed with the surfing we saw from Chianca
Definitely. Joao got robbed.
Pretty sure Kelly is not too worried about the cut - he will 100% get a wildcard for the second half - the only question is what sort - injury wildcard, sponsor wildcard or some new goat wildcard.
given how much pull Kelly has I think a lifetime GOAT wildcard is not out of the question
Watched the semi-finals on the weekend. Some of the pros may have done the same thing on the layday...
Many quarters winning rides avoided the wobbly clamping tubes & scored high on critical turns, milkin them to the inside reef. Some may have had that game plan going into the finals today...
Highlight Toledo carve @ 5.26
Whom ever rides the best waves wins... & best critical manoeuvrers...?
One highlight in the Lady's finals was a progressive snap under the Sunset lip by Molly @ 6.23
Thanks again Steve for your great writing... hope you scored some cyclone swell under the rrradar
Colapinto flies off these waves & lands them...amazzing...
How many ladies would have taken that drop into the barrel @3.33?
Entertaining comp. Great to see Jack and Molly come away from it in yellow and big ups to Molly for her first win.
Just caught up on the finals.
Great mens heat. Felipe a thoroughly deserving winner.
Stoked to see an Aussie on the podium too.
And still got an Aussie at number 1.
Happy days.
Great comp. Some beautiful waves out there today.
Absolutely beautiful and dreamy.
Fair and reasonable wrap FR, although i disagree about Marks' style. I think her style is epic especially when she's not forcing it with a bit of power behind her.
Cheers.
Only saw bits a pieces but even at this size Sunset was worthy of a WSL comp, but this whole Pipe and Sunset to start things and Trestles to end things is so wrong and backwards.
Maybe WSL considers the $ponsor$ as the customer and not the surfing con$umer
( sorta backwards for fans?)
So the WSL high ratings at the beginning of the year, convinces the sponsors to pay (& stay at the par'tay)
A WSL Finish in the US could suit the sponsors (Hoo'ray, U.S.A !!!)
P.S. U2 are playing at a casino in Los Vegas for $10M ( sorta backwards for some fans?)
thx for another great wrap steve - i was hoping ethan would bag this one , but not to be- and i reckon fil was a deserving winner
sunset has annoyed the shit out of me over the years - to the extent that i don’t care if i miss it - but like you pointed out it’s not a wave pool and i gotta say i loved it this year- …..sorry huey for previous disrespect
Woo hoo... Molly!!
Thanks for your write ups, freeride.
Jeez, some perfection peeled through unridden in the background today.
Stay strong Ethan!
Griff and Fil both deserving finalists. And Fil deserved to get the win imo.
Being out in the water with him while he’s carving like that would be mind blowing.
So fast and precise.
And Sunset is a great contest venue.
Agreed… let’s fuck trestles off and reinstall Cloud Break.
Shame on any Sunset doubters!
Maybe they should even consider ending the year on the North Shore, Pipe to finish. I wonder if that could work? Ahh, anyways. Good contest.
Love sunset I personally believe Toledo won.
One thing I do know these new surfers suddenly on tour
because of this weird satellite contest most with a few exceptions
really are not up to contest world standard and it shows.
Hate the cut, the pool and the grand final.
Pity Sunset was huge would of been such a test for the pros.
Great win for Molly
Pretty much everyone below the cut line has done time on the WCT at some stage previously, not really any weird blow-ins. Pool and finals are the worst.
Steve that was the best and quickest contest wrap up I have read from you (and I read most) it felt like I was there. Very entertaining and accurate well done.
Great wrap up FR, still think Fil was constantly overcooked but that just my opinion. Watched the post show last night as I missed some of the finals, the bias against Jack is fucking insane. In the whole show they did not mention him - the current world number one - once. WTF? If it was Fil or Medina in yellow, we would have half an hour of Turdpel wanking on about "World Title campaigns "and Road to the Finals". Absolute joke
I find the commentary so punishing with candy ass septic accents and the dribbling verbal diarrhea and constant cross promotion. Straight up Soul Selling! Yes it's good to have mental self discipline and develop strategy but sticking a camera in some face, trying to mentally prepare is so inappropriate and destructive to there preparation, WTF! I love the surfing and find muting corporate sell out dribble with some good tunes works for me! I wonder if someone offered real time counter commentary sort like Roy & HG with state of origin could work!
Have watched the last two comps on silent. Don't feel like i've missed a thing.
One thing that gets mentioned, yet very rarely, if ever, gets analysed, is Toledo's speed through turns.
In terms of commitment, angle of attack, amount of board buried, time on rail, there are a few surfers on level pegging with FT. JJF, JR, Gabs, occasionally Ethan, and maybe Jwow could enter the conversation too, yet none of those surfers have the same speed as FT.
For FT, speed isn't just the key to making sections, or executing moves, but it's a quality in itself. It's what's separating him from a pack of surfers who can do the same moves as him, only not as fast.
It's almost like watching Slater in the early 90s, skipping across the surface on his concaves, while the rest of the pack were wallowing on thick vee bottoms.
This time around, however, they're all on relatively similar equipment. FT's shaper, Marcio Zouvi, is the most in demand on the CT, and a bunch of CT surfers even ride FT's model.
So FT's speed isn't created by the arrow but the archer. Despite now being in his late-twenties and after whacking ten kegs onto the bathroom scales he's still able to surf faster than what all his peers can do, while they ostensibly ride the very same boards.
He's undoubtedly got the speed, but not the rail buried.
So much of his turn is from the tail, to make up for the lack of power. He's worked out a way to compensate. There are so many tweaks at the end of his turns, to look like he's held it though.
It's not even close to the likes of Ethan and John.
You're right about his silky speed through turns, but speed is still only one of the criteria.
You are right about FT's speed Stu.
But in quality waves I think EE throws the most buckets. He may be burying his board deeper in turns.
By the way thanks for the excellant write ups FR.
Pity the WSL got mostly skunked for waves during the Hawaiian comp season.
Watching Felipe in the finals with those clean and fast wrapping turns and some of the in-between lip taps, it all looked very much like White Lightning when he was dialled in and hungry for results. The big difference being that Toledo can do airs at will.
He's close to impossible to beat in right hand breaks under 6ft; barring, God forbid, a miracle from another surfer.
With Toledo i've noticed some of his big arc turns were not as high up into the lip as the other guys doing similar turns
Fil was on, he's a pro and timed his run. Others will beat him if they get on a roll too, hoping for a different champ at each event.
So the ultimate test of a surfer at the home of surfing is all done in Rd 1&2. The rest of the season, anticlimactic. Here's a wacky idea, Chuck away the human imposed calendar, get in tune with the rhythm of the ocean.
SURF SEASON ENDS IN FEBRUARY.
take a few weeks off over Christmas but front up to Pipe and Sunset if you want the crown.
scrap the final, it's bogus
See you all at Bells
You skipping peniche?
Won’t be invested that’s for sure.
Anyone got intel on JJF and his exit from Sunset?Waiting to hear an injury announcement, but I hope not!