Corona Open J-Bay 2023: Day One
No one seems in control and it's kinda fun to watch
Corona Open J-Bay 2023: Day One
The first post-ELO contest wrapped Day One in front of a healthy crowd, getting through Round One of Men's competition in fun 3-4ft surf which suddenly turned to onshore mud for the last heat.
Judges managed to get themselves into a fine little pickle as the day threatened to descend (ascend) into an Air Show, by my notes somewhere around the time Joe Turpel was reading out the judge's directions for the day. Words to the effect of: linking complete rides with major manoeuvres connected with speed, power and flow, blah blah blah. Next thing we were seeing pump, pump, pump boost like it was a South American beachie.
Yago Dora, fresh off his Brazilian victory and riding the same board started the trend. His board, it needs to be said, looked terrible in turns. Weak, catchy and not at all suited to laying down big turns at speed. Whether that caused him to go to the air in response is speculation, but go to the air he did.
Judges were locked in when his first tail high air was awarded a 7.50. Dora responded to the judging signal by refraining from turns altogether and launching every wave. Connor O'Leary in the same heat blitzed the Brazilian with huge, tight power hooks. By the expressed judging “preferences” he should have finished well on top. A set wave in the dying stages of the heat saw Ian Gentil too deep and Dora got on the end of it for a pump, pump launch. The air was massive. Tail high, fully lofted, perfectly landed. And with the precedent set, they had to pay it despite the negative unintended consequences.
Yago Dora. Photo Beatriz Ryder
Ironically, the rot started at the Surf Ranch - that marvel of man-made engineering which was going to eliminate all the vagaries and vicissitudes of the ocean and create pro surfing Heaven On Earth with its repeatable consistent wave. Judging was going to be fair and consistent because each wave was moreorless a carbon copy of the last one. Somehow, what was considered great surfing became hopelessly confused at the Tub, not just for spectators but the the top athletes themselves. This state of chaos has remained the default position ever since.
Of course, the surfers in the following heat emulated the success of Dora with respect to his J-Bay approach.
Two-time World Champion John Florence started scrapping into inside rock runners and attempting to boost. 2019 World Champ and Olympic Gold Medallist Italo Ferreira went straight to the pump, pump launch playbook and was rewarded. Even Callum Robson started boosting every wave. It was not pretty to watch in what was the best surf of the day as light devil winds gave way to sheet glass.
Italo's biggest backside air received an 8.17 from the judges, for a single turn. John finally stopped scrapping and caught a set wave, went to the air on the outside then lacerated the rest of the wave with savage turns. It should have been a couple of points superior in the spread but there was not a couple of points available and in the end it came in at a miserly 8.27. All thanks to the confusion still lingering over the sport since Surf Ranch.
John John Florence. Photo: Beatriz Ryder
Up to Dora's heat everything had been going swimmingly. The two tour front-runners Griff and Toledo had surfed masterful heats. Colapinto found himself in perfect rhythm and surfed with immense freedom and full repertoire - as good as you could expect to see small J-Bay ridden.
Toledo had to wait an age for his first ride, not unexpected now for the incredible patience he displays in heats. His opening turns drew sharp breath after the long wait, there was zero conservatism in the approach. Full wraps and multiple fin blows after 20 minutes of waiting shows a man still surfing with incredible confidence.
Ewing surfed beautifully but lacked a proper set wave. There was really only one in the heat and it was hoovered up by Rio Waida. His 7.5 would have been a 9.5 if Ewing had employed the same turn quality as his other rides but hypothetical rides don't win heats. Waida was extremely chuffed against the glass that he had beaten the defending champ in the opening Round.
Rio Waida. Photo: Alan Van Gysen
What do we do with Kelly Slater now?
The Wildcard decision by Elo, or at least signed off by Elo, now looks increasingly like an albatross around their neck. Kelly surfed a disinterested heat, not happy with the call to run. He sat way up the Point, too deep for the best waves, emanating a prickly energy that manifested when he attempted to interfere with a set wave that Griffin Colapinto was riding. His turns were wobbly and weak, and probably worst for his ego, his pal Strider Wasilewski repeatedly tee-ed off on him in the booth.
Questioned his ability to get a score on turns (true), his boards (true), his positioning (true) and his mindset (true). Basically said everything but “why is this guy still out there in heats at the CT level?”
The wildcard has robbed him, and the sport, of the ability for Kelly to move seamlessly and graciously into the next phase of his career. Now that Strider has let the genie out of the bottle at the WSL level, all those questions can't be shoved back in. Poor performances and non-competitiveness have to now be acknowledged. This Wildcard year will not be pretty, absent Kelly winning Teahupoo and riding off into the sunset.
Kelly Slater. Photo: Beatriz Ryder
Confidence is a spectrum and if Griff and Toledo (and maybe JJF according to his presser) are at one end Jack Robinson is at the other. Heat total of 6.93. Hard to imagine a worse start for his campaign. I thought he surfed incredibly. He's obviously taking a free surf approach and trying to go big. Three huge tweaked airs in the rapidly deteriorating onshore conditions were attempted. Any one of them landed would have been an 8 plus ride according to the judging of the day. Just missed all three of them. Something has to stick soon for Jack, and he'll be back. He's just running out of time for that to happen, and may need a plan B. Especially in his elimination heat against Slater. He can't gift that heat to Kelly by falling.
Jack Robinson. Photo: Alan Van Gysen
The corrective to the air show came from an unlikely ally. Three-time World Champ Gabe Medina illuminated his mindset in the presser after his heat win by describing the glassy J-Bay line-up as “beautiful” and that when he imagined someone surfing it was someone surfing here. This romantic mindset translated to smooth turns, huge spray fans and perfect flow. It was a tight heat with Matty McGillvray and R-Cal. All three surfers could have won the heat. A crucial exchange on two successive waves in a set looked to go R-Cal's way but judges awarded it to Medina by a point. A later replay from a different angle justified that decision.
Gabriel Medina. Photo: Beatriz Ryder
The smoothest Brazilian (Dora) took to the air - sacrilege.
The most maligned for style (Medina) surfed beautifully top to bottom with flow.
Minus a CEO and a clear direction the sport is morphing and drifting all over the place.
No one seems in control and it's kinda fun to watch.
Comments
Just watching replays. RCal's first wave (wobble on a small wave) was ridiculously overscored compared to what both Gabe and Matt McG had just done. Only a point less, but should have been a lot more.
Back to Slater, and to the winner of the day, Strider. I laughed and loved it.
And yeah, the airs at J-Bay just suck.
Thanks, Steve.
Kelly should have got two (deserved) event wildcards at barrelling waves and then sailed off into a glorious sunset
I think he was hoping for a crack at the Olympics
I don't mean from his perspective, he should take everything he can get. But even as a GOAT the WSL probably gave him too much. It's not like he had an off year, he's actually finally past it.
can you compete in the olympics if you are on peptites?
Yes!
I think Slaters legacy is severely tarnished. He’s going from GOAT to joke, and he’s doing it all by himself.
Yeah Slater is this company looked tired (especially compared to Grif who was on an absolute tear) however I would almost give my right knacker (note I said almost) to surf 1/2 as good as him even at his age. The level is nuts good and Steve thanks for the insightful rundown as always.
Agreed on Slater's amazing ability, for his age. But this is not a "masters" series. Must be hanging to the dream of Olympic gold - somehow..
I do think Kelly is great too, but time for a new role/approach/direction...
Buy a boat, disappear, grow a beard, sell the movie...
Yeah I am in total agreement and in F1/moto gp terms all the ex champs end up managing a team of fit in somehow - tester, whatever. Kelly just doesn't want to go quitely into the night so to speak. He really would be an awesome director of the Wozzel as love him, hate him, but you can't ignore him and I think he really would shake it up. For all his faults he is a legend in the true sense of the word and lets hope his jumping off the tour leads to something where he can contribute to the evolution of comp surfing, which doesn't mean the growth just better.
+1.
Great comment Memla
Slater getting the CEO gig would solve two of the problems Steve mentioned. Pro's for Slater as CEO:
Good at talking rich people into investing
Knows how to put on a show and what a good show looks like
Owns a couple of successful businesses so know a bit about business and people
Understands competition better than anyone
Is innovative
Cons
Doesn't know social media
Seems to lose focus and get bored really easily
??
Not having a go at you but how do you know his business’s are successful?
I've wondered the same thing but you can say that about any of those clothing firms by surfers even JJF's looks a loser to me but that's looking at it from Aussie eyes maybe the yanks are more gullible.
In what way, just rankly over priced gear?
More as a business the target market is small (only surfers these days), low on cash (young), and sort of nothing in terms of style. There is not a beautiful wool (maybe cashmere) jumper, or whatever, nothing of any worth and more throwaway stuff for the tip. Just can't see it taking off. What do you think?
Yeah I agree. I mean they’re stuff seems to go for that Patagonia, supposedly quality vibe. But as you say the market is pretty niche - the only people who could afford a set of their boardies or shirts would be people who surely wouldn’t bother (middle aged + surfers with a decent job).
To me just seems like something you’d do if you had money to burn as a bit of a play thing……..you can only surf so much right?
Outerknown is still going after 8 years. Firewire still going strong. He's also been involved in a few failed ventures Purps? - you probably learn more about business from the failures.
See ya later slater. once the GOAT now just a selfish CAT.
Surfed with Slater at Uluwatu last year. He was a wave hungry animal in the barreling waves. He seemed liked the biggest grommie in the line up. Say what you will but I think he is just hanging on for if the tour gets good waves. Would love to see him v jack in 8ft J bay. Also I think he knows how risky it is to launch airs and that could be it.
That's actually a really good point Blingas. The risk of injury now for Kelly is ten fold, particularly with a heavy landing from an air.
For me, he is just below par with everyday waves on the tour. BUT, put him out in solid waves, ie big solid Pipe/Backdoor, Cloudbreak, Chopes or as you say 8' Jbay, and he can be a danger and real threat to all on the tour.
I think at 8ft Jbay he'd be riding odd boards and doing some amazing turns, quite a few strange turns and bogged rails, and possibly a couple of bizarre carving 360 attempts.
"commercializing and bastardizing our culture" then sells a wave pool to the UAE
And look at all the new celebrity/wealthy “surfer’s”
Getting placed in the tube by Raimana at the current goat pool. Fark. Who knows what to call that BS.
Soggydoggie I am one of the few that have surfed the tub and Riamana wasn't there when we were. To be honest it is totally boring after a couple of days just no variety. Went to Cabo after it and got tiddly waves which I enjoyed so much more as they were random and it was in the ocean. It is completely artificial and boring let the celebs have it, let them tell the world they are surfers and let us totally ignore them.
And why the UAE ?
Because our so called ''culture'' won't support/crowdfund the incredible wavepool science he and his team of engineers are doing.
It's the same with manmade surfing reef science, our brain dead 'culture' will not wake up and support it.
eh?
why would we crowdfund a private wave pool?
NO. Let the desert tribes build it for fat/gym bunnies/whatever wealthy people and may I never have anything to do with it. Sure as eggs it will eventually in up as desert.
@ Memla: is that really you Eric?
How’d you get a ticket to the ranch. Interesting to hear your take. Looks to me like 1/2 a days fun at best too.
Nah not Eric have a mate from school days that made a mint selling a vitamin company to the Chinese. We connected again after years and knew I was still surfing and invited me along. Very generous and not effected at all by the wealth and notoriety.
I'm talking about Australian recreational surfers crowdfunding one of Kellys pools for exclusive use by Australian recreational surfers, no contests.
As I said on another thread there is the possibility of the UAE pool having adjustable bathymetry, which will take it to the next level.
They also mention the word circumference in their patents, which opens up a whole new realm of imaginable possibilities.
Should really be a ceiling on points for one manoeuvre rides in waves such as jbay where there is such scope for multiple and pretty much every manoeuvre. It's understandable in beachbreaks or when the surf turned to crud as in the last heat. But not when it's reeling, even only at 3ft. 7 points should be the max awarded to a single turn.
Couldn’t agree more Tiger. Day 1 was a great disappointment. I don’t tune into Jbay to watch an air show
100% agree
Yes, 100%
for waves like Jbay it should be rail work and turns as the main criteria, barrels for the 2nd and airs lastly rewarded
For pipe and barreling waves barrels 1st, turns second and airs 3rd
For beachies or shit close out waves airs and turns 1st then barrels
Who can forget the worst judging decisions ever with Mick and Medina at pipe with that air and then Joel and Medina at Snapper....
Didn't watch it but agree big time.
Here here..
I should really say like the rest of you. He is an amazing surfer and in heavy waves still at the pointy end. But is he competitive atm?
And his miraculous recovery from spinal meningitis is as amazing as his clockwork like injury and recovery schedule. Why not just be straight and say “ I hate surfing in Brazil” and let the social media death threats flow.
Did he really use 'spinal meningitis'? Gold I bet he was pissing him self with laughter waiting for the internet to explode. Love it.
I had heard that he put that out there. If it was genuine, you’d have serious cause for concern for him……if not, then…..well
But isn't that why he avoids Brazil like the plague? Because he has had death threats there in the past? I'm sure I read that in a thread here once. If that's true, then I'd be avoiding too as with most others here I'm guessing..
The trajectory towards the bottom has been happening to the WSL for some time and it seems to me they hit it a while ago. Elo, Kelly's wildcard, the love affair with wave pools, shitty locations, mid year cut, sponsors, confused judging... need I go on. They all represent 'the bottom'. I hope the sport finds their way back and soon.
"Three-time World Champ Gabe Medina illuminated his mindset in the presser after his heat win by describing the glassy J-Bay line-up as “beautiful” and that when he imagined someone surfing it was someone surfing here."
I was watching it on the big screen at home on a cold blowy Victorian evening, and agree wholeheartedly with this assessment. Such a picturesque lineup with really attractive waves. Generally great surfing too. Nice write up Steve.
I agree your comment regarding the airs not being pretty to watch. Postcard looking, glassy 100m tapered peelers were being vandalised with such a disrespectful approach.
Despite the critique it was refreshing to see the tour back at a truely world class locale even if it was only a 3-4/10 day at the best right in the world.
Please Huey given them some waves, let John, Griffen, Phil and co do what they were born to do.
As for Kelly. Don’t even worry about the airs. To borrow a phrase from Strider, he can barely go ‘bingo, bango’* when it matters anymore.
* In Australia read: Re-entry
Watched half a dozen heats, day one was better than most comps already this year.
Few points.
-Toledo is underrated as a power surfer
-Sadly Kelly looked cooked
- JJF has the perfect combo of power style and innovation
- The whole race down the line for one air at a point break sucks, no matter how good the air, there should be a max of 6 to 7 points for any wave with just one turn/air
What was wrong with callum? Out there getting a tan.... didnt throw fin in anger
Striders 'backhand' attack in the booth was certainly entertaining. More of it please.
And 100% agree on the airshow at Jbay, I'd be even harsher on down scoring the 'pump, pump launch' waves.
The shamozzle continues.
Strider suddenly disappeared after that. Only to reappear on the beach a long time later.
All rainbows and lollipops or you're gone!
ee had style of the day for me - granted he didn’t get the biggest waves- but he sure as heck put way more effort and skill into it than some of the one move wonders that scored higher
thx for the write up steve- appreciate your insight as always
@wsl - the rot has got to stop!!!
A joke
Enjoyed watching it even if a bit small until it turned into an air show
Surely all judges need to say this is a point break
Airs won’t be scored unless a functional one
Not just race the wave and through one air on the bricks
Easy fix but head judge doesn’t have balls to call it
It’s quite disheartening to see J-Bay being surfed like a Brazilian beach break in the pump and dump style! Surely wait for the right conditions…
The most ridiculous thing about the Slater wildcard is not this year but the fact he gets to line up in 2024 all over again.
I actually think wildcards to surfers who miss the cut are a dis-service to the surfers themselves. Take Sally gifted 22/23 did terribly. Didn’t help her at all. Whereas back in the challenger series she is looking better than ever and will be confident in 2024 having earned her way back.
Think a few of you are a bit harsh on Slater. He did win pipe not long ago. I suspect if we had Cloudbreak back he is in the mix for 3 or so of the 10 events (pipe, Teaups and CBreak - and gland if they do that). That's pretty outrageous for a 50yr old to be a favourite on the tour. The quality of waves has not helped him nor has what seem to be mediocre boards. Get back on a semipro 12 PU I reckon. Forecast for 10ft is exciting. I do hope Slater and Jack get to fight it out in serious stuff.
A lot of ‘if’s’ there Fraz. The guy can’t get over a 6 on turns. You have to be able to do that on the ‘CT.
His criticism is warranted because ‘he’ is choosing to put himself out there still. The question has to be asked why would he want to fly around the world getting smoked by 20 year olds only to be bagged for it?
There’s nothing I haven’t seen from him over the years that dissuades me from believing he’s a narcissist. Continuing on tour just adds to this evidence.
Kelly failed to make the mid year cut, despite surfing all of the events, and then was awarded a wildcard against guys with legitimate injuries whiles also having had the rules changed so he could still accumulate points as a wildcard.
GOAT or not, the man is a fuckwit, no doubt about it. Love it that only Swellnet and Beachgrit are the only ones to call him out on it too.
1000% correct.
F'n tough crowd. Not sure why people are so emotional/opinionated in an agitated way. It's a bloke surfing. I'm hanging on to what I have left too.
Completely agree @FrazP
As a competitor of his caliber should know, he's just not cutting it.
Im not saying in any way he shouldn't be on tour.
He should be! If he could perform to the standard required.
He has definitely had lots of lifelines tossed to him by the STUPID WSL over the last five years.
Federer would still be on tour if people were only allowed to hit to his forehand(Pipeline,cloudbreak,chopes).
He should have chosen to when he won PIPE after so long without a win. Unfortunately he missed that opportunity and now its even less likely for the Cinderella finish. The Olympics has been so far from his reach I really don't see why he thinks he might qualify.
Would love to see Slater turn up to all his remaining heats as Kelly Slater the competitor, and not Kelly Slater the GOAT.
I reckon he's still got plenty in the tank surfing wise, but is letting his legend status carry him along, clinging to the emotion of this farewell tour, instead of putting in the hard yards required to compete at the elite level.
Not showing up to Jbay pre event when it was pumping and practicing in his pool instead is a prime example of where his head and ego are at.
Don't forget Kelly still has a place in the 2024 season and, assuming they get rid of the cut, could be languishing at the bottom of the rankings for a whole 'nother year
Airshow =overscored! Father time waits for nobody= GOAT. J-Bay = sublime waves(even @ 3ft), Strider= calls a spade a spade.WSL= The Circus rolls on(even without the Animals).Steve= telling it how it is!
@ hoody: why should he be on tour?
@ southern: plenty left in the tank? Maybe in life, a good surfing life, but not the elite echelon of the sport.
Sounds like this is a Slater vendetta but the truth is I’m generally quite ambivalent towards his presence on tour, I don’t specifically tune into in for his heats or generally care what he rides etc etc.
We’ve all witnessed the gradual decline and has made me ponder Kelly and his place on the tour.
It doesn’t even feel like a farewell type situation as nothing is ever mentioned and Kelly remains as coy as ever.
Everyone thinks he’s got a mortgage on Pipe, Chopes, Cloudy but the reality is bar one or two fellas, that whole tour can tube ride 6-8’ tubes as well as each other (Jack and John excepted).
Good luck to the bloke but really, when you look at the life he has led and continues to lead, I think the tour and Kelly will be just fine in the absence of each other.
Im personally glad Kelly has kept surfing as long as he can on the WSL im a big fan but i can now see his days are over, age and his body has caught up with him, i dont see his demise as ruining his legacy and id expect he will hold the record for oldest surfer to compete for a very long time.
If he had retired years ago he and many of us would have been thinking hmmm i wonder how long he could have kept going, at least now when it ends he and we know it really has ended and he took it as far as he could.
BTW. Solid tubes left or right and he is still in the mix with the best even very solid perfect J-Bay and he could even make finals, but no chance while its still waves guys are doing airs in.
Kelly got smoked last year in pumping J-Bay.
If he hopped back on a traditional PU 6’2 rounded pin he might make a heat in pumping waves, but unfortunately his equipment choices continue to let him down. His turns are just too weird and flicky.
The latest ATS podcast touches on a rumour that the younger guys on tour are pretty off him and the way he treats the tour with such contempt, all the while still getting BS wildcards and keeping a spot off a kid who’s dream it is to be on tour, like a Jacko Baker or Sammy Pupo. Must give his opponents an extra incentive to school him in heats.
Like i pretty much said below
I re watched the Kelly-Jack heat this morning, it was a fairly close heat, if Jack hadnt got the 9 in the last few minutes Kelly would have won the heat and who knows how far he could have gotten, so not exactly smoked
And again Jack was on fire last year and his strength is solid waves, so not like kelly was up against an easy competitor.
BTW. He still often rides PU/PE boards, but he was most likely actually ridding an off the rack EPS/epoxy board in this heat as he had 11 customs go missing missinghttps://stabmag.com/premium/kelly-slater-competed-on-a-board-he-grabbed-...
Kelly rolled up in JBay without any boards. Went to Country Feeling and bought a bunch off the rack...Then he surfed like shit on them. And he wants to go to the olympics? Fvck off!!!
I think its pretty safe to say that it wasn't by choice that he didn't have his boards, if anyone is subscribed to stabmag maybe they can tell us the story.
It was solid J-Bay last year and he was not competitive.
Just checked he wasn't bad just not good enough for the pointy end. Jack is where Slater once was.
Depends what you call competitive he got knocked out by Jack Robinson who got a nine on his last wave, one little thing happens differently for Jack and he doesn't get that 9 and Kelly would have been into the finals and who knows.
Jack was on fire last year too and good in solid waves, he would have been one of the surfers you really didnt want to come up against especially in solid J Bay.
In fairness, he was absolutely ripping at solid Bells last year, but just got pipped.
Surely his surfing can't have just deteriorated that quickly? Could it?
I dunno.
He has mentioned injuries plaguing him, as you'd expect at 50plus, but i reckon it's just that he's not putting in the time required in the water to keep up at the elite level as he maybe was this time last year.
I still reckon he is amazing on the face of waves when he's on..not just a threat in barrels.
As for the airs, no chance, but i'm over seeing close out airs anyway.
I think still top 20 in the world when his rail game/vertical attack is on. But it's getting harder to be convinced each event he turns up to looking like he did the other day.
If Kelly loses its always because of an injury Orr not feeling well.
Maybe. I guess only he knows.
I don't reckon he's ever really been the same since he broke his foot at J Bay.
He's a textbook narcissist. It's never his fault. The waves were poor, I have a fake illness, I have a fake injury. Any excuse to avoid saying the truth...I'm off the pace and I can't beat these guys anymore. I'm done and I know I should go, so I will, for my own health and the good of the sport.
He'll never say that. Especially when the rules have been re-shaped so he can still qualify for the olympics. Pipe was the perfect exit, and everyone knows it except him.
Dunno, never met him so can't comment on his personality.
Definitely not surfing to his usual standards in comps though so somethings observably different.
Hope he gets back to his best as he's a legend in my opinion (even though that goes against popular opinion on here).
+1 on this one Southo
I’ve been critical of the season wild card for Kellie (and others) and his antics. But don’t get me wrong - he’s a legend and is the best 50 old surfer in the world. His actions show a lack of self awareness and reality. His excuses and games are nauseating. Would it hurt to ever say someone surfed better than him ?
I’ve also said previously if he had officially retired then by all means grant him some spots at favourite events to say goodbye but to cut surfers who just missed the cut by one spot and add Kellie is plane wrong.
Let’s remember he has a free pass into 2024 as well !
+1 yep agree on this one too.
Personally ive enjoyed watching him burst on the scene in the 90s and blow everyone away and him rack up world tittles and break all kinds of records and be at the top of his game for so long.
Guys 50+ and its only been in the last 12 months where he is really showing his age, im just going to enjoy watching the last of the show unfold.
No wonder Kelly was disappointed with the decision to run. He must know that he is now only competitive in solid barreling waves. His ability to get beyond the opening rounds is dependant on them being held in pumping surf. Saving the best waves of the waiting period for finals will see him sitting on the beach watching every time...
Wow this topic created a great discussion! At the very least. Lets get a referedum going on who should be the new CEO and what the scoring criteria should be!
tuned in during the "air show" heats, promptly tuned out, the big claims after dropping a single manouever on the best point break in the world was too nauseating for me.
We can all agree Kelly is the goat, but to be the best (current) surfer in the world means being able to win in beaches, reef, point breaks be they onshore, side shore or offshore - which 10 years ago he proved he could.
Now he is just an amazingly talented surfer who shines in perfect waves and punches so far ubove his age which is still crazy.
Imo it's unfortunate for his legacy he didn't retire at pipe, although who knows he could prove us all wrong and win another event in pumping waves - I hope he does, the fact this thread is mostly talking about a 50 year old man still surfing on tour says alot for him !
Whoops!
Yowza!
Wow amazing footage.
I had a vivid dream about surfing with sharks last night too.
Medina spinal meningitis.
Nate Florence: "Pretty crazy, we saw some groms come in fast i asked them what the deal was and they said they saw a huge white shark close enough to see its eyes swim by them, we put the drone up fast to see if it was there, sure enough it was swimming toward main pack of world tour surfers! We tried to warn the first guy with drone as we were far away he noticed us and pulled his legs up but didnt see shark it was rio waida, next it gets sprayed by ian gentil and curiously checks out a local south african surfer named eli! We alerted people on beach who alerted surfers all went in, the shark cruised on his way up the coast and continued everyone had a great day! What a crazy chance to see one like that! South Africa is incredible !"
I thought the signal for shark is to fly in a circle close overhead.
This is what a helicopter did repeatedly at Ballina a few years back.
Good to know. Cheers for that info.
Wish i hadn't watched this last night. Made this mornings remote surf very spooky....especially when a dolphin popped up near me!
That’s incredible. Was in full cruise mode, not even a hint of interest in the surfers.
Goes to show, they are so invisible, you’ve got no chance, it is pure chance.
Yep, makes you feel like it’s pointless even worrying about them in the first place.
If one wants you bad enough there’s not much you can do about it.
I was thinking the same thing, they are almost invisible. How many times would that have happened to any one of us? Whilst completely oblivious.
That was Rio lying kind of across his board wafting his legs in the current unbeknownst they looked like a perfectly designed soft plastic great white lure? makes my toes tingle
It appears totally disinterested though?
,Wow, that was interesting.
I still find it incredible how little we can actually see sitting in the lineup. Not sure I'd want to see drone footage of me alone on the big sandbar.
Makes me wonder how many close calls we could have had over the years without ever knowing it. Stealthy bastards.
More than you think .....this dude has a lot of vids like the one above and hes in california........
Oh for sure, the mind boggles, and yep, I'm a regular watcher of that guys content. Some freakishly close encounters, even in clear water, and yet most people have no clue how close they got.
Wonder if it's the same shark that got tangled up with Fanning? A great white turned up the following year as well I think? Some of these have regular migration paths. Be interesting if the locals could get a tag on it hey. Thankfully it didn't attack as those contestants looked a lot like sitting duck 'shark biscuits' on their little pieces of foam and fibre-glass.
Who wasn't glued to the screen?
Pretty cool from Shaun Thomson
Just give it to him, he's more than earned it and it's a kind thing to do for an old man passed his heyday.
Shaun Tomson!
If he was in the running for an Olympic spot v. Kelly there would be no way he would be saying that shit.
That's very nice of Shaun and I'd love to see Kelly perform for more than 2000 YouTube viewers, but no chance of IOC coming to the party.
I recon in Kellys case he just doesn't want to let go of a good thing....his whole life has been travelling around the world surfing and getting paid for it and he travels first class .....i mean what a life style ! He should have retired and just done the wildcard comps but its hard to break a habit.
Kelly should retire to Toonalook with ELO.
Baz might have something to say about that. Caaarnts!
A surf comp as good as it gets for the best barrel riders & many viewers, old and young.