US Open Won And Done, CS Rankings Sharpen Up
Overnight, both the US Open - a Challenger Series event - was decided, plus the Huntington Beach Longboard Classic, Stop No. 1 on the 2023 WSL Longboard Tour.
The shortboards were won by Sawyer Lindblad and Eli Hanneman, while the longboard winners were cousins Kelis Kaleopa’a and Kaniela Stewart. Runners up were Sally Fitzgibbon and Crosby Colapinto, and Honolua Blomfield and Taylor Jensen.
The US Open was the fourth of a six-strong Challenger Series (with four results counting for qualification) meaning we're getting a clearer idea of who'll be on the CT next year.
The men are as follows. Keep in mind that the cut off last year - also with four events counting - was 15,770.
Last year, the cut off for the women was 25,490. The current rankings for them are:
The two remaining CS events are in Ericeira, Portugal, and Saquarema, Brazil, running back to back from the beginning of October.
Comments
According to the WSL rule book;
Events Counting Towards Qualification: Challenger Series
If there are more than five (5) Challenger Series Events then the best 5 five (5) results will count.
The rule was the same in the Final Jan 2022 version... and doing some quick calculations for best 5 results, Morgs should have qualified in 9th, pushing Zeke below the cut-off. Could you confirm, Stu or others?
It seems the rule book has been updated since 8th August! Although the version control has it published at 15th July??? More subterfuge no doubt...
2.11 Events Counting Towards Qualification: Challenger Series
If there are seven (7) Challenger Series Events then the best five (5)
results will count; If there are six (6) Challenger Series Events then the
best four (4) results will count; if there are five (5) Challenger Series
Events then the best three (3) results will count; and if there are four
(4) or less Challenger Series Events then all results will count.
Yeah, that is weird isn't it?
The rule book prior to that one, August 2022, says the same:
If there are more than five (5) Challenger Series Events then the best
5 five (5) results will count; If there are five (5) Challenger Series
Events then the best four (4) results will count; if there are four (4)
Challenger Series Events then the best three (3) results will count; and
if there are three (3) or less Challenger Series Events then all results
will count.
And yet they only counted four out of seven events?
Not sure, Wes. Deserves some thought or digging around though.
EDIT: I've just checked all the versions around that time and Rule 2.11 stays the same. Five events should've been counted.
I thought the WSL makes it up as they go don't they?
As an aside - why would Kanoa bother with a CS event? Top tier pro taking points and cash off of the youngens.
No Brazilians (excluding pupo) Has the future storm blown away?
Looking at those names it would suggest the judges loving big rail surfing more than airs at the moment (which could probably be said in general for the CT this year)
Hanneman won doing airs. Got a 9 & 8 in the final for airs. His rail surfing is weak as piss. There is no new Brazilian talent. I thought Jadson was unlucky to lose a heat. There is Michael Rodrigues (pretty boring surfer). Mateus Herdy seems to have overhyped himself. Old veterans Deivid Silva & Alejo Muniz. It seems Gabriel & Filipe were the Brazilian storm and the others just tagged along in their vacuum; although Joao & Yago look solid. Six Brazo vs six Aussies in the WCT top 22. Six Americans, two Saffa, one Indo, one Italian, one pensioner wildcard.
Gooo Sally!!!
Stick it up the naysayers.
What a little legend.
Really?
Yes Really! Easy to argue that Sally got a Wild Card therefore is less worthy!
If, when Surfing 3x Olympic games ends, IOC Sally is the only current Pro Surfing link remaining!
Sally would be pivotal in returning Surfing to Olympics.
History records Sally with best most consistent ISA/WSL-CT-CS/Olympic results
History records Sally as the best pro surfer Gold Coast WSR has ever seen.
Since 2010 results...
Surfed in the most Goldie International Pro Comps (13)
Most Top 10 Goldie finishes (12)
Most Goldie SF 3rds (7)
Runner Up (1)
Win (1)
2010-5 /11-3/12-3/13-2 +BH1/14-5/15-9/16-13/17-3/18-3/19-3/20+21na/ 22-3/23-3
Sally's rightful & natural home is on a Goldie Podium with burleigh sprayin' Sally with beer.
Dare say if Goldie celebrates Surfing then they'll surely reward the best surfer to ever surf our waves!
Yes! tbb thinks Gold Coast will naturally respect & honour the best pro surfing of our waves...
Sally will be rewarded justly in our city if not at least here & now...Goldie crew Salutes Sally!
Sally is a long term Goldie fav Surfer simply because she is the best performing surfer we've ever seen!
Why would any dispute the Comp results over 13 years...Team Sally can lock them in !
Sally was ripped off on the 2023 cut by a surfer throwing away poorer results.
WSL even reported Sally made the cut...then was stripped by a Pro junket throwaway score rule!
No fellow WSL competitors will be surprised that Sally will rightly reclaim her CT slot...
Sadly a CT berth comes with a mandated bypass of her fav' Surf City hang the Goldie...
None would be surprised if Sally pushes to front her fans in CS comp...puts out extra she does!
Goldie surf fans will miss their fav' surfer... Go Sally!
Furthermore : Sally bestows Olympic Ideal to our National Team & at any Venue
Aussie Team would look to Sally playing a lead role in 2024 Olympics...All say Aye!