Tahiti Pro 2023: Day One
Tahiti Pro 2023: Day One
Four women eliminated today, no men, in an opening day held in very scrappy 3-5ft Teahupoo. There were waves, there were tubes - made, dodged, and botched - and a Final Five drama that, incredibly, the WSL is managing to royally fuck up via the injury to Ethan Ewing.
Jessie Miley-Dyer came on the webby and solemnly swore that the rulebook (yes, the one they slavishly adhere to as they make it up on the spot) stated that if a Final Five surfer was injured there would be no replacement. There would be a Final Four instead.
Sport, particularly a Finals Series, only has one essential element: It can’t (or shouldn't) fuck up. To wit: Make sure you get the right guys or gals in there competing for Top Spot.
The Final Five is an arbitrary concept as it stands; the brain fart of Dirk Ziff, brought to life like Frankenstein via disgraced ex-CEO Erik Logan.
By making it a Final Four - one, two, or three of those outside the five (ranked 6th, 7th, 8th) will miss the chance to compete for the title. Those competitors..?
John Florence, Gabe Medina, and Jack Robinson.
Having those guys eliminated by fiat from competing for the title is a fuck-up of momumental proportions.
JMD has to go. She owns this.
Gabs (WSL/Ryder)
As if to show the complete absurdity of not allowing a replacement for Ewing from this group all three surfers put on a clinic at small Chopes.
Immediately, Medina made it look like a different quality day by lacing inside runners which drain the most shallow section of the reef. A pair of 8’s. His 17th excellent heat total at Chopes.
Professional surfing seems to do funny things with time. Medina’s last showing here was 2019 - four years ago! How long can an athlete stay in their prime? The Slater experience of decades looks more and more like an outlier. Medina has already hinted he sees his future with kids, on the beach in the sub-tropics playing happy families.
If he can’t make the Olympic team we may be witnessing his last Tahitian performance.
JJF (WSL/Ryder)
We go back even further in time for John’s last showing. 2017, his second World Title year. Six years ago. On the wrong side of 30 it seems inconceivable John could go to 40, but too much of the good life awaits him. Too much risk of injury in competition. John has qualified (provisionally, whatever that means) for the 2024 Olympics so barring injury we will see him compete here again.
So much of that promised rivalry between John and Medina now seems unfulfilled, and will never be realised. Robbed by injury, pandemic, a piss poor schedule. There was so much we could have seen.
Justice would have seen a tour designed around these two talents and how best to showcase them, challenge them. We’ve seen almost the exact opposite.
And now a last decision, a legacy from the failed ELO years which will ensure one of them will not contest for a World Title via a rule.
Scrap the rulebook, Jessie! Make a decision for the fans and the betterment of the sport for once.
Medina went first, John followed with a feisty, fiery performance. He caught nine waves. Sat on foam balls, toyed with dry reef sections, opened up into full-throated backhand roundhouses back into angry sections. It was a statement of intent after J-Bay.
There’s a very narrow path for Medina, even narrower for JJF and Robinson. With a decent forecast and based on today's performances you’d expect one of those three to win, with all three making the Semis. A crap shoot outlook with turns playing a key role reduces the odds.
Meanwhile, it increases the odds for Toledo. His performances at Chopes are...patchy. He’s proven he can get the job done, but very far from consistently and very far from the mastery displayed by the trio of JJF, Medina, and Jack Robbo.
Felipe (WSL/Ryder)
The webcast makes the wave look easier to read than it is in reality. Skill sets and reef knowledge are not evenly distributed, even in the Top 10 surfers in the World.
Toledo did enough today to win a heat. His 11 point total, up against 16+ for Medina, 14 for JJF, and 15+ for Jack is a fair indication of that spread.
If we are going to give Toledo a hard time, fairness dictates we must subject current Women's and 8-time World Champion Steph Gilmore to similar scrutiny. Her first heat netted a total of 4.73. Won by a proper tube threaded by Vahine Fierro.
Vahine (WSL/Dunbar)
She won the elimination heat against Lakey Peterson with a total of 4.60.
Her two heats last year garnered 7.50 and 4.16.
Amazingly, despite these pitiable numbers and not having successfully completed a single backside tube-ride Steph has now made two Quarter Finals at this venue.
For a professional athlete with no other obligations but to improve the skill set, the excuses twelve months down the track are sounding a bit hollow.
Steph has made marginal improvement to the technique but backside tube-riding is as as much about intent and positioning as anything, and in that regard she still looks woefully underdone.
Steph (WSL/Dunbar)
Her hapless performance was only good enough due to an equally bumbling one from Lakey. Lakey caught the bomb, a lovely hollow nug, and got sucked straight up and over the falls. That was the wave, that was the year.
Say what you want about Tyler Wright - no need to really, she says it all herself in increasingly revealing pressers - but the advancement in skills for her backside tuberiding is very real.
She didn’t get deep, but she made whatever she pulled into despite what she described as a calvacade of strong emotions, primarily fear. Yes, even at 3ft it’s frightening.
Tyler said she had learned to “be honest with how scared I am”, and that fear is legitimate. She didn’t specify the injury risk, but Ewing could not have been more present in her mind.
The team of Coach King, a sports psychologist, and wife Lilly were enabling Tyler to perform free of judgement, to “feel the emotion and keep my hands on the steering wheel”.
I am as mystified by Tyler as anyone, but those are words of great practical wisdom.
Maybe we should all pay closer attention?
Kingy and Tyler (WSL/Ryder)
Pronunciation wars continued in the booth. Joe Turpel claimed his mandate from Michel Bourez for Tear-hu-po-o, which Flick Palmateer bravely tried to emulate.
No disrespect to Bourez but he is not from Teahupoo. On my last sojourn there I knocked on the door of the Mayor’s Office (little white building on landscaped grounds opposite the Supermarche). I asked the Mayor (born and bred Teahupoo) and she gave me the standard Cho-po.
Pete Mel remains the sole Cho-po holdout in the booth.
Kelly Slater got knocked and now faces an elimination heat with Ryan Callinan. A last place for Kelly at Chopes will make it harder and harder for him to justify holding a slot on the CT. Yes, he has been cruelled by the unrelenting skunkings. No, he is not competitive anymore except for the best of days, anywhere. Even hollow surf. Sooner or later even the last holdouts, like the Japanese soldiers who hid out on Pacific Islands for years post WW2, will realise the war is over. Until then we watch every heat hoping beyond hope to see a little magic before the final flame is extinguished.
// STEVE SHEARER
Comments
Very good Steve. May well be your best.
Fascinating insights. Onya Steve.
These type of conditions the luck factor becomes even bigger if they get the opportunity and a decent size wave comes most will get a decent score.
That said the biggest surprise for me was JJF getting 9 waves and Rio in the same heat just not getting any waves,(well one a 0.97) when the waves and condition's even water temps are not that dissimilar to his home, weird one.
And he is not starved of barrelling lefts.
Great writeup, Steve. The Wozl keeps confounding us.
Was happy to just watch Gabe, JJF and JR. Gabe was in a league of his own today, I thought - so much spark.
Fantastic read. Cheers FR.
Here's hoping for a little more swell to appear.
One of the keenest minds there has Tyler. She is very honest and open in the interviews and she's right on the fear, something relatable to everyone in all sorts of circumstances. I get a bit lost in the psychobabble speak sometimes, but today's - just like her surfing - was good.
What psychobabble?? Recently heard an AFL player reference ‘premiership behaviours’
Great write up Steve
The whole of the WSL is ‘going to turns’……
Couldnt agree more Freeride, jmd needs to get the f**k out the way and get some people in there who can read a room and get it right for once. She is a big a part of the problem as logan was/is. doing my head in. Great read mate, full of passion hope these wsl pissants read it and sort it out
…:yet post the cut they have been dropping wild cards in left, right and centre. All of whom can play spoilers for those in the top 5 or those teying to get into the top 5.
Don’t mean to join the bandwagon to hate on Tyler Wright but you forgot to mention in her first heat when she had priority and the set of the heat came through and she didn’t want a bar of it and let Vahine go and get the wave of the day (for women’s). Tried to watch some of the comp live but it was pretty tough viewing to be honest.
got to wonder how much the memory of her brother's injury at Pipe plays as she works on her surfing in these sort of waves
Well then, she should wear a helmet.
Pickles had a Golden Helmet.
They need new blood to take over and makes me wonder how much Dirk Ziff is controlling how its run .....Jessie MD needs to go and im glad Elos gone but the reality is someone needs to be given the reins who has been in the hot seat of pro surfing and knows what needs to be done and they need the backing of Dirk or who ever is running the show behind the scenes......otherwise its curtains if the wsl continues on this path of no direction.
'On the wrong side of 30 it seems inconceivable John could go to 40, but too much of the good life awaits him.'
I give up. What does this mean?
Most surfers retire around 34
My biggest question is what talent is willing to step up to the plate?
Nailed it as always Steve, great writing. The failure to realise JJF and Gabby as generational talents to build a tour around completely baffles me, especially while they desperately cling to Kelly as their figurehead, despite his increasing irrelevancy in competition.
For anyone who hasn’t seen it, Succession is a great watch for the way it takes down the billionaire class, especially those who inherit their fortunes. The way the wozzle is run, I can’t help but think of Dirk Ziff in the same way as Kendall or Roman Roy in the show. Doomed by inherited, unlimited wealth to never have to face the consequences of poor decisions, thereby never learning from your mistakes.
Time you did the broadcast Steve, although too much truth would choke the corporate monster. Great insights, well done.
Thanks for the great article Steve.
Some athletes know their limitations & balance the risks.
The trials show the locals know where to sit & which waves are makable to win.
Some people are more experienced & comfortable surfin super sucky, ultra powerful, horizon blocking black walls, bending & exploding onto shallow coral; airdrops, sideslipping, drifting fins bottom turns, foam ball climbs, spitting blind tube exit dodging cameramen, boats or dealing with a closeout onto meat grinder dry reef ...
https://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/polynesie/tahiti/teahupoo/surf-filipe-tol...
absolutely great article. you win the interwebs today steve.
What a shemwozzle!
Cant wait for this year to be over. Make or break? Completely broken.
i don't reckon a non top 5 should be subbed in, similar to the previous system - if the points leader was injured last event , he/she still maintains his spot in the rankings, makes sense to me.
Unless they get overtaken on points of course.
Not fair to subtract points already banked or qualify someone that hasn't actually qualified.
By making it a final four,,,,position , 6 , 7 ,8 miss out,,,,,,,,,,,as they should !
Got a chance to watch Medina and JJF's heats on replay, and the two of them were tremendously entertaining. Like they were hunting as many waves as they could catch in a high intensity practice session, but with savant-level barrel skills. Even through the conditions were not the best, watching them pick the eyes out of what was on offer was well worth watching. Gotta catch up on Jack's next.
Most if not all write-ups from Steve attract expressions of appreciation - multiple times. And its well deserved.
I often find myself re-reading your paragraphs multiple times Steve so that I absorb your insights. And I mean no disrespect to the clarity of the language you use. Case in point:
"Meanwhile, it increases the odds for Toledo. His performances at Chopes are...patchy. He’s proven he can get the job done, but very far from consistently and very far from the mastery displayed by the trio of JJF, Medina, and Jack Robbo."
So much has been written on Swellnet about Fil's heavy water talent. In my view much of it reflects mob mentality and is rarely balanced. Your above paragraph is objective, precise and insightful - made me reflect on my own opinions. Superb writing.
Ben, Craig, Stu - in the past I haven't subscribed to Swellnet - largely as a feeble protest to the webcams and because I learnt long ago to read synoptic charts and source WAMS so the content you put behind your firewall is not a loss to me. Reading Steve's article today made me reflect on my opportunistic and unsupportive ways - and the webcam war is long lost. I'll subscribe today to support your business and to make a very modest contribution to keep the content that you all put up flowing - its one of the few content based websites I visit regularly. FWIW, I'd put your best content like Steve's writeups behind your firewall.
Thanks mate.
“ FWIW, I'd put your best content like Steve's writeups behind your firewall.”
I agree, if you’re paying someone to deliver the content, why not charge for it.
What about a no subscibe no comment ?
This
I think if its all Paywalled you won't get new clients.
It becomes a swarmy echo chamber like stab.
Or a wankfest like beach grot
Are you saying that as a subscriber, or a non-subscriber?
Just feel that when everything is free -beachgrit.
The articles are so stupid its just click bait, borrowed and or banner ads.
Stab, Paywalls wsl articles?
Third party articles Paywalled?
Or you guys have the best balance of Paywalled vs open.
I don't run a media/ surf forecast business though.
Fair points, but doesn't answer the question though.
Guessing that eyeballs/clicks mean add revenue, hence lots of good stuff not behind a paywall.
Not the case.
Was a guess. Was wrong :-)
Long story why this is the case, but I'm always considering a review. Likely to head this way at some point in the future.
Wonder how Stabmag have faired putting anything half decent behind a paywall. I will never subscribe to them, but i do here already.
I used to visit stab daily, but now i don't even bother to look. It would be months since i clicked an article.
That place is road blocked.
No through roads.
Pretty much rehashed formats from other mags / companies.
If I could be bothered spending time watching and reading endless surf stuff I reckon they’d be pretty hard to go past with some of the original content they put out. Plenty of articles I’ve seen (paywalled) that have piqued my interest as well.
Original content ?
With so much woz bashing going on atm.
It would be interesting if they pulled the plug at the end of the year.
Where the rest of surfing would stand?
Old mags were just a veneer of lies and boiled stories to persuade the consumer to by more shit or to keep the consumer interested for the next month/ years.
Its no secret that surfing has a grow the pond consumer mentality.
Its just weird how surfing cannibalizes it's self so much now days.
The age of the youtube surfer, exploit spots secret waves. Click like subscribe.
Feel the need to highlight this
Do we get paid as a regular contributors or highly opinionated older surfer?
Like and subscribe?
Like and subscribe?
Like and subscribe?
Like and subscribe?
All our groundswell arrives with onshore winds now days.like and subscribe mentality.
Stab in the dark pretty original I would’ve thought.
Those surf 100 things are unique.
I dunno, I don’t subscribe, they’re having a crack though. I enjoy listening to their poddy now and again.
Some of their video content (i.e. How Surfers Get Paid) is first class, as good as you'd see on any of the major streaming providers. I highly recommend it (I'm a paid subscriber).
How surfers get paid producer is Circe Wallace, form manager of the elite sponsored surfstars?
Rehashing former stories and secrets of yesteryear.
Should I write an article about hand shaping vanishing in the late 80s early nineties in the comments?
Oh wait I already did 6 years ago.
Yet it doesn't describe current times?
Core consumers
That's what bob McKnight calls us lifers . like and subscribe.....
Have you actually seen any episodes?
I've seen it first hand.
I saw an episode.
I also had a few meetings with DR when he was starting stab with Sam.
I know the other side of surfing quite well.
100% agree
Great write up Stevie. Thanks.
Great free read Freeride
"Justice would have seen a tour designed around these two talents and how best to showcase them, challenge them. We’ve seen almost the exact opposite."
So true
A scathing criticism of the WSL, but a constructive one. I hope they’re watching - something tells me they are.
What would make you think they read this stuff?
If they did, every single thing the Woz does would be in spite of the general commentary on SN
The recent ousting of ELO, which was shortly after another scathing swellnet article was interesting. Likely coincidental. But who else is writing honest articles about the state of pro surfing? The WSL would need to be living under a rock to not be exposed to some of this stuff.
They might be exposed but I very much doubt they care.
I’m not sure how big swellnet is in world surfing circles, so I’m not sure as to the effect an article here or there would make.
Steve likely wouldn’t be getting invited to the VIP section at Trestles, but something tells me that would bother him just as much as his articles bothers the Woz.
wsl should have a finals series top 16 shootout. 1 final series at tresles 2nd final series mobile red orange green light waiting period at a big wave location. if draw countback higest place on calender event finish.
Looks small and clean this morning.
If the women aren’t into it maybe they should have another stop. Seems like a pretty stupid venue for the Olympics as well, especially when you have all the French beach breaks. If it is 8-10 foot and firing are they not going to run or will they just force people that shouldn’t be out there to go out and kill themselves or just sit there and not catch anything.
Great analysis SS!
The rumour I have been hearing is that the WSL is trying to promote Grif to the Title, this then potentially explains the sus scores on the Griff/Italo wavepool semi fiasco. It potentially also supports the questionable scoring in the JJF/Connor J Bay heat & the final 5 rule that you have called out here.
It's one thing to want a Cali world champ, but if you burn the JJF, Medina & Jack to get that outcome then it really waters down the whole thing & undermines any credibility.
I agree about Steph & thought she looked fairly disinterested for large parts of the tour last year, yet still managed to crush Trestles. Poor way to decide the title IMO.
Will the WSL recover from this corner they appear to be shoving themselves into?
Do whining brazzos count as rumours these days?
It’s appropriate that my first post should be to acknowledge your great writing …. Ever since I read your first article covering chopes, quite some time ago, I have always been fascinated by your outlook on the surfing world. Would love to see you in the commentary box with Turpel….
Great write up, definitely worth the 22 cents or so a day!
Great write up again Steve. Learn more about the WSL from a handful of your articles than everything else combined.
Re: Steph... I'd imagine the bulk of her professional obligations involve having photos taken with particular products and appearing in endorsements for everything from luxury watches to Audi. An article from March placed her as banking about $900k last year, with more than 80% from sponsorship rather than contest winnings, making her the 8th highest paid female athlete in Australia. In the past it was double that. Given her record, she doesn't exactly have a lot to prove competitively either, so I'd expect her Tahiti performances to remain the same until she retires.
FR I got’a say I enjoy your reviews more than the comps. Surely it can’t be that hard to have the best surfers in the best waves with judging criteria thats sync with what we conclude. A few teenage groms really confirmed to me how far off base WSL is. They only have a passing interest in the CT and follow their surfing hero’s on #insta and YouTube, and have zero interest in Kelly because he’s older than their fathers LOL. If WSL can’t even sell it to surf obsessed teanagers what chance have they got of selling to anyone else..
when money gets involve things get messy and when they get messy people get uninvolved
I’d like to see Stab run an event at cloudbreak with jjf, Jack robbo and Medina when the trestles finals are on and see which one attracts more attention.