2025 CT Qualifiers Decided…Almost
Following two days of action at Saquarema, which is the last event of the Challenger Series, the qualifiers for next year’s CT are decided…almost.
There’s certainty at least for Australian surfers with both George Pittar and Joel Vaughan qualifying for the men, while no other Aussie surfers are able to make it. Jackson Baker is still in the draw yet even if he wins won’t make the top ten.
George is currently in seventh and out of the contest. “I just wanted the camera to get out of my face,” said Pittar after he made it, “I was bawling my eyes out. I can’t believe it right now, so much went into this. It means the world to me.”
Joel is sixth and may climb higher if he continues through the draw. Keeping his game face on, Vaughan offered a simple message on Instagram: “Stoked. Thanks for the support.”
The first eight qualifiers are set with Edgard Groggia in ninth place and Jackson Bunch in tenth, both out of the comp and awaiting their fortunes. Their qualification rests in the hands of Mateus Herdy and Levi Slawson.
If Herdy makes one more heat he’ll overtake Bunch and tie with Groggia for equal ninth. If he progresses to the Final then Groggia drops to tenth and his fate rests with Slawson, currently placed 20th.
If Slawson makes two more heats - i.e makes the Final - he’ll also qualify. Coming from opposite sides of the draw, Herdy and Slawson can’t meet each other till the Final, so this outcome is a possibility.
A complexity: If Slawson makes the Final and Herdy just the Semi, then Herdy will be tied with Groggia on equal tenth. How the Woz breaks that is unknown.
In the women, the first four spots are locked up with only fifth-placed Nadia Erostarbe awaiting the outcome. Things aren’t looking good, as the next four surfers behind her are all still alive in the contest
If Vahine Fierro or Luana Silva make one more heat they’ll overtake her. Fierro and Silva are currently tied, so from there whoever progresses further qualifies.
Yolanda Hopkins would have to make two more heats - i.e the Final - to knock Erostarbe out, plus she’d have to see how Fierro and Silva place. If either of those two win the comp, Hopkins can’t qualify.
At just 5 points behind, Sophia Medina is in the same boat as Hopkins.
Competition continues tonight with Finals for both men and women.
Comments
So at least 3/6 Changas event champs on the men’s side will fail to qualify for the 2025 WCT. That’s pretty wild. Could be 4/6 if Jacko Baker goes all the way in this event.
Pretty amazing statistic in that, prior to this year, it had never happened before.
Nothing is assured anymore.
Sadly this comp as expected pretty much an air show except a couple of surfers like Jacko baker winning on power rail game
Prediction - Only 3 of the 10 men to make the 2025 cut.
Aside from George and Joely V I've never been more underwhelmed looking at a CS qualifying list.
Fuck me, it's going to be a looooooooong year of shit poo stances and crappy air reverse's.
Solid take ledge, Aussies on top. Bit rich though mate considering I seen you mr "TH" c'ing out on the weekend at me local, barely could stand up, let alone pulled up with Ripcurl stickers on your nose
Wow. Show us on teddy where TH hurt you champ
Mr? Presumptive.
I hope Levi has a brother called Cole
Shouldn't have read that with a mouthful of coffee.
Snapper, Manly, Ballito, Huntington, Ericeira and Brazil...
Not one wave over 3ft and only one wave requiring more than 2 turns and a closeout.
No real surprises its Brazilian dominated.
Even the two Aussies are whip thin small wave specialists.
How is this the best version of selecting surfers for the best waves in the world??
You forgot to mention the number of heats I’ve watched where the brazzo surfer (and Joel for that matter) attempt a shitty air on every wave often just one manoeuvre after racing whole wave to end close out
Wave counts on some heats have been Aussie 4 or 5 waves and brazzo 11 plus
As I’ve said before we need head judge with balls to say from get go airs will not be overscored
Can’t wait to see David Silvia charging pipe again
Errrr... Sally Fitz?
Sally Fitz and Isabella Nichols have made it.
There's no other Aussie surfer able to win their way into qualification. Jackson Baker is still in the contest but it's too far adrift to make the top ten.
Gotcha. Thought you were saying that the only Aussies to qualify were Pittar and Vaughan, musta misread.
I reckon Jackson will go the same way as Stu Kennedy
even with the qualification hubbub i tried to watch this comp but the banks (and waves) are worse than my local atm... and my local is pretty grim.
now that our collective grizzling has 'fixed' the CT locations we should turn our attention to the QS...
Long time reader, first time commenter.
My napkin maths has Kade Matson as a possible qualifier as well, if he wins the comp. Is this wrong? (Either way, I hope he doesn't)
"Wow, I can't wait to see the top 5 challengers perform on the big stage."
- no one
Be good to see Vahine scrape in. She's missed out by a bees dick on at least one occasion. She was ripping yesty on her backhand.
Shame to see Willcox sit and not catch a wave for 27 mins of a 30 min heat while his competitors picked the eyes out of the junk. Talent wise he's got it in spades, and should be back on tour but his heat strategy of not catching a wave could do with a little work.