Surf Abu Dhabi Pro: Finals Day
Surf Abu Dhabi Pro: Finals Day
Before we dive into Finals Day, just a quick aside on the Toledo imbroglio from last night.
To me, it was a total nothingburger. Pip was already well beaten before he snapped the fins off on the camerman's housing (lucky it wasn't his head) after riding his last opportunity to score on the right in a bizarre sulk. Judges paid the ride appropriately. Pip did not have a back-up quad and rode a Thruster and choked on his last scoring left. If the incident had occurred at the start of the wave, there's a problem which needed redress. Otherwise Toledo had a tantrum and got knocked out of the event, justifiably IMO.
Moving along...
They got the right guys and gals into the Finals - which should be a bedrock assessment criteria for any surf contest.
Were the right people at the pointy end? If yes, tick the box. That is some measure of success.
Pressure, and the inability to respond to it, was the defining theme of Finals Day. Despite moreorless equal opportunity (some waves were clearly inferior to others, mostly rights) once a surfer had established a lead their pursuer, in all cases bar one, was unable to recoup that deficit under pressure. Only Rio Waida was able to come back from a deficit against Ethan Ewing and log two improved rides to take out Semi-Final 2. The skinny Japanese-Indonesian kid of previous seasons has returned from the off-season with tree trunk legs and a whole new array of power turns. In pro surfing circa 2025, size matters. If you haven't got the natural physique to match big bodies you hit the gym and smash the protein shakes until you can.
Team Rainos Hayes, Italo, and Rio being stunning examples of this approach.
Rio (WSL/Physick)
Rio, apart from being the sole finalist who was able to soak up and perform under pressure revealed a prophetic streak. He claimed as a grommet he had dreamed about surfing in this moment in Abu Dhabi, presumably before it was even a glint in Uncle Slater's eye.
Not all the blame for crumbling under pressure can be laid at the feet of the surfers. The wave is incredibly tricky, with a micro margin for error in terms of turn placement and rhythm. The reason we saw so much mediocrity in the warm-ups and Round One heats is that even the world's best surfers can only surf it at 70% of their capacity.
The length of the ride and the lack of a leaderboard all reward conservatism.
For future events - and they will occur after the success of this one - we need the leaderboard back.
Yago (WSL/Physick)
That's the one advantage of having the event there: a crystal clear format that can be understood by anyone. Give 'em all four waves and cull everyone except the top eight who go straight into head to head Quarters.
We need less, not more. Even for winner Italo Ferreira, by the time we'd seen his winning formula on Finals Day it quickly became predictable. Eight to ten turns on the right, a few layback hacks on the left, ending with an alley-oop.
We didn't need to wade through so much dross to get to that.
I know not all will agree with this but if the tub is to stay (they have a three-year year deal) then put it in May which is transition time in the Gulf (hot, no wetties, but not organ failure hot) and run it as the cut event.
Ruthlessly weed out those who have clear deficiencies in technique or who can't produce elite surfing under pressure.
It was staggering that half or more of the women's field had no clue about backside tube-riding. Should they be getting paid tens of thousands of US dollars if they can't perform this basic skill?
Gabriela (WSL/Gaeda)
Athleticism and performance under pressure largely decided the men's results while basic technical skills are still deciding women's heats.
That's why we have a diminutive red headed purist who looks like a strong gust of wind would blow her away as the winner, the world champ, and now also the front runner for the women's tour. Caity Simmers, more than any surfer in the draw, made surfing the tub look fun. She drew cool lines, made her excess waves into things of envy, and had a full technical skill set frontside and backside.
That technical superiority, in plain terms it means she surfs better, is why she now has a 6-0 record against Molly Picklum, following the Semi-Final win at Pipe now accentuated by the Finals win at Abu Dhabi.
That's a commanding gap over her only real rival.
It's almost a Slater-level of dominance from his first era. Despite the opposition being gnarly, with all the old dogs like Kong and Pottz trying to intimidate him, Kelly could simply surf better than the rest of the field. For now, Simmers enjoys a similar advantage.
Caity (WSL/Physick)
Despite the aforementioned commanding gap, the Final with Pickles was an incredibly competitive heat - easily the best of the event. Pickles went excellent on her second right and bested Simmers on her final left. The final scores were separated by less than half a point and came down to Simmers' first right. The crux of the 8.67 didn't come down to progressive maneuvers but a feature of Simmers approach all event, that being creative and late entries into the barrel. Late tube stalls, or steezy souled out bottom turns into the barrel. It was almost like watching a 70's surf movie of some Hawaiian surfing Velzyland. Caity can effortlessly reach back through surfing eras and resurrect lines and body stylings which evoke powerful emotions in fans and the judging panel.
Caity (WSL/Gaeda)
There's no such dominance in the men's field. With John and Gabriel out and Toledo still looking fragile after a year off, only Italo has come out firing at World Title pace. There's no event in front of him he could not win and win convincingly, as he has done in the desert tub. He wasn't headed at all on Finals Day. He racked convincing wins over Kanoa, Jack, and then Rio - all by a margin in excess of two points.
After the controversial loss to Colapinto in Lemoore in 2023 he left nothing up to the judges. That loss sparked a furious Brazilian backlash which arguably led to the loss of both the Head Judge and CEO, or at the least contributed to it.
No such controversy from this event. We'll be left with just fainter and fainter murmurings about whether we should even be in the Middle East. Gay rights and human rights have been sidelined by the power of events and money. That's the power of sportswashing. Principles can be silenced by behind the scenes assurances and money, at least until we get to the progressive paradise of Portugal.
That should give us no sense of moral smugness. As others have pointed out below the line, our hypocrisy is ever-present and makes us complicit. We'll tune in for the entertainment and enjoy the hell out of our petro-chemical toys while sleeping like babies at night.
Such is life, I suppose.
// STEVE SHEARER
Surf Abu Dhabi Pro Women’s Final Results:
1 - Caitlin Simmers (USA) 16.10
2 - Molly Picklum (AUS) 15.70
Surf Abu Dhabi Pro Men’s Final Results:
1 - Italo Ferreira (BRA) 17.27
2 - Rio Waida (INA) 14.50
Surf Abu Dhabi Pro Women’s Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Molly Picklum (AUS) 13.77 DEF. Vahine Fierro (FRA) 10.53
HEAT 2: Caitlin Simmers (USA) 15.14 DEF. Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 14.53
Surf Abu Dhabi Pro Men’s Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Rio Waida (INA) 15.93 DEF. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 15.70
HEAT 2: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 17.37 DEF. Jack Robinson (AUS) 15.03
Surf Abu Dhabi Pro Women’s Quarterfinal Results:
HEAT 1: Molly Picklum (AUS) 14.50 DEF. Erin Brooks (CAN) 13.03
HEAT 2: Vahine Fierro (FRA) 14.27 DEF. Caroline Marks (USA) 10.73
HEAT 3: Caitlin Simmers (USA) 14.73 DEF. Bella Kenworthy (USA) 11.73
HEAT 4: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 12.34 DEF. Sawyer Lindblad (USA) 11.54
Surf Abu Dhabi Pro Men’s Quarterfinal Results:
HEAT 1: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 14.50 DEF. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 12.20
HEAT 2: Rio Waida (INA) 14.90 DEF. Jackson Bunch (HAW) 11.67
HEAT 3: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 16.80 DEF. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 13.30
HEAT 4: Jack Robinson (AUS) 13.83 DEF. Yago Dora (BRA) 13.20
Comments
How important is it to get tubed on this wave really? I feel like most of the points come from the turns and airs. Maybe for the next comp just get rid of the barell?
Disagree, especially for the women where as Steve mentioned only 3 or 4 of them could backside tube ride properly.
I thought the tube was almost underscored on the backhand considering most the girls couldn’t do one and would either miss those sections entirely or fall off.
You have to do an incredible turn or an air on the tube sections if you choose not to get barrelled.
Stock standard snaps, indecision and pigdogging the open face should be penalised.
And they were from what I can gather.
More music and great surfing, with less wsl jive talk; would be both insta'tok progressive and retro.
40 sec x 8 waves = 320 seconds or 5 minutes
Maybe another edit with slowmo recap of every wave with chitchat on prep, boards, coach clinic & review. 10m
not 16 minutes... leave ....the ....interviews ...and... hype....& ...credits....to .... the.... end ....of .....the..... show..?
eg. The bored athletes and crew hanging around could paint some colour over the the industrial black'n'grey fugly poles, wavetrain & concrete intrastructure & plants some trees for shade & create an oasis vibe.... or is that too radical & cosmopolitan.
(Caitys friend made the mural on her board)
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/cosmopolitanism/
"The word ‘cosmopolitan’, which derives from the Greek word kosmopolitēs (‘citizen of the world’), has been used to describe a wide variety of important views in moral and socio-political philosophy. The nebulous core shared by all cosmopolitan views is the idea that all human beings, regardless of their political affiliation, are (or can and should be) citizens in a single community. "
Love your reflective words Steve, thanks
rearvision
Bravo Steve... Cracking write ups... Cheers thanks
Great write up of a mostly meh event Steve. Have to say the sandstorm that blew in knocking Ethan off a crumbling onshore right with eyes full of sand was a mind-boggling moment. That and Flippy Fil's tantrum were the standout moments. Back to the ocean now please
Great write-up and excellent summary of the whole event. Would have loved to see Rio get up- he really shone.
I disagree with one point though- Caity is a dominant force but I think Erin Brooks is everything Caity is minus the filthy mouth. Gabby impressed me with her turns but she can't tube ride.
Ethan is pure magic on a wave despite the outcome.
Hope Portugal pumps.
But we all love the potty mouth Zen.
I’d be happy to never see the comp again but can I just say that backhand tube style of Simmers in the photo above is perfection.
I just watched to two finals. Awesome surfing. I've never been against the pool. Despite the many boring heats, the cream generally rises to the top & the pool is thus always the test of higher skill. Rio surfed his first left beautifully in the final. For me it was an 8 but the judges 7.83 was far enough. Super stylish but, yes, so airs . Rio's second right was also beautiful but unfortunately he fell pre-tube going for the big move. Italo was his usual self with full mastery of the wave. Full speed, no safety, Italo was obviously the man. Molly's first right was very rough & squatty (watching it made my mind think of the beauty of Steph Gilmore) but Molly came back with style & finesse on her second right. I thought Molly's 7.70 left was overscored because didn't come close to getting tubed so I was glad Caity got the win. Caity is a savant (in the optimal meaning of the word). I've said before Caity is the female Tom Curren. LOL - you think they would train these girls to speak graciously, with Molly speaking like a myopic Aussie and Caity thanking everyone except Abu Dhabi.
All good points above.
Below....I'm not wading into that one. This comp has become political enough without throwing in another hot-button region
I’m not sure I agree about Molly and caity. I would be sad if they had wsl media training and started to sound like everyone else. I thought caity sounded pretty gracious after her win. Just in her own distinct style. Would hate her to change.
absolutely. caity is the caged-canary down the wsl mine. As long as she can caity well within the current structure, I'm happy to defer any total writing-off of the wsl.
Caity is the new herro
Where I live, the local suburban council (its not inner city here) is ramming gay down everyone's throat with Happy Mardi Gras everywhere, including signs saying "embrace your true colours". This includes at the local swimming pool complex attended mostly my suburban families & their children. Also, in case Steve missed it, contrary to International Law, the West just armed & supported a genocide in Gaza. Wtf would Steve know about being gay in the Middle East; apart from the political propaganda the West pumps? Gay is gay and always been handled discretely in the real Middle East (in contrast with the fake Gulf State Middle-East created by the West). Your main hypocrisy is ever-present and makes us complicit is the geocide in Gaza; where Australia & its mostly silent public ignored the International Law (deeming an Occupying Power cannot assert self-defence in respect to an Occupied Territory) and ignored the Genocide Convention it is a signatory to since 1949. This is where moral compass goes over the falls & is wiped out; when a genocide means nothing yet some imaginary oppressive lack of gay & human rights gets the headlines. This is full Tyler mode; merely Establishment politics. Its OK to genocide Gaza because we believe there are no gay rights there. ..........
But the contest wasn't in Gaza Barbs.
Unfortunately, Steve seems to think he is still on BG and pushing Western Zionist nonsense. Once upon a time, it was the West that made gay an absolute crime (until the 1970s) and exported Christian imperialism around the world. But now its the opposite. The new imperialism is murdering in the name of Woke (instead of Christianity). Same monster, just rebranded. Westerners still believe they are the world's moral compass. There is no death penalty for gays in the Koran. This death penalty is in the Bible; it is Judeo-Christian; it is Western. The Wahhabi of the Gulf States (created by the West out of WW1) is only Judaism. Westerners appear caught up in self-projections about homosexuality. I can only conclude Free Ride is a closet gay.
Are you doing ok mentally?
@BarbB No death penalty for gays but kill all non muslims.
Surah 2:191: "And kill them (non-Muslims) wherever you find them … kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers (non-Muslims)."
Surah 9:5: "Then kill the disbelievers (non-Muslims) wherever you find them, capture them and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in each and every ambush …"
You think there isn't the same or worse language in the bible champ? Not sure what point you're trying to make
Of course there is in the Old testament but there is no such talk under Jesus teachings in the New testament point being the Koran tells you to kill non believers doesnt matter gay or straight. That is not preached in the New Testament. I know SN is surf only site so I'll leave it at that. Saludos.
Wait, what? You brought this up, you don't get to do the "New/Old Testament" schtick and shut down the conversation. Cherry picking the bible is peak Christian cultist mentality. But yes, stick to surfing, all religion is for the feeble
Luke 19:27
“But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.” -jesus
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household."-jesus
Matthew 10:34-36
Arabic / English translations of philosophy for desert dwellers needs to be reviewed for understading in the modern world context, like the bible & other ancient religious multi-generational, multiple translated, documents. eg.
https://quran.com/2?startingVerse=191
Kill them wherever you come upon them (1) and drive them out of the places from which they have driven you out. For persecution (2) is far worse than killing. And do not fight them at the Sacred Mosque unless they attack you there. If they do so, then fight them—that is the reward of the disbelievers.
Footnote - (1)
This is probably the most misquoted verse from the Quran. To properly understand the verse, we need to put it into context. Misquoting verses and taking them out of context can be applied to any scripture.
For example, in the Bible, Jesus says, “But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence!” (Luke 19:27). And Moses says, “The Lord is a man of war, the Lord is his name.” (Exodus 15:3).
God is Love.... & often ignored.
Hi Watt, you’re taking metaphors and parables literally… when they’re… er.. parables and metaphors. There’s the matter of long-form context as well, which excerpts ignore. Will prob regret pointing that out.
Changing the subject, how good was Simmers roundhouse to reo?!
Get some help matey
Barb B there's a separate page on SN for religious fanaticism.
Maybe you take your rants there.
Well then, so much for "great minds think alike".
Only applies to certain subjects.
People, people. It's a wrap-up of a surfing competition. Let's keep it on topic or go and duke it out in the forums.
2nd that. It's incredibly annoying to read. Firstly, because this thread has sprung out of nothing, and secondly because of the non-sequiturs, the patronising language i.e., "matey" and "champ" and then questioning peoples' mental health. It's seriously unimpressive and unnecessary, and I would question whether these people would be so forthright and petty in a face-to-face conversation. I hope not.
Ramming gay down throats? Christ, sounds pretty sexy! Whenever anyone says that, though, you can bet they're the people who if given a choice would have gay people back in the closet. It's not that you don't want gay pride "rammed down everyone's throat", you'd just prefer that gay people didn't exist. Just say it. What about the way the WSL was ramming heteronormative behaviour in AD down our throats? Close ups of Italo pashing his missus, Molly's bf smacking her arse. What about the heteronormative advertising/movies/music, etc that has surrounded you since the day you were born? You don't think that can make people who aren't "straight" feel excluded? If you don't know why gay pride exists, then do your homework (I know you won't).
I totally agree that the hypocrisy of people saying nothing about Gaza, or saying people, gay people especially, shouldn't be allowed to be up in arms about the atrocities over there because of Palestine's treatment of lgbtqi people and then sounding off about human rights elsewhere is shit, but throwing gay people under the bus so you can make your point is crass bigotry. FO.
Caity obviously missed Finishing School in Switzerland, but boy can she surf. Even her throwaway right - the drawn out roundhouse - was a highlight to me.
Some good points, Steve, and great writing. As usual.
That cutback was sick!
She is The Chosen One.
In every generation there is a chosen one. She alone will stand against the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer!
"When the years count two thousand and ten the people will be cursed by 15 years of a poostance storm, then the Chosen One will arrive from the land of long points and bring style to shortboarding once more, and all will be balanced again."
One good thing about a contest in a Tub - It put any of the pros flaws in technique under the microscope, so a worthwhile learning exercise for coaches and competitors
But was a bit like watching Gymastics
+ Caity Simmers - seriously what isn't there to like about her?
At this venue, it helps to be of shorter stature.
The tour of the future will all be in tubs, with jockeys dominating.
MSCA
Make Surfing Cool Again...
Thanks Caity!
Thanks again Steve for the excellent coverage of this event and Pipe. Exceptional writing and analysis.
Gotta love Caity just a surfers surfer, raw as they come - nothing rehearsed there. As far as Italo winning someone said the fittest surfer would win it - that is Italo who's lack of vertical presence (he is short) is an advantage in such a small fast wave . The wave is bigger than the original in Lemore and the trickiest bits of that are magnified - such as never do a roundhouse cut back the wave just runs away, and the smallest of stature with skill can get very deep in those tubes (Caity).
Well done for touching on the misplaced smugness, shame it had to prompted.
This article written in a country with an absolutely wretched human rights record, all conducted whilst selling coal to the highest bidder, no questions asked. No mention that Canada and the good ol US produce vastly more oil than UAE. This doesn’t condone the UAE issues in any way, but should be pause for humility.
I'm probably on my own here but I really liked this contest. The wave is obviously way better than the Lemore pool. And the surfing was great. As a spectator there's something in knowing when a wave will arrive. And the waves were incredible.
Have to say - I can't believe how fast Italo was surfing. His energy and speed of body movement was hard to comprehend.
Ethan Ewing is just amazing in the pool. His technique is perfect.
And Caity Simmers is incredible. I see glimpses of Curren's style in there. Great to watch.
Like your assessment of the event Steve. Good to have some thoughts about how to make it work rather than write off completely. Shorten it, and move it closer to the cut where it feels like it really matters. I only managed 1 heat before turning off on day 1 but watched more each day. All caity and mollys heats were a must watch for me. Pretty happy with the finals on both sides. Good to see Rio believing in himself and two Aussies in the men’s semis
Hudayryiat Platinumlist is billed as Mankind's most bizarre Triathlon venue.
Translation : Not as big, fast & powerful as Whitewater Stadiums
Nor remotely as popular as Dubai's other 10 Wavepools pulling 10m surfers per year
Sally's old Dubai wave pool has already clicked 10m thru the turnstyle
Surf Abu Dhabi is the only Pool banning free surfing in favour of VIP Boardriding snobs.
At best will see 10% of Wavepool Visitors that surf nearby wavepools without mandatory Pool Toys!
How does this Comp Work...
Jet Ski Ambos Ramp cable barges to sabotage the rollout of NBN Global Sports Bet Network.
Jet Ski Ambo Ramps / Clock Radio Cable Barges & Bet Cycles are built & peddled by men of course.
Crews lounge between 20 sec Cable roll out attempts then Jet Ski Ramp to gruelling 6 min TV Cycle leg
They got this slippery heavily glassed, leashed trip hazard cess pit lab that all must slip'n'slide
Mostly clumsy male NBN crews are judged by mostly nearly always the same stupid Men...
This is the result of Mankind's Kookiest Cable Rollout Triathlon
Mens/Women's Short-Longboard for All L/R Day/Night Comps Average Rounded wave scores
[7:03] WSL Pro Women Average score over (8 rounds)
[6.90] WSL Pro Men Average score over (8 rounds) > [6.86] after (9 Rounds) Give it up already!
WSL judged Women surf better here at Abu Dhabi + Fiji Finals Day + Top 5 Finals Day + Pipe S/F.
Ocean went quiet in Women's Pipe Final but Chix outscored men again in current final...that's their job!
As a result...WSL reward today's superior sex Pro Boardriderz higher / hourly performance pay
2025 WSL Allocate $4,456 per women's scoring ride > $3,145 per Men's scoring ride
Q: Are today's 5' 7" / 63-68kg defeated men on Wave Pool dias still even entitled to equal Prizemoney
A: For the 2nd time in 2025 the WSL men receive NO Prize Money...(A bit harsh!)
[ Correction ] Just paid right now... re-edited version 54321...Bingo.
https://www.worldsurfleague.com/events/2025/ct/321/surf-abu-dhabi-pro/pr...
More than 24 hrs passed before men were eventually paid a more heavily reduced fee for Comp 1.
Will Kelly Whip them into shape..
tbb motions again for Pro chix towel minding men to be given a lick at the bone or the axe...Please!
{ Correction } Thank You!
Fit for purpose
I think the surfers are to blame for the boringness in the pool. It was not until Jordy was under pressure and went nuts (turning back the years) for the first 8 of the event. After that we had Jackson go next level. Despite this clear validation from the judging panel the vast majority of surfers did not attempt to up their game once under scoreboard pressure. It was like they thought they could do the same thing but slightly different but get a better score. Madness. Bring back the leaderboard. Push the limits. Better to lose trying than lose anyway.
I can see why EE gets high scores in the comps.....but he should not be anywhere finals day in a pool comp with no air game. He has had long enough to work on this aspect of his surfing - a bit like the backhand tube technique failings of the women.
Was going to say exactly the same things
not sure I agree re: Ethan doesn't deserve to make finals day at the pool. You would be correct in saying that an air game would add to his repertoire, but why risk injury (and falling off mid-wave) when he can dominate everyone else with his turns? In the same way that Ethan could work on his airs, every other competitor could work on their rail surfing to get to his level. I don't think he needs to go to the air when time and again he continues to prove that his rail surfing is streaks ahead of what anyone else is doing. He's worked hard to earn that advantage, he deserves to capitalise on it.
I was really hoping to see some ally oops.
Just a thought, should we name the Abu Dhabi tub waves Gay Right and Lesbian Left?
For a minute I thought you wrote gay rights and lesbian left overs.
Had a weekend waiting in Hospital so watched a lot of the comp which I enjoyed after Jordy upped the ante with the Superman.
Couple of things
Do you reckon Robbo has become more stylish with Galbraith declaring his stance is closer together and check the bottom turns by Erin.....the tail curve/rocker on her Matt Bilos boards looks awesome.
I reckon Jordy went excellent on that wave cause he popped it early on the wave equating to high risk. Most airs were done on the end section. But after that wave most competitors upped the ante.
AT any stage at all did Phil ask if the photographer was ok?
nope. too busy blaming him for the end of a mediocre ride. and as far as him being off his game on a thruster, imagine if john or caity had done it - chuckles. imagine if Jack had done it - not a hair woulda been ruffled. sad shit, symptom of Fil's continued fragile state of mind, he needs to come out of denial and start to heal.
I still can't get over the fact that Fil didn't have a proper backup board. Pro surfing is a joke.
Love your work FR. You've elevated yourself to the premier surf journalist on the globe in my opinion with your last few years body of work.
Just on Caity, her and Mason Ho are the two surfers on the planet at the moment i'll stop what i'm doing if there's footage of them surfing.
They both possess the same essence of what surfing means to me. Fun and style and absolutely ripping the bag out of it.
three days of the UAE tub... bloke deserves a medal...
on ya @sr, I love that swellnet commenters aren't insecure mouth-breathers, happy to say 'great article, steve' (1/4) or intelligently voice their views on an article's shortcomings (1/4) or just discuss the subject matter (1/2). other sites are full of champs who get the jealouses about people like steve who are good at their craft. A chippy likes to hear the odd compliment about their work.. fark, it must be draining to be a journo in an industry full of too-cool-for-school fuckwits who equate being a sardonic poppy-cutter to being clever, haha..
Ahhh bless ya @base
sardonic poppy cuttter. i had too use 500mm of water for the data cooling station and ask Meta Ai that big word.
To me the contest started out boring as bat du du but improved a lot as it progressed ....the wind was a problem at times ,Toledo is a spoilt brat and showed zero class by not seeing how the photo guy was ....Mollys surfing improved a lot but maybe needs to knock an inch or so off her boards imo in the tub anyway and fortune favors the brave .......be good if they can twig the wave a bit so its not so rampy...and as stated above hold it at a better time of the year wind wise......
Honest question: was Italo nailing the same huge air over and over again indicating that it wasn’t as hard as it looked, or is he just a freak that can do what the others weren’t good enough to?
Good analysis again Steve, as per usual, thanks. Your suggestion about making Abu Dhabi the cut comp is quite interesting. A couple of quick observations in respect of that. Yes, the pressure is enormous, which adds extra spectator value in terms of watching enjoyment. Look what happened to Yago Dora? He wilted badly when all he needed was to surf strong enough for a basic five plus ride, after Jack hand balled him the pressure to deal with. I saw that as very tactical and really interesting to observe. No doubt Yago will be kicking himself for a long time, and looking to make amends. You are right in that the best surfers rose to the top and finished as worthy winners. That's the thing about the tub. It's kind of like the professional tennis tour (sorry Bobby Martinez), in that there's always one or two players in each era that totally dominate. The tub is the same. A couple more positives are, that the tub will force all the other surfers, those who really want to succeed, to lift their games both mentally and physically. It will also improve the judges and their powers of observation, to scrutinise more thoroughly and break down every turn and tube ride to the very smallest decimal points of separation. Shortening the format as you suggest is a good idea too. Just get rid of the opening round, start with a four wave leader board run, top 16 progress, and make it a two day comp. So yeah, despite everything else, I will still really enjoy watching a tub event on the tour. Bottom line for me, if I saw those waves peeling off at any ocean in the world, well, I'd honestly be frothing and so stoked to get out there and ride them! Watching some of the world's best surfers doing just that is the next best thing. Cheers.
Like your thoughts. They could still spread it over 3 days and have some time each morning for the competitors to have 2 practice waves each. Seemed pretty brutal to have not surfed the day prior to your event like Bella mentioned. I think it was 36 hours prior.
That's a good suggestion Nate. But weren't the pros there for a few days beforehand warming up and acclimatising? If some weren't, due to late flights from Hawaii, or whatever, well, that should be a consideration for event scheduling next time.
For sure scheduling was very tight. And there wasn’t any practice times once the comp started. So the girls last practice was the day before the comp started and they didn’t get any warm ups on the day
Caity is so much better than the pack, drawing beautiful lines, classy style.
Even Erin was doing those girly top turns where they throw their arms up and twist at the waist, with no real bottom turns. Looks fugly as and shouldn't be seen at the top level.
I dont know if the right people were in the final because I could only stomach 10 minutes.
“The tub is for the fucking girls” to practice their backhand tube riding. (excluding Caity Simmers)
Not one of them seems to have done any work in that regard…
Professionals work on weakness. (excluding Pip Toledo and Steph Gilmore)
Equality in payments with no accountability in performance.
“Such is life, I suppose”
Not one of them? You didn't see Vahine, Molly, Erin?
Well im glad something good came of this shit comp...
Rio got a second....might have to go watch his finals waves
Steve, great write-up and coverage of the event. Totally onboard with your leaderboard and cutoff suggestions to. Was it boring? Yer kinda. I shouldn’t have been surprised because unwanted video evidence pains me to admit that I pretty much surf every wave the same at the Tub’s in Melbourne and Sydney. A couple of the standout guys were good to watch and I found myself more drawn to watching the ladies. I was also of the view that tubes shouldn’t really be part of the point scoring until I realised some of them actually lacked the skills to do it on their backhand. A possible inclusion for future Tub comps is that a competitor must at least do say four or six “regulation” things on each wave e.g. reo, cutty, punt, tube etc after which their points get scored. Get rid of the boredom by making the stuff they are going to do anyway as a prerequisite for say 4 points to encourage them to go big and turn them into high scoring rides. Everyone knows there will be a wave, and it will be a good one so make them get out of their comfort zone and take some risks.
About as predictable as a Brazilian beach break…
Great write up Steve. Nailed it.
I like that idea Morg. Or a version of.
Tub Bingo. Gotta tick the boxes 4/6 required moves on a wave + whatever magic they can conjour.
The contrasting styles of Caity and Gabriella in the 2nd semi was amazing. Caity, by far the best and most innovative woman surfer thoroughly deserved the win but Gabby's power surfing made me think of Kong.
As for Felipe I think the first thing he should have done was at least ask the water cameraman if he was ok.
Thanks, Steve. I like the suggestion for the role of the pool in the season too!
Although, please don't say backhand tube riding is a basic skill because it is the bane of my surfing life trying to get that right lol.
An hour into finals now, have not read above.
Looks good to me. First pool imperfect enough for me to... " do not dive" into.
Basically, I'm with clif here.
Scrolling just 3 more comments up...
I'm looking forward catching up tomorrow.
Abu Dhabi pool appears superior to Lemmor . The winners and finalists were deserving . As much as I don't like the air game ( can't,won't do one myself) it was what separated Italo from his opponents .
This guy is fired up . Jack , EE look asleep at the wheel . I reckon our blokes need to tap into their inner-mongrel . They just don't look hungry enough . Mabey they need a day or two hangin' out with TC or Mick
to get an understanding of what they tapped into to get their world titles.
As for Caity , she is pound for pound the best on planet earth at the moment . I just hope she stays true to herself .
Phil has ANOTHER sook, sssshhhhhhhocking...
Caity makes it look better than most of the guys and that includes the men in the final. Italo to me always looks like that guy with talent but no refinement. Gets things done on paper but ugly as hell. Caity is everything he is not.
After all the talk about this pool being better it looks the same. Maybe smaller?
Back to the real surfing please. just plain uninteresting, uninspiring, waste of a contest. All those good waves that broke around the world over the last 2 days, meanwhile, lets surf in a pool in in a shit hole country with no surf culture.
I appreciate not everyone sees things the same but to me the pool seems clearly worse than Lemoore.
It's wider and has bumps, ridges and wobble through it that Lemoore doesn't.
The left has arguably been improved with the mid-wave barrel section (personally think it goes way too long and wastes half the wave) but the right is clearly inferior.
Some of that is due to the prevailing wind, some of that seems related to bathymetry and the speed that they ran the plough at.
There you go . I stand corrected . It just looked a little bigger than Lemoore . I'm probably wrong again , but then I also made the mistake of surfing 'Urbane'surf the week before . NEVER again !
I agree with you about the right, freeride. Wasn’t it great! The ‘bumps, ridges and wobble’ made it more interesting to watch.
Looks smaller to me too but camera angles play a big part in that. I was surprised after hearing all the talk of how much better it is from the surfers. Salt water too i think. Wonder how much of that was required by the WSL and how much true? Maybe another case of what feels better not translating to the footage which is common in all aspects of surfing.
Either way it's splitting hairs. If pool 2 isn't a clear improvement it should put that tech to bed for contests at least. Fun to try yourself i'm sure but really not suited for the WSL. The barrels looks like a blown out rippy bank that's running a bit too fast. Sure, it's not as easy as it looks to make but still relatively boring on the world stage. The open faces still look off and almost all the surfing looks like an awkward effort to keep pace with it.
Surely the future lies in the other style tech but more length closer to this. If someone can crack the code to add another foot or 2 it would make a big difference also. I realise its the physics involved in moving water X power required etc but it makes me wonder given the price to visit the kelly pool vs the price for a urbnsurf session. How big could the urbn surf style tech get charging the same $ as the kelly pool? Sidetracked sorry...
Lastly, Kelly being Kelly, he must have design 2 in mind. Not really one to give up or stop pushing the limits in all aspects...
One thing I like about the tub from a spectator's perspective is you rarely have to wait long for a wave to be ridden. Watching heats in a regular comp there is a lot of time spent just waiting and listening to the commentators dribble. Especially, it seems, if I am tuning in quickly on my lunchbreak hoping to catch some live action. Conversely the tub is go go go, even if in an unhelpfully desensitizing way.
Someone alluded to it above but I also think it sharpened up the commentary just a little. With so many waves ridden over an almost identical canvas, not only did surfers need to find some nuance in their offerings but the commentators also needed to identify and describe that. I think their job was much harder at this event but (of course) doing hard things is how we improve.
Technically you may be correct (re: waiting time for a wave to be ridden) but for my eyes, it seems to take much longer in the tub, as the surfer is just sitting there, waiting for someone to press the green button.
At least in the ocean, there are waves rolling through most of the time - some of which are given consideration, and perhaps passed through - which creates movement in the narrative, and allows tension to evolve ("What an idiot! Why didn't he go for that wave? Silly guy, he could have easily...... oh! I see why now, he's spotted another peak down the beach that looks much bigger and better... well played old son, that's what I would have done too"..)
Yep all true. And I'm not opposed to the wait either. Certainly my wife cannot understand what on earth I'm doing when watching a regular heat and there are just two people bobbing away for ages with nothing seemingly happening. I try to explain "that's just surfing" and how our hobby come sport is essentially fueled by hope and anticipation at what might soon march over the horizon...but she has already left the room by then.
Definitely not saying I prefer the tub, but in the present maelstrom of hate that is one aspect of the format I did appreciate.
"and how our hobby come sport is essentially fueled by hope and anticipation at what might soon march over the horizon..."
That is a brilliant line and pretty much sums up why surfing brings me back again and again.
She's probably gone to watch the cricket.
The unknown wave supply is a positive in competitive surfing to me.
Obviously no one wants a heat with no waves but the unknown is a bigger part of what makes surfing interesting than people realise.
Reading the waves and putting yourself on the best ones all the while dealing with priority and making those decisions is another layer that builds tension as the background chess match evolves. It can take real understand of the location to be able to apply that better than your opponent all the while staying calm enough to put in the physical performance and react in the moment to what the individual wave choses to give you. This is what makes surfing unique. Pool contests remove all of that.
This style of cookie cutter wave and known 'runs' make it the same as watching a skate or snow based contest which when compared are 10X more impressive as a spectator.
100% Ron.
For sure Ron. Agree with all that.
I love to eat mexican food. It's definitely my favourite. Sometimes I go out with my wife and eat sushi. I still like mexican better, but sushi can be nice too for something different.
Guess I'm not sure the discussion needs to be so binary.
I understand your point. I guess to me the pool comp is Maccas and I've stopped drinking.
Nailed it 100% Steve - thanks
The best surfers won for sure.
Italo a clear and irrefutable winner by a strong margin in this event.
Caity? As you said FR, she just surf better...
but I'm also happy to see Molly apparently back to her best after a rocky performance for most of last year. She's the only one who can challenge Caity unless Caity loses interest.
How could Molly do it? Can she improve her surfing that much - I'm not sure she can. What if she want animal for fitness a bit like Mick for his early titles. And/or went Zeke Vs JJF at Bells on Caity to try and rattle the chosen one. C'mon Molly - find an extra gear and send interest in women's surfing into the stratosphere! Will we we not then be gladatorially entertained? Or perhaps it's just better that the girls seem to be having fun whilst they slay thie pro surfing game?
When you look at them all lined up on the winners podium, they're all the same height...Simmers a wee bit smaller. Seems the advantage definitely suits a certain body height, not taking anything away from any of them, as they all rip(ped).
My thoughts after watching a fair bit of the tub event compared to the Ocean events where you have the priority system -
I find the Priority system often boring to watch. Surfer A gets a good wave or two in the first 10 minutes than uses his/her priority for the rest of the heat preventing Surfer B from getting a good wave and high scoring ride.
Or -
Surfer B spends the most part waiting for the better wave that may deliver a winning score, only for it to never arrive.
So boring watching so many waves go unridden and the surfers sitting there like ducks in a pond.
Yes, the tub's waves are repetitive, but there were more high scoring waves ridden in a given time frame and the surfers had to catch every wave and risk everything by riding their ass off.
I always thought a good idea would be no priority for the last 5 mins of the heat to spice things up a bit.
I agree with you, surfer A holding off surfer B at the end of the heat doesn't exactly equate to exciting viewing.
Surf Abu Dhabi Wave Periods (vs) Profiles (Exclusive intro)
[3:50] Mitch Crews Interview : "I won't say too much!"
Testing in the "Playing Field"
KSWC Technology is just a very small embryo of what it will become...
Small changes in Speed and Foil angles and whatever you may say can change the wave dramatically.
[FAQ] Surf Abu Dhabi is made up of 2 Profiles
Profile 5 = Low Tide
Profile 6 = High Tide
https://www.surfabudhabi.com/faqs
[9 :04:30 - 9:05:30] Surf Abu Dhabi Pro Day 1 (Mid Ht 10) see Live Comp Vid!
Kaipo Guerrero spares precisely [1:00] talking about the "Playing Field" + Basin
[Playing Field] = ( New WSL gaming format requires Equal odds / Fair Bet Parameters )
[Basin] = Self contained International Precinct that bypasses Civic Municipality bylaws.
Kaipo : "Subtle Adjustments of the Wave Period!" (re: Lull Time between Waves)
"Wave Period dictates the power of the wave and also the (settings)!"
Ranch CT settings < > Surf Abu Dhabi settings
[P] Periods = Abu Dhabi Wave Set Time (Official 3-5 mins)
Ranch CT 1 = Abu Dhabi [Period 1] (Fast Hollow Wave with 12-15 sec mid / twin barrel)
Ranch CT 2 (Hero) = [P2?] Slower/larger 2x maneuver/barrels sections (re : Kaipo Comp Tutorial)
Ranch CT 3 (Green face Waikiki) = Abu Dhabi [P3?] Point Break grows a Slower End Barrel
Ranch CT 3.5 = Ranch Surfers ( CT 4 Helmet Mandate) before progressing to CT 3.5 Cocoa Beach
Ranch CT 4 (Whitewater Roller) = Abu Dhabi [Period 6] Beachbreak
https://www.surfabudhabi.com/surf
Compare Live Vid Day 1 / Kaipo Tutorial with Ranch Wave Lineup / Profiles shared here...
https://kswaveco.com/the-wave/
https://kswaveco.com/visitor-guide/
Surf Abu Dhabi Pro CT (Wave Period/s) Using above comparable Ranch Key
Kaipo cont..."Training Session (WP) [3:40] A Fast Wave but wind affected that wave a lot."
"As a result they increased the Wave Period to [3:45] to slow down the Comp wave but builds in height."
Now Add in loads of yer own Random replay fav Competitor Vid footage...
Competitors (In tears...Quote/s) : "I swear that wave is Different to our Practice Wave/s?"
Crew : "That's the fuckin' point...so STFU!"
Repeat Verbatim...but is there something we're missing here...why do competitors seek redemption!
Our Divas just revealed they were NOT informed of WSL re-levelling their Playing Field.
So why did WSL sabotage their pet porpoise's red carpeted Playing Field
Important, coz on finals day WSL Tech Director openly admits he can't stop outta control Wave Train...
Exactly...we're talking about an efficiency rated greenwashed AI Wave DJ that auto pilots a WaveTrain.
So we're talking about an Enviro responsive computer flipping between best Enviro settings.
Set and Forget!
WSL Rules continually override surfers to now surf a mystery wave with new buzz watch blind at night.
That's the alarming power of Global Gaming Empire...monkey grinder gets buzzed or forfeits points!
Theoretically BOM & Bookies could be piloting & buzzing whole shitshow as WSL censor any flaws!
tbb asks if Crew ever saw > WSL switch live to AI Wave DJ Booth or Bookie Robot's Judging Bunker?
Reminding that ALL Round 16 were 'WSL auto re seeded with pre set White Wipe Out watches.
Booth : "Uncharacteristically" wiped out as a result...
All flew Halfway round the world to star in a R 16 kook blooper loop!
So are we led to believe an Auto AI Wave DJ is shifting Temp controlled Wave Foil Dial
[CT1/P1] Fast wind whipped Comp Training Wave
Shifting < > Alt Comp Wave [CT2/P2] Larger slower stable Comp Wave
Surf Abu Dhabi (Long Board Pro)
[3:40] Same as the Training Wave (Timed by tbb...shh)
Notes : We have been informed that the Wave is tweaked (Slowed) > If wind affected!
Crew : "Some waves a different!" [3:40 < > 3:45] Subtle (WP) Variation
Ok! So it is possible that Wave Settings are Auto changed if Wind Variation breaches set Playing Field.
or...If Wavepool Wash builds to become an operational override Risk/Hazard (Read next...)
Recall iconic overwash bucketing central spectators in early Ranch Comps > (Reduce Foil Speed Now!)
Ranch Foil : Min Speed =19km/h > (Comp Speed = 29km/h) > Max Speed = 32km/h
Saltwater overhead Dolly Version (Faster?) + Still works during & after a live random Sandstorm Test?
Many thought a sandstorm might foul standard Ranch Buggy wheels > switch to overhead rail success!
But that was the least of their Shit Storm problems...
[2:40:50] Finals Day Sandstorm / Live from Booth : "What is going on out there!"
(Renato Hickel) 35yr Tour rep WSL Dep Commissioner / Tech Director
re : Unsportsmanlike I pod recording of Wave Pool bully Toledo Gobbing on competitor's Bike.
Renato : " Sandstorm was right before the Wave Started...we couldn't STOP the Beastly Machine!"
So this 32 km/h Overhead Monorail can't be manually stopped ever at all or in an emergency...
Wind blows a rare Red Footed Booby Bird onto the Trax = (Exclusive WSL Pate for discerning palates!)
https://www.timeoutabudhabi.com/news/red-footed-booby-abu-dhabi-qarnain-...
Re-read being newly wrist wired to a Mystery Night Wave that competitors swear they can't see!
But the new watch Buzz alarm is the main Priority for AI auto re seed Round 16.
Meaning we could have an AI WSL Robot Wave DJ that runs on auto pilot switching when Wind Blows.
Alternates between 2 wave menus to conserve energy & reduce power bills ...sound about right?
Being serious here...Tech reveal may well explain an AI greenwash wave cycle that conserves energy!
Again...Ya wouldn't wanna admit yer Beast Master is asleep at the wheel during the Apocalypse!
Breaking News : [WSL Circus train escapes CT Slave Gaming Tour & seeks Asylum in Prince's Palace]
A lot of shitfuckery flies under the radar then off the fucking charts here & (None dare say a word!)
eg : Surfboard Factory/Glass Bottle Depot/Pub/Gym/Greasy cafe slip'n'slide trip hazard Pool Entry
Viewers see competitors Gob on bikes rest feet on bikes & Steps are slimy with Leggie loop traps!
Read [Basin] = (No Municipal Pool Rules...Slip in shit & Wipeout more often wherever ya like!)
Not sure how many lives WSL has left..(Outta control Wave Train smashes up Heavily Glassed Pool)
Modon Surf Abu Dhabi Peloton laps WSL Kook Boardriders restricted to Wavepool
Crew asked why crowds were down...
14-16th Feb Modon Hudayriyat Island World wavepool Cycle Triathlon in undisclosed secret hideout.
15-16th Feb Modon Hudayriyat Island World Surf Beach Cycle Triathlon (Life's a Crowded Beach)
https://www.instagram.com/taqagroup/reel/DGNz_QMsFff/
Recapping / Review of The Ranch Wave Settings
https://wavepoolmag.com/foiled-a-closer-look-at-the-techs-that-kicked-of...
Ranch can generate a wave from 3 > 6ft every 2 minutes
But it takes 3-4 mins for Basin to Calm between Waves
Ranch Wave Period : Officially lists a generic [4 mins]
Q : Can & does Wave Period change during actual scoring period of Comp?
Crew comments : "The Ranch seems to be a Bigger & Cleaner Wave (vs) New Faster Warped Wave!"
Surf Media : Alternate between 2 minute Ranch Lull variation : 3 > 4 > 5 Minute intervals (Why?)
Reaffirming the very same mag/s in each case will report wildly different duration?
Perhaps Surf Abu Dhabi PR adopted this Lazy 3-5 minute Wave Lulls...for current new pool guide!
Ok! Listen to yerselves...surely everyone must be right as usual & off goes tbb on his impossible quest.
Promising to prove his half crazy crewmates are only half crazy half the time.
More often here & in media & now by Competitors we hear claims of constant Wave Variation...
Sure we see massive Wind Storm / Evaporation / Red Tides / Varied pool water level...etc
tbb stresses that most Pool Comp reviews compare Wave Periods by the remote YouTube Counter
Ranch Comp Counter does verify alt variations of [3:45 < > 4:15]
* Yes! This verifies a cyclic setting that may likely reduce impact by re-correcting over-wash
* Yes! Slowing waves for Wind impact or set on an alt timer cycle to reduce overwash
Explains Wave variation > Longer Calm Basin = Smoother Larger Waves (As often noted by crew!)
tbb is guessing these pools have AI Temp & Water Wash monitors that program into Foil Dynamics!
Otherwise it's a Boring wasted full time job monitoring & reprogramming Wind / Wash overs manually.
Also explains why Surf Abu Dhabi wishes to censor overwash as it would confirm "Different Waves"
Crew could easily replay live runs of surfer's heats to claim WSL robot is corrupting the 'Playing Field'.
So then Yes for WSL to censor any breach of compliance to their new Gaming Masters Playing Field.
Each recent Wave pool comp has featured protests for re surfs...so WSL don't wanna advertise more!
This is why we got this Triathlon circus to divert attention away from any obvious Wave Variation/s...
As said...none can prove such without onsite Timex clock / screen...or Unedited Coverage.
Reckon the figure Coaches would record Lulls as a last back insurance for Line Ball calls.
Very reason why Surf Abu Dhabi banned ALL Electronic Recording devices around WSL Playing Field.
Strictly brief Urgent Messaging Only...for this exact reason...resulting in Low crowd numbers...
Leave the final word to Kelly ...
KSWC : " Note you will find small differences between individual's waves Lefts/Rights thru the Day.
"So expect some variation in wave form!"
Happy to share taboo wavepool periods that blindside WSL competitors...very powerful Voodoo!