Brazil Set To Bust Down The Door
Stuart Nettle July 19, 2010
With the Billabong Pro over, and Jordy Bru claiming the title, the top 46 backrunners are bracing themselves for the chopping block. The World Tour is preparing to undergo its biggest change since the tours split in '94 when, after the next competition, the dead wood gets sliced. After Teahupoo there will only be 32 surfers on the elite tour, down from 46, with 14 surfers falling in the sawdust.
However, It's not just the amount of surfers on the World Tour that is gonna change. Looking ahead it appears that the national composition of the tour is also gonna get a big shake-up and the Brazilians look like being winners...big time.
To get an early glimpse of the changes let's assume that the relegation happened now (with one WT comp and two QS's the rankings won't change much anyway). If this hypothetical scenario were to occur Brazilian surfers would fill 7 of the 32 places on the new tour, or 22%. This is up from their current percentage which is 4 out of 46 places, or 9%.
So despite there being fewer places on the new tour the Brazilians would nearly double their numbers.
The percentages for all other countries currently represented on the World Tour would remain roughly the same except, that is, for Australia. In a statistic that is sure to stir patriotic fervour the amount that Brazil gains would come from places that Australia loses.
Australia currently has 21 out of 46 places on the tour, or 46%. This number would go down to 10 from 32, or just 31% of all places on tour. This would constitute the second lowest percentage that Australian surfers have ever had since the tour began.
Incidentally, or perhaps not, the year that Australia had its lowest percentage was 1995, which was just after the last tour shake-up. Considering the Australian numbers bounced back after '95, an argument may be mounted that Aussie surfers are slow to adjust to change - good surfers, slow learners. Or perhaps this time the Australian surfers are the dead wood on tour?
Then again, perhaps there's a different reason altogether...
A quick scan of the WQS tour schedule reveals some telling facts. This year there are 11 WQS events held in Brazil. Only one of them is 4 Star, the rest 5 and 6 Star. In comparison Australia has just 4 events, with two of them being lowly 4 stars.
Therefore Brazil offers nearly three times as many qualifying points and a corresponding amount of prizemoney. With eight events counting toward the total and eleven events on homesoil Brazilian surfers can qualify without getting their passports stamped.
I'm not trying to stir the patriotic pot here - hell, South Africa has just two WQS events! - but if hometown advantage counts for anything then it's no wonder the tour is gonna get a big injection of Latin blood.
The Current ASP Men's World Rankings
1 Smith,Jordy(ZAF) 2 Burrow,Taj(AUS) 3 Slater,Kelly(USA) 4 Andre,Jadson(BRA) 5 Hobgood,C.J.(USA) 6 De Souza,Adriano(BRA) 7 Fanning,Mick(AUS) 8 Davidson,Chris(AUS) 9 Durbidge,Bede(AUS) 10 Reynolds,Dane(USA) 11 Martinez,Bobby(USA) 12 Buchan,Adrian(AUS) 13 Parkinson,Joel(AUS) 14 Wright,Owen(AUS) 15 Alves,Heitor(BRA) 16 Monteiro,Raoni(BRA) 17 Patacchia,Fredrick (jnr)(HAW) 18 Knox,Taylor(USA) 19 Dantas,Wiggolly(BRA) 20 Ross,Daniel(AUS) 21 Hobgood,Damien(USA) 22 Bourez,Michel(PYF) 23 Muniz,Alejo(BRA) 24 Powers,Roy(HAW) 25 Kling,Gabe(USA) 26 Irons,Andy(HAW) 27 Cardoso,Willian(BRA) 28 Kerr,Josh(AUS) 29 Pires,Tiago(PRT) 30 Logie,Travis(ZAF) 31 Flores,Jeremy(FRA) 32 Otton,Kai(AUS)
Comments
Yeah but they'll never win! Never!
When you think about it, they might as well cut it down to the top 10 or 15. It's basically been the same for the last few years anyways, then they could have more time for better waves and we dont have to sit through the rubbish in between heats.
Does anyone find it funny that all but one of the events have been won by a person from that country? Hmmm....
exactly. as long as Chopes and Pipe are part of the tour those favela-dwelling stickmen will never take the title. they're fit above the lip but name one brazilian competitor who can mix it in the juice?
waiting...
...although with the amount of claims Parko throws down these days he may as well be a brazil nut by default. its not a good look.
i agree parko my be claiming a few to many and so inafact you could say tha about most of the green and gold.. but hey we are winners arn''t we!
as far as the brazos go, it's simple the top ten or for that matter the top twenty QS is a lot less stable than the consitancy of the top 8 to 16 of the CT, so lets face it plenty of brazos today mabey, but tomorow ... ehh i don't think so.
GO TAJ
Hopefully it will get some of the brazos out of the Burleigh and Dbah lineups and send them all packing with the belief that they're the next kelly...
I think the Brazilian companys are working more than Australian's companys for bring the QS events to their country, it is business, work and money... This reality make favourable Brazilian surfers join the CT, fact!.. But about the brazilian surfers they has diferent culture, poor waves and desire to win.. I think Minero has nice style and deserve be at top 10.. Jadson can be perfect in poor waves.. maybe if he learn surf in perfect waves quickly can be a problem.. until there.. yeah Australian and Americans should win.
yeah well if the Brazilians keep DROPPING in on everyone, then yeah they probably will win a world title. But whilst accepting their trophy on the podium, they'll be ducking for cover from being belted with beer cans, sand and the occasional thong !
Seriously Brazilians take out the World Title of Dropping in EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Dropping in on every one every single day! You sure you're not just rehashing an stereotype kingofgc. Bruno Santos is pretty good in the juice. Won the Chopes trials and then the main event. Carlos Burle goes pretty good when it's 50ft. Be a shame if all aussie surfers were judged by their worst representatives. Cronulla riots, etc
The true is that aussies DO drop in as well as brazilians. When u guys go to Indonesia you think that u owns the cowntry.
You should stop saying that Brazil has crappy waves, that's stupid. For those whose likes to explore, I'm sure there will be plenty of good surf. Have u guys heard of Fernando de Noronha?
many zilla kooks round the world givin themselves a bad name. that said you wont notice many of them either cause they are aware of their rep. and dont want to draw attention to themselves. sweeds and north sea surfers have even less of a clue. say hello and give some friendly advise b4 abuse it will make every1 happier.