The Outsider: In Cold Blood
"I said hello, Eugene. Does any of this ring a bell, Eugene?" - Hey Eugene, Pink Martini.
Sure it looks pretty shitehouse on the webcast, you Bells Beach naysayers. It seems burgery and high tide Rincon runs mostly aimlessly along the flat reef. The Bowl shifts contours unpredictably along a boil-riddled lineup into an uncompromising shorebreak that makes hyped aerial surfers look inept. Under an unfavourable pattern weak gurgle can set in for weeks. You wouldn't travel to surf it, not unless you call Kansas, Berlin or Stockholm your hometown.
Nonetheless - nonethe-friggin-less - there is no series of atmospheric and oceanic elements which reveal the full spectrum of a professional surfer's physical and mental skill set. Or hideously expose their inadequacies. It draws emotion out from seasoned competitors. And now the myth that Bells can't be surfed in a progressive manner has been consigned to the dustbin of archaic online discourse by a Final that exceeded all expectation. To those who say Bells should go I spit in your general direction, I would not deign to piss on you if you were on fire. If you were in front of me right now I'd crucify each and every last one of you miserable bastards and fart in your general direction. Salut.
They woke at first light to the sound of magpies chortling and carolling on the breath of a too-warm April morning, flushed with a soft pink sunrise. Parkinson checked on his sleeping family and breakfasted on boiled eggs and avocado on toast. For the briefest of moments the past 15 years of surfing the Easter surfing competition at Bells Beach rushed past his minds eye in a kaleidoscope of images and emotions. He felt a lump in his throat and for a second caught his breath in a sharp involuntary spasm which made his heart pound. "Whoa, calm down," he told himself, and in two long deep exhales he regathered himself.
He decided to skip the morning cup of coffee to settle the nerves. The two images that remained in his mind were Jordy Smith beating him on the Gold Coast and Kelly Slater defeating him in 8 foot surf at Bells in 2006. That defeat had rankled and grown hard and calloused somewhere deep within and left a bitter sediment. He had dismissed it easily enough then thinking he had plenty of time - he always had plenty of time hadn't he? But time had flown by, Christ, he shook his head at the goofy kid he always seemed to be characterised as back then. He had a wife and two kids now and time was accelerating away from him, floating back in the rearview mirror in a series of thirty minutes packages defined by success or failure.
His Semi-Final opponent and fellow childhood Coolangatta surf star, Michael Fanning, prepared a bowl of quinoa and fruit, before downing a cup of coffee. He felt as light as a feather, relaxed and buoyed by the comforting thought of two world titles. A calm sense of destiny flowed through him like a soft, white light. On the first sip of coffee a pleasant thought-picture came to him like a long lost friend. In the picture he was avenging the loss to Slater in 2010, when, in gloomy Johanna surf Slater had beaten him with a single Hail Mary alley-oop. He savoured the luxurious feeling of satisfaction of enjoying a victory over his rival. He surfed early at the Bowl then came in in time to see John John's searing first carve to open the day. It caused no consternation in him.
The surf was disappointing, the weight of failed expectation sagging on the undersized and gurgly morning lineup. Fanning then went through a complex workout to prepare for the day. There would be no stone unturned in the preparation. A vastly reduced media presence watched Florence fail to get the score despite looking marginally the better surfer against Jeremy Flores. Such is life.
I wanted to root for Brett Simpson against Kai Otton. I'd been so impressed by Simpo at Teahupoo last year that I wanted to get behind him, so to speak, here at Bells. But I just couldn't find any emotional reaction to Simpo's competent surfing in the Bowl. It could only elicit the vaguest of mildly pleasant sensations, like a two beer buzz on a summers afternoon. He was summarily dismissed by the last journeyman standing at Bells, Mr Kai Otton.
A cross-wind was placing mini-bowls against the grain on the Bells Bowl and Jordy made it clear he was going to employ the full blooded layback snap hard and high in the hook of these contrary bowls. CJ couldn't get close to the South African.
Owen Wright's tendency to over-rotate the first turn and get hung up was on display again against Flores. He made mistakes and didn't have the mental flexibility to re-adjust the game plan. A reccurring problem. His appraisal that he "wasn't good enough" to progress was brutally honest but fair enough. He must find a way to translate learning outside of a heat into action during it. Nevertheless the upcoming South Pacific leg still presents lined up ducks for a sharp shooting goofy-foot.
Josh Kerr presented double jeopardy for Kelly Slater in their Quarter Final match-up. Kerr had announced that an aerial approach was not only possible but probable with a couple of massive airs against De Souza that turned the heat. A loss to Kerr presented an inconceivable outcome now to a man who lives by an inversion of accepted values and truths. Namely, as the pressure increases towards the pointy end of a contest Slater becomes by degrees more relaxed, more cold blooded and calculating. He remains most vulnerable early, when the pain and ratings loss of early exit exerts the most pressure. Nothing makes him more relaxed and in the moment than early exits from rivals.
Slater took Kerr out with hard carving then disposed of Flores with a controversial interference move which he engineered as coolly as a suicide bomber. That's a metaphor by the way, Kelly camp. Later he rationalised the move by saying he gave Flores a wave under priority to win the Pipe Master two years ago. In a world of endless payback the motivation for revenge is never ending, even if it wears a friendly face.
Joel took out Jordy despite the pain of watching him take a wave under priority in the dying minute. A visibly emotional Joel was distressed by the conditions at Rincon and made his feelings clear - he wanted to wait for better surf. He couldn't regather composure against Fanning in the semi despite several chances and went down. I walked up the steps slowly with the Parkinson retinue. His wife, his father and children. They were downbeat but not defeated. In the grand scheme it places Joel in the front running peloton. It was disrespectful of Slater to cast aspersions on the scores handed out to Joel this event, as he did, and damn grade-A gamesmanship to call forth the spectre of 2006, when Kelly beat an exhausted Joel in perfect pumping Bells.
But our cold blooded killer had made an error of judgement, sportsfans. Because he was to face an impeccable Fanning, who had reached a peace beyond passion, as we determined in yesterday's dispatch, and would not under any circumstances have his pure mind besmirched by the psychological assault of Mr Slater esq. In the interim between Semi-Finals an Amazonian Gilmore had lain down a 10-point ride on account of a double-handed layback power gouge which restored her reputation as the finest female surfer on the planet. Hyperbole intended.
Now come with me to the beach at Bells as the Final begins...
The crowd is nervous, knowledgeable, inspired by the show of support for MP. Dewy-eyed girls wearing wistful smiles are hoping against hope for a Slater victory in the vain chance they might get close to him. Rugged gentlemen are now cheering and grunting and clapping to Fanning's superbly constructed opening ride. Then again, they are emotionally responding to his second, after which Slater is comboed. Kelly falls, and falls, then falls again. The crowd is gasping. Surely The Champ would not self destruct so visibly in front of them? The wistful girls are checking their phones and looking away.
Then Kelly takes a medium-sized wave from Rincon and pumps, glides through a chattering high line and launches. The crowd roars as he spins high up against a grey cloud filled sky and drops forever into the flats to land almost perfectly. He offers a small claim. Then within minutes he destroys another wave to take the lead.
Fanning answered back on a full set wave with a series of full body-torque carves which were both technically perfect and emotionally naked. The spray from his carving top turns hung in the Victorian sky like tear drops from heaven.
With the lead regained Fanning anchored himself in the Bells Bowl, as motionless as the Buddha himself, with supreme confidence in the stillness of his pure mind. Kelly tried and tried. Hell, I thought he had the score on more than one occasion. He carved and threw down and alley-ooped and still came up short. It was time for any rational sceptic to concede that a great moment in sport had transpired.
Kelly came up the stairs with a face as dark as thunder and smashed his board against the steps in a cold fury. Minutes later cold calculation concluded his number one ratings and he joined Fanning on stage for the victory celebrations smiling like a Cheshire cat.
The assembled hacks filed their stories and within the hour, as Fanning was standing on the cliff with the Bell the coast was smote by a tempest of Biblical proportions. Fanning was unnerved and walked calmly to shelter.
That's the way I saw it anyhow. Tell me if you saw it differently...
Comments
You nailed it Steve. What a great event and an even better final. Despite every effort and then being underscored for that insane carving 360, Slater was no match for Fanning and appropriately, Mick rings it for MP. Well done.
Reckon that air by Kelly deserved more than 3 sentences and should be cradled in a bigger context. It was a move that went a fair way toward backing up ol' Brodie's claim of 'best surfing happening in comps' and demonstrated the diff between free surfing as opposed to surfing against a clock and an opponent.
That's where I differ.
As good as "the Air " was , It was a one maneuver wave .....
I hope that is not where contest surfing is heading .!
I thought that " Air show / contests " were all about that .
Regardless of where " it " stood , was very impressive to watch even from the Top carpark .
Nearly choked on my Toast , when MSM Channel Today show , aired " the Air " followed by Slater smashing his Board against the Stairs , and then Mick " pogo-ing with the Bell aloft . I wonder if the ASP would be happy with the stairs footage ...... I think its good , it shows he's Human , and like Arnie says in Terminator , " If its Bleeds , we can " conquer " it " ..... Bring on Tahiti , i hope Mick takes my advice of a Few years back , and lets go of the rail on his backhand tubes .... AI and Bruce style ......
What was interesting about the air was some of the pre-amble leading up to it.
Before his rnd 4 heat Slater sat outside Rincon and stoinked a huge alley-oop just before the heat started.
He obviously was planning that manouevre, not to mention the fact that he sacrificed 4 waves in a row going big, including a failed attempt.
From my vantage point down on the rocks with the people, the air just looked gargantuan, the way he dropped out of the sky and landed at the base on the flats and rode out so clean was off the hook.
They had to give it a Ten. No choice.
Slater completely threw out the playbook on how to surf Bells Beach. He decided to bend it to his will and surf it in a completely new and novel manner.
He had plenty to say out in the water too. My mate Ed Sloane was in the water shooting. Kelly was trying to chat up Mick and Mick just brushed him.
Slater dropped his bundle towards the end and screamed out "Fuck!" when he didn't get the score after the carving three-o wave.
Fanning surfed Bells as good as it can be surfed in the CLASSIC manner. Whether that remains the gold standard or people now decide to adopt the Slater approach is a question for the ages.
It was an amazing exhibition. A heavy-weight bout between two guys at the peak of their powers surfing at their absolute limit. Up there with the Rumble in the Jungle.
You'd have to give it five stars plus.
Kelly changed boards from the semi to the final, then proceeded to fall on just about every ride he took. Dunno why he does that to himself. He lost Pipe doing the same thing.
Seems like the only person who ever really beats Kelly in a final, is well ... Kelly.
I'm glad Mick won it. Especially after being the dominate surfer last year. Pity Florence lost to Flores. As Steve mentioned Flores deserved the win but you could tell that Florence was the better surfer. Great event and fitting that the winner had a close connection to MP. Another chapter in surfings history.
I think he fell Braithy because he was pushing turns past their normal safe level, not because of faulty board choice.
For what it's worth, from my angle it did seem like Slater had got the score he needed to beat Mick........even though I thought Mick surfed it amazingly.
It's highly likely that air of Slaters could be the biggest of the year, and done in a comp. Done in the final of a comp.
I reckon they can finally scrub all that Occy vs Curren 'best heat ever' hogwash.
That finally was clearly, CLEARLY the best heat ever at Bells.
agree with a lot of the comments here, and enyjoyed your article and insights again Steve but no one is mentioning the judging inconsistencies... surely unprofessional amateurish & unacceptable at this level... it was deciding peoples fates wrongly... am I wrong?
As Steve said he thought KS had just snatched it at the death... so did I... but who knows with that judging
Stu just ramped up the controversy levels to 12.
Carn Braithy, don't tell me you're one of those romantic gimlets thinking that '86 semi was the best ever. I give 'em full marks for the wetty's (especially Occy's green and blue Peak steamer - straight out of TRON), but that's it.
The surfing? Mehh...
SurferJoe,
It's surfing. It's subjective. Everyone knows that. Like gymnastics. Like the Archibald. We're gonna find differences.
Besides, Slater was overscored in Round 3 against Mushy.
The surfing is relative to the equipment and technology too. Those wetsuits were like straight jackets. Not the papery thin ones the pros cruise in today. The boards were pigs. You couldn't do one massive air and score a 10, you had to ride the wave to shore. No jetski back out the back.
It's apples and oranges. But yes, sign me up for the romantic gimlet undercard, please.
Plus! Tell me any surfer today with as much style as Curren, -- submit said response with a urine test, I'll need to check for hallucinogens before I can retort.
you said it Stu "Besides, Slater was overscored in Round 3 against Mushy." >> inconsistent
Also JJ got the raw prawn underscored
It seems to be all over the place... surely there could be better criterium evolved or better judges used... ex pros on the panel perhaps
Braithy,
OK, so in order to compare apples to oranges we have to place said fruit on some imaginary sliding scale whereby actual surfing performance is ratcheted up by taking into account the hindrance of equipment ridden and worn.
Sounds hard.
I'll stick with Mick vs. Kelly, Final, 2012.
Easy.
Chuck out the fruit and lick the chicken skin.
Love a good sporting contest. Everyone was pumped, and you've caught that, nicely done. The drama woulda been more knife-edged if the 8.07 for the carving threeO had been a 8.70.
Surfer Joe,
If you can tell me a way to make surfing competitions non-subjective then I'm all ears.
And please don't say 'better judges'.
Does anyone else think it was a bit strange that Slater reached over and rang Mick's freshly won Bell, not once but twice during the presentation? Mick responded buy re-ringing the thing both times. More of Slater's mind games?
Anyway, great final. I had guys and a girl in my office who had never surfed a day in their lives watching the pod cast over my shoulder. The best comment from one during the last 5 minutes of the heat was, "Why is the red guy catching heaps of ways while the guy in the yellow is just sitting there not doing anything?"
Occ and Curren's '86 final, wasn't just argued as the greatest heat ever at Bells, it was the greatest heat ever.
For me ... Mick and Kelly were the greatest Bells heat since '86.
If they were surfing 6-8 foot Bells, you would at least be in the ballpark of making an apples to oranges argument.
Without the swell, you're just standing at the top of the stairs licking chicken skin.
Freeride, I'm one of you're greatest admirers. But I just can't let this piece pass without comment.
"the dustbin of archaic online discourse"; "sound of magpies chortling and carolling on the breath of a too-warm April morning, flushed with a soft pink sunrise"; "the luxurious feeling of satisfaction of enjoying a victory"; "his pure mind besmirched by the psychological assault of Mr Slater esq"; "Dewy-eyed girls wearing wistful smiles"; "The spray from his carving top turns hung in the Victorian sky like tear drops from heaven,"
WTF!!!
Compared with:
"What was interesting about the air was some of the pre-amble leading up to it.
Before his rnd 4 heat Slater sat outside Rincon and stoinked a huge alley-oop just before the heat started.
He obviously was planning that manouevre, not to mention the fact that he sacrificed 4 waves in a row going big, including a failed attempt.
From my vantage point down on the rocks with the people, the air just looked gargantuan, the way he dropped out of the sky and landed at the base on the flats and rode out so clean was off the hook.
They had to give it a Ten. No choice.
Slater completely threw out the playbook on how to surf Bells Beach. He decided to bend it to his will and surf it in a completely new and novel manner.
He had plenty to say out in the water too. My mate Ed Sloane was in the water shooting. Kelly was trying to chat up Mick and Mick just brushed him.
Slater dropped his bundle towards the end and screamed out "Fuck!" when he didn't get the score after the carving three-o wave.
Fanning surfed Bells as good as it can be surfed in the CLASSIC manner. Whether that remains the gold standard or people now decide to adopt the Slater approach is a question for the ages."
The first extracts are so purple that I almost gagged. Enough with the superfluous adjectives already. By contrast your post to Braithy is your usual terse, tight, authentic prose.
Enough said.
Also:
"Fanning was unnerved and walked calmly to shelter"
Que???
Unnerved: past participle, past tense of unnerve. Verb: Make (someone) lose courage or confidence.
Your best is so far ahead of the other hacks that it's not funny. But this wasn't it.
@ Stu
Yeah impossible I guess... its just so frustrating and decides fates/careers wrongly... when u see the online reactions too... it alienates people and cheapens the sport
and no I dont know the answer
I hear what ya saying Joe, but it's a bunch of human beings throwing numbers at other human beings engaged in a completely subjective endeavour.
Unless you engage robots or go back to points for manouevres it'll always be a process subject to the vagaries of human emotional reaction.
Like judging the Archibald prize winner or a piece of music or whatever. Like boxing or MMA.
That doesn't diminish it's credibility in my eyes, it's the very essence of being human to make aesthetic judgements, with all the messy inconsistencies that entails.
The other thing is that live and up close the rides can often look, very, very different to how they appear on the webby. From this perspective the judging was fine.
The Flores interference call was the only head shaking wtf moment I saw.
Excuse me, I need another coffee.....the beers was flowing last night.
Hi whaaatt....how about I was unnerved due to the fact it was getting late, I was three sheets to the wind and I was struggling to see straight let along compose anything comprehensible.
I blame the Editor for letting that appalling error in language slip through to the keeper.
Yeah I thought Slater was out of line ringing the bell. He couldn't get over the fact that he didn't win. He seemed to have regained his composure after slamming his board but he was obviously still angry. He just had to ring it.
I thought it was petulant of kelly to ring the Bell. And border-line disrespectful.
I thought that was the perfect moment for Mick to throw a haymaker and take out Slater once and for all.
Only prob was Mick was crying tears of joy and blueing was the last thing on his mind.
I think Kelly was angry with himself for playing mind games with a possible Parko Final and ending up with an opponent who was impervious to his psychological warfare.
"I blame the Editor for letting that appalling error in language slip through to the keeper."
Hey...! We'll speak later Mr Shearer.
Braithy,
I figured we were gonna have to disagree to disagree so I spent the last 5 mins writing a thoroughly comprehensive treatise on how RIGHT I AM. But the baby just woke and now I've gotta run.
Later...
Yes Steve I wish I had been down there to see it live... stayed too long in Bali but as they say "Je Non Regret Rien"
btw did you catch up with Kanga? I heard he was down there.. I would have liked to have a chat to him... what he says is worth listening to
Hey Stu maybe if it is as close as the final was yesterday (too close to call a clear winner in a VERY subjective sport) all I can think of is a surf off, or best of 3 heats or something to that effect that will eventually produce a clear victor. Otherwise maybe using a selection of the other WT surfers to contribute to the scoring might bring more balance or insight to the scoring. It's tough...
This whole overscored or underscored thing is nothing but butter from the peanut farming gallery of opinionated people. Which is always fun, but meaningless in the big picture..... And similar to contested surfing itself, opinions are not about to go away any time in our lifetimes.
So, in my meaningless opinion, Mick read the waves far better than his opponents. And if i or anyone else fell off in any given day of two a days as often as most of the competitors did in their 25 or 40 minute heats i'd be bummed as a bunny eared barnold too.
Good to see BKS consoled by his cool headed GF Malia soon after the final. As she most likely helped out K-11 by merely pointing out the fact of he'd be better off embracing the horror ASAP... http://www.cracked.com/article_15746_embrace-horror.html
Good times, Stevie Shears. Good times, and a good job, son.
After your magic Bells four part series, pat 'yer self on the back, bru. You definitely deserve it.
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/730079/
Ah, Steve, I suspected as much: I've long wondered if there's something in beer other than water, barley and hops. And even Ernie wasn't faultless: after all, he wrote Across The River And Into The Trees, the first novel of his I read. Couldn't understand how he'd won a Nobel.
And I've often thought that, for an editor, Stu spends a helluva lot of time out the back....
Anyhoo, peace. Your worst is still damn good.
PS: Only 2 days on the big bus to go.... Cruel and unusual punishment, by any definition
I thought Mick surfed Bells much better last year. If I recall correctly it was the Semi or quarters and he was just destroying it. Huge fucking turns. Parko ultimately won but Mick impressed me the most that day. And I'm no Fanning fan.
Was great final. Not much for the hyperbole being thrown around though.
And Kelly has got his air game down. It's kind of scary really.
@whaaat. I like when Shep gets wordy like that. Shows he's been smoking the reefer and reading the Steinbeck.
@ roller
Malia consoling BKS?? KS girlfriend is Kalani Miller matey...
I would love to have Malia as my friend... she is hot... intelligent, confident and can surf the pants off most guys & gals
She is the future of WS
btw did anyone notice the girls final is on.... in deteriorating conditions... looks like Damo made the right call on holding mens yesterday
I would have given Kelly the win.
Nice read Freeride but lay off the mushrooms that wet spell over xmas must of produced around Lennox ,getting a bit flowery.
Most significant final in bells history (greatest impact on surfing in general if not all time)
Simon 81
You are right S-Joe. my bad... Kalani did not control him, just cooled off his dome.
helped him to embrace the reality that could not be changed.
Epic overall Bells #51 coverage by all the guys and gals working "The Curl".
"To those who say Bells should go I spit in your general direction, I would not deign to piss on you if you were on fire. If you were in front of me right now I'd crucify each and every last one of you miserable bastards and fart in your general direction. Salut."
I've said I'm not impressed with Bells. I've never said Bells should go.
I did mention Winki looked to be a better venue yesterday on another Swellnet thread.
Maybe if someone could get some underwater concrete/cement and fix the reef, it really could become a great surf spot?
That crumbly-bumbly end section (the bowl?) usually disappoints!
On the kelly Slater stair smash incident.
I was able to track down the Channel 9 cameraman who had the footage and we went through the vision frame by frame JFK-Dallas style.
To the best of my knowledge I regret to inform you that it was the hapless visage of Nick Wood that copped the wrath of Kelly's board.
As he came to the summit of the stairs there was the briefest moment of eye contact between myself and Kelly. In response to this Kelly smashed his board with an open palm hit of surprising ferocity.
I interpreted that gesture to mean "I was fucking robbed. Do not fuck with me".
Belly too looked more ornery than usual.
The Slater camp has constructed an under-dog narrative which will enable Fortress Slater to harness it's motivating force throughout 2012.
I expect Slater to throw the faggots(in the original sense of the word) of disappointment and resentment onto a bonfire of raging fury through this year.
I would like to see that footage of Slater going 'postal' on his own board.
Is there any way Swellnet can post up that footage for your readers/posters pleasure?
that air was sick, but if Kelly had gotten the second score then i'd be pissed that a 10 point one manoeuvre wave had helped him win.
the real controversy: Kelly ringing the bell (twice no less!) should be classed as an interference and his top wave score dropped from the tally. another sign that he is a tad on the creepy side. his past of sniffin' around other pro's women is another.
in summary: Fanning wins with superior style and class.
Cement the Bells Bowl basin?
If that's not the worst idea I have ever heard, it's in the grand final.
Also;
Maybe Swellnet could post up a vid clip of Bells when it is 6' -8' (or bigger) when 'the bowl' becomes an inside-out hollow drainer.
I could have missed that day in my lifetime, and I would be forced to re-assess my opinion of Bells.
@braithy
I said - "fix" the reef.
In the sense of improving what nature started.
Not filling in the entire Bells Bowl basin
Some people just aren't realistic!!!
i watched as mick emerged from the water and made his way to the commentary and then to the podium. even if it was in the u.s.a, would slater have given and recieved as many hands and hugs and hoots? maybe, but it was really heart-warming down to the way fanning handled the question from commentary (shrugging it) about slater's apparent mind-games, and also refusing to enter into a spat when slater announced in his runner-up speech about being pissed off when mick "wouldn't talk to me" in the water. everything he said was pure and noble. momentarily at least, the crown has been removed from the head of the king.
@stevenug
Very Nice one mate re
stevenug †@stevenug
That was kind of punk rock to ring the bell post final @kellyslater. S'pose if Mick did that he'd "get laid."?
Kelly Slater Kelly Slater †@kellyslater
@stevenug I waited til mick rang it first. I'm allowed. I've won
before.
KS doesnt seem to realize its just not good manners to do that
and your tweet covers many bases... I remember that Mick drunk incident when Kelly was so vocal and righteous in protest over Micks bad manners! (I dont think Kelly got it btw)
Cheers
Iain @RiffRaffBriz
Kelly's surfing in the final was progressive and innovative for bells. It was much more entertaining to watch than Micks safe traditional surfing. If mick's wave with 3 good turns and a fall at the end was 9.7 then surely kelly's wave was better than 8.07?
Break it down, nuggieboy.... First off, waves are like snowflakes... And no two waves, let alone two days, are ever the same. So, whether it's Bells, or any other place, in the eyes of the judges, the guy or gal in a comp who reads the wave, and pulls off the goods without falling off, wins.
Same as it ever was.
The judging in this final was a disgrace the judges totally threw away there own judging criteria for some romantic version of how bells should be surfed. If the Asp wants to keep the interest of the next generation of surf fans they need to take a
good look at what gets the younger generation of surf fans exited. Micks surfing as the outsider stated falls in the classic range their was nothing new to be seen here he surfed exactly the way he surfed 5 or 6 years ago since then the criteria has changed Kelly at forty years of age has changed with it but was not rewarded at ali in this final. His surfing was exiting fresh risky, all the ingredients that go to make a great final. Micks was solid but ultimately boring in comparison. Kellys surfing combined elements of classic power surfing with with modern progressive surfing.
Think about it ,if you were putting a highlight package together of this final how much of Micks surfing would get prime time.
@sunbay76
Hometown RipCurl Boy favoured by the judges perhaps??... No couldnt possibly be so...
could it?
@Stu
Ask Stu... the judges are doing just fine, arent they Stu?
@100percent
Thank You
Your saying it so much better than I
@100percent
I agree with you totally. What he attempted and achieved in that final should have been rewarded.
No wonder he rang the bell - he knows it.
Steve ,
If you did infact imbibe a little , well into the night ? I hope you got an Interview with Eugene , about Slaters Bell Ring ..... I wonder if Slater would try and pull that shit in Hawaii if Double Juan won a close one , or worse still Kekoa or whoever won ?
I know they didn't have " The Bell " trophy back in the Seventies , but I'm pretty sure it would of sorted itself out if one was to shit stir " TWICE " in that manner ......
And back on the 86' Semi , Occ V Curren. I think you'll find that the QF before with a Young Gary Taylor vs
Curren to be a better standard , but less the Hype .... GT was to pull off , what up until yesterday was the most outlandish single maneuver pulled off in a heat ..... ( a almost suicidal Floater on a solid 8ft bowl section , that he should have been pitted inside ) .
@ prawnhead , wasn't the 81 Final held in 3-4 ft junky surf , the big stuff was QF's or earlier ?????
Talking to head judge Richie Porta in 5 minutes so if you've got any questions bust 'em out now.
Review the vids, boys. Other than the one move air rotations, BKS's top turns were little flicks compared to MF's large and in charge carves.
If any of you were out anywhere, and someone else was out busting one move airs, not reading or making it down the line, and pulling funny lip flicks on a five something craft, how impressed would you be?
Steve ask him some questions about the decisions Thursday and Friday and the inconsistencies
5 mins ay , ( Too Late ) ...
I'm sure you fired in a short an curly one , along the lines of this ....
Are you going to subtract some WCT points from Kelly for
A : Visible dissent/unbecoming behaviour
B : backhanded attempts at double guessing said outcome
( whilst during a presentation = most publicised / seen to " MSM " outlets ) .
You don't see Roger Federer jokingly Grab the Wimbledon Cup after Raph Nadal beats him in a close one .
I know they are trying to Model this Tour on Tennis , ( atleast thats what Bobbie said )
Has Kelly , become Bigger than the Sport ? Things like this don't usually happen in the Footy heartlands .
where NO ONE PLAYER , CAN BE BIGGER THAN THE TEAM/SPORT .
Do they have the balls to penalise him , especially where it will really hurt him ( points as opposed to money ) ....
And Sheepy, I'll deal with you on a tag team basis with your swellnet counterpart Stu, re funding professional surfing events and your Manly beach/city beach tirade shortly....one at a time....but both of ya
why bother comparing heats, surfing has changed so much its irrelevant I reckon, I will always regard the Occ v Curren heat as epic for its surfing at that time...yesterday was a new level for Bells surfing and a great event and can understand the surfers wanting to win there, especially for anyone having a connection to MP with the dedication to him this year....
Kelly's view fom Twitter
Kelly Slater †@kellyslater
Judging is an opinion and a perception. Not right or wrong. That was the best air I've done in my 40's! But Mick was carving shit up.
I almost fuckin lost it during that final. Emotional. When Kelly nailed that air and especially the way he LANDED it just knocked me OUT.
Still Mick's 9.7 was so beautiful with the 3rd hack sending those tingling sensations up my spine into the back of my brain. It was a comptetive display for the ages and the best final I have ever seen.
Kelly wins!
100% was spot on. Volvo wins the Volvo race despite finishing behind a Ferrari.
Sometimes you just have to let go, get over it, and move forward.
By the looks of that twittie post, BKS surely has.
But on a second note, all of this whinging on just might be good for pro surfing. Keeps the past event in the limelight until the next comp....
Her'es one for Taj's Burrow....
Henry Saint Clair Fredericks...
Taj Mahal... Ain't Gwine To Whistle Dixie Any Mo'.
Taj Mahal!
Reminiscing a friendly exchange between myself and date, a guest couple I brought along, with Taj Mahal in the owner's office, with astounded owner, that Taj accepted a written invite, between sets at the famed Golden Bear in Huntington Beach, Ca. a decade ago.
If the office desk top could talk!!!
Still goin' strong after all these years!!!
Kelly still wins.
It wasn't a 10 Kelly Slater scored with his off-the-lip aerial 240 that landed in the flats to take the leade momentarily from Mick Fanning. To many who saw it, that desperate and magnificent manoeuvre was worth much more than a 10, it was worth the title. And if the scoring limit were greater than 10, Slater would have topped it and won a record fifth Bells Rip Curl Pro title. Slater's 10+ air showed the limits of the judging system. Somehow the ASP needs to turn up the volume to reward 10+ waves. Maybe a bonus golden point. It might be argued that another deficiency is priority system rules. It seems open to abuse when there are five or 10 minutes left on the clock and good scoring waves are left to roll towards an unimpressed crowd on the beach. This mandatory priority rule saw Slater paddling from the Bowl to Rincon and back in search of the 8.74 winner while Fanning stubbornly refused to use his priority on waves he would have likely scored that high. It's difficult not to imagine Slater would have scored an 8.74 or more on some of those waves that Fanning let go. Perhaps priority should be limited to a number of waves or have a time limit.
@foxnaif
good points
The final showed a marked difference in style. Fanning's smooth lines harking back to Nat Young and Michael Peterson, while Slater's, remarkably at the age of 40, were right up-to-the-minute and futuristic with his whip-cracking speed turns and radical alley-oop airs that are inspiring the next gen groms.
We threw a few ideas around in a previous forum. I think to spice up the end of a heat, a '5 minutes to go hooter' could be sounded eliminating priority for the remainder of the heat.
This would serve 2 purposes. The first to prevent the priority holder milking the clock and letting otherwise good waves go unridden and second to raise the tension levels of the spectators making for more exciting viewing.
Thoughts?
@zenagain
Certainly worth a try IMHO sounds good
Slater would have played the same game on Mick if the tables were turned. Hes done it plenty of times before.
Slater couldn't cop it when Mick wouldn't play his game and got the shits big time.
I personally thought it was a great final but Slater is way out of line and needs to pull his head in.
Agree 100%, fitzy. And Slats is smart and self-aware enough to know it too. Even so, it'll be interesting to see if he takes his bat and ball and stalks off the beach. This moment could be the excuse/catalyst he's been waiting for....
As for Slat's, erm, "whip-cracking speed turns and radical alley-oop airs that are inspiring the next gen groms", try telling that to those groms who aspire to be like JJ, Mick, Parko et al and surf big lumps at breaks that REALLY count.
Zen, I threw up a solution to the dead time that affects the end of every heat to the ASP a few years ago.
Don't really know exactly what happened but some concepts similar to mine appeared about 6 month later with the no elimination "expression session" round 5 that is currently in use.
The ASP are unlikely to introduce the 5 minute rule because a lack of priority was the source of much bad blood between individuals before priority was introduced.
Our intellectual superior Whaaaat will no doubt correct me where I am wrong but following surfing in the 80's and 90's, hassling throughout the heats was a big problem and basically led to paddling battles resulting in both surfers sitting too far inside out of position.
This doesn't happen with priority but will happen again if priority is removed. It's all pro's and cons: sitting around watching nothing for the last 5 mins of every heat vs watching guys pull into close outs
Hey Tyler, I remember you mentioning something about that in a previous forum but you didn't elaborate. I doubt the ASP will give you due credit for your suggestions though, nor me if they adopt this, such is the nature of the beast.
I don't think removing priority in the last 5 minutes is too unreasonable, I think it will up the ante a bit and perhaps go in someway towards addressing some of the quite boring heat ends we have all witnessed. Maybe even get a bit of the mongrel back into the sport?
Hi Tyler.
'Our' intellectual superior?
C'mon now, leave poor ole Zen out of this. I know it's lonely down the shallow end of the gene pool but find someone else to play with....
Don't worry about me whaaaat, I've got my floaties and lilo, I'm ready to rock.
That was the best air-reverse I've ever seen (and that includes any I've seen of Dane's where it doesn't matter in the slightest if he falls off). However, as was mentioned earlier, one-manoeuvre rides are meant for Air Show contests, aren't they? I'd hate it if surfers started just paddling deep, ignoring reeling lefts or rights and taking off on close outs so the judges started having to compare the height, precision, grace and landing of a series of air-reverses.
And 10 plus??? No way. I'm not even convinced with the 10. Doesn't the judging criteria state that there should be a 'variety of critical manoeuvres'? Maybe a 10 should have been awarded if he'd done two more solid hacks before or after that air, but he couldn't because he'd caught a smaller, inferior wave, a close-out (or was it???). Can you give a ten to someone at Chopes or Pipe for taking off on the shoulder, ignoring the tube and busting a huge air-reverse.
There were some great waves in that final - Mick caught most of the good ones (I'm sure 'wave selection' is also still part of the criteria) and surfed them completely, full-rail-to-full-rail, better than anybody could have that day (and he also busted an air!). Slater scratched around, like a crazed grommet after too much Red Bull, did some speed turns and some nice little sliding direction changes, fell on most and did a couple of great 'tricks'. I wonder if there'd be such a fuss if Slater was Fanning that day and the guy scratching around was, I don't know, Jeremy Flores? Imagine Flores then smashed his board on Nicky Woods' portrait on the way up the stairs, and rang Slater's bell twice!
As has been already pointed out above about the subjectivity to judging, everyone has their opinion who was correctly scored. I agree with chritta. Remember, Mick caught 3 waves with a throw away score in the high 8's. Kelly ten odd waves with his highest on 1 move (yes it was impressive).
After watching some of the event again, I still wonder about some of Kelly's behaviour. I know some people who post here idolise Kelly but I still wonder what Kelly's reaction would be if the shoe was on the other foot.
Scenario 1 ; Leading up to the final in a post heat interview after a win , Joel makes a comment about Kelly being over scored throughout the event. How would Kelly react to these comments?
Scenario 2 ; Kelly wins the final. Mick has a couple of quick beers before the presentation and Eugene cheekily gives the bell a couple of rings. Again how would Kelly react to this?
Remember the posters all over the event. "YOU HAVE TO WIN IT TO RING IT".
"Thanks for the moral support but I'm not bummed. Appreciate the commentary and now it's done. MP would be happy either way"..
"Judging is an opinion and a perception. Not right or wrong. That was the best air I've done in my 40's! But Mick was carving shit up".
"Odd some people think it was disrespectful to ring Bell after Mick. Every past winner rings the Bell each year. And I waited my turn...2nd"!
-Kelly Slater... April 7th 2012
http://instagr.am/p/JHqQHuTbMD/
it was a dynamite final, for sure.
I think it really comes down to 2 judging decisions.
first, the carving 360 by Kelly. He felt he was underscored for that, got like an 8.07. Cos he's the only one who does them judges wig out a little i think, and probably deem it a little like hotdigging, especially in a classic final.
I dunno, they are sick moves but it doesnt flow well and he has to pump alot to regain speed.
secondly, it was Fanning's 9.7 ride. The judging was fvcked the whole event, so it's not like a score like that was without precedent.
And I do remember a Hobgood pulling down similar scores on their backhand at Jbay for comparable critical top turns on a similar wave. The falloff didnt help his cause.
so, i think that's why Kelly was soooo cheesed, he legitimately felt robbed. I think it was 50/50 and if it was someone like Adriano I think Kelly woulda nailed it.
But everyone can thank Mick Fanning for giving Kelly all he needs for an angsty and vengeful twelfth title.
and how was Mick slob in the quarter/semi?
fvcekn sick Micko.
"But everyone can thank Mick Fanning for giving Kelly all he needs for an angsty and vengeful twelfth title."
Yep, let's not forget that. Could be all the fuel KS needs for another run at the title.
Watch out for that axe Eugene-Pink Floyd
It really looks like Kelly has got his big no-grab rotations completely down. like, really down. ally-oops and full rotations are gonna net hims some big wins in the shitty slop.
look out trestles and rio.
considering the fact he is a 40 something year old man, has achieved near everything there is to achieve in competitive surfing: what should we feel about his behaviour following the heat?
sadly, i've watched enough of his post heat interviews to know that disappointment in his own shortcomings and failures manifest as bitchy backhanded comments or outright explicit attacks on anyone else involved, rarely himself. even if he is smashed in a heat, he'll say something like, "let's hope he surfs like that in the quarters, unlike last year when he got beat by bla blah... " or he'll have some bullshit excuse along the lines of 'no sleep/thought they were going to call a lay day/judges got it wrong'. demonstrate a little sportsmanship, please. no, wait, just an adult with a bit of grace.
my point is: Mick wins!
Worth a Read >>> Blasphemy Rottmouth aka BREW
http://dumbthchronicles.com/2012/04/to-prune-or-to-burn-this-is-no-consp...
Yawn. Why do you bother mate? Rottmouth is all over the internet like herpes, if people liked his writing they'd follow him. They don't need you acting as a go between.
@ttbb
Answer
I'm on a Commission.... $$$ for every Sucker Sucked In...
So you're working as an agent for Rottmouth. Congratulations to the both of you, I hope the business goes swimmingly. And make sure you get paid upfront.
Hahaha yeah @ttbb in advance... way in advance... Cash only
Mick surfed safe and conservative in the final because he wanted to make sure he made it to the shorebreak on each wave, a series of half completed turns and een though he throws a lot of spray they are still not complete turns.
Kelly threw caution to the wind and took big risks, stayed busy and kept the crowd entertained in waves that were actually crap for the finals. The 10 was so justified in the criteria, even if he had have done another turn he already had the 10 in the bag. The 8.07 however was a bit soft by the panel, top to bottom surfing with variety, flow and power in the most critical part of the wave and completed ride. Should have been a 9 at least.
Ringing Micks bell was nothing to be pissed off about, imagine MR getting second to Pottz in a final and MR rang Pottz's bell, everyone would be applauding MR and Pottz. Kelly's won 4 of them and appeared in countless finals over the years.
The bit where you have to win it to ring it means that if you have won it you are allowed to ring it and that also includes the presentation after the finals, and Kelly did ring it after Mick was done.
Post heat interviews, remember AI's interviews? Kelly again can be critical of whoever he wants, he is the current world champion and it is good to see a bit of cheek from the old boy.
Everyone is getting too uptight in surfing and forgetting that we are all just surfers having a good time doing it.
SS, tell us more about the caterpillars....
Those little cabbage white moth grubs that reduce a full grown broccolli to a skeleton in a day. Those ones.