Semi Pro Shakedown: Old School vs New School
Who would've guessed that young Filipe Toledo would smash Jordy and Fanning in a three-man heat?
Remember Bells Beach five or six weeks ago?
Filipe was lucky to reach round 4 and face those guys, the kid was just 17, his second event. He got a nine but still needed a combination to beat Jordy.
That was then. Now he's 18, more mature, experienced... Nah!
On this overcast Saturday in Rio, Toledo got his first ten, two manoeuvers, he defeated Jordy – who also scored a perfect ten! - and Mick Fanning.
Those kids don't show any respect for older surfers.
Sometimes it seems as though as the teenagers are gonna take over, despite what we have been told over and over again by press releases. It takes Slater to rescue the proud old guard.
Rio de Janeiro was a renewed city after the hailstorm from last two nights, the wind died, and finally, after one week of waiting game, everybody went to the beach.
I described here how small surfing is to Brasil as a country, and even for a city as big as Rio, more than 6 million people, but I must admit that is a beautiful thing to glimpse the beach at Barra da Tijuca as packed as it was today.
There were lots of surfers watching the event today: families, friends, curious onlookers. I watched with friends right at the beach, the only way you should watch a contest, with real people, not stars.
I asked the kids under 12, who's the surfer they want to watch the most. It was a hard battle between Slater and Medina - not one different name was mentioned.
Slater? I yelled, that Bald old man?
Yeah, Slater.
Think of a new guard and then you have...Slater? At the age of 41? I rest my case. Might as well cheer for the guy.
The morning was a slow morning, nothing fancy, a seven here an eight there. And then Slater is announced, frenzy, commotion, expectation.
His first wave is a 9.97 (three 10's, a 9.8 and a 9.9). Then he got a 9.7 late in the heat. Crowd went crazy. Slater could've won any other heat with his throwaway 8.7 and a 9.0. Take note kid.
Another interesting thing in Rio is that you can drink your beer at the beach but there's no public bathrooms at the beach for the fans - only for the blessed VIP's.
I'm a VIP, I'm very ashamed to admit it, I mostly despise those people, but I do have a green watchband that allowed me to the Olympus.
I'm miserable 'cause I don't drink energy drinks and there's only energy drinks in the VIP area. Better to drink beer, but it's too early, never crack a beer before noon, friends advise.
Organizers need to get rid of round 4 and 5. Adriano went straight to the quarters as expected. Taj blew it with an childish interference, as expected.
But let me tell you this, as Medina and Slater paddled out it seemed like the whole six million citizens of Rio were there.
The best time to pee or order some lunch is when either Medina or Slater's in the water. With both of them in a heat, the kiosks and bathrooms were cleared.
Ace Buchan took advantage of being unnoticed and won the heat.
Should we talk about Parko's loss in Round Three? Swellnet is an Aussie website, so I don't feel comfortable ignoring your pain. How come Parko does such things, one might ask. Is it from sheer vanity?
It looked like Parko knew he would smash little Glen Hall in any minute, but as we say here in Rio, he forgot to tell Micro about his plans, so Micro beat him. It doesn't look like a second world title in a row any more.
Fanning, in contrast, is alive and kicking, exploring the weakness of his opponents. We have eight finalists: three from Brazil, two Aussies, one Hawaiian, one Bruh, one ET.
The Scoop:
Adriano vs Slater
Lots of friction here, both of them knows how to manipulate the audience. Adriano has the momentum, Slater had the wit.
Ace vs Medina
Funny Medina faces Ace once again. Last year, Ace beat Medina, this year he did it again. He might've read Ace's book or something...
SeaBass vs Fanning
The battle of the clones? Seabass has humor as a advantage. Fanning has two world titles.
Jordy vs Toledo
David and Goliath is too obvious, isn't it? We've got something going on here. Jordy's surfing is unmatchable in 2013 but Toledo is clearly on a rise and he doesn't care for Kai Neville or Top Models – yet. All he wants to do is to kick some top 16 ass.
Remember?
Comments
Gidday
'Who would've guessed that young Filipe Toledo would smash Jordy and Fanning in a three-man heat?'
'Those kids don't show any respect for older surfers.'
It is not a surprise at all. It happens regularly in Pro Surfing, always has, that is, kids, and the man off the street beating top Pros. That is a glaring issue in Pro surfing, that in other top Pro sports would be unheard of... and there would be hell to pay if it happened.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000088482/article/pete-carroll-scof...
http://www.obstructedview.net/discussions#/discussion/222/can-a-college-...
http://www.operationsports.com/forums/front-page-polls/430163-could-coll...
I played against some college guys with ridiculous talent and athleticism, that couldn't cut it in the NBA. Division One College Sport is taken extremely seriously, and is huge, with an incredible bank of talent, compared to Pro Surfing. One guy, Walt Campbell, 6'7", around 120kg, was All American in 3 sports, (Gridiron, Baseball, and Basketball), matched Carl Lewis in college sprinting, and was a much better/higher ranked sprinter than import Al Green (who won every Professional Sprinting event in Australia). Yet even he didn't make the Pros. It was always so glaring to me, that pro surfers were unable to be professional, athletic, and committed enough to never remotely be in danger of being butt whipped by kids. Some of it stems from and is connected to the waves, or lack of issue though. It obviously, enormously effects peoples view of Pro Surfing, and has for as long as I can remember.
@uplift
Your a worry mate, this is what makes the sport great! Plus, I would say it is the ever changing ocean that has one of the biggest says! Unlike the sports you've listed that have no variables that humans aren't in control of!
How bad did Parko surf in Round Three? Enough to bring about this headline in The West Australian:
"Parkinson defeated by Irish surfer"
HAHA!
At least AAP kindly mentioned that "his conqueror is about as Australian as he is".
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/other/17242735/parkinson-defe...
Gidday credless-k
Great? Is the fact, which has been openly aired here, again, and again, by the journalists and commentators, that a top, high performing, results on the board Pro Surfer can't even scratch up a sponsor... great?
If a top NBL, NBA, Major League, European Cup, Rugby League, Premier League, Top ATP Tennis Player, AFL team, etc, etc, etc, regularly got flogged, butt whipped or quote, 'smashed' by kids, who quote 'have no respect for them', neither would anyone else.
I guess my version of great is different. I would call great when the guy that can't get a sponsor despite his results on the board, had his agent beating off sponsors with a stick. Or I would call great when the 'Pros' showed the kids how its really done in the Pros, and the kids had the utmost respect for them.
Considering the above, its not at all suprising that there are massive, huge differences between the sports I describe and 'Pro' surfing. The sponsors are crawling all over them, unlike 'Pro' Surfing which is grovelling in comparison. The bottom players who don't even get a game in those sports earn more than top 'Pro' surfers, and have since 'Pro' Surfing's inception.
As you say, then there's the fickleness issue. Will there even be a ground to play on, will we even have a match? It's obvious that is one key to success for those ridiculously successful Pro Sports, knowing that the arena will actually be there.
'Hey how was the Super Bowl? Awesome man, a sink hole formed in the ground and we hung around for a week spending shitloads and twiddling our thumbs, before they ran it on someones front lawn over the road. Its the umpteenth time its happened this year, can't wait for the next one!'
Copying the tennis circuit format will only ever work if there are top courts to play on. No one would stand for a pot holed, line less Wimbledon.
There is a better way to really see who can surf the best. Look at the Hardy/Abberton stuff bandied about here.
'Hey awesome, lets send them to, wait for it...Middleton! Insane man! Wait, Ive got a better idea, they could tow under the Missingham Bridge in Ballina! what a spectacle, the sponsors will be all over it!'
Shock, surprise that peoples first thought is to see them in the sickest waves they can imagine, or think of. To really see who is best.
Pro surfing has been barking up the wrong tree for 40 years. Better is easy, so is change. The hard part is accepting and choosing it. And being honest about where you are. Cross that hurdle, whenever you need to, and success is inevitable. Most find it easier to hide in and dig an even deeper rut. Better the rut you know. Even if it leads to doom. Battered wife syndrome.
'Black eyes, who me, piss off, what would you know, I slipped, mind your own business jerk.'
Hey uplift,
I would love to respond to each one of your paragraphs but I have a job, so fairly busy.
I commented on your post earlier because I enjoy watching pro surfing events and I reckon the surfers are amazing!
Yeah there is the odd bad day of surfing (conditions wise), the odd dodgy tour venue (rio) and the odd stuff up from the ASP.
But on the whole I enjoy the thing that is the tour, all the rivalries (to many to list), the pumping days (to many to list), the top 32 professional surfers (they are way past the level of your local shredder (unless you live near dane reynolds), who is better than you.) Is their room for improvement? Of course there is, can't argue with that!
And in relation to me minding my own business, probably don't post on a public forum if you can't handle someone disagreeing with you.
Have a great day champ!
Gidday credless-k. Its a joke joyce. That wasn't remotely aimed at you, actually it was referring to the likes of me. Relax. Its a common scenario, like Pro Surfing. Many battered women defend the batterer to the end, ignore their plight to the end. And if anyone points out the likes of black eyes, often they are abused for doing so. Its something I see regularly as a Personal Trainer. Here's one, fairly common in today's society, of a zillion scenarios.
'Sore back? Hey, look, your back is actually pretty weak.'
Some genuinely want change, see its just a fact, their back is weak, and bingo, 'miraculous' cure.
Others ego explodes, and they defend that weak, so stuffed back to the end.
A bit like when an article about the mistakes magazines have made and are making, and their situation, was aired here. As long as its not our Pro Surfing, not our little Johnny Pro Surfing its fine.
'Just the 'odd' bad day mate? No worries then!' The sponsors will be here soon, they are probably just a bit caught up at the moment, and maybe they just left their wallets home. All good.