Ian Gouveia gets bundled off and back onto the CT
With yesterday's completion of the Championship Tour, the World Surf League has released the Top 34 for 2018. Most names were foreseen and of the two wildcards Kelly Slater was a shoo in to get one of them following his foot injury at J'Bay.
But the other wildcard..?
Today, the WSL has cast a sunbeam on Ian Gouveia's raven head handing him the other season wildcard for 2018.
Amongst all the drama that unfolded yesterday you may be forgiven for overlooking Ian's close call. After leaving himself exposed on the QS (fella came 90th), Gouveia had to make the final at Pipe to qualify for the CT, a tough call considering his previous highest finish was Round 5 and that only happened once.
Yet Gouveia made the Quarters for the first time, then the Semis, and with a minute to go he had John John on the ropes needing an 8.5.
Of course John John got the score, an 8.73 that skittled Gouveia's chances - but only for 24 hours.
It's unknown if Gouveia applied for the wildcard or he was simply a beneficiary of a year when few surfers were injured. This year Owen Wright and Bede Durbidge received them for their injuries, the year before it was Matt Banting and Jordy Smith. Again, both were injured.
2017 Top 22 CT:
John John Florence (HAW)
Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Julian Wilson (AUS)
Jordy Smith (ZAF)
Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Owen Wright (AUS)
Kolohe Andino (USA)
Adriano de Souza (BRA)
Joel Parkinson (AUS)
Filipe Toledo (BRA)
Sebastian Zietz (HAW)
Mick Fanning (AUS)
Connor O’Leary (AUS)
Frederico Morais (PRT)
Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Kanoa Igarashi (USA)
Caio Ibelli (BRA)
Michel Bourez (PYF)
Conner Coffin (USA)
Joan Duru (FRA)
Italo Ferreira (BRA)
2017 Top 10 QS (minus double qualifiers from CT):
Griffin Colapinto (USA)
Jesse Mendes (BRA)
Wade Carmichael (AUS)
Tomas Hermes (BRA)
Yago Dora (BRA)
Willian Cardoso (BRA)
Keanu Asing (HAW)
Ezekiel Lau (HAW)
Michael Rodrigues (BRA)
Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
WSL Wildcards: Kelly Slater (USA) and Ian Gouveia (BRA)
CT Men’s Replacement Surfers:
Michael February (ZAF)
Bede Durbidge (AUS)
Miguel Pupo (BRA)
Wiggolly Dantas (BRA)
Comments
Glad Wade got thru and Pat .......well done !Some really good power surfers in this mix,hope it pumps so they can strut their stuff.
Will Kelly be full time?
Ian Gouveia is a Good Decision by WSL.
KS bound to be a shoe in given his foot injury....
*crickets*
Ha!
Slater must be toey to compete after this year’s injury
What do they mean by replacement surfers? Does that mean they will compete in all events?
I think they are the injury replacements. Or if Kelly or Mick decide not to turn up for a few events.
Where is Matt Banting now? Still trying to requalifie?
Probably on the piss...
Bede replacement! Is this a formality as he's ranked higher than Pupo and Dantas or has he reconsidered his retirement? WSL most probably not factored in that he's called it quits.
Did anyone notice how old slater looked during the adbreak? Cut jaws, raised pouched mouth. Okay I know he's f*&^in healthy as vegan can be but sh/could'nt someone high up say "Buddy, have you ever considered opening a path for the younger generation?" Not that anyone hasn't pushed it on him but REALLY?? Surf Ranch politics no doubt. "I'll kindly accept that, thanks Sophie."
A strange quietness from those anti-Brazil conspiracy theorists...
Pat G deserves his time around again as I think he would probably be still on tour and maybe have one a event that he was injured in... France???
Remember he did that backside flip landed it but broke his foot and wasn't able to continue..
Think it was round 5 or the quarter's..
Who knows where that momentum could have taken him!
And it's about time wade got on started following him the same time as toledo! After watching that billabong jnr event at burleigh heads!
That wade won and toledo was the standout..
Was the first time I had really been heard about them and was a instant fan!