Watch: Filipe Toledo // Hawaii
Each year, when the tour heads to Tahiti and heads to Pipe, talk of Filipe Toledo's chances are measured against his skills, or lack of, in big waves. This year was particularly pronounced as Toledo was vying the title. He went into Tahiti wearing the yellow jersey and left the island packing the same colour - the beneficiary of a small run of swell at Teahupoo. However, by Pipeline Toledo was no longer protecting his lead but playing catch up to an in form Gabriel Medina.
Few expected Fil to mount a significant challenge against heavy water specialists Medina and Julian Wilson, and the punters were right. A last place finish saw him drop to third.
This clip will do little to change anyone's Fantasy Surfer picks next year. Filmed during the early Hawaiian season, Toledo is fast and sharp but rides only a handful of serious waves, none of which are at big Pipe.
Comments
I take your point Stu. In aspects of trim, Felipe elicits brief elements of both Kelly and Mick, has pretty good upper body strength and excellent traction off the lip but flounders somewhat in the heavy turps. Still, if I was half as good, I'd be pissing rainbows!!!
looked like pretty solid sunset and had a crack at waimea - must be pushing himself a bit
A bit harsh perhaps - some decent ones in there I thought.
I'm with Spud. I'd be happily labeled a small wave wouser for the rest of my life to be able to do turns half as good as those on a regular basis.
The vid has nothing to do with you or me or how we surf, it's about Filipe. Have a look at what others surfers roll out for their 'Hawaii' clips, even backmarker Yago Dora's vid from a few days ago had tonnes more serious Pipe in it. Three waves, one a Waimea burger, ain't gonna convince anyone that Filipe's expanding his big wave skill set, and without that it's hard to see him becoming world champ.
Great surfer, perhaps my favourite CT guy to watch, but he's got a Pipe-sized Achilles heel.
Got sick of the double and triple pump bottom turns. Never be able to win the burleigh single fin comp like parko,
It’s all about the trajectory. He’s improved a lot
He's no Pipe specialist, he may never become one, but the rest of his game continues to improve to crazy levels. Good chance next year he'll be so far in front, Pipe won't matter.
I dunno, I reckon Medina's skill development, in all waves, has also been insane.
I don't think he gets enough credit for being the first goofy footer to really master Backdoor and to surf it as good as any natural footer.
I think Meds has got a few more gears than Phil and that is what will make him extremely hard to beat when the pressures on...problem for everyone else is that Meds seems to still be improving......but in normal small waves i would rather watch Phil and i hope he takes a title or two..along with Jules.
In normal small waves I reckon Italo Ferreira is the most exciting surfer to watch. He just goes fucking ballistic on everything.
Not sure Filipe has matched that Final at Snapper in 2015 when he made Julian Wilson look like an adult learner.
He goes alright at J-Bay but.
Australia is Medina’s Achilles heel. When he figures that one out, look out
Be good to see Fil throw a couple more inches to his board there at sunset, might draw those turns out a little more.
All in all a little underwhelming, a lot of mega close up slow mo on smallish (for Hawaiian standard) barrels.
Good luck to him though, seems like a good bloke, maybe too nice?
I remember Ronny Blakey commenting on round one where Fil was weirdly hunting backdoor instead of the lefts at pipe. He said words to the effect of, ‘imagine if this was France or Portugal (ie not pipe) he’d be hucking massive backside punts’ (which he didn’t not)
He definitely rips the smaller side, that music though.... seems like an advertisement for his attempt to address his small wave creds. I don’t think he’ll ever be regarded as an all round hellman . But as said comments above has some incredible turns.
Looked pretty good on them solid backdoor nuggets and plenty of power turns in solid waves.
If Adriano De Souza can win a world tittle then Filipe can win at least two or three.
With a guy so talented it has to be purely mental that holds him back from charging doesn’t it?
It’s just between the ears yeah? He’s got the skills and reflexes to surf any wave in the world
I agree with most of the above. Gabby is just a f*cking machine and a beast under pressure, Italo is crazy unpredictable and so explosive, but the biggest needs for Flippy are upstairs. He cracks under pressure and tries too hard. When he matures a little, becomes comfortable in his own skin and let's it flow he'll be unstoppable.
Holy Toledo Batman, the Brazilian storm will win 7 titles over the next decade, JJF and that lad from Coolum will have to scrap it out for the leftovers.
Hurley should hire Laurie Towner as his coach. With his cruisy nature they would get on well and he would help him ease into it and become someone really special, maybe even the best ever.
Agree Stu, pretty embarrassing for a Hawaii clip.
Maybe he just wasn't allowed any good waves?
I think people were saying similar things about Gabby 5 or 6 years ago.
I remember he made it all the way to the finals at Chopes without having a serious wave or wipe out. One wipeout later and he was lost, but look at him now a brute of a man.
Got that poo stance on lock.
Got it in one Sprout. Not a fan of his style.
Obviously amazing surfer but basically just another sponsor's advertising clip!
In his defence he copped Kelly in round 2, who would have been the hardest draw of the round and Filipe almost almost made a crazy pit that probably would have won the heat.
In free surfs there’s not many people that aren’t local you see getting big pipe waves - eg. compare Mason Hoe’s wave count in big freesurf pipe to Medina’s - it’s 50-0.
Unless you are blowing minds in Hawaii and other heavy spots, not just having a dig or handling yourself, World titles don’t mean shit.
Funny how people go on about Medina's "poo stance" given how technically good he is. Probably the same people that said he could never win a WT with said stance. Go the poo stance!
In regards to Toledo, one surf clip be it in Hawaii or wherever doesn't really have much bearing on winning a WT IMO. I reckon he's definitely got the goods but like all WT winners, you need some luck too......