WSL return to Grajagan in 2020
Twenty-three years after Grajagan last hosted a contest, the World Surf League is set to return.
It's been the worst kept secret in surfing, that the WSL has been making plans to book out the surf camps of Alas Purwo National Park and return to the original Dream Tour venue. Swellnet can now report that the WSL have locked in a two week waiting period, from June 3rd to June 16th next year.
Those dates partially overlap with the rejigged Margaret River Pro so the Margs comp will again have to be shuffled.
If the as yet untitled contest replaces Keramas - and we assume it does, Keramas is operating year by year without contract - then the Margaret River Pro will simply move forward a few weeks, the three contests of the Aussie leg will again be held consecutively, and Grajagan will become the fourth contest of the year.
The inaugural Quiksilver G'Land Pro was held in 1995 and was won by Kelly Slater. At the time, the tour was shifting focus, stepping away from the 'bums on seats' city events to adventure destinations such as Reunion Island - which became a tour stop in 1991. Similarly, specialty events such as the Billabong Challenge proved that contests could be held in remote locations.
The 1996 Quiksilver G'Land Pro was won by Shane Beschen, with Luke Egan winning in 1997. In 1998 the uncertainty of the Asian Financial Crisis spelt the end of the G'Land Pro.
In recent years Grajagan has been hiding in plain sight; out of favour with surfing's tastemakers, longtime visitors have reported civil crowds, even on good swells. Putting it back into the spotlight will change it again.
Comments
Interesting point about the lack of current exposure. I always wondered why it was everywhere in the 90's and now entirely below the radar. Any insight on that?
I reckon a part of the reason was the opening up of the Ments and boats and the shift of many surfers to West Sumatra.
yep: hard to film.
Especially compared to other waves in Indo.
Partly because the Ments have become so popular since the turn of the century and taken some attention away, but there are 2 other bigger reasons it's not as popular as before in my opinion.
Firstly it's significantly more expensive to stay in the camps now compared to years ago.
At least double the price and up to triple the price for the cheaper rooms.
Was about AU$50 per person a night in a room you would share with someone else back in 04/05.
Now it's nearly AU$150 for the same thing.
And secondly (and mainly i think),
people in Bali waiting for the good swells go to Desert point much more than back then these days, hence why that wave is so horrendously crowded compared to the 90's.
It's a better wave and it's cheap to stay there.
G land's prime popularity was before the internet and swell reports and Desert point's mass popularity became so when that technology meant everyone would converge from nearby Bali when the swells came.
G land will definitely come back in vogue more if that contest goes ahead though.
Although the higher prices and much more numerous wave options in Indo these days means maybe not quite as much as it once was i think.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
That is a real shame
There goes the neighbourhood.
Any takers that Medina/Italo were agitating for more lefts on the circuit with Fiji given the flick or is that a step too far?
All the goofies have been agitating for more lefts for ages. No secret/surprise there.
Go fucking die in a ditch WSL.
i’m with u viclocal
Second that and good to hear snapper is off the calendar as well ...
It's not off.
Just Quiksilver won't be sponsoring it.
Likely another company will take it over.
Probably Boost Mobile.
They sponsor the womens event there now and aren't tied up with another event since they withdrew from the Trestles comp.
Damn! Was hoping after last years debacle they might can it ... shame about G-land tho .. went there in the late 70s and early 80s, mission to get there then ...... as you have probably guessed not a fan of pro surfing ...
It will still "hide in plain sight" even with a contests there
Just like Keramas. *eyes rolling
Not a chance, the paved road, which has been threatened for a decade, will go through from Pancur now that there is an "international surfing event" there and G'land as we know it will change.
I really hope not, over many years ago we have ventured there, stayed in the rangers camp, got driven in the thing with wheels that resembled a car from the village at the boom gate, walked in and out ,rode bikes in, some of the best adventures of my life,the road could be difficult and horrendous, but what an adventure,and the waves surfed are burnt into my memory,even got there by boat from a village down the bay. Seen many changes, even a Russian surf school with total novices. Don’t think the circus would drive in ,boats and helicopters more their style.
Ever seen the amount of equipment the WSL needs to produce their webcast? We're talking four or five satellite trucks for a webcast at Snapper which has access to civil resources. I imagine they'll need more than that to fire up a webby out at G'land, and there's no way that's getting in any other way than road.
I’ve no idea of what it takes to setup, so they need the same setup as what an AFLgame broadcast would need, Now I’m really worried and sad for the future, so glad I’ve had my time there when life was so much simpler but travel was harder.
How did they get all that kind of gear into Tavarua when the CT event was there for all those years?
Pretty sure not by road and over a bridge.
Gary wept.
I think its awesome its the perfect wave for a contest consistent and barrels but also suits big carves...and hopefully with some refocus on it will keep more guys away from sumatra region.
Haven’t you invested in a land camp?
Why you want less people in Sumatra
A 100% local run one, i only get a percentage cut for bookings like a surf travel agent, but my comment was more tongue in cheach anyway.
Ahhhh i think a better idea would be let everyone keep going to Sumatra and not bring back intense crowds to G land like it was 20 years ago.
You’re dreaming, Indo.
Sumatra will still be ground zero for surf tourism till the day that natural calamity / terrorism scare the man bun out of the most dandy of Eurotrash .
It’s no longer a zero sum game , there’s now an infinite amount of surfers ready to despoil each and every location.....they’ve just got to have them shoved in their faces till they learn to love them.
Dirk Ziff and that ISA fucktard should be forced to surf amongst swarms of gormless adult learners till hades freezes as penitence for their crimes.
And “ That pink guy “ as Occy refers to him , should be made to eternally swim in this piss and scum filled septic tank for his crimes of actively encouraging the development of Chinese surf crowds ....
Yeah i know...im dreaming.
To many business up Sumatra selling her wares every day.
I think people are getting a bit precious about wsl holding a comp at gland though its basically got a set cap on crowds because its limited to the camps there, its not like you wake up in the morning and there is 8 charter boats in the channel.
You’re assuming that the camps don’t get replaced with more extensive accommodation and infrastructure.
Is there anything you’ve seen in your years in Indonesia that’d make you think that the corruption inherent in their development of other locations won’t be replicated at Gland ?
Mate , it’ll be a special economic zone within the national park in a few years. It’ll be the globalist rape of Canggu all over again.
Why do you think they’re building a road there if not to facilitate the installation of infinity pools and other Insta lifestyle accoutrements ?
Goodbye Camel steaming through watery caverns on his tailored 8’0” ......hello Chi Chi selfie sticks and multi outfit Korean wedding photo shoots.
Nailed it Blowin.
A very small sample of the world surfing population can handle 6 foot plus waves at any of the premier reefs in indo. When it really counts you’re still not going to have too much competition.
I can’t wait to see the comp return, especially after Mick and mason showed what talent like that can do out there.
You should come down our way plops. It's not the guys who can handle big heavy conditions that are the problem. It's those who think they can (and can't) that are the real danger in the surf. It's the same in Indo.
Mate the place is full of underground chargers. At 8-10 ft there aren't any waves going unridden.
Who gives a fuck what Mick and Mason can do out there.
WSL comp or no comp it doesn't change development that might or might not happen, i just think its funny the comments here acting like its some little known wave and that a comp is going to blow it up...
outstanding summation cobber....in the words of n.young " the world is turning, hope it don't turn away"
Camel hasn't surfed there for 15 years now since he bailed on Indo.
Set cap is over 100 people on the one break when all the camps are full it’s dangerous for everyone out there when it’s full of Holliday makers
The ISA dude is Fernando Aquerre I believe, of reef sandal infamy. What a sad legacy to leave....crowds and more crowds....
Chinese wave pool imitating ocean to thin out crowds, maybe this is AI?
Lots of hate, but those two pro comps in the 90s were incredible. Hope it's absolutely heaving when little flipppeeee paddles out for his heat. It's a fearsome wave...
Say Kelly could go round one more time
FAAARRK !!!!!!!!!!
I just died a little inside
Nuthn like having your annual surfing destination shoved in the faces of every surfer on the planet for two weeks straight .
Noooooooooooo! Face palm
Great for the contest surfers and our entertainment G-land goes off
with maximum swell potential, long rides with smoking barrels.
Just a shame it will well and truly put G-land back on radar for travelling
hoards of surfers with easy access and the most consistent waves in indo.
G-land was like the lost superwave just about to be rediscovered.
The Wsl cares nothing about you, it has one main goal, to make money for themselves and a few so called pros no matter what surf spots they have to exploit to achieve this. Remember Salina Cruz, one contest and the area became a surf ghetto almost overnight. Dirk Ziff, Sophie and Elo don't surf-- so why should they care? And yet people just sit back and seem to take it. Ok, thanks for letting me drop in and share my mind.....
G Land will be absolutely fucked after those WSL cunts livestream it to thousands upon thousands of surfers.
This is how it will go down. The road into G Land will be bitumined prior to the event so the contest infrastructure can get it. The camps will be full during the contest and much busier after the event. This will result in a resort building boom because the Indonesians are world champion copiers when they see someone making some decent money. The new road in will make building villas and camps much easier. Indonesia has some of the lowest occupancy rates in the world for hotels. I've seen nothing to suggest G Land is some special case where occupancy rate go above 20%. Within a few years it will be an ugly fucking surf slum just like Uluwatu, Nias, or the Lakey Region .
Fuck you WSL ya pack of cunts. You've paved paradise....
Give CJ and Damo wildcards!!
Don’t know if it means much but one good thing is it’s in a national park so that may limit future development? Maybe I’m dreaming
goofyfoot. You are dreaming re National Park status protecting the area. It's Indonesia not Canada mate.
I’m crying in my beer....
The only place left in Indo I go to surf. Everywhere else just became too much of a crowded shitfight.
But GLand always managed to handle whatever changes occurred. The new and bigger camps, the fast boat, the original ASP comps.
But I fear this could kill it.
The combination of new road, new development and new exposure could be its death knell.
Can you imagine it ending up like Ulu's and Canggu?
Enough to move a man to tears.
Sorry to be out of context, but your pic, Rory Russell, Pipe?
If so, how did you find it? I had it on my wall for years as a kid,
My favourite pic and I'd love a proper reprint!
My favourite pic as a kid too!! I used to stare at it every night dreaming of surfing waves like that...in perfect trim...fingertips skimming the water...such a classic.
It’s actually Jackie Dunn and I can’t remember the photographer of hand.
23 years of relatively peace since the circus was last there except that one time Quicksilver bought every bed in all the camps so their CEOs could have it too themselves for a week or so.Fuck if they pave the road stay at the rangers and scoot in at half the price be a cunt in the water and disappear and come back the next day and do it all again.Go all out Caml style 9'0 the gimp mask the whole nine yards reclaim the Jungle.
How fucked can the wsl become? Ruin the last bastion of Indonesia worth going to. "just move the Margs comp back a few weeks " wasn't the reason they moved it into june was a due to the salmon run re shark fear? i guess that was bullshit too. Cant say enough about what a bunch of cunts wsl is, hang you head in shame Tippy, sell your mother too, isn't being a hero at the Padang contest enough? Glad to see most of the above comments are in the negative at least but faaark thats fucked
FFFAAAAARRRRKKKKKK OFFFFFF!
A couple of weeks ago I booked cheap flights for a G-Land trip mid to late May with the missus.
After several years of generally low crowds (except 2 years ago when a 12-15ft swell was forecast and it got booked out), I was enjoying it flying under the radar.
Now is going to be back on the radar for the next 5 years.
And hoping it's flat or onshore won't work either.
Bugger!
Was there a few weeks ago and saw power poles along the sides of the new road too. Not connected yet but can’t be far off...
It’s been pretty mellow. This can’t be good...
WSL spend millions building city sized Sand Castles only to turn & walk away.
WSL tally up 9 bad ass remote Oz surf safaris in last year alone.
2018 Surfer's Point abandoned for an outpost tent on remote North Point...(re: video)
2019 Noosa Town abandoned for a river mouth then remote Castaways beach
2019 GC WSR Empire vacated for NSW non patrolled beach of random tents.
2019 Bells behemoth left high & dry for Winki Crow's nest Yo-Yo!
Each needing only a tent, dunny, pair of skis & Go Pro Drone (Oz Bill -$3m per comp!)
City lockdowns & WSL Hi Rise Beach Condos are all just a waste of Oz Tax Dollars.
How to run a WSL comp video for Dummies...(Best fit for your local remote Spot X ).
(WSL Comp Pack contains)...
2 x TB 2 Trucks
(Truck 1 ) Docks (8 x TB 4 Jet Skis)
(Truck 2) Global Satellite dish for Swellnet viewers (Thanx Ben)
4 x Slightly used Porta-Loos (Caution stand back > Horizontal Loading *%#@ Again!)
2 x Media Vans
Van 1 (3 x 1 Judge Tents) + (Boxes of spec savers sunnies & erasers)
Van 2 (Sticker Factory) + [Free Slabz of 5yr old Drug Aware - Zero Alcohol Coronas]
+ One Jeep with a rear view mirror Quokka (Smells like it's still alive...just!)
100% WSL deal @ [ 0:20 ] Freeze Frame is worth 1,000 pictures...(Think smarter!)
tbb is not all that familiar with said break!
Pretty sure crew can best sort out if the WSL Roadie gear plugs into the Gig!
This news is a bummer. In the 90s only a few diehard groms (me!) and frothers bought the VHS quicksilver comp tapes to watch the contest for 10 bucks a pop. And a few mags published some sick pics of the events then. Now, it will be beamed to 10s of millions homes, mobile phones and untold amount of smart LED flat screens to people who have no business knowing what exhilaration a low tide Money trees takeoff provides let alone a tube ride across the speedies high tide at 6 to 8ft. Only for those people to show up and make a nuisance of themselves like the rest of Indo these days.
I've still got the 1997 edition, I've somehow kept a box full of 90s surf vids. I just realised I'm old now
The only saving grace is that wsl’s quoted ‘millions of viewers’ are as we know in fact only thousands.
Noooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
sob!
I reckon it’s good. Super consistent big wave. It’s what the tour needs with cloud break gone. And it’s not in any form a secret, was a million annoying yanks to contend with last time I went
I agree it's all bad news, motivated by greed and egos. It's especially bad news for the National Park. At Ulus on Sunday I overheard a conversation between some old time Bali surf industry personalities, probably just on the outside of being rich and in the cool club, talking about this. It was all very sad hearing them talk about the opportunities ahead for those in the know.
One thing I've learned the last few years thinking about surf tourism, and tourism in general, is that there's more money and more stupidity in the world than I thought possible. Make it easy to get somewhere, or put it in people's faces enough, and the crowds and developers will come.
Actually, it’s the frustrated developers who lead the charge.
They find somewhere beautiful and unspoiled....then dream of raping it.
Lobby the government for access and promotion, watch the tourists pile on for a taste , then put forward your development plans to accommodate the demand that you’ve created.
Ningaloo reef has been a textbook example of this strategy.
Yep - same happening in Tasmania at the moment. After fighting against protecting places for years, the Government is now praising how great protected areas are and we should "unlock their potential" by giving private and exclusive access to absolute losers in helicopters and paying $4000 for 3 nights, all of which goes directly into the pockets of already very wealthy people.
If it's that easy to build in a national park in Tasmania, god help Alas Purwo.
Devastated. A new road will make development easier, for example building pools etc. and making lux accommodation would have a huge impact...
However, unlike other spots G-Land is far from user friendly most of the time and doesn't pump every time there is a swell that should pump on paper. There is a reason why there is not that much great footage on the internet. Many people I have spoken to have been to G-land for a week for a swell and not even gotten barrelled. Its very often too big for most of the reef or the wrong direction for certain sections and the barrells are usually not as long as other long lefts near Bali, with money trees often only offering short barrel sections and pinching or closing out and speedies being a seriously dangerous wave. So while it is super consistent, it is rarely fully pumping.
Unfortunately everyone will see how the pros and cameras make G-land look perfect even when it aint, then crowd up the water again like the stories I hear of G-land in the 90's with hundreds in the water. I hope the WSL get skunked.
Great for the pro ho's circus , bloody disaster for those who enjoy what G -land offers. May have to sneak in one final late season trip before years end to get my final wave of thrills and scares.
I'm shaking my head at some of the comments on here. "Good for the pros", "great to watch"....are you fuckwits watchers or doers??
If you'd rather "watch" someone get barrelled than do it yourself, you need to start asking some questions about your place in the world, and of course it'll make G-land more crowded. How out of touch with the human condition are you to think that greater exposure won't result in increased numbers?
Go to hell WSL. You're ruining everything that makes surfing great.
[Breaking News]
*Swellnet Stu breaks internet then sets world alight
{Brazil mob #1Swellnet journo}
*Hot chix read swellnet for the articles...(settle down crew...)
WOOHOO : "According to 'swell.net',the deal is kept under wraps by WSL,....."
(0:17) Swell'ponte'neche (swellnet never sounded so posh!)
http://www.woohoo.com.br/noticia/wsl-mira-g-land-para-o-ct-de-2020?%2Fno...
HARDCORE: "WSL have not yet made an official announcement but ....'swellnet'..."
http://hardcore.com.br/circuito-dos-sonhos-g-land-voltara-ao-ct-em-2020/
OKASURF: G-Land back on the Map according to 'swellnet'....
https://www.piktagram.com/media/B0i8aa_nG0z
PRESS FROM: WSL has made no official announcement but according to 'swellnet'...
https://pressfrom.info/br/carros/compra/-25681-circuito-dos-sonhos-g-lan...
STAB: This is a bold claim for 'swellnet' to make...
https://stabmag.com/news/will-g-land-return-to-the-wsl-championship-tour...
Swellnet Swellnet Swellnet... thats all you bloody well read about these days!
*[Lift out] Troll claims his beloved swellnet has [SOLD OUT] to Brazzos
Paparazzi will be hounding the Swellnet team relentlessly due to their catapult into the international spotlight.
I’m hearing that they’re pulling Prince Harry’s marriage breakup from the front page of New Idea on the rumour that photos are emerging of Stu surfing McCauley’s in a pair of daringly high cut sluggoes.... and he’s riding a twinnie ( gasp !!!!!! ) .
Mate, I knew they were hiding there in the bushes. Just wanted to show them my best side.
You could have at least worn them around the right way.
The Indonesians we talked too 2 years or so ago when we were there said they were doing up the road because the president was coming the year after to visit the villages.
President Dirk Ziff?
Road was paved in gold for Brazilian El Presidente Stu's motorcade...[keep left]
I was also told the road was paved so the president could visit the camps, but never did. The electric poles are definitely a concern. I just can't see lines being put in without clearing either side of the road another 10-20 meters since there is so much jungle in the way. There were a lot of tourists from Banjuwangi daily visiting the camps and the staff at Bobbies seemed to really like the road since it shortened their commute home by an hour. I don't think the road will last. It is basically gravel that has been compacted with a thin layer of something like asphalt on top. There were already large pot holes forming. Give another serious rainy season and it will be back to the original track only harder to walk on because of all the gravel. Without the road it would be difficult or expensive to put on a modern WSL contest. Hopefully the government won't make enough money from the event to repave.
I like your optimism Esco. the tall concrete poles had made it past 20s20s earlier in the year.... must say the process used to install them didn't sing the notes of sustainability, and that is just based on the life expectancy of the road crew! Imagine a fire, started through an earthing arc from the power lines. Its been very dry through the Alas Purwo, it could be catastrophic! Perhaps we could chat to the WSL along the lines of their minimal impact policy... "leave only footprints" etc etc.... they might reconsider their plans to support a fully fledged surf festival within the bounds of one of the last remaining wild areas in Java....
Seems like most crew that post up on this website are late 30's to 60 odd (I'm, mid 50's now). If you are at the older end of that range just be thankful for what you scored in Indo back in the day (late 70's to early 2000's).
As most of you have noted, in 2019 anywhere with decent surf from Aceh to T Land in Timor has been sucked dry with mass exposure, varying forms of 'surf tourism' and of course mega crowds from all over the planet. The days when us Aussies would whinge about Seppos and Brazillas (cause there were hardly any other nationalities surfing including Indos) were good days indeed!
Years ago it was only really busy on the Bukit, G Land and Nias which left a shit load of other options that were known (I'm talking mid to late 80's into the 90's) but very sparsely populated by surfers. Those times for me and no doubt plenty of you on here were gold and seeing how it's all evolved over the years until now are gone forever.
I'm not bitter when I read articles like this anymore.......just thankful I've had the good fortune to spend large chunks of my life there when all the negatives in this thread barely existed outside of Bali. After visiting the Ments last year (early May) and noticing yet another quantum leap in crowds & development I've put the que in the rack for that part of the world. However many O.S surf trips I've got left, Id rather spend them at less reliable, less perfect places that in turn have far less humans all over them.
For anybody just starting out on a lifetime of surfing in Indo.............good luck!!!
.....and to the WSL Go fuck yourselves.......you don't represent any of us.
Ringmaster I think us 80's kids (mid 50's now) are some of the luckiest human beings on this planet when it comes to golden surf years. Reading stuff like this really makes you appreciate what we had back then. Like you my OS trips have been swapped for some cheap real estate, fucking thick wetsuits and uncrowded waves.
The WSL is like a parasite who wants to become your pet, and they should really stop and think a bit more before making decisions like this in the interests of the wider (surf & non surf) community. Failing that yes they can go fuck themselves!!!
Hey Ringmaster that’s me too, Said it all better than I could,, Im thankful.
Did several trips to G-Land in the early/mid 80's. Magic wave on your backhand, far more forgiving than other serious reef lefts(except Speedies section). Didn't go back due to crowds/ wife/kids etc. Was thinking of revisiting G-land due to Sumartra/ Mentawai reducing/spreading crowds out however paving a road to G-Land seems to suggest big development isn't too far off. Just another paradise lost!
re: (tbb-tues 30th) See above vid for rare overview of a bare bones WSL Contest..
WSL Surf Safari (min) 2 Container Semis + 2 moving Vans + 16 Jeeps + 1 Ski Trailer)
Indo Ferries Trucks & Buses! tbb guesses G Land Reefs deny deep port road access.
Essentially the 3m WSL Satellite Dish is the only oversized on-site component.
However Satellite Dishes often need to be elevated on top of Truck Roof mount.
Live ongoing "A1 feed" = 4m x 4m road access leading to 10m work site clearing.
Again tbb has no knowledge of surf spot, just the overview..back to the crew!
Do you reckon they would helicopter the stuff in? I have a client who has a business where he lifts anything for mulitstorey building construction around Melbourne by helicopters. Cheaper as a pilot gets paid far less than a crane driver and it is quicker. May be cheaper and easier than new infrastructure and if they are fair dinkum about the environment would be the only way to go. It is what they do for most construction in National Parks in OZ....but this is indo and money will rule.
By the way well stated Ringmaster! Especially you last sentence!
You guys posted this a day ago and so far the only other site covering it (big news) rehashed your article with a denial from the WSL. I'm hoping you got it wrong because it's shit news if its true.
Which website ran an article with a denial?
Stab copied our article, and then added:
When pressed about Swellnet's reporting, the WSL gave their infamous no-answer answer that, in our experience, typically coincides with a truthful rumor. Here's the official word:
"The WSL cannot confirm any details regarding the 2020 calendar at this time. We look forward to announcing a full schedule of events in the near future."
Yeah Stab. Denial, non-confirmation, similar territory.
@Stan,
Can't speak for some sites, maybe they're busy? Too many people knew about it to keep a secret like that under wraps.
Now Tracks is saying "the WSL is only scoping it out???"
Of course Stabmag would copy a story from another website and add their own piece of fiction to it.
They'll ban you from commenting if you take the piss out of them on how juvenile and unintelligent their journalistic skills are.
So glad they banned me though now.
That 5 minutes of wasted brainpower i used to use on them can be channelled into more worth causes now lol.
Such as 5 minutes extra sleep.
Wsl have sex fingers, they fuck every thing they touch
# Kelly's curse.
swellnet mikehunt207 ...28th July 2019 ...man on the spot sounds convincing!
https://www.swellnet.com/forums/wax/454921
memlasurf is also on the money trail...swing your mates in!
(Est 2016) Air Bali into G-Land pit in 45 mins... $14,500 / day (4 passengers)
https://www.theinertia.com/surf/heli-surfing-in-indo-just-became-a-real-...
G-Land Medi-Vac Chopper.
http://grajagan.com/g-land-hot-news/g-land-activities-rescue-the-victim-...
Personally I don't know why they don't add Huntington to the 'CT calendar, cos it's absol...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I'm hearing ya Gra - I couldn't even sit thru the highlights package
In late June the electricity poles were in the ground to Bobby's with holes dug as far as the old Bobby’s camp or Raymond’s, G Land Jacks or whatever you want to call it.
Guys in the camp were talking about visitors who had been there checking the camps out for contest potential.
I was hoping it would all seem too hard and nothing would happen but change is always lurking around the corner...
i got back this morning. all the staff were saying all the camps were booked out for it next year (dunno if its the same dates as in the article). on our boat over about a week ago there were some non surfer IT business types that only stayed for a day. dunno if they moved onto the other camps after that. some of the electricity poles along the road have epic leans on them. some also have 4-5 meter base clumps of bamboo between them that are higher than the electricity poles themselves. there would have to be an astonishing amount of clearing unless they just plan to run the wires straight through. i do dearly hope that it falls through somehow and not at the expense/detriment of the local people. I wonder what they plan to do about the monkeys. Cant imagine that they will be able to get any insurance without a moderate to large cull given how aggressive they are.
Curious as to why the WSL moved to G-Land and not Ulu’s ? Surely it would be far easier to run the comp there in every department, plus if it got huge the bombie or outside corner is a bit more manageable at 15ft + than huge G-Land , can’t really understand their thinking on this one , but doesn’t suprise me as the schedule they have doesn’t suit alot of venues, snapper needs to be cut , start the year at pipe finish at sunset
It’s probably got something to do with the Uluwatu locals rejecting the comp. Uluwatu is a very tight knit village. Taxi, Uber or outside drivers simply can’t tout for rides out of Uluwatu. The locals simply don’t allow outsiders to set up shop. They probably told the WSL to get fucked. And that’s the end of the matter.
If that’s true why didn’t they tell WSL to fuck off when they finished Margaret River at ULU’s ???
I reckon the Uluwatu business owners would had a really good look at their revenues when the WSL was in town last time. If takings were down, you can understand why they wouldn't want the comp returning for another year.
It's simple Supafreak.
Barrels.
Ulu's is mostly an open face wave and the barrels there are at best only 10% as good as G land.
And G land has ample opportunity for serious turns too.
G land has the whole package for a CT contest.
Ulu's doesn't.
Ok so now they want barrels lol not airs ? Now I’m really confused lol the way 1 air scored a 9 or 10 really pissed me off but NOW they want barrels! I actually find watching a wsl event boring and always turn the volume to mute , big wave events are cool and those guys are on a different level.
Stu was right! (Unconfirmed Rumour) Magic Seaweed "The History of G Land"
https://magicseaweed.com/news/a-short-history-of-g-land/11443/
Australian Leg centres on crowded Easter so our bookings are near full a year out.
swellnet did Oz folk a huge favour by raising attention to possible Oz leg changes.
Oz leg needs certainty for Swellnet Ben's Noosa /WSL comp to WA -WSL event.
WSL should thank swellnet for keeping Olympic Surfing Timetable on schedule.
Oz stands by swellnet 100% as OZ comps are first to fire up it's our job to know.
im 45 been going to grajagan since i was 17
seen the pro contests back in the day ramp up the crowds and gladly watched it die of again once out of the spot light.
it will only take 2 seconds to send wsl an email saying how much you dont like the contest happening there.
email: [email protected]
you could also contact jeep and tell them what you think
https://www.jeep.com/webselfservice/jeep/EmailPage.html
will they care probally not, but at least you can abuse them for your own amusement and let them know they are leaches on the face of surfing.
hopefully they will go broke soon
surley as the mythological birth place of humanity for indonesians there must be some heritage order on the place that can be enforced so as not to damage the area with a surf contest.
As corrupt as the indo government is, can they be lobbied by normal surfers to stop the contest? Even in just an email format, same thing let them know
There are still plenty of good uncrowded waves in Indo. They're just farken hard to get to. Much like G-Land was back in the day.
The good uncrowded waves in indo that are left are fickle as fuck.
They'll never get developed coz they're too inconsistent for anyone to make money from surf business.
Anywhere in indo now that's consistent is done and so are most semi consistent breaks.
Should start a campaign "Keep the jungle...jungle"WSL stop the waste...
Move it here https://weather.com/news/trending/video/wave-pool-malfunctions-creates-g...
Tracks magazine devoting a single line to the idea that the contest would not be welcome by the dedicated surfers who have made it the central tenet of their surfing lives.
Tracks magazine once again guzzling the load of commercialism in preference to siding with the demographic which sustained them over the past few decades.
The telling thing is that they’d consider their reluctance to side with Australia’s core surfers on such an issue as not worthy of note. Heaven forbid that the editorial should have an opinion which sits with those who they think they represent.
Tracks - If you are so removed from the life of Aussie surfers that you find resistance to the renewed exposure of a spot , which has been granted a slight reprieve from the exponential growth of crowds everywhere else in the surfing world , a slightly puzzling and antiquated bemusement, then it’s time to change the masthead from “ The surfers bible “ to “ The armchair sport watchers bible “.
Prioritising those who watch surfing on tv over those who’d elect to live it is conclusive evidence it’s time to shut the whole thing down.
Tracks - The TV Week of surfing.
Haven't bought a or read a Tracks magazine since they went glossy
right on Blowin ! , sad to see Tracks 180 degrees opposite of what it started out as
So true, I bought Tracks religiously from late 70's till about 2008 when it lost it's way.
And just when I think I’ve gone too hard on Tracks, there’s a spot by spot inventory of an Indian Ocean island just in case anyone dared to dream there was any mystique left out there.
Tracks and Craig Jarvis.....get a job.
So true, I bought Tracks religiously from late 70's till about 2008 when it lost it's way.
Last Tracks I bought was a newspaper. Full of stuff to read - what a concept!
Interesting and very expensive move, will these moves mean that it will be a PPV only contest to pay for the zero crowds/ revenue lost due to no sponsorship traffic at event? Bali seems to be a successful contest to drop.
Wow!!!!...what a response to the article. All i can say (after crying in my beer) is it goes to show the amount of passion people have for the place hence the negative writing here. And i'm not bagging anyone here about being negative...its just a negative feeling about the proposal by the WSL. There is something very special for sure about the place and its not just the wave. Its the wave, the people and the jungle. But that fucking wave is what keeps me going back year after year. Every day is different to the last, every hour is different to the last, always powerful and on its day nothing compares. I wonder if Bobby will finally renovate down there in the standard accommodation now????.
ha ha ha
yeah bobby will renovate next year
its been next year for the last 5 years lol
Vic Local. So, you were born a surf star were you. You epitomise the Ugly Local in most towns, the ones that most surfers despise, the fucking good at everything and every wave type surfer. Never fallen off your board, dropped in on anybody, how great you must feel being such the perfect surfer. Don’t tell me you’ve never travelled anywhere and surfed in somebody else’s backyard. If you are so good, why don’t we see your name up in lights.
Vic Local is a very apt name for yourself, when are guys like you going to let go of it.
Like a uneducated cracked record reading your diatribe. It’s a pity because most contributors to comments on this social platform have something decent to say instead of bagging everyone subordinate to you. Give it a break
Nice to see you've got that off your chest. I hope you feel better. Keep smiling big fella.
Hey Brad Ferrier. Leave the personal attacks alone mate. I think Vic Local has nailed it in his reaction to this news. If it is proven to be correct, and the Slimy malignant tumor that is the WSL are going to make G land a tour venue then then we can kiss G land as we know and love it goodbye, and this time forever. And no matter what anyone says about other waves in Indo being as good or G land being fickle in terms of swell direction etc. it is the uniqueness of the place as a whole that makes it one of a kind. The bay, the Jungle, the wildlife, the fucking unbelievable but true stories of Boyums camp, Tigers, Tsunamis, people’s lives being changed forever after one epic wave. Tell me of any other place in the surfing world where tribes of surfers from Oz, Hawaii, Brazil, you name it, have come to basically one big dinner table in the middle of fucking nowhere and shared something as magnificent as that wave, that place. Its an absolute natural treasure. We should all be fighting to keep it the way it is. Protect its heritage.
Leave it the fuck alone.
Keep the Jungle, Jungle is a great call.
Yep write to the WSL and Tell Sophie what’s her name and that pink guy , to have a real good look at what there proposing here, and what it will create if that horrid juggernaut rolls in through the Jungle.
nah G Land is not popular cos apart from Speedies its makable 1 in 4 and 30m sections are pretty standard. Heaps of fun and a great open ocean style reef/point but crew wanting to guarantee barrels will still avoid in favour of the Ments etc. Speedies isn't empty when its good - not even close - its still firmly on the radar of tons of crew. Crowds are generally mellow but its not total zen out there. The comp might result in a little boost with crew just wanting to try it cos they saw it on the internet but it will sort itself.
I hope you’re right. Last season I had an epic week with some mellow older Hawaiians, Calis and Aussies. Only one or two young hassley South Americans that were quickly told to sort themselves out.
Where the hell are the judges going to sit? My tip is the WSL will show their true environmental credentials and drill right into the reef for a tower at the end of Speedies.
The footings from the old tower are still sort of there
Only one power point per room in deluxe, how is Gaybby medina going to shave his pubes and charge his laptop at the same time!!!
I’m heading to G-land tomorrow. Will be interesting to hear what the manager of our camp has to say.
Firstly Gotta luv the passion here.I am no fan of contest surfing and despise the WSL.However in the last couple of weeks I have watched a couple of Jokowi speeches on TV since his re-election.Two days ago I was at his rally/speech in Lake Toba.Saw the great man live.The mob treated him as a rock star,my wife and her mob luv him,my wife being from Lake Toba.The main platform being increased foreign investment and raising of living standards for Indonesians .There is infrastructure and roads being built across Indo ,Sumatra I know this is true.Once again I am no fan of increasing crowds but to Indonesians in the surf zone especially,more bules means a better income and life especially for their kids.The more the merrier ,but can you blame them?Same era as you Ringmaster agree yes it's gone ,we'll never get that back.Just saying that roads into places like G-land is all part of the plan for that.I'm 54 and although still like to get a wave when I can I now do a lot of snorkelling and free diving in what is still a beautiful country.There's no crowds underwater.Horas sude.Nipinamai.
Feels like G-land has changed a bit this year. Russians being pushed into waves at Tiger Tracks for a start. The road has already got a few potholes in it after some rain yesterday.
Apparently the camps have been fully booked by the WSL from late May next year for about 20 days.
Thanks for the update Bnkref. If the camps are full, the bastards at the WSL are going to fuck over the beautiful area. There's a very large oversupply of rooms and the place is never booked out this far in advance. I'm tipping the WSL has made a bulk booking.
One thing about a G Land comp is the WSL can control entry into the area. They could charge entry, sell VIP packs, and take cuts of room tariffs too. Lots of fingers in lots of pies making $$$$.
I hope they get absolutely skunked for waves and have 300 bodies fighting over 1-2 ft peelers that zip off way too fast. That's the type of exposure the place deserves.
Time was the wozzle would post the next year's CT schedule on their site and shoot an email out. Maybe you'd look at it today, maybe tomorrow. Now they're bunging on a launch party to BUILD THE EXCITEMENT!
Dunno what happened with the formatting there. Don't let it spoil your excitement.
I’ve just seen a pic from the manager of Jack’s camp of the road in. Brings a tear to the eye. Apparently just as far as the ranger’s hut though (not that I’ve been that far). Not sure how much further it is from Tiger Tracks? He said the road up to the camps is staying unsealed.
If this link doesn’t work I’ll send the pic to Craig.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10212471313496773&id=1800133...
That is just fucking sad, fuck you wsl and Indonesian government. RIP Gland as we knew it
There are camps being built in the mentawi’s on National park land , they have gone through the right government channels and have been granted permission to do so . I can only imagine the developers waiting to swoop on G’Land to build resorts and villas , joko wants to open up other parts of Indonesia to tourism and l don’t think being a national park will make any difference. The exposure G’Land is about to get come June 4th will be enormous. Don’t understand why wsl would want to do such a thing . As l said in post earlier it should have been ulus which can handle small and huge waves better plus a better viewing platform for punters . Ulus is already developed so no real harm done . WSL should hang their heads in shame but they obviously don’t really give a toss about the environment it’s all just talk they don’t have a clue how to do the walk.
What camps have been built in national parks in Mentawai?
Siberut has some protected areas, but it's all up in the central and western area far from good waves or camps https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Map-of-Siberut-National-Park-showing...
Down Sipora way i heard Awera has some type of protection type status, you cant get land officially certified by BPN (land office) all under traditional tittle but its all privately owned.
Yes indo dreaming on Siberut a camp is being built as we speak , it’s got a left straight out front similar to maccas and about 15 waves in close proximity. It isn’t open to the general public you have to be invited . Boats don’t go there very often as there is no safe anchorage . It is very consistent and at the moment the camp is just tents but very comfortable tents. This area is in a national park and permission has been granted for the construction of permanent buildings.
"The exposure G’Land is about to get come June 4th will be enormous. Don’t understand why wsl would want to do such a thing"
Supafreak, that might be the business model right there. The proposed WSL / Slater wave pool up on the Sunshine Coast is simply a vehicle to sell blocks of land and put up hotels. Who is to know whether or not the WSL has a few fingers in the villa development pie out Grajagan way. Luke Egan has made way more money out of the Komune Hotel at Keramas than as a pro surfer. The way I see it, WSL is just doing what golf and ski resorts have been doing for the last three decades. They are just dirt pimps using sport to sell property to rich white folk.
I agree Ulus was the obvious choice.
good enough, can handle a big swell and infrastructure already there.
No Ulu's is simple. No cash. After getting banned from surfing there in '96 after doing a turn where the spray landed on a certain local and then he chased me out of the water and threatened to kill me I did a bit of research with local friends and long term expats and was given the run down on the village and who ran it and what were their connections. Same people who've overseen all the development there since. Not to be messed with and you've absolutely got to pay to play.
So how did they run comp there in 2018 ? Finished Margaret river pro ? It will cost a fortune to run comp at G’Land plus build a new judging tower , can’t see locals at ulus not wanting a slice of the pie plus all the business in the area would prosper
Business at Uluwatu is booming anyway and a comp won't increase long term revenue one bit.
Uluwatu is pretty much maxed out crowd wise and they make more money when it's small (and surfable for kooks) than when the surf is pumping (and there's only a handful out at Outside Corner).
The local warung owners would have looked very closely at their revenue during the last comp. The fact they don't want another WSL event tells you something.
Remember the Ulu comp originally had a ten day window then when it came to the actual date they were given 3 set days. Ever wonder why? Maybe the WSL didn’t understand or anticipate the need for an extra “special permit” for the local people.
And VL, that’s not the first story like that I’ve heard.
"Not to be messed with and you've absolutely got to pay to play."
I was surfing Ulus when a couple of Javanese people were caught breaking into cars by the locals.
When I came in, there was a very heavy scene with a bunch of westerners in tears. Long story short, the two thieves were thrown off the cliff. One was "lucky" enough to be dead before getting tossed over.
I've never had a problem with locals (probably because my cutback isn't as good as Craig's) but if you mess with their economy, look out.
Ok l didn’t realise they had been approached and rejected the wsl but if this is a fact then so be it
Does anyone know if the people that own the warungs at Ulus work in them or are they rich people that wouldn’t get their hands dirty? The one I always go to has had the same family running it for years. They work bloody hard and I can’t see them making a lot from it. Surya Cafe. Putting in a plug.
I've been loyal to Suzi since 1991 and she owns the warung. Not sure if she has to pay any higher ups for the privilege.
There's definitely a class system going on at Uluwatu, and I suspect it goes back generations. The warungs don't seem to change ownership on the bottom tier and new owners just put up a shingle higher up the cliff. I doubt that any of the cliff face was owned by anyone pre surf tourism. It's useless for farming and beach access was irrelevant.
The families that own the losmans near the break have been around for generations, and if you live more than a kilometre from the carpark, you're not a local and you have zero rights at Uluwatu,
I was surfing with one of the long term legends about 10 years back on a big day and he pointed to another surfer a said "He gets no respect because he's a Bingin person, he's not a local here." It's tight knit that's for sure.
"Not sure if she has to pay any higher ups for the privilege."
If my information is correct - absolutely.
Does anyone know if the people that own the warungs at Ulus work in them or are they rich people that wouldn’t get their hands dirty? The one I always go to has had the same family running it for years. They work bloody hard and I can’t see them making a lot from it. Surya Cafe. Putting in a plug.
Fascinating conversation fellas re: both Ulus and the possible WSL business model.
Would be a revelation if that model turned out to be real estate.