One of the most terrifying symbols of the French revolution is the guillotine. The man who created it, Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, or Dr Guillotine, was concerned by torture and protracted deaths during the French revolution and sought an alternative.

The guillotine was designed and developed to execute people in a humane manner. That is, in a swift and decisive way. Before the guillotine, people were beheaded by axe or sword, creating a brutal scene for by-stander and victims. Thus, in 1789 Dr Guillotine invented his falling blade and it was used to kill thousands of people during the ‘Reign of Terror’. 

So what does this dark corner of history have to do with the World Surf League and pro surfing contests?

Well, despite its critics, I appreciate the mid-year cut. I’m one of those bystanders who enjoys watching the guillotine fall. 

 “Who will be beheaded from the tour in 2024?”

Has a nice ring to it doesn't it? And it sounds even better in French: 

“Qui sera décapité de la tournée en 2024?”

There are two more events before le WSL rolls out their invisible guillotine. Used in pro surfing since 2010, the guillotine has dictated the results and careers of many past pros.

Beyond inflicting individual harm, the cut reduces the field from 36 to 22 in the mens, 18 to 10 in the womens - which I think is great. By reducing the field it favours the event to running in a shorter time period. Add in overlapping heats and they could effectively be run and done in one swell.

2010 was the first year the cut was introduced, swiftly trimming the-then top 45 down to a field of 32. The final event before the cut was held at Teahupoo Tahiti, which seemed like a very fitting venue to decide the cut. The place of skulls. Though Wikipedia tells me the translation could also mean “sever the head”.

Let’s go with that one.

The 2010 guillotine wiped out a series of tour veterans and rookies who all fell victim to the blade. Of the vets the names include: Michael Campbell, Drew Courtney, Jay Thompson, Neco Padaratz, Kekoa Becalso, and Ben Dunn who is now a WSL judge determining the future of younger competitors.

Rookies culled that year included Nate Yeomans, Tanner Gudauskas, Blake Thorton, and the aptly named Marco Polo. A marketers dream gone missing there…

The 2010 cut rolled into 2011’s One World Rankings, but it was a guillotine by any other name. This was the year that Bobby Martinez protested his stance on the cut with an explicit interview at the Quiksilver Pro New York, which was the last event before that year’s cut.

Fun Fact No.1: Bobby actually won his heat hence the interview time. Does anyone have his jersey? #history

At the end of season 2011, the cut went on a ten-year hiatus and was reintroduced in 2022. So why is the guillotine so damn enticing for the spectator?

Well, I watch the WSL to see the current world's best surfers surf in contests. The sub-clause is that I also like the idea of a benchmark halfway through the season which divides the field: the performers from those surfing sub-par.

To that end, I often wonder about the mindset of some competitors bringing up the rear of the field. Are they really trying for a world title?

Because that’s the only reason they should be there.

Three people disagreeing with the cut this year are two former female world champs - in fact, they’ve got thirteen world titles between them - and the current two-time male world champ. All three of them exited stage left at the start of this season. 

A result of mid-year cut stress..?

Probably not, though Steph went close to feeling the blade last year.

Mid-year cut stress is real. Of the 2% San Clemente crew, 60% are currently below the cut line. 

How is this affecting their team spirit? Also, as I write this, Kelly Slater is laying on the table in third-last place. This is the winningest surfer of all time, people. The cut spares no-one.

Four surfers on the men's side have already survived the cut. No matter what happens, Griffin Colapinto, Ethan Ewing, John Florence, and Jack Robinson are all safe for the rest of the season. On the women's side, only one competitor is safely booked in for the second half of the year: Miss Molly Picklum, who two years ago was herself a victim of the cut.`

Perhaps in Molly we can see the cut’s best asset. Those who’ve felt it once do everything in their power to never go near it again They’d even prefer to hit the lip at triple-overhead Sunset then lay prone as the guillotine falls.

Who will be this year's Marie Antoinette? Who will be this year's King Louis XVI?

//LANKY DEAN

Other notable cut victims include:

Olympic bronze medalist Owen Wright, last year’s final fiver Joao Chianca, Morgan Ciblic, R Cal, Jackson Baker, Fred Morais, Jake Marshall, Ezekiel Lau, Malia Manuel, Sally Fitzgibbons, Cortney Conlogue, Bettylou Sakura Johnson, Bronte Macaulay, Brissa Henessy.