Dion Atkinson: Seven years and seven days
After seven years of tenacious, globetrotting competition, South Australia's Dion Atkinson is oh-so-close to realising his ambition. Following a fourth place finish at the Reef Hawaiian Pro, Atkinson sits in 30th position on the One World Rankings and technically inside the cut-off for next year's WCT. However, there's one more contest on the 'CT calendar - the Pipe Masters - and a reshuffle of lower ranked 'CT surfers could see Dion on the wrong side of the ribbon. Within a week Dion should know where he stands.
When Swellnet spoke to Dion he'd just landed back in Australia and had one eye on the coming competition at Pipe and one on next year's season - whichever tour he'll be competing on.
Swellnet: How many years have you been on the 'QS?
Dion Atkinson: I have been competing on the WQS since I was 20-years-old. A couple of years weren't full on due to injuries, but I just finished up my 7th season.
You're on the cusp of qualifying, a position you've been in before, do you feel a sense of deja vu?
Yeah, a little bit. I feel like I always have good years on the 'QS and I'm always in a pretty good spot come end of the year. This year is different as I usually need a result and always fallen short in getting into the mix, but this year I managed to get a big result and I'm in there now. So fingers crossed I am still in the cut after Pipe!
How did you rate your chances coming into Hawaii?
I always feel good going into Hawaii as I know I'm capable of winning events there. I really wanted to stay positive and just make sure I got the opportunity to get the results and it worked at Haleiwa. Obviously it's a tricky place, I did the 4 star HIC Pro as a warm up and I made the quarter-finals. However, I got a solid set on my head and got washed in and lost 15 minutes of my heat and came 4th. You really feel like you are at the ocean's mercy and the moment you feel comfortable and confident it slaps you back down to reality.
You had a hot and cold Hawaiian leg: what was the feeling standing on the stage at Haleiwa?
It felt amazing! I wish I had won the thing but it almost felt like a sense of relief; I knew I could do it all these years but to actually put an event together and get the result I needed at the time felt amazing.
And then being bumped from the World Cup in the first round.
Yeah, it was a tough heat in any condition [Dion had Hawaiians, Pancho Sullivan and Hank Gaskell, plus Ryan Callinan in his heat]. I had a bit of a shocker of a morning. I paddled out on dark and it was massive, I caught one wave then halfway back out I thought I was in the line up - sweet - then a monster set cleaned me up. It was seriously the biggest whitewater I had ever had in front of me! I duckdived the first and somehow still had my board. Then the second one hit me and I just got ragdolled to the inside and thought 'oh sweet, I'm far enough in to do the paddle round to the bowl.' I turned around and there was the most evil looking 10 foot frothy wedge coming at me. It came from the point and the section loomed over the bowl and these two waves connected and unloaded on my face. I couldn't even penetrate the water, I felt like I was in a spa. I broke my board and swum in...and this was all by 6:20 am!
My heat was a few hours later, I still felt good and confident but it was a slow heat and my waves didn't give me much opportunity. It never feels good losing but I had to suck it up and hope I had done enough.
Could you have qualified with a big result at Sunset?
Yeah for sure, if I could have even made it to the round of 32 I think I would be 100% sweet. But I can't dwell. There were a lot of events this year where I wish I had made it further or I felt I could have performed better.
And now you've gotta wait and watch Pipe. Are the numbers playing on your mind?
Yeah, it's a hard time of year for me, for sure. I'm the second guy in so if there are a few upsets at Pipe I'm out. I have been getting my head around it but it is totally out of my control now so I just have to try and sit back and hope it all falls in my favor. I'm trying not to think about it too much. But it's a massive deal for me as it's something I've been dreaming about since I was a kid!
Any last words?
Whatever happens I'm going to have a big year next year!
All the best, Dion.
Comments
What has to happen at Pipeline for Dion to maintain his place?
If nothing changes in the rankings Dion gets in. However, if Wilko, Bede, or Brett Simpson - the three 'CT surfers closest to the cut off - bomb early then they'll drop out of the WCT Top 22 and use their 'QS points to qualify that route.
Dion is sitting at 9th on the 'QS so if one of the above surfers does that he goes to 10th (and Mitch Coleborn, who's 10th, misses the cut). If two of the above surfers need 'QS qualification then Dion misses the cut.
Basically Dion needs Wilko, Bede and Simpo to progress.
EDIT: Dion is ahead of Simpo on the 'QS qualification so he only needs Wilko and Bede to go well at Pipe.
OK.....
*scratches head*
Make sure to tell us if he makes it.
Also, Damian Hobgood and Dusty Payne could force their way into the QS top ten with the right result. They're allowed two CT scores (better than 13th) in their QS total, and neither have this at the moment, so 9ths will see them leapfrog Dion and Mitch Coleborn. However 5ths I think will see them qualify on CT scores alone, but that in turn could also eject one of Bede, Wilko or Simpo out and make them use their QS ranking again to displace Messrs Atkinson and Coleborn. With so many ways not to qualify, I'd be very nervous if I were either one. Very complicated.
I wanna see coleborn on tour so bad
Well that's Coleborn gone. With Wilko losing (courtesy of a great Pipe campaign by Crews) he now needs his 'QS qualification which bumps Mitch Coleborn out of the 10.
Dion Atkinson now sits at 10th and will be watching the next few heats intently. Both Bede and Simpo are in the water, if either don't progress Dion gets bumped too.
Note: this is all unofficial.
And now Simpo is gone and that doesn't bode well for Dion.
Ok someone please correct me if I'm wrong but the way I see it is as follows:
Pupo now has a minimum 15000 pts on the CT so he takes Simpo's 22nd spot and the cutoff now sits at 15000 pending Pupos next heat. If he beats Kerr then he will surpass Wilko as well and the cutoff will be fixed at 15950 (Wilko's score).
So Coleborn is out and Simpo now uses his QS score (10th on World Rankings) to remain inside the cutoff for next year.
For Dion and Simpo to remain in 9th and 10th they need Pat G, to lose his next heat (as a 9th or better for him will qualify him via the World Rankings). If Payne also wins his next heat he surpasses Simpo on the World Rankings (he'd need a 5th or better to go past Dion). Yadin can also go passed both of them but would need to win the event.
The other side of it is with each of those 3 they could still qualify via the CT with good results which may complicate things further.
Basically for Dion he will be wanting at least 2 of Pat G, Payne and Yadin to go out in the next round and then he should be sweet.
Does seem pretty unfair to me that the CT surfers get this extra bite at the cherry. After all, they can qualify through the CT directly, they can qualify through the QS directly, and then, if neither of those work, they can then pull out a result in this last comp and leapfrog the QS guys that don't even get a start. Just doesn't feel like an even playing field.
Pat G and Dusty Payne both lost their heats this morning, does this mean Dion has definately qualified?
Yep he is in, there partying big time at Seaford...well done Dion..unreal.
Confirmed? If so that's so great! Couldn't imagine the feeling of not making the cut again.. Go Donny!
I guess it won't be official until after the event but yeah he is definitely in. The only change that could now occur is if Yadin makes the final. If that happens Simpo goes out.
Huge congrats to Dion, he must be stoked!
Hey Hcutz!
I've emailed Al Hunt to get the word from him. He's the ASP tour co-ordinator.
This from Al Hunt:
"He [Dion] is in. If Yadin Nicol wins the Pipemasters then he knocks Matt Wikinson out of the WCT. However Wilkinson will use his QS ranking and knock out Simpson from the Top 10."
So yeah, Dion has qualified!
Epic, great news!!
Nice work Stunet! Good to get it from the horses mouth!