WSL Tour Having Garbage Year

[teeroi]

My vote is to replace Sunset with Haleiwa. Haleiwa isn’t hosting a Challenger contest this season, no title sponsor as of yet. Haleiwa is more fickle than Sunset, needing more west, while Sunset picks up any north swell. Haleiwa is more performance oriented.

Hopefully without Haleiwa the contest season is shortened by a month on the north shore.

 

[GromsDad]

been a fan boi of professional surfing my whole life.. watched all the comps religiously (thats for you PRCD )

the last few years I just cant. they cant get momentum going and its just been a bore. No way a contest should take 5 full days to run. 1-2 days max. rise/peak of a swell - get in, get out!

I've been enjoying the webcasts of the QS more than the CT the past year or two. If you're a contest junkie you'll enjoy those better. There is more action. Its a short window to run the events so they run reliably even though the waves won't be epic. The competitors are hungry. The judging is better with less BS.

 

[oeste858]

No. But I know one on here that posted about it on a erbb poke thread of all places. Haha

there's a poke thread?? BRB...

[edit: couldn't find it. but now I'm hungry]

 

[oeste858]

...whatever washed up surf girl they have commentating insufferably cringe.

How dare you talk about my sweet Rosie that way!

 

[freeride76]

I've been enjoying the webcasts of the QS more than the CT the past year or two. If you're a contest junkie you'll enjoy those better. There is more action. Its a short window to run the events so they run reliably even though the waves won't be epic. The competitors are hungry. The judging is better with less BS.

strongly disagree.

watching no-names monkey pump like their life depended on it for 4's and 5's in onshore garbage is unwatchable dross.

I enjoy comps for 3 reasons: Match-ups between the big names, the best surfing by the absolute elite and hopefully insane surf.

QS has none that.

I can't even sit through 10 mins of a typical QS- once you've seen one pump, pump closeout in onshore 2ft surf you've seen them all.

Be absolute tragic trying to judge that.

 

[teeroi]

Agree way rather watch the CT surfers even in sh*t waves.

Exception rather than the norm but some of the Haleiwa and Sunset QS were exciting. Especially the ones John won. That 10 from a couple years ago. Yew.

Also the Pipeline QS. The year John and Ivan were in the final was the only time I hoped John lost. Heard all the skaters from Banzai skatepark were on the beach at Pipe to support Ivan.

 

[sponge]

Found an old Surfer mag (erMag) near my desk from April 1990. Here's the ASP Tour from 1989 (the year Martin Potter won). As far as venues and compactness, I think the tour is way better now:

O'Neill Cold Water Classic, Santa Cruz, CA
O'Neill / IMB Masters, Cronulla Beach, AUS
Rip Curl Bells, Bells Beach, AUS
Coca-Cola Classic, Manly Beach, AUS
Marui Japan Open, Niijima Island, JAP
TDK Gotcha Pro, Sandy Beach, HI
Aloe Up Cup, New Smyrna Beach, FL
Gunston 500, Durban, SA
OP Pro, Huntington Beach, CA
Hot Tuna, Newquay, ENG
Quiksilver Lacanau Pro, Lacanau, FRA
Rip Curl Landes, Hossegor, FRA
Arena Surfmasters, Biarritz, FRA
Rip Curl Pukas Pro, San Sebastian, SPA
Buondi Pro, Coxos, POR
Hang Loose Pro, Florianopolis, BRA
Alternative Pro, Rio de Janeiro, BRA
Marui Pro, Hebara Beach, JAP
Body Glove Pro, Margaret River, AUS
XXXX Classic, Surfer's Paradise, AUS
Coke Classic, Manly, AUS
BHP Steel Int'l, Newcastle, AUS
Hard Rock World Cup, Sunset Beach, HI
Marui Pipeline Masters, Pipeline, HI
Billabong Pro, Sunset Beach, HI

 

[oeste858]

Thats insane. there were two legs in Oz??

 

[SurfMission]

No wonder they were all on meth.

 

[bonzer5fin]

a new tour. go mobile. 24 men. 1st round is 4 man heats. top 2 advance. 2nd round 3 man heats. winner advances. next, man on man for 2 semis, and a final.
start in oz
go to indo
go to africa
go to europe
go to south america
go to central america
go to the states
end in hawaii. at pipe.
biggest swells, best days. go.

 

[Truth]

Nias Pro WQS in June cancelled- yes!!!!

 

[therarebirdshow]

I say keep the final 5 but finish with a Search-style mini tour. Three stops, wherever's pumping.

Also, bring back meth. These dudes have way too many teeth.

 

[Ranga]

Why they go to Punta Roca instead of Puerto Escondido is beyond me.

 

[Bob Dobbalina]

That drainy right at Saquerema is way more entertaining than you guys are giving it credit for. 5 years ago Brazil was horrible. I don't mind it now. It's better than Trestles.

Portugal has potential to be a premier event if they just got away from Super Tubos. But screw the tour. Having all the top guys and their entourages invade your local spot or a spot you're traveling to would completely ruin your day. Let them battle it out in wave pools. It would be no skin off anyones back if the tour just went away.

Holding the event at Saquerema is a fine compromise. It's been better every year than Bells was this year and more entertaining than Gland last year, tbh.

Portugal is fine, but take advantage of the reason Supertubos is what it is. It's on a peninsula with setups on both sides. So when swell/wind is bad at Supertubos, move to the other side of the peninsula. Too easy.

 

[Bob Dobbalina]

Why they go to Punta Roca instead of Puerto Escondido is beyond me.

Money laundering. Tourism rebranding. Foreign investment. The president is either too independent or too authoritarian, depending on your political standing. But that doesn't keep WSL from taking his $$

 

[bird.LA]

Money laundering. Tourism rebranding. Foreign investment. The president is either too independent or too authoritarian, depending on your political standing. But that doesn't keep WSL from taking his $$

It's surf city bro!

 

[Ranga]

Money laundering. Tourism rebranding. Foreign investment. The president is either too independent or too authoritarian, depending on your political standing. But that doesn't keep WSL from taking his $$

They've enacted harsh penalties for locals being anti-tourist. Like if you're mean to a white guy for dropping in on you, you go to smelly SurfCity jail. All the surf guides and photogs are now Gov't employees, shutting out the guys with established businesses. It's adult-learner Armageddon down there.

 

[CutnSnip]

It's surf city bro!

its funny how people compare that wave to JBAY . i mean its a good wave on its day but not even close.

 

[bonzer5fin]

its funny how people compare that wave to JBAY . i mean its a good wave on its day but not even close.

you are the only person i have ever heard mention that puerto escondido, a beachbreak, and jbay, a point, are comparable. what are you on, son? stay out of autoprax's stash.

 

[CutnSnip]

you are the only person i have ever heard mention that puerto escondido, a beachbreak, and jbay, a point, are comparable. what are you on, son? stay out of autoprax's stash.

they were talking about punta roca up there.