And the best waves, surfing, of the season!
What a day! Magic in the water. Much better than yesterday.
Round 4 fired from the get-go. Medina, Slater, JJ stood out from the pack.
Medina picked up the first ten of the day with a long long long double barrel. Backed it up with a 4.6 that was, honestly, pretty neat. Mushy take-off, linked turns along what looked like a garbage. Either luck, or spark of genius, saw it stand up big along the inside, providing the brash Brazzo with an ugly steep section to blast off. Full roter ‘oop, flowed into a paint by numbers front rev.
Fair game on the low score, but it was really cool to see. Impressive demonstration of ability. Not that we need to be reminded Medina’s an amazing surfer.
Slater looked like his old self, near perfect heat. Rolled the dice on a vicious late drop and came up snake eyes, unleashed a couple f-bombs right into the camera.
Wonder if that’ll be edited out of the heat analyzer? Wonder if he’ll be handed a fine?
Article 177: Other Miscellaneous Violations and Penalties
- Using profanity on broadcast of Event or media interview at Event- $10,000 monetary penalty to be considered by the Commissioner and the Discipline Director
Not that I give two fucks about two fucks.
But they popped Gabby, and the context wasn’t hugely different. Just naughty boys saying naughty words.
And you’ve gotta be impartial. Especially when the offender is so openly keyed in on the business end.
Just to get out in front of the inevitable take down notice. This is totally fair use. Doesn’t matter how many times it’s removed, I’ll just repost it. Don’t make it a whole thing for me, just leave well enough alone. The internet’s attention span is all of twenty minutes. It’ll be forgotten soon, unless you give people a reason to remember.
Florence did best but lost on the numbers. 9.93 that should’ve been a 10 that wouldn’t have made a difference, 6.5 that was properly scored.
Yellow jersey outpointed him, paired a high seven with a high eight. Not a problem, really. John John got to surf another heat, we got to see him do it.
Early Round Five slowed down. ADS and Payne did the best they could with what was on offer. Great surfing, but not as spectacular as early day. ADS came out on top.
Next heat got better, but Bourez and Dantas couldn’t do much with it. Bourez grabbed gems but couldn’t seal the deal. Dantas looked on track to continue Forrest Gump’ing his way to the finals, but started heating up midway through.
Out surfed Bourez, but didn’t need to. The Tahitian forgot how interference rules work. Boned himself by bottom turning around Wiggly before conceding priority.
I was thinking yesterday, it’d be kind of cool if they allowed each surfer one 30 second time out in each heat. Stop the clock. The other surfer wouldn’t be allowed catch a wave during that time, if they have priority. If the person who called time out holds priority the clock would resume when they start paddling for a wave. Add a new level to tactics, allow guys to stop time while they wait for a last second buzzer beater.
I can think of a million reasons why it’d be nearly impossible to implement. But if someone figured it out it’d be neat.
Kerr/Buchan featured the agony of two of my fantasy team members facing off in an elimination round. I have no idea how seeding works.
Buchan dominated Kerr. Ol’ Ace has got some mighty fine tube ridin’ skills. Put Kerr in a combo, out of which he barely clawed out. 6.33 with four minutes left Kerr needing a 9.34. Which didn’t appear. Tick tock tick tock. Buchan into the quarters.
Last heat of the day was Jug Handles and J-Flo. Really looking forward to that one. JJ on fire even though he lost last round. Jadson’s barrel game seems inversely proportional to his hairline. Hoped that Double John’d push him hard to push himself. Turn it into a battle.
Slow start until Florence grabs a, by my count, ten-second barrel. Which used to be the stuff of legend. Now it’s an 8.5. Crazy how far tube riding has come.
Bedroom Eyes Blakey on John John Florence, “Broad shouldered, six foot tall, a pretty solid unit.”
JJ backed it up with another eight and a half while Jadson languished in a combo sitation. Came real close to a big score on a runner but couldn’t make it out the end.
Jadson is trying hard, and paying for it. Gets a very long and tight tube, kick-out rev at the end. Six won’t get him out of combo.
Great heat. But John John takes it easily with his insane ability.
Decision to put the event on hold until tomorrow, run quarters through finals in what’s supposed to be bigger and better, is pretty damn ballsy. Slater said it himself, bird in the hand. But the gamble could pay off.
Of course, if the WSL had any sense they’d keep streaming the rest of the day’s free surf. I buy the idea that the wind is switching and it won’t be perfectly contestable and that tomorrow most likely will be. But I know I’m not the only one who’d like to see the tour descend on the lineup and pick apart every good one that rolls through
Fiji Pro Round 4 Results:
Heat 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.60, Dusty Payne (HAW) 11.16, Michel Bourez (PYF) 10.23
Heat 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 19.77, Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 13.34, Adriano de Souza (BRA) 11.60
Heat 3: Mick Fanning (AUS) 18.07, Josh Kerr (AUS) 15.07, Jadson Andre (BRA) 13.43
Heat 4: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 16.56, John John Florence (HAW) 16.43, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.16
Fiji Pro Round 5 Results:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 11.34 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 10.37
Heat 2: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 14.27 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 3.77
Heat 3: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.67 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 10.66
Heat 4: John John Florence (HAW) 17.00 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 10.17
Fiji Pro Quarterfinal Match-Ups:
QF 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Adriano de Souza (BRA)
QF 2: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA)
QF 3: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
QF 4: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) vs. John John Florence (HAW)
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I couldn’t even make out what Kelly said…someone clue me in?
See…I was never a Ren and Stimpy fan. Oh well…
Unfortunately I don’t get anything else other than bung (as in bunghole…thanks Beavis and Butthead!).
Actually, I’m Dr Dre.
I guess it wasn’t a good enough joke if you didn’t get it.
speaking of seeding and fantasy related agony – how did JJF and Wilko draw each other again
Kelly went extraterrestrial today.. Love it when that happens!
stream the lay day. only other thing i have to do is work.
It’s been said, but what if the WSL ran 6 comps per year like this, in the best waves, with good waiting periods, right season, and throw in something like The Box or Cape Solander with real wildcards etc etc? I’d probably pay per view that and I’m stingy as fuck
these faggots would never get a dime from me
What the fuck does Slater LOOSES Tongue mean? Do you mean… Slater Loosens Tongue? Slater Loses Tongue? Slater’s Loose Tongue? Slater’s Loosest Tongue?
I’d expect a person with student in their username to have a stronger vocab game.
Loose tongues sink ships.
As a student I’d expect him to be getting up at noon and ripping a couple of bingers before going out early evening to chase some tail. Not sitting on the internet correcting grammar. That’s for people who need to kill time in work, or escape spouses/families we no can no longer tolerate.
Ok. I had to look that one up. But cmon bro. You gotta admit… It’s not a common usage, if it all. If you said Slater Loosens Tongue… It would’ve made more sense for us ignorant folk. Lol
It would’ve meant something different though.
Anyway, Derek picks the title and I agree, this one ain’t the best.
Comment editing….it’s what’s for dinner.
Surfrmag Forums: User: Sum_Wun pass: password123
Totally.
WSL gets a $10k discount on Kellys wave pool now.
kelly’s naughty words are still in the heat analyzer. r.i.p. to the good board
Congrats to Priority Dantas for interfering his way into the quarters.
If Kelly wins (and for the first time in a while he actually could) would he contemplate stealing Taj’s thunder and call it a day?
he did it to de souza end of last season..
He’s going to win. announce his retirement, noting that he would only retire off the back of a win in either big Chope’s or Fiji. But will still surf Tahiti and Pipe.
Announce retirement and not retire. That sounds about right to me. Be gnarly if he really was surfing Pipe at 55 yo
Hope he just wins in epic waves and retires
As long as he can win at Pipe and surf with only one, two or three other guys in the water he’s staying in.
Gabby’s 10 was a 20….Ke11ys a freak….JJF’s inside Subway tunnel he didn’t make was bonkers….Rondog Blakelively’s discriptive subconscious wanting of Florence was pure webcast gold…..Good day for the WSL and it’s viewagers.
The WSL’s lawyers are planning your downfall as we speak. RIP Rory.
PS. Jeremy chose to throw out a fuck in his post heat interview yesterday, which was awesome, but how did they manage to bleep it?! Spooky.
what you watch has a 5-10 sec delay. there is a software that bleeps certain words automatically. that’s how bleeps work in live events. delay.
How did Kelly’s get through?
i can only speculate but I think the voice was fainted enough not to make it thur the filter.
Post heat interviews aren’t always live! suck my dick Tio!
Hand me the microscope
You know I like foreplay
Nope.
I’d pay to watch the free surf…….if the WSL stops going to Rio, Portugal, and Bells, than I would pay 50 bucks a year to watch the heats at Cloudbreak, Keramas, Jbay, Middles, lobitos, anywhere in Mexico….and broadcast free surfs before and after competition if it’s firing…..I’d pay 50 fucking bucks…..today was fucking awesome
50 bucks? that’ll buy you New Smyrna Beach on a low def package, you broke kook
Not broke, just cheap. People will pay what they feel it’s right. For now, fifty bucks is pretty reasonable. It’s up to the WT accept it or increase value on it’s product so people feel it’s worth to pay more.
Don’t blame the customer for a shitty product. There is no marketing here. You have to adapt to your core base (just look at what happened to all surfing brands – surfers don’t care and the others don’t buy it). And your core base is pretty fucking small and egocentric.
The only ones that actually watch the WT are hardcore surfing fans. Most of my surfing friends don’t even know the majority of the athletes on the tour (let alone watch 8 hours for 20 minutes of surfing) and most of my non-surfing friends only know Medina and Kelly Slater.
Heck, I would pay even less and I’m a wealthy bastard.
Solution? My two cents…
Maybe they should start to sell ppv by the event and add up four or five other venues, two for the big bucks, three for the waves (close to each other so you save on transportation). Big bucks would pay for a small infrastructure event on good waves. Just put those fuckers, I mean surfers, in a big tent (you surf for living, fuck your homesick and your comfort, try a 8 to 20 like I do and tell me you’re not blessed enough), call a camera guy, buy a drone and go surf… you don’t need much else.
After all, we, the hardcore surfing fans, your core base (the ones that watch the perfect waves events), don’t really care to hear the insights of Strider or to hear the takes of our beloved 1989 world champion Pottz… all presented by that other fucker that I can’t remember the name and all costing several bucks to be there, just to give an exemple of an unneeded costs). Not every event has to be that expensive, only the big bucks ones and they pay for themselves.