Come read the WSL rule book, article 171, "Damage to Surfing's Image."
What an exciting day! Everyone is so upset!
For the record, I think Gudalaskuas won the heat. Didn’t catch Julian or Wilko, no opinion there.
Hilarious to see the WSL take an internet beating. Do you think they care? Is Paul Speaker screaming into his Blackberry? “Get Google on the phone! I won’t take this kind of treatment.”
The anonymous Brazilian contingent is setting social media aflame. Reminding us all that they sure do love sports, but they don’t give two shits for good sportsmanship.
With so much kerfuffle in the air there surely can’t be more. How could a website that thrives on gossip mongering stir up even more drama?
How indeed?
We’ve got the two dubyas, Wilko and Wilson, taking to Instagram to air their grievances. You’ve read them both already.
Wilson: “The Judges might need to take some responsibility for their scores over the past two days. Might be time to put them under the microscope, like they do to us.”
and
“When sleepless nights, countless hours of preparation and learning hard lessons from past upsets, it’s hard not feel frustrated when not getting rewarded in key moments like this. Might be time to break down what the judges see and understand as good surfing in comparison to what the best surfers in the world see and understand as good surfing, as it could be a little different? @wsl @mattwilko8@gabrielmedina”
Wilko: “It is hard to accept when they make decisions that decide people’s lives and don’t take care to make the decision right and are not at all held accountable.”
Remind me, what’s the WSL’s policy on public criticism? Do they like it?
For more information, let’s take a gander at the WSL rule book. (Emphasis added for our slower readers)
Article 171: Damage to Surfing’s Image
Individuals bound by this Policy shall not engage in any conduct which could cause damage to the image of the sport of surfing. For purposes of this Article, “damage to the image of the sport of surfing” is defined as any act, regardless of time or place, which casts the sport of surfing or WSL in a negative light. Without restricting the application of this Article, “damage to the sport of surfing” will include any comments or broadcast from social media accounts that the Surfer is responsible for. Any Surfer found in violation of this section shall be subject to the following disciplinary action:
(i) Monetary Fines and Disqualification.
The monetary fine amounts for an offense of this Article ranges from $1,000 USD to $50,000 USD per offense.
(ii) Suspension and Expulsion.
Any offender under this Article may be subject to suspension and/or expulsion from an WSL Tour upon the first offense. Where multiple offenses occur within one or more concurrent seasons which demonstrate a pattern of unacceptable conduct, the Surfer may also be subject to suspension and/or expulsion from the WSL.
How will the WSL respond? Will they use the intentionally vague nature of “casts the… WSL in a negative light” as a proverbial newspaper with which they can swat unruly competitors on the snout?
Or will they let the surfers run wild? Unfiltered opinions and honest assessments flying about willy-nilly, nary a PR approved soundbite to be found.
Only time will tell.
Or you can just check Julian’s Insta tomorrow. See if he’s gone into damage control. Should be a pretty good indicator.
Julian and Wilko’s comments aren’t even in the ballpark of being detrimental or damaging to the WSL image. They are questioning the policies and judging within reason. Now if one of them said, “The judges are definitely being paid off…” or “How much money from Hurley did the judges get for those scores?” …That’s a whole nother animal.
RIP Rory
I’m okay.
PP who agree that Medina won (besides the anonymous Brazilian crowd): Matt Meola, Michel Bourez, Jeremy Flores, Peter Mel, Ross Williams, JW, Wilko, Strider, Barton Lynch, Miguel Pupo, Maurice Cole, Jadson Andre…the list goes on
Who disagree: Lazy demode hipster writer who can’t even make a proper research.
I’m just a local yokel, but i’m off two cups of that coffee and so here’s my tl/dr tinfoil hat rant:
Like everyone else for years, I’ve been calling for a complete revamp of the wsl judging system if they insist on keeping heat formats the same structure. This would include not only complete transparency in terms of who the judges are and what scores they turn in, but most importantly, they would not be allowed to consult each other or anyone else during the scoring a heat. No 5 minute waits while they figure out who should win a heat and adjust scores to reflect that. Transparency as to who specifically the judges are, with proper continual looks from the organization as to whether or not they are conducting any business/transactions (**ahem GAMBLING) outside the business of judging heats (PORTA). This would include not just betting but getting taken out to dinner, shwag, etc from any sponsoring entity outside of the WSL. If the league wants to be taken seriously as a sports organization i would think this would be the first fucking logical step. Starting to feel like WWF in this bitch with the over the top characters and rivalries.
Now, I have to wonder, if this is scripted with financial motivation from within the WSL, then why would they have the losing-est dude and wildcards drop the leader board? I mean, surely no one is lining up to buy Ribiero jersey’s now? Do they even exist? I understand that the draw creates these match ups but i feel like the WSL has more to gain from Medina winning Trestles than fucking Tanner? And let’s not forget that Nike/Hurley and Vans are mortal enemies so even stranger the actual WSL would have scripted and purposely advanced a star from completely opposite the event sponsor.
What i think is wayyy more likely, both financially and in-line with upsets of the past, is that the judges have gone rogue and are operating without regard for the WSL or the surfers – manipulating heats to their own financial gains (GAMBLING or satisfying backdoor corporate deals to advance or hold back certain surfers) and then playing dumb to the WSL. I mean, what do you think the odds were in the beginning of the year that Wilko would hold the yellow jersey – making that happen could have paid off big. Kolohe got robbed in a couple of early events and no one even batted an eye. Kelly from damn near last place to the top? What were the odds that Medina AND JJF would drop out in round 3? Someone is getting fucking paid off serious longshot bets here. Two Wildcards still in? Is it too late to put money on Tanner winning the event? They say all press is good press but i don’t think this one is helping the WSL – they look like they can’t control their judges…. because they can’t. Not for nothing, Wilko fucking lost that heat tho.
Sad to see the commentary team back peddle, sad to see them manipulate something we love to watch, sad to see it affect the lives of those who show us what is possible when Surfing is in the arena as a sport. But let’s be honest, the jersey’s, rio, the comps, the corps, everything about the WSL sucks and is a blight to our small, passionate and non$$ based subculture.
No one should be shocked.
It would be pretty easy to bribe a judge ….and when you consider the stakes there’s a huge incentive and almost no chance of being caught, plus in my experience they’re a bunch of weird sycophants so they’re already predisposed to that kind of behavior. As if someone like Bob Hurly coudntnt drop 20 grand to put the icing on his event.
We all could of told the IOC plenty about Brazilian sportsmanship before they boo’ed that French pole vaulter to tears in Rio for simply winning. Pole Vaulting, doesn’t get more objective in that event. Did you knock the pole over? No? Ok you clearly won. Cut scene to a subjective sport like surfing, heads must be exploding in Brazil tonight. I have enjoyed the Brazilians who have dedicated their entire day to shaming the wsl judges on social media though. Commitment in all the wrong ways
Looking forward to the Simpson/Ribeiro final.
Even though I feel like the judges are mostly scoring by picking numbers out of a hat, it doesn’t change the fact that these surfers are a bunch of entitled douches. They cry when they surf progressively and lose, they cry when they surf conservatively and lose, and they cry almost every heat in between when they lose. If this happened to someone like Melling or Kanoa, no one would give a shit. Julian, Gabe, Wilko (you especially), YOU LOST, shut the fuck up and surf better. Quit trying to manufacture heats like Mick and just out surf the other guy, leave no doubt as to who won. Also, it’s just surfing, people need to chill out (me included).
julian is a pussy.
Our slower readers! Hahaha
i think they should be fined and sanctioned, particularly medina and wilko because of their behavior at the event itself. any other pro sport would. wilko was yelling “f#@k you” to the judges. and medina put on the childlike clapping display, then stormed off with father screaming. at least australians have had the sense not to post thousands of social median rants trying to bully the wsl and anyone who doesn’t agree with them. if the wsl caves in to this kind of behavior, they will be history
you suck so much
i wish the commentary team would grow some balls, back pedaling arse lickers
mortgages
Think I just saw Stryder’s humble abode on a TV commercial recently..
Almost 5 years to the day of Bobby’s meltdown here in Long Beach. I’d say that’s about long enough before shit got stirred up again.
It would be nice if the judges just came out and explained the scoring system. Wilko started the year getting 9s for the same thing he gets 6s for now. If it’s because of him doing the same move the judges need to come out and say that. If your wilko and you get 9s by doing backside hacks wouldn’t you just keep doing them every contest? Then the scores magically just start changing as the year goes on cause the judges feel like it? How is that fair
Yep you spot on there. Every event needs to have a briefing by judges to actually say what they looking for – and possibly every day or as conditions change.
You think that might hinder progression?
They had time to make all those hilarious videos at the WSL – so maybe just few more updates as a comp progresses is what I was meaning I guess for both viewer and competitor
Yeah I agree that interviewing the judging panel would be quite compelling viewing… But probably not going to happen as hearing a judge say “ah, yeah we probably fucked that up” Isn’t the most professional “look”
It might push it more if they just ask for it. I mean it’s obvious a lot of guys hold back on tour
I would rather see the Surfers themselves having a say in changing the judging criteria from event to event… having some 50 year old Judge dictate how the waves are to be surfed just seems wrong.
Mick has three World Titles so I’d say the answer is a definite “No.”
Edit…Negs pointed out that I may have screwed up the positive/negative on this. So to clarify…if Mick is winning World Titles then the judges aren’t that interested in progression.
If JJF /Gabe/ whoever does 3 crazy progressive airs on one wave they’re going to beat Mick doing 3 power hacks.
Its just not happening….
It’s not happening because JJF/Gabe do not do 3 crazy progressive airs on one wave. If they’re ever able to do 3 airs on one wave, it will be one huge one out the back and two “basic” frontside 360’s or a straight air on a closeout. For whatever reason, modern judging has deemed it possible to get a 10 off of one aerial maneuver… So why the hell would you attempt two more “crazy progressive” airs and risk lessening their score if they fall? That’s why you won’t see three CRAZY, PROGRESSIVE airs on a single wave other than in an expression session.
Poor choice of words on my behalf… They will beat him if they put it all on the line…
Everything Mick does has to be re-watched in slow mo so the common surfer can actually understand it. He does everything faster and with more control than any surfer on tour. Fin blow he did in round 2 for instance, I think it got a 5.9? Watch the slow mo. When JJF does a turn like that everything froths out, When Mick does it most people miss it because it happened so fast it looked like a normal turn.
The original comment about was about progression in contest surfing and no matter how good (and he’s been the best overall three times) Mick is he is the antithesis of that. You are absolutely correct that his turns are among the best on tour but creativity and progression aren’t his forte.
100% correct.
why not just put up a basket and have the surfers throw a ball through for two points so you can really be objective. will that satisfy you?
are you a wsl judge? Your social skills seem to have evolved to the same level.
No I said maybe the judges could explain a few things – if surfers are accountable for their behaviour judges need to be more transparent with theirs.
You have repeated the same post all the way through here
Oh you’re freerider from the inertia right!!!
What scores at Bells is different than Trestles… I personally like the changing of the goal posts.
Yea but they scored the waves the same at snapper. I’m not saying your wrong just wish the judges would come out and say what they want to see. No doubt wilko is good enough to mix it up on the backhand he prolly just didn’t think he needed to when all year he’s been getting 9s for the same move
there are many factors that go in, including conditions, what other surfers are doing, etc. If you want this to be precise, how about if they just put up baskets and have the surfers throw a ball through it for 2 points?
Your defending the wsl system so hard, might as well just give the ceo a blow job while your at it
“Fair” – giggle
Just throw Trace on all the boards lololol
Jules’ response was prob the most diplomatic- be a tough call to give him a fine. I imagine a stern talking to might be more like it.
medina and wilko should be fined for their display at the event itsself. yelling f@!k you to the judges or clapping your hands and acting crazy is not acceptable during an event.
are you a tennis coach
not only is it acceptable to show emotion in sport, it’s fucking good viewing.