But only for now. The future is bright!
We are living in weird times. The far left loves the FBI, populists love corporate tax relief and the World Surf League was not able to grease Honolulu’s civic wheel enough to move its Pipeline Masters permit to January for the 2019 season. Would you like me to recap?
Earlier this month it was revealed that the WSL missed its filing deadline in order change its current permitted window from mid-December to mid-January for 2019. This is necessary, of course, for the new-look tour which begins in Hawaii and ends in Indonesia with stops at not Trestles and Surf Ranch along the way. Honolulu’s mayor, Kirk Caldwell, took a hard line initially, press releasing his displeasure at the WSL’s strong-arm tactics.
WSL CEO Sophie Goldschmidt flew to Hawaii in order to work out details but today, Mr. Caldwell rejected the bid in the name of “fairness.”
“Please know the city fully appreciates the economic spending the WSL brings to the islands, but as I’ve stated, this is an issue about fairness, not about money. You have stated that the changes are minor, and if this is truly the case, we are perplexed that you would jeopardize your relationship to Hawaii on a minor change. I sincerely hope the WSL will continue to hold events in Hawaii, the birthplace of the sport of surfing.”
What happens now? Everything will get fixed and quick is what.
Of course this story can be rolled and spun and chewed as WSL incompetence and/or Honolulu greed and/or some fat transplant’s chance to riff on “the way things are done on the islands” but really who the hell cares? Professional surfing is an important economic/cultural driver in Hawaii. The World Surf League is the only organized multilateral representation of professional surfing. The two will very soon work out a proper way forward and that will be the end.
But we do live in weird times so I’ve already read lots of surf media posts punctuating the importance of getting paperwork in on time and playing by the rules etc. What the hell is that?
The only thing I want is more local wildcards in the Pipeline Masters. I want Honolulu to press its momentary advantage and stick 30 of ’em in there. Don’t you?
Viva Jamie O!
Thank you SleevePocket for setting the record straight. And let’s not forget the amateur surfers that out number the professional surfers 100 to 1 which I am one. It’s good riddance! To most of us the WSL is a horrific monopoly funded by a Wall Street Hedge Fund Manager who could really give a shit about you and me. It’s about money and the first thing that Dirk Ziff and Paul Speaker did was create an international monopoly that now has the likes of Billy Kemper and Sunny Garcia doing their bidding! (Real Surf Rebels they are!). As a final note: the CC line on the WSL letter to the Mayor of Honolulu says it all…!! If your a surfer and you want to be on Sophie Goldschmidt’s CC line you better be a multi-year World Champ or don’t even think about it. (Sorry Sunny, you’re cannon fodder!)
As Noa said “Fuck the WSL”!!!
Your incompetence does not constitute my emergency
It’s sort of cool how surfing continues to fuck over know it all non surfing ceo’s that venture into the industry. She clearly played the arrogance card and failed dismally though I expect some face saving to occur soon as a non contest will be a disaster for all stakeholders.
Could be the kick up the backside both Hawai’i, WSL and professional surfing need.
How exciting! Will the WSL pull it off?
You can’t script this!
A clear and unambiguous dig at Rory Parker, no doubt in my mind.
Jamie O for (WSL) President
Subtle too-is everyone still that worried about Fast Eddie’s wrath being rained down upon them in his pidgin Hawaiian, Jewish Texas, accent?
To be honest, I know some things were fucked about what happened in 1983 the last time pro surfing really wigged out over Hawaii, especially what happened to Dane Kealoha after he dared to win the Pipe event against the ASP’s orders.
But man, 1983 was a fantastic year to just go surfing on the North Shore. Almost nobody went. It was just the local surfers and a handful of super keen visitors. It took the heat off everything.
There’s always a silver lining, just not the kind of silver we tend to think of in connection with pro surfing and tourism.
The dumbfoolery involved in fucking up the paperwork is hella funny. They’re kind of losing me on the calendar shenanigans though. Idk, Pipe Masters is cool in December? I like Pipe Masters. But maybe I will learn to love the new thing. I still don’t really get what happens to the women’s calendar. Like is Honolua even on there anymore? I guess I should do some work and figure it out but I’m lazy.
Mostly I just came here to say that I met Chas in real life and he didn’t wear the salmon ectomorph pants and it was very disappointing.
But what about the shoes? The People demand/deserve a description of the shoes at least!
forthcoming!
It has been revealed!
And how was his manicure?
And Richie Porter will slide right in to be CEO!
If they don’t work this out surely Sophie is gone
Somehow stab, and at that, Rory, wrote a way more interesting article on the matter. Today is a twilight zone episode
Unfortunately, this is true.
…and Sophie gets handed a steaming bag of shit
HD for your citations, however next time we would prefer Harvard APA 6th format.
CliffsNotes version of Rory’s Stab article, 1/6 the research, detail, and word count… leaving it to the reader to guess and fill in the blanks. Damn Chas, you’re way fucking better than that
Except this one has the correct conclusion. The other won’t matter in a month.
Oh I didn’t know Rory already wrote. Headed over to dear Stab now but what blanks are you left to fill in? This whole thing is silly civic politic stuff and goes the way all silly civic politic stuff goes. Right?
Tourism in Hawaii is a 15 Billion dollar industry and the WSL is touting their 20 million buck impact? Laughable, silly civic politics aside
But those numbers are all immaterial. The real issue is the impact that the WSL brings to the North Shore and I reckon that is something.
Maybe to Eddie Rothman, but perhaps not so much to the mayor of Honolulu.. and he appears to be on the ” I don’t give two fucks about the WSL ” train
i’m gonna guess the mayor is savvy enough to recognize the “value” of being the “birthplace of surfing” and having the “eyes of the world” on Hawaii to watch a champion be crowned at the “proving ground.” He’ll try to get something out of the WSL… some extra little sugar… and then it will be biz as usual!
I honestly hope you’re right
Wouldn’t it be grand if civic powers made WSL televise the event in lieu of facebook to be fair,,
STAB is so shit mate it’s fucken dead
have you not gone and played behind the paywall? also, from the moment I first saw him I wondered what you were going to do about Wesslley.
Wessly’s Duck Diving Style is now getting a round.
Wessleys Water Displacement
What a fucking dreamboat wake.
Na mate. I can’t afford my train tickets at the moment let alone $0.20 to read Morgan Williamson’s interview with Kelia Moniz. From what I’ve heard, the extra cash flow (if anyone has actually paid) hasn’t been enough to make the dickhead click spellcheck on his articles. https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Wesley’s Crippling Carbonara Addiction?
I will never pay money for shit writing.. I just won’t!
Brother!
Who’s our dad mate?
Nobody does a permit chase like Rory. I remember when BeachGrit was the home of “Is the Pipe Masters Being Run Illegally” and “WSL Tries to Own Hawaiian Airspace” stories, among others. Glory days etc.
https://beachgrit.com/2015/…
https://beachgrit.com/2014/…
Like any good journo the paper trail is a strong point of his. Zig Zags mostly
based on sunny garcia’s insta – seems like the mayor of honolulu is hiding out to avoid getting slaps.
can ya blame him?
well if locals are worried about the economic downturn , well surely France should be kept in it’s original dates as it helps the local economy , so what’s the point , $’s.
I would rather hear about how much culture/heritage /respect for surfings roots…..and Aloha , this is who and what we are as surfers……
if the WSL doesn’t want play , go develop an alternative Triple crown , then see how fucken quik the WSL will bend over!!
Move the whole shit fight to Kauai!
I loathe fat transplants everywhere. The sort that move, get fat, then run their mouths about all they know. A very ugly creature.
ouch, I got my fat transplanted to my wife , so she was so beautiful to my mates , and now she’s butt fuck ugly!
You do know your wife reads the Grit?
Excellent. They are a disease on the Gold Coast too although it’s not uncommon that they arrive already fat before the move. At least now I have a name for them.
Yeaaaahhh
One more chance to Bruh C. A. Rooms!!!
The surf world need it!
The surf world want it!