See y'later WA and thanks for the laughs…
Well, how about that?
After yesterday’s twin Great White attacks, and with beaches still closed around Margaret River, the WSL has cancelled the Margaret River Pro.
“The WSL has made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of the Margaret River Pro, as a result of exceptional circumstances surrounding this season’s event regarding sharks and the safety of our surfers. This decision has been reached after many hours of consultation with a variety of stakeholders and experts.
“The WSL puts the highest premium on safety. This cannot be just talk, and it cannot be compromised. Surfing is a sport that carries various forms of risk, and is unique in that wild animals inhabit our performance environment. Sharks are an occasional reality of WSL competitions, and of surfing in general. Everyone associated with our sport knows that. There have been incidents in the past – and it’s possible that there will be incidents in the future – which did not (and will not) result in the cancellation of an event. However, current circumstances are very unusual and troubling, and we have decided that the elevated risk during this season’s Margaret River Pro has crossed the threshold for what is acceptable.”
In a press release from the company’s CEO Sophie Goldschmidt:
On April 16th (local time), two separate shark attacks occurred at nearby Gracetown – approximately 6 kilometers away from the primary event site at Main Break. The presence of beached whales in the area has attracted sharks and contributed to the aggression of their behavior, which, experts agree, has increased the possibility of further attacks. These findings have resulted in nearby locations being closed to surfing and swimming.
We are committed to being as prepared as possible for what nature throws at us. The WSL maintains strong and constantly-improving safety, monitoring and support infrastructure and protocols, and we would normally have a high degree of confidence in our ability to protect our athletes. However, the threshold has been crossed for the organization and if we decided to continue the event under the current circumstances, and something terrible were to take place, we would never forgive ourselves.
We are painfully aware that this decision will have commercial ramifications for the local community, and will disappoint some of our partners, fans and athletes. We sincerely regret that.
Our competitive structure allows for points distribution in the event of a cancellation. However, we are not giving up yet on somehow completing both men’s and women’s competition this year, and will communicate our thoughts on that when we know more.
Margaret River is a special venue, with incredible partners. It has produced many memorable moments over the years, and at the moment we have no plans not to return in the future.
We appreciate that not everyone will agree with this decision, but hope that they will respect it. Athlete safety will always be our absolute priority and we thank the local community, our partners and our surfers for supporting the decision.
Thank you for your understanding,
Sophie Goldschmidt
WSL CEO
As for points, an event re-run etc.
“The cancellation of the Margaret River Pro will see points distributed per the WSL rulebook, but organizers have not ruled out potentially completing the events elsewhere during the season.”
Mmmmh, let’s see… A brain, for a lot of them, would come in the hundreds of australian dollars, for sure.
Okay I’ll take that as a second nope. Chef maybe? Is there a kitchen anywhere not filled with sassy Latinos?
Was been married to a professional tennis player a drag? should’ve picked a Golfer…
Scenarist
Accounting?
Were they both insured at 1.5 mil£, or 750 000 each?
‘Outerknown’?
Is Gabriel Medina to blame for the cancellation of the Margaret River Pro?
https://thewest.com.au/news…
I was wrong? Hmmm. Okay then, you are either a criminologist, own a clothing manufacturing facility in Pico Gardens, or are Michelle Pfeiffer from Dangerous Minds.
Anyone find it odd that Italo and Medinas insta posts sound like they were written by the same person. Both using the terms ‘train and comete here’ which sounds odd to my ear coming from them.
Then, as soon as the decision was announced most surfers on tour put up a post saying the think the WSL made the right call etc. Feels more like a cast of actors than sport these days.
And those guys aren’t even trying to help. They’re just stealing his watch and wallet.
When I was 16 I got involved with a cartel guy and intersected with gangbangers here and there in our criminal activities. And then years later I had occasional professional contact with gang affiliated kids in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas who would tell me some stuff about their lives. I remembered that the four fingers represented the alphabet but looked the rest up. But nah, less than zero of any of that world in my life for a very long time thank god.
I’m pinning you down though as either a cop, or a smuggler. Don’t tell! More fun not knowing
Kelly can provide a whole goddamn wave pool for the tour, but can’t give them that surfboard art he claimed repelled sharks a couple years ago?
I Can’t stand their lame corporate language!!!
It’s not a “performance environment “, it’s the damn ocean!
It’s not your “event site”, it’s a surf spot!
Arrrgh!!!!
How does this semi-pro tennis player make herself as part of this inclusive ‘We’ besides chasing money around to keep this circus on the road and signing off on prepared statements like this to CYA with every lawyer from Perth to LA? Do you believe she has ever personally dealt with any of the pelagic adversities surfer’s see on a regular basis? When is She going to ‘put some skin in the game’ as they like to say in her world? I say at least drop her in a swarm of sea lice or man ‘o wars so we can really be We.
If it’s a “risk” thing… how many reported attacks have there been at Mainbreak vs injuries/deaths at Pipe over the last coupla decades. Concussed Owen, shattered Bede, Dusty, Dane, Geiselman etc. There’s actually a “Deaths at Pipeline” heading in Wikipedia.
Yeah for some reason I thought the winds were SW on the weekend, not NW. I knew they didn’t have a permit for there, just thought it would be funny to have the comp just inside the seal colony
Whats Nick Carroll take on all this , or has the WSL got his tongue 😛
Quick in-out to Mundaka. Although there is a risk of choking on a pintxos so they probably won’t bother.
Mundaka, know it well, best death threats I’ve ever got
They’re Basque. As long as you’re not a spaniard, no trouble. Except if they begin to sing all together. Then run for your life.
They need more lefts on tour. The regular foot bias needs addressing.