After Keramas wraps, the tour moves to the Bukit…
In a surprise announcement earlier today, the WSL said it will finish the doomed Margaret River Pro at Uluwatu in Bali, Indonesia.
“The event will commence within 48 hours after the conclusion of the Corona Bali Pro at Keramas, and finish no later than June 13th, 2018,” reads the presser. “In the men’s event, 24 competitors remain in the field and competition will recommence with Round 3. In the women’s event, eight competitors remain in the field and competition will recommence with the Quarterfinals.”
The company’s CEO, Sophie Goldschmidt, said, “We felt that the shark activity that prompted the event cancellation had not significantly improved and returning was not in the best interests of the surfers this season. We extensively explored various alternatives before deciding to invest in completing the event at Uluwatu in Bali.”
Owen Wright said that he was “frothing” to get there and Lakey Peterson pointed out that it will enable a “fairer crack at the title.”
Bringing pro surfing back to Uluwatu is a neat symmetry for the little island, groaning under the weight of overdevelopment and an economic apartheid where westerners of modest means live like sheiks as the Balinese scurry about tending to their whims for a handful of rupiah a day.
In 1972, the movie Morning of the Earth, showed the world how gorgeous Uluwatu is. And the world hurried to the island. It has changed very much. Whether this is good or not depends on your point of view. If you like goat tracks and cactus and solitude, not so good. If you like clifftop villas and impeccably dressed butlers and fine food, you’re in heaven.
Possible hazards for the Ulu’s event include terrorism, like this, and this, mysterious deaths, heavy drug laws for anyone who likes getting high and a local population that was the most zealous in Indonesia when it came to killing suspected Communists in 1965 and 1966.
Oh and pollution.
In 2012, Kelly Slater tweeted: “If Bali doesn’t #Dosomething serious about this pollution it’ll be impossible to surf here in a few years. Worst I’ve ever seen”.
Not so many sharks, howevs.
Looks like we could lose both Keramas and Ulu’s after the events of the last few days. Sheeeeeeittttt!!
Margarets should be finished at margarets.
Or leave it as is.
Unfinished.
There’s ample technology to keep the men in white suits at bay.
Perfect opportunity lost.
If the wsl doesn’t trust these technologies,then what a waste of millions in r&d for those companies.
And most importantly, are those companies ripping us off, in their claims to protecting us in the ocean ?
The companies should supply the technology for free,and then maybe WSL could buy them out as well….
lets give the WSL some credit for once. great move that few saw coming. balances the tour.
Making ammends for not having an Indonesian team in the (Ned)Flanders Cup.
i was there last week and the fuzz were having there annual contest it was firing.
Its fuckin rich that Kelly complains of the pollution there. When I was staying down the cliff at Padang Padang some years back he was getting chauffeured around the Bukit on a jetski on a big swell. He was seen Sanur to Balangan in the space of hours, zipping around barely paddling. The rich minority blames the impoverished majority! What a bubble to be in.
He’s a mess of contradictions is the goat.
He singularly highlights the disconnect between surfing and pro surfing.
Money, fame, a massive sense of entitlement, ego, ability and competitive drive all wrapped up in a kid from florida.
Unfortunately for most of us bottom dwellers that sends a massive signal to the sponnos below the goat.
They think they can act the same, anywhere.
just a guess
Just in imo only of course, NZ doesn’t need any CT event.
There’s enough wannabes already.
No need to encourage more of the fuckers.
Even the back waters out of the spotlight are getting busy
Will it now be the Drug Aware Ulutwatu?
Gabriel Medina 2018 World champ. Italo runner ou.
Remember when Dane got a near 10 on a sick one through racetracks but it didn’t get scored because the guy with priority was stuck behind a 20 metre section
I thought they wanted Indicators and got offered Manu (not CT worthy) and the harbour bar (logistically tricky)?
we all need a break from wavepool chatter.
+smug look+
Told you so.
“harrydean 23 days ago
“but organizers have not ruled out potentially completing the events elsewhere during the season.”
Hmmmm…..another event tacked onto the Keramas comp on the Bukit??”
hope to fucking god
Fuck all this noise, what about my goddamn fantasy team. I chose based on the surfers ability to surf a fat burger, not Ulus! This is bullshit!
Good on em !
Wow incredible , are WA tourism still sponsoring the event , or did they get part of their $3m back?
Could be argued that Bali is apart of WA
Coulda shoulda woulda https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Having just returned from the lovely island I would suspect the Balinese are chasing a double shot of post volcano marketing followed by a plastic chaser