The governing body of professional surfing takes a jingoistic turn!
When the World Cup (Copa Mundial/Coupe du Monde) rolls around every four years it provides the opportunity for average workaday folk to put a fun face on wild jingoism. Flag waving, patriotic, chanting, cursing jingoism. But fun. And do you get caught up in the spirit? Do you cheer Switzerland over Brazil, say, because it allows you to be a touch racist without actually being a touch racist? Or are you Team Mexico jumping up and down while underdog heroes beat the big juggernaut?
Whichever the case, and again, the point is fun and after the matches Mexicans swilling XX and Germans swilling Spaten march swing arm and arm down the streets.
Somehow, though, the World Surf League missed that “fun” message and took this particular World Cup season to kick France in the balls. Press release? Sure!
The European headquarters of the World Surf League (WSL) will be set up in Lisbon, in what will be another step towards “positioning Portugal as the leading surfing country in Europe,” the Portuguese representative of the WSL, Francisco Spínola said.
“Lisbon and Portugal are going to be the showcase of European surfing for the world,” said Spínola, speaking to Lusa, confirming the move to the Portuguese capital after almost 30 years in France.
According to the official, this change is due to the organisation in Portugal of the main WSL events, including stages of the world tours for men, women and giant waves, as well as World Juniors, but also the proximity of beaches.
“In addition to all the accessibility of a European capital, Lisbon offers surfing half an hour from the centre and conditions for practicing the sport all year round,” he added, noting that the facility will be installed, initially in Lisbon, with around 10 to 12 workers.
Portugal is the European country with the most WSL events, organising in 2018 one stage of the world tour (MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal in Peniche), three qualifiers (Caparica Pro, Pro Santa Cruz and EDP Billabong Pro Ericeira) and one for giant waves (Nazaré Challenge).
According to Spínola, the facility to be installed in Portugal will be a “decision-making centre” for surf in Europe, as well as for Africa and the Middle East.
Well hmmmmm. Does it feel necessary, to you, for the WSL not only to move its center (centre) of operations from France to Lisbon but then add that Portugal will “lead European surfing” that it is more “accessible” with better waves, better facilities and better workers? Then once more twist the knife by calling it the “decision-making centre (center) for surf in Europe as well as Africa and the Middle East?”
Does this not sound a little bit like when jingoism wasn’t super fun? Like World War I or World War II-style jingoism? Even the age of colonization-style jingoism?
Hmmmmmmmmm. To be honest, I didn’t know the World Surf League had it in ’em. I am excited to see the flag that they fly above its new Lisbon offices. I wonder if it will be black, red and white with four interlocking geometric waves representing Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Santa Monica headquarters? Maybe something like this.
Commented on Disqus? Log out, tap the Disqus button, and your old name and comments come back. The box is ours.
Your comments are still here. Every one of them.
Twelve years of BeachGrit comments came across from Disqus. Connect and we will show you how many are yours. We get your username, nothing else.
Connect Disqus to reveal.
Sport surfing is the centre of my chi… vive la résistance…?
Just joking, big Paulo de Torso. Don’t get offended, c’mon!
Ok Bee
Not offended… I’m not a nationalist, never been or will be and…
Torso???!!!! Nooooooo!!! Just nooooooo man!!!
WTF???!!!
This is clearly a provocation!!!…
Didn’t bother to scroll through all 101 comments, but according to WSL Euro HQ in France this is FAKE NEWS! Other more journalistically inclined websites like Boardsport Source have already taken their misinformed articles down, Chas… 😉
You forgot to mention the much better price/quality ratio of wine in Portugal! How could you?!
More importantly . Please tell me you only went left in Peru ! ( and had fun ) .Hasta la proxima vez.
Me and 1/2 of Canada, most of West Africa , remember Senegal in the Endless Summer , North Africa ,and the wonderful surfing islands of French Polynesia ,Mauritius,La Reunion , Guadeloupe and Martinique and for a little while there most of the south eastern states of what is now the USA.Please tell me you only went left in Peru ( and had fun ) .
Don’t you all think it is high time to return the tour to its rightful home in Newquay. I mean, the Tory government would love to help out with post-Brexit £. We are saving so much £ by leaving those pesky Europeans on their dirty mainland behind. We are the culturally superior race. Come see us. https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
I remember this photo – it won some sort of prize, didn’t it? It should have at any rate. Old mate reclining with the lager will be the Commissioner of my new Feral Surf Tour™. Full details to be announced shortly.
you can see it on the ceilings of chapels throughout this great nation.
Mike Deveney as commissioner! He won’t recall a thing. Perfect!
And God said « Let there Be Lite ( Beer) and full strength Lager and Cider « !
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
I think you’re wrong, the guy from the picture is Adam. God is asking for the bottle, Adam has his free will now, sayin “no way”…
And his free Willy
The guy lying on the ground trying to grab his beer reminds me of some old painting… https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Hell on Well St .
Yeah, I also noticed the name! The US have Wall st, Brits have Well St, but it eventually ends the same way…
I just learned it’s in Manchester. Well St in Manchester, I can imagine that!
All this to the tune of the Happy Mondays’ Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches ?
Yeah, or cigarettes and alcohol, Oasis!
Hieronymus Bosch would have a field day with this scene of Modern British Hell .Great move by the reclining drinker to protect his beer and not breaking it and using it as a weapon and therefore DRINKING RESPONSIBLY and avoiding GBH ?
Is this the end of Ozzygore?
Tara is obviously now a consultant for WSL – decolonizing sustainable surf tourism etc.
ah ze Golden Trump award?
But you do get your wish.
This is the last year for France/Hossegor , or next year in May , which is a really shit time of the year…..So now we have Portugal , in February next year , and will be the only Euro event , funny how the Portuguese Govt tips in major $’s wonder if there are plans for a pool there?
The French have chosen the wavegarden for the Paris Olympics , which fucks the WSL business plans for their Kpool , so move the office and embrace Portugal’s love of giving money to surf comps!
Particularly funny how the Portuguese government tips money into the WSL when they don’t seem to have money for a lot of other stuff.
Let them eat bolos!
Wrong, no choice have been made so far for the Olympics, for the very simple reason that no one knows if surfing will still be in the Paris games. As for the location, Lacanau, Hossegor and Biarritz are applying as hosts on their beaches, not on the wavegarden…who’s located in Spain
you know of no choice for the Olympics , it’s very easy to see that Lacanau/Hossegor/Biaritz cannot hold the Surfing Olympics there as it’s the worst time of the year for surf and beaches/towns are absolutely Chockers , so will France risk a 2 week flat period, answer NO.
The FF Surfing association has backed the Wavegarden in Paris , and one can only imagine the improvements to the pool over the next 5 years. So politically the French will do it there way , but moving the HQ from France to Portugal , the French do not forget!
All your assertions make sense, it is true that it is the worst swell season to hold a comp and that it would be logical to have the Olympics in a wavepool in terms of wave predictability, all I’m saying is that so far no decision has been made on where, how and if there will be an Olympic surfing competition in the Paris games
it only makes sense to hold the Comp in Hossegor , as there is more swell there , but as you know it could be dead flat , or 1-3′ …..probably light onshore , but July on the West Coast of France is absolutely Chockers with the holidays ,and I can assure you that behind the scenes , the political wrangle has started , and logic says that a pool will be perfect as this will be the first Surf Pool Olympics of France , or SPOOF , and in the next 5 years pools will come and go , but who will have the best waves by then?
Once again…to quote the uncredited Jeremy Piven…”it’s about economics.”
I once did some work with The Oracle of Omaha’s private jet outfit in Europe and they were based in Portugal specifically because of favorable tax and insurance circumstances.
Follow the money trail .
Boards from Asia , WSL in Portugal ! What’s next , relocating Wall St to Shanghai ?
At some point Wall St. will literally disappear. All of the trading is electronic anyway and the only thing keeping the banks/exchanges there is inertia and tradition. No…not THE Inertia but they like the NYC addresses and the 212 area code so they’ll stick it out for a little while longer.
Ou la la!
Touche!
This is an article that only Chas could write. And it is glorious.
guarantee the portuguese office will architecturaly lacking in style.
Well welll
Speaking only about universities… between 100 universities of architecture… 02 of Portugal Lisbon and Porto… 0 for France…
Porto one of the most advanced in conception in modern architecture…
And let me tell you more… 02 of Brazil in the 100… one of them in the 50… 0 France
From Oscar Niemeyer to Neymar and the storm . Building the future ?
But… Neymar is a popcorn!!!
2 out of 3 ain’t bad ?
French girls!
Since surfing is from Hawaii, you must refer to them as ‘Portagee’.
They invented malasadas, and brought the tiny guitar now know as ‘jumping flea’ to Hawaii and therefore a superior race.
The WSL in its infinite wisdom is correct.
Turpel and co, while spouting heat gibberish in Portagee-Land, should compose little ditties on-air using ukes, all the while stuffing their faces with the little donuts. Or face the wrath of The People.
Fun fact: in Hawaii, if you are Portagee you ain’t haole.
Stay tuned for exciting news regarding the location of the first CT stop in the rejuvenated 2019 world tour!
Please don’t say Portugal! Supertubos seems a fickle beast to get on and when it’s not the comps worse than Brazil.
Do the pros like this stop?
It will be Lemoore of course. The WSL will start at Lemoore and finish at Lemoore, Lemoore is the Thunderdome (hommage to Tina Turner and Kelly Slater).
“Portugal is probably my favourite tour stop,” enthused world #4 Johnny Utah. “The people are so friendly and the locations are epic. I got to the semis the first time I was here and I’m always trying to repeat that result or better it, so yeah, I love it!” – from WSL press release pre the 2019 season opener
Seriously though, I think this is a good call, Portugal has embraced pro surfing and the nation really believes in the sport, there’s an instinctive cultural connection with Brazil which is the dominant force on tour, the waves are excellent, and best of all, the government funds it.
Ah more power to the Brazzo’s , but really we all know that this year will be the last of the Hossegor Pro in Oct . May won’t work as the surf is super shit that time of the year , and sponsors would be/are really hesitant in backing a potential “C” grade surfing event.
So yeah let’s kick off the year , Peniche Pro in Feb and then to the Goldy , and one last question…what chance now of the K-pool being accepted for the Paris Olympics ….hhahaha….?
Good point… of course they’re gonna set up shop in the country that’ll provide funding!
Lisbon is a beautiful city, so inexpensive, goddamn, I love the place. I wish my home office was located there, in fact.
Yeah, it’s what I’m hearing. And y’hear about the golden visa? Throw half a million Euros at a joint and after six years you’re Portuguese! https://www.bbc.com/news/wo…
Is that all?
This is all too jingoistic for me….whatever that means.
Jingoistic is obviously a reference to the Tarantino movie: Jingo Unchained.
Or could it be a reference to our beloved armless jumbo charger: Jingo Pellegrine?