"I disagree with the decision, Kelly used and abused. Is it fair?" asks Caio Ibelli.
Well, that ain’t a surprise. Despite everything, Kelly’s busted foot that functioned at favourable events, John John’s theatrical exit mid-year and gadflies that insisted Caio Ibelli take at least one of the wildcards, the two world champions have been awarded the WSL’s injury wildcards.
Here’s the presser:
“It’s always a challenge when we have a large number of applicants for a limited number of wildcard positions,” Kieren Perrow, WSL Commissioner, said.
“We truly appreciate and understand the value of being on tour and take this process very seriously. As it has for years, this process includes an independent medical review board, which assesses the applicants based on severity of injury and the impact it has on the surfer’s ability to compete at the Championship Tour level. In the case of 2018, all three applicants were deemed to have severe injuries that prevented them from competing in multiple events. From there, we apply our technical criteria and career achievement factors – which include World Titles, career results, prior year ranking, and ranking at time of injury. While all three have strong cases, we have determined that Kelly Slater (USA) and John John Florence (HAW) will receive the WSL wildcards for 2019 and Caio Ibelli (BRA) will be the first replacement for the tour – not something we guarantee to a third applicant most seasons but is deserving in this case.”
Here’s Kelly, two days ago.
And, John John on Sunday at D-Bah.
A Solomon-esque decision and I doubt Caio is anything but thrilled with his place very close to the grid.
Midday update. As the writer Longtom has since pointed out, Caio is very said, as evidenced by an Instagram post that reads, after going through the Google Translate wringer,
INJURY WILCARD UPDATE:
Today @wsl announced that next year’s Injury Wildcard will be Kelly Slater and JJ Florence. Sincerely, I disagree with the decision, Kelly used and abused. She went to Fiji 20 feet during the Keramas event, stayed 3rd in the pool and did not go to France next week. This is the second consecutive year that he uses the same wave. Is it fair?
The two other replacement surfers on the men’s side are Portugal’s Fred Morais and the Australian Bruce Irons-alike Ethan Ewing.
The defending women’s world champ, Tyler Wright, who disappeared from the tour mid-year in a still-to-be satisfactorily explained manner, is the women’s wildcard. The replacement surfers are the Australian Keely Andrew and Santa Babs’ Sage Erickson.
Oh and more from the presser, which I’ve thoughtfully cut and pasted here.
The 2019 WSL CT will be the primary Tokyo 2020 Olympics qualification avenue for the world’s best surfers. The world rankings at the end of the 2019 CT season will determine 18 of the 40 places at the Olympic Games (10 men and 8 women). The remaining 22 places will be determined at the 2019 and 2020 ISA World Surfing Games, the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, and a single slot (each for men and women) for the host nation, Japan.
Of these 18 places determined by the WSL, there is a maximum of 2 men and 2 women for each country (e.g. if there are 3 women from Australia in the Top 8, only the Top 2 female Australians will qualify).
The 2019 Championship Tour starts in April and runs until December. This is a year-long, multi-stage tour that tests the world’s best surfers in a variety of different waves and conditions. The CT schedules are listed below:
2019 Men’s Championship Tour schedule
Gold Coast Men’s Pro: April 3 – 13, 2019
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: April 17 – 27, 2019
Bali Men’s Pro: May 13 – 24, 2019
Margaret River Pro: May 27 – June 7, 2019
Oi Rio Pro: June 20 – 28, 2019
J-Bay Open: July 9 – 22, 2019
Tahiti Pro Teahupo’o: August 21 – September 1, 2019
Surf Ranch Pro: September 19 – 22, 2019
Quiksilver Pro France: October 3 – 13, 2019
Meo Pro Peniche: October 16 – 28, 2019
Billabong Pipe Masters: December 8 – 20, 2019
2019 Women’s Championship Tour Schedule
Gold Coast Women’s Pro: April 3 – 13, 2019
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: April 17 – 27, 2019
Bali Women’s Pro: May 13 – 24, 2019
Margaret River Pro: May 27 – June 7, 2019
Oi Rio Pro: June 20 – 28, 2019
J-Bay Open: July 9 – 22, 2019
Surf Ranch Pro: September 19 – 22, 2019
Roxy Pro France: October 3 – 13, 2019
Meo Pro Peniche: October 16 – 28, 2019
Hawaii Women’s Pro: November 25 – December 7, 2019
john is not compitting next year
The glaring omission from the criteria is any monitoring or consideration of the amount of surfing the injured surfer does while injured when he feels like it. I also HATE the WSL’s refusal to let the women surf Pipe. They could go there right after Honolua.
To Hassellhoff to turn it off
it all went tits up when they stopped accepting alcohol and ciggy money. fond grom memories of coconut scented, large breasted, white bikini clad Malibu rum girls cruising the contest area. now I have to listen jeep ads. that fucking add is actually worse than drinking Malibu rum.
Ha! Malibu turned up at the re-opening party of a surf shop in my town back in the day. There were 3 girls wearing a white one piece with the logo and text on the front “I taste like paradise” and on the back; “…and I come from heaven”. Their tent was thriving while the Strongbow cider tent was experiencing less business, possibly due to their girls wearing large t-shirts and ‘mom’ jeans. But they were doling out the product in larger plastic cups. Did what any enterprising student type would and grabbed a Strongbow sample in order to use the larger cup and spend more time tuning the Malibu girls. Thought I was in with a shot until closing time, when a cocaine fuelled hot shot rocked up in a convertible and spirited them away to a night of debauchery not involving me.
The WSL is a Circus trying to be the greatest show on earth ?
Man… 7x!
Well, Tennis… is the other rich cousin from Golf!!!
God bless the WSL for rolling for a double 6 during their waiting period in MR.
It is not fair, but that’s life.
If Caio puts his fins in backwards and surfs the QS next year 3 things will happen –
1.He’ll get a lot of great publicity and maybe make a billboard
2. He’ll surf better and requalify — It worked for Chas, he put fins in backward on his retro board and apparently surfing way better than before! – not such a great benchmark comparison but surely relevant!
3. He’ll enjoy life with his girlfriend who also got dumped off the CT and onto QS…happy campers!
Haha yeah there needs to be a different word for deserved entitlement vs entitlement
Read the definition of entitlement much?
en·ti·tle·ment
/inˈtīdlmənt,enˈtīdlmənt/Submit
noun
the fact of having a right to something.
“full entitlement to fees and maintenance should be offered”
synonyms:right, prerogative, claim;
More
the amount to which a person has a right.
“annual leave entitlement”
synonyms:right, prerogative, claim;
More
the belief that one is inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment.
“no wonder your kids have a sense of entitlement”
The guys doing security at Pipe
Is that a moke?
22 places up for grabs for tokyo! some cool runnings type shit about to unfold. those adult learners still have a shot at gold!
My money is on China!
no chance. they think working out in the gym is the future, oh and a bit of trampoline bouncing. oneof their female competitors couldn’t get out the back on a four foot day.
I dunno, never count out the Chinese. They have a bizarre obsession with Olympic gold. No doubt they’ll find a way get a taste of surfing glory. Might take them a couple of years to be fair.
Kelly competing at the wave pool is just like any other local surfer having some sort of home ground advantage at his local break – think Hakman at Sunset, Gerry at Pipe, Rabbit at Burleigh, MP at Kirra etc. So get over it ya whingers. I am looking forward to seeing him compete next year, hopefully in all 11 events, and see how he goes, especially against new world champ Medina. Will be fascinating to watch.
well at least you get another year to jerk off to kelly.
and you wrote “said” instead of “sad”
I’m with you, Caio.
Unfortunately it’s the bald fucker’s ball and he’ll decide when he’s playing and who with.
I’m just copying and pasting Wade. I thought the google translate pretty funny though.
BeachWaver not interested in Maui anymore?
Please cry it’s freeeeeeee