I've asked before but after yesterday's straight demolition it is time to ask again.
Looking back on the 2018 World Surf League Championship Tour it seems silly that anyone could have won other than Gabriel Medina. Oh certainly many talented surfers rose as the year meandered from Australia to Brazil, across the world to Indonesia, South Africa, Lemoore, etc. Filipe Toledo proved himself to be the most talented. Italo showed flashes of Occy-esque burger domination. Julian surfed well but nobody was going to beat Gabriel.
It seems as if he as harnessed a next-level competitive drive and latched it to incredible natural ability (though not as natural as Filipe’s) and Kelly Slater mind tricks.
You watched Jordy Smith go over the falls with priority in his semi-final heat, didn’t you? Gabriel Medina willed Jordy Smith over the falls and Jordy is not a wet-behind-the-ears fella either. He is a ASP/WSL veteran, clocking time and collecting year end bonuses.
The combination of ability, competitiveness and tricky business means that 2019 will be his too. Who on tour can beat?
Oh yes, John John Florence.
While Gabriel was being hoisted unto shoulders, draped in the Brazilian flag after surfing what many, including Steve Shearer, considered the best day in professional surf history; John John Florence was in Australia. Surfing some little waves. Having fun.
Now, maybe his competitive fire has gone out but he and Gabriel Medina both have two world titles and, if John John can muster his internal forces, the fight between the two will be as good as the ones between Andy Irons and Kelly Slater.
Possibly even better.
I’ve asked before but now since it is over, it is time to ask again. Do you think John John feels the burn or do you think he is happy letting Gabriel roll of a quick four titles in a row? It seems like something we could bet on.
I think you have had to much to think
He’s more Dane than Medina, surely
Sailors are the last explorers of our time. While others are drawn to the air conditioned cities.
Introverted kid liked to play video games on the sofa with his mates.
Oh thank fuck I’m not alone in that opinion, good job LGR
That must mean something different in the states than in Oz…
stunning how much you lot give a fuck. get a grip.
Not much else to do.
Might as well get fuckin rowdy about pointless opinions to other anonymous strangers!!!
WHOOOO-HHHOOOOO!!!
FUCK YEAH DUDE!!
PARTY WAVE COMMENTS SECTION!!!
who pissed in yer pint DA?
me lol
it us called recycling
I think you’ll be in luck getting Jordy to talk. He still has a few interviews to rattle off before he meets his xmas bonus target.
Personally I can’t wait to see Jordy’s 2019 annual remake of his classic hit Vimeo release “I’ve Had Some Time To Think, And I’ve Realised I’m A Comp Surfer And This Year I’m Going All In On A World Title”
Should break the internet that one.
Spoiler alert: It’s set in Mozambique
Fuk you and your jordy crush
I love it
Best piss take ever! !
How about Parko not catching a wave for 20 minutes to let his buddy Jules thru to the next round? Where’s fairness in that?
Yeah finally he did something good for someone.
I kept screaming to my wife (who doesn’t care), “He’s fucken throwing the heat! He’s throwing it!”
I posted on this very forum, right here on BeachGrit, that the media transformation of a simple working class yobbo, named Mick Fanning, into a supernatural deity (god) due to a shark attack & death of a brother during a surf comp would burn him. My prediction proved correct. I think JJF is in the same boat, namely, too much false adulation pushed upon him vicariously by the brainwashed masses. Some personalities are fit for media because they actually enjoy the spotlight (Kelly, Filipe, etc). But when many of the accolades are also false, its difficult to live such a lie. It took Ross Williams 3 days of Medina blazing like never seen before to finally admit at the end of the broadcast Medina had “equal freakish talent” as John. Possibly, Medina’s haters & lack of true recognition keeps Medina hungry. Personally, Medina blew my mind when I first noticed him in Fiji 2012; where he had so so much time & vision when in the barrel. But few, if any, gave him the warranted praise. Where as JJF’s vicarious sheeple herd diminish what they adore. Personally, I struggle to see what bars JJF has raised very highly to give him the degree of greatness bestowed upon him. Medina has made so many breakthroughs, such as: (i) revolutionized small wave aerial surfing at the Nike Pro 2012 (which now Filipe does); (ii) relegated the Old Guard to win youngest ever (with Kelly) title in 2014; (iii) defeated JJF & Kelly in so many vital heats in waves he has no experience in (eg. Tahiti 2014); (iv) surfed deeper in the barrel than anyone; (v) 1st goofy ever to out surf the regulars at Backdoor (twice, for two world titles). As for JJF: (i) lost to Kelly at Pipe 2013 and Tahiti 2014; (ii) won 5 events, 2 in Brazil; (iii) won two sloppy world titles, with lots of generous judging, where everyone, including himself, was 1/2 asleep; (iv) OK, won the Eddie beating the old Ross Clarke Jones; and most importantly: (v) the question arises, how much has JJF raised the bar of tube riding beyond Kelly, Andy & J.O.B? I suppose his tubing riding at Tahiti 2014 was incredible but has JJF raised the bar the same as Butch Van Artsdale, Lopez, Shaun, Carroll, Slater and JOB raised the bar? Personally, I am not sure. I think greatness is measured not in doing better what came before you but completely revolutionizing what came before you. Butch, Lopez, Shaun, Carroll (eventually) and Slater really did this! They surfed the barrel like no one before them; 200% better. I am not sure about John. Is John better than Kelly, Andy & JOB? If so, by how much? 10%? 15%? 20%? If he could not beat Kelly in 2013 and 2014 at big Tahiti & Pipe then he ain’t that much better. He is not the GOAT. He is blonde, polite, surfs better and makes movies like Michael Jackson with his brothers, below: https://www.youtube.com/wat…
Interesting Nick.
Couple of thoughts
How is mick burned at the moment?
Most brazzo motivation is not to be poor and provide for the family. They would hardly give a shit about Western press.
But in saying that
Journos were burning GMed right from the get go about his big wave credos. At only 19 years old….
He didn’t like that and won that mackin Chopes comp in revenge
Since then he’s learnt not to give a fuk
Anyways
Happy hanuka!!
Mick retired. That is what I meant by “burned” by too much media & social unrealistic “superman” expectations. Thanks for the hanuka dude.
“Unrealistic” expectations? Expectations to do what? To come back and fight a shark again? To bring his brother back to life? Unless you’re saying that if the media did not make a big deal of both events, Mick would’ve been unfazed by it and wouldn’t have retired – You, frankly, did not “predict” anything. These two events just happened upon a 34 year old, 15+ year tour vet. The events may have forced his hand into retirement. But the media coverage did not.
I think the “brazzos need to provide for the family” narrative is a bit lazy when it comes to GM. He’s already made money for his grandsons and could cruise to average results on the CT that it wouldn’t really matter
yeah…. Gmed and cruising don’t mix
Who said JJF is the GOAT? I think Kelly still has the title and always will. I do think it is indisputable that JJF is still the best surfer on the planet RIGHT NOW. You are putting all your comparisons in competitive context – emphasizing that he has not won a pipe masters yet and lost this heat or that. Well until I see Medina or Toledo surf Jaws or paddle out to Code Red Cloudbreak, instead of sitting at the bar watching on tv, then come talk to me. Any air Gabe or Medina can do, so can JJF. Can John beat Toledo in 2ft wind shit Huntington? 8 out of 10 times… probably not. But who cares? If you want to break that down into winning percentages in 2 ft slop of 5%, 10%, 15% haha, you do that as well. You want to throw JJF Gabe and Filipe out in 10foot Chopes, I’m sure Filipe shits himself in the channel. But I can also tell you that Owen Wright would be just as good as Gabe would be. So is Gabe now a lesser surfer? In other words, Gabe has not revolutionized anything either. He is another complete surfer but with perhaps better competitive prowess that anyone before. But overall, in 2-40 feet, JJF has no equals. Don’t think you’d even get an argument from Gabe or Filipe either. Until Filipe and Gabe bust out their inflation vests and have a go at some outer reefs, this argument about who is a better surfer overall is moot.
I think the only fair way to compare a “better” surfer is in a competition. You can have your favourite, but in no way JJF is the indisputable better surfer
No. That makes it fairer to determine who is the better “competitive surfer” and not necessarily who is the better or more talented surfer overall. The eyeballs and optics DO matter. Kanoa Igarashi (and I do respect his surfing), at world number 10, is by your standards, a better surfer than Kolohe, Ace, Adriano, Seabass, Griffin, Wilko and even Dane Reynolds. The overwhelming concensus seems to be that if jjf walked away from the tour, he would still be considered the best or one of the best surfers in the world. Similar to when Dane walked away. How much weight did the World Champs who won titles when Kelly took a break carry?
I like it Nick. Good thoughts
Seen him at least a few times at lowers. Quiet, mellow, and yet somehow is never seen paddling or popping up. He’s just already on the best wave, going faster than anyone in the water dreams of going.
Ta.
Yet he’s not a Pipe Master.
Yeah, conveniently avoided fact on this thread
I didn’t intend it as a dig but as possible motivation for JJ to stay on Tour. I can’t imagine he’d call it a competitive career without his name carved into the board on Ke Nui road. I’m sure The Eddie trophy is sentimentally the highlight of his career but as a product of Pipeline he needs to win a Pipe Masters.
No doubt champion.!
Why are they called ‘gunboats’?
(too lazy to look it up)
God are all of you people losers? Just wondering since you all seem to hate competition so much. Who hurt you? John John would be a pussy not to get back on tour after watching what Medina did today. Maybe I have this opinion because I played sports growing up before I started surfing (moved to the coast when I was 12). But if you want to be the best you have to prove it.
Not all losers, but some.
You deserve a trophy for your 134th place comment
Just as you do for somehow having enough time to scroll through 134 comments.
Honestly the Medina haters are more annoying than Lebron or even Brady haters. If you don’t think Medina was far and away the best surfer yesterday your hate has blinded your vision beyond repair.
I’m not a Jordy fan, but he won that heat.
You be an easy cult convert
Yeah well Gabrielle and kelly don’t look sideways.