Windy three-foot Bah is fun to watch. No?
Strange to see Kelly, twenty-seven years into it , scratching around windy, scrappy little peaks like a seagull after a chip. Spit-roasted by Brazilian goofyfooters with vastly updated arsenals.
The patented carving 360, state of the art when Yago was not a twitch in his old mans nut-sack, awarded a lowly four points.
I know the WSL was caught flat-footed with the late D-Bah start but I was still very excited by the venue change. Brazilian goofy-foots throwing tails into the wind was my vision and that transpired from both Yago and Italo.
Kelly relegated to the new round two.
Judgement withheld on the new format, though Pottz’ logic that it somehow puts “more pressure on round one” is hard to fathom. More likely it depressurises round two and puts the first level of interest at round three. Advantage Kelly.
How many sub-10 point heats against better credentialed opponents before Kelly’s legacy is chipped away at? Probably an infinite number seeing as WSL controls the narrative and the new media partnerships with RedBull Media House will mean a mountain of content burying any dissenting viewpoint.
Judgement withheld on the new format, though Pottz’ logic that it somehow puts “more pressure on round one” is hard to fathom. More likely it depressurises round two and puts the first level of interest at round three. Advantage Kelly.
We are back… with Kieren at the helm. That was comforting. Ronnie, Pete, Joe, Pottz. It’s incredible the stability the WSL has maintained at the coal face of the production. More CEO’s than commentary team changes. The only discernible difference in the production was a fridge full of RedBull cans placed subtly in a corner of the location room.
Where are the VIP ticket holders holed up? The Atlas Pass. $1300 for the event. $300 for the day. Did you buy? Know a friend who did?
Don’t be embarrassed, come on in and share the experience. Tell us about the goodies in the freeby bag.
Well, all in all WSL look like geniuses waiting a month to hold Snapper this year.
March has been deady bones and windy three-foot Bah is fun to watch. No?
How about a Soli Bailey-Italo Ferreira Final.
Does that excite?
I think it is on the cards.
Ricardo got the highest score in the women’s event – seriously, get a haircut Ricardo!
Does ANYONE enjoy listening to Pottz? So boring and repetitive…
Pleeeeez replace asphyxiated-Turpel, caught-between-Santa-Cruz-hard-and-trying-to-sound-semi-literate-Mel and nobody-believes-I-am-this-nice Potter with people who don’t make me want to mistime a snapper jump in and get rag-dolled around the fecking rocks. And great call putting Mic my-turns-are-my-airs Fanning to commentate on the air show.
At least they’ve got Luke Egan floating around – brings a bit of sense into the booth!
The waves were crap. He stands no chance against the flyboys in small beach break conditions. Hope a couple events are pumping I think Kelly could make some noise in some size
It’s still crappy surf.
He’s not challenged or inspired and he’s still coming back from a layoff and an injury.
If Kelly sucks when Pipe/Backdoor are foffing, then he should hang it up, play golf, marry the girl, get richer, invest in real estate, announce all the WSL events.
You have to get him interested, challenged.
Tricks are for kids.
And he’s forty fooking seven or whatever it is and competing against kids more than half his age and still relevant.
Give him a break you bunch of sideline-sitting scamps.
I thought Kelly surfed well but that the lefts were better and he was hardly going to beat those lads on lefts in small gutless waves. He is looking very sharp! Having said all that Ben Gravy got better waves in Missouri than any of the cunts in the contest!
Snapper is late this year because it’s a late Easter and that dictates the Bells dates. Maybe they couldn’t hold snapper early and then have a month between events.
previously for a late Easter they ran Snapper, then Margies, then Bells.
Bourez?
Or is he too much brawn and not enough style?
Kelly’s board, wrong choice! He is sinking…
I understand that I am way under qualified to make this comment but I think he needs a longer board. These 5 foot something boards don’t let him draw out the turns properly. He always looks like he’s over surfing it. I also think he should go full fluoro colour spray to mix it up a bit. Or go retro for the year and copy the famous 90s designs just to hang a bit of shit for his swan song.
He could do Martin Potter flames (or Martin Potter Green and gold stubbies era) or Rob Bain yellow and white or Tom Carroll swish. Matt Hoy maltese cross, etc. He’s taking the piss anyway, why not go out with a bit of self parody?
You got it. But relaxing is not part of his game.
Hey, I’m doing some pretty fucken hard power surfing in 2019!
And by “power surfing”, you mean having a stance that resembles that of a squatting power lifter, don’t you?
Hoy definitely. But Munro? Knox, Hobbit Coffin, Cardoso and even Griffin. Monster carves.
I don’t remember Curran at the end looking this bad though? so the chink in the shield of “greatest” continues.
No no no !
You have to go after dark ?
Asking for a friend.
But they’re not wrong, in a way. It’s a constant evolution. Not quite apples and oranges, but not far off.
Guys coming up spend time looking above the lip; guys in the 90s were mainly focused below it.
Take away the progressive elements and surfers today would absolutely be doing rail surfing as good as it’s ever been. It’s just not the only focus anymore.
Having Strider and MF commentating the air show is a joke. NFI. Can not believe they did not put a bit more thought into that one. E-Lo – life your game not your paddle.
Thanks to Instagram retrospectives I think you might be right.
Or does it just look better with a longer rail line buried?
Is anyone else imagining E-Lo dancing energetically around the WSL office to the high energy rap music being used on the promo clips?
Also LOL JJF first heat back and they cut to an interview with the women’s longboard world champion.
Expert content direction so far.
that was an insanely bum note getting that gal in the booth when JJF’s heat was on.
very WSL.
Completely agree
Yeah like great she won, and at a young age and all. But choose your time!
Julie musta been up late with a puking baby. He wasn’t really there.
Non elimination, and best 2/3!tomorrow, conditions meh. Not surprising really
Yeah.saving his strength I guess.
I love curren but those 2 mid 9’s Filipe posted against Jordy in 2017 quarters, in the first 4 minutes of the heat, were some of the best pure power surfing ever in a contest. Just ask Shaun Thomson.
Also in semi against Julian Filipes first wave end gaff right before the floater. Best rail game on the planet
best rail game?
You mean JJF at Margs.
Felipe is no where near that
I agree JJF at Margs 2017 was best rail surfing maybe ever. But Felipe at J Bay WAS near that. Every single observer at that comp was saying same thing. It was an incredible performance.
And John is my 3rd favorite all time surfer behind Tom Carrol and Andy. My point is this kid from Brazil known for small wave airs is the back to back J Bay Champ by doing magical, beautiful rail surfing. Dropping 9’s and 10’s like Longtom burns blunts.
And while I respect Gabe for his skill and competive grit his surfing has never made me feel like I feel watching Andy, John snd now Felipe at J Bay. I hope he gets the hat trick there this year.
Filipe at j bay pretty impressive