Hope springs eternal!
Nostalgia is a disease, on that we can agree, but we can also agree that the greatest time in the history of professional surfing was from 1999 – 2011 or thereabouts. For it was then that Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew floated the Dream Tour, placing the world’s best surfers on the world’s best waves and… oh I don’t need to remind you of the glorious. The singular glories.
Brodie Carr deftly snagged the reigns and guided the Association of Surfing Professionals and it seemed as though it would never end.
A golden era.
Well, co-Waterperson of the Year Dirk Ziff purchased the whole thing for free in 2012, began construction of the Wall of Positive Noise and here we are today.
Coronavirused.
A bloated, busted “media organization” that has little chance of reviving this year and storm clouds already hovering over next.
Could Rabbit get the gang (Brodie) back together and re-wrest control of the Pastime of Kings away from ELo and co.?
Let’s turn to Australia’s Gold Coast Bulletin for clues.
Since the World Surf League tour both WCT (World Championship Tour) and WQS (World Qualifying Series) has been on hold after Sydney Pro the last event held in March 14th, there has been mounting speculation as to what happens next.
Logan said as if it was a lay day contest call, “Everything is on hold until another announcement on June 1st.”
This leaves JBay (July), Teahupoo (August), Kelly’s Wave Ranch (September), France and Portugal in October, and Hawaii. (December. Outside oh Hawaii, it would seem unlikely that these events will happen considering the travelling issue and without a vaccine for COVID.
The problem for surfing unlike other sports such as NRL is that it is World Professional Surfing is a Global World Tour.
If restrictions are suitably lifted for travelling and the threat of the virus is contained, it could be possible for the World Tour to resume by September.
One scenario proposed by former President/CEO of ASP (former Administration of World Surf League) Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew is to create a Pacific rim tour including WAs Margaret River & Victoria’s Bells Beach.
Throw in Tavarua Fiji, Teahupoo Tahiti and then finish in Hawaii at Pipe.
“It’s a restricted World Tour of types but held in quality wave locations and a way to crown the World Champions for 2020,” said Bartholomew the architect of the ASP World Dream Tour who introduced events in exotic locations renown for excellent waves.
BOOM.
Of course Rabbit is offering his expertise, free of charge, to the World Surf League BUT the fact that he is even thinking about alternative scenarios makes my heart sing.
Brodie?
Are you reading?
Surfing now turns its lonely eyes to you.
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Who cares about a putative world champ? Just make each event a cash prize for first, nuthin for the losers, open to all comers who can afford the entry fee. Let them chuck themselves over the ledge and see who wins. Easy to sell and easy to promote. The rest of the world doesn’t care to pay attention for the whole tour but select events would sell.
So the 70,000 dead in America were all from nursing homes?
For the sake of the next generation, cancel the tour full stop. Nada no comps at all. The dream of being a rich surfer dies and along with it crowds and mass produced tail wafters.
Board shorts will be just shorts with their pockets cut out and candles melted with paraffin.
Dont be afraid for the ones who surf will do so for the pure feeling of riding waves.
Just name a 20/21 world champ like they did in the 80s and then after Australian leg start a shortened year for the ’21 champ. Same thing happened in’ 88. In fact I’ve seen boards signed by Damian Hardman where he signs it “world champ 88 and 91” when in fact he’s usually designated 87 world champ as 88 was Barton.
Rabbits idea is never going to happen while Australia (and elsewhere) has closed borders.
The wsl must be praying they can hold a comp in the wave pool to showcase it. Even if they can sell it as a one off world championship event.
If you want to do some real “surf journalism” why don’t you ask rabbit why he didn’t agree to the tour that coke was going to bankroll. Or ask him why he left the asp…
Here’s MY revolutionary idea for a world tour in 2020:
Forget it. Scratch all plans. Refund all surfer entry fees. Just let it go. Re-set everything for 2021.
Possibly a bit boring I know but pretending you can run an international pro sport this year is ridiculous.
Yes that’s the sensible man’s idea
However
sum of us are tryn’a preten’ that ain’t gonna be happnin’ any tyme soonish Nickleass
So wotcha gt t’ ad ?
OK then, how’s this, just make the Triple Crown the world title. 50% extra points for Sunset, double points for Pipe. CT points for CT people, QS points for everyone else.
Interesting concept and potentially workable if they can get something running by then…
What about next year ?(presuming that world travel is back to normal)
Hey Nicholas, something just occurred to me. Can you remember what Lil Bro’s ‘snap heard around the world’ was scored at Pipe? Best turn ever done at the time, and maybe still now, but no tube??? Any judge love? ta B
ummm shit I am not sure, I think a nine plus? Not a 10. I’ll check with Tom, he might remember. stand by.
My fav performance at pipe from Tommy was that legends heat
Sik!!
Last best wave of that generation
Hos still Gettin some
Only the deepest thinker could have come up with such a brilliant solution.
16 of the best in the best waves, stream it online and allow the audience to judge
NEVER allow the audience to judge. Never ever do that.
Dinosaur!
OK why not? Here are a few quick reasons.
– You will think the audience is you and your mates. It is not. It is Gabriel Medina’s seven million Insta followers.
– What you see on screen is not quite what happens live. Accurate judging needs both live vision and replays to do a good job.
– How many people do you reckon have any actual judging skills? How many have any idea of any particular location? It’s not some C grade “Wisdom Of The Crowd” tv show, it’s a pro sport.
– There’s not a single pro surfer who would consent to it. However I bet they would consent to being the only pro in a CT full of members of the audience. That’s the comparison.
…
I don’t think Stab got the memo mate
I say accept no tour/champ in 2020, and instead hold an innersection-style video contest in the back half of the year — if even just for content’s sake. At least it would give everybody something to do.
Dam fine comments section my Beachgrit family, dam fine indeed…
I upvote and salute you all.
I would imagine pottz would go nuts on those animal inspired nicknames?
With Auz and NZ potentially opening up travel between ourselves, couldn’t they have a few events – WSL ANZAC cup or something. I’m here all week Erik.
Cheating in science class:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk…
Looking at the pic of Neil I think, how fitting that the dude more responsible for global economic collapse than pretty much anybody looks like that.
I really miss being nostalgic
Covids really hardened me up.
Fuk the environment
Ungrateful bitch.
Gettin me a fuken V8 and not recycling another fuken thing.
I’ll see your V8 and raise you a V12…
I’ll probly just get some V8 veggie juice.
If I can afford it.
Yes not cheap but an efficient way to have your ‘5 plus a day’ whilst drinking
“It’s the last of the V8 Interceptors” https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Could use a polish
Somebody get Derek Hynd on the phone
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Just more dated and typical industry thinking.
Might as well include Brazil then, seeing it’s as close to the Pacific rim as WA.
Heck while we’re at it, J Bay could be in too seeing as it’s halfway between Brazil and WA.
Shit, why not just have a Southern Hemisphere (plus Hawaii) tour.
As long as California and Europe aren’t involved it should work…
Rabbits dreaming.
This ain’t happening in 2020.
Back to your hole, Rabbit.
His nickname has a nickname.
Onya Bugs
Mate no ones going near american mainland for sometime yet. If ya want it could finish there and then everyone is quarantined.
isla navidad, cortes bank & todas santos first 3 stops
Natividad
We need to bring back the distinct animal nickname to distract from Wayne-type name for some current Aussie pro. How ‘bout…
Owen “Meerkat” Wright
Wade “Sloth” Fitzgibbons
Ethan “Cabbage” Ewing… not an animal, I know, but his surfing is like runny, semi-solid, not quite diarrhea poop you get after Korean food
Cabbage Kids “WCT Pro Surfers Edition” could be a big seller.
Which animals’ nipples are closest together? Jordy could take that nickname.
A flea but that’s taken.
Maybe a gnat. A young gnat. A Gnat Young.
Gnat’s nips seem pretty normal. Gonna have to find a different animal. https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Nips aside, what other animal spirits?
Julian “Wombat” Wilson?
Pat “Connomara Pony” O’Connell?
Pat “Irish Pygmy Shrew” O’Connell?
Joel Tudor does actually look like a meerkat
Indeed, and Joe Turpel looks like a leemur,
A flea is an insect. This is what happens when you accept vegetables as animals. The next thing you know, people are rooting insects.
Sticking to theme*, Jordy “The Opossum” Smith.
*Finally, someone with sense in the BG comments section…
Common sense left when Covid-1984 arrived. We’re all that’s left, comment sense must prevail. It just has to.
Lets not be speciesist – insects are animals too you know
but, you have to miss -pronounce it “O possum”, my rules!
Titmouse. Its a small bird but the name works.
Why not Ethan “Buds” Ewing ?
Is it cos he’s not paid enough to afford good weed ?
How much is an oz in NZ nowadays?
Same as it’s been for the last 10 yrs from what I understand by watching the mainstream news…
Gabby Elephant balls Medina.
Gabby “Charlie’s Pet” Medina.
Octo pussy pus
bex vagina
Bit of effort mate
Bex cockbreath Vidina.
Long Sox Mangina?
Wade “Fitzgibbons”? Did he marry Sally and take her last name, ala Jack Blanchard?
not that i know!
Jack Rhino Dick Robinson
Kanoa Earwhig Igarashi
Griffin Tarantula Hawk Colapinto
Who gets to be “Murder Hornet”?
If only we had a “Crowe” on tour.. Murder Hornet would be perfect.
Oooooweee, that’s a good one! Not sure yet
Nico Paderats
The double barrel ones…just work
So a regional tennis tour?
So you want the tour to start in Santa Cruz?
Skindizzle may have an issue with that.. But yeah why not!!
So basically you’re saying that if Rabbit isn’t wresting control from E-Lo and co., then he must be submitting his resume to WSL for a rim job?
Or Elo counters with a pacific rimming tour.
Stand Up Pudding-ing
The rim of fire!