Western Australian leg under threat as pro surfers mobilise against mid-year tour cut!
Wild scenes at the steamy surf ghetto of Torquay, that plastic bubble of windswept hairdos and teen sexpots, with both sides of the pro surfing gender divide united in their hate for this year’s mid-year tour cut.
The cut, which erases anyone below 22 in the men, ten in the women, comes into play after the next event at Margaret River; for slow-to-start tour rookies it means their career in the big leagues is over before it’s even begun. For Owen Wright, the biggest name to fall, it spells the end of fifteen years on tour.
Our man on the ground says there is “talk of a boycott. There was a surfer’s meeting with Jessi Miley-Dyer on-site at Bells and tensions flaring, some people in tears. Men and women united, not happy with mid-year cut off, not happy with Challenger series calendar.”
Jordy Smith, who lost in controversial circumstances in the round of 32 after the judges weren’t convinced by a paddle interference that would’ve won him the heat, alluded to the boycott in his post-heat presser.
When asked about his Margs prep, the world number nine sighed deeply and said, “I’m not sure, yet. There’s a lot of chat between the surfers’ groups about what’s on with the cut and everything. I’ll wait and see what comes of that.”
What a story, yes?
Tears!
A boycott!
The existence of the Western Australian leg of the tour threatened.
This is what sport is about!
A little excitement etc.
The on-site interviewer, the usually fabulous Ms Laura Enever, however, quickly cut the interview short lest anyone’s pulse race.
“Amazing. Thanks Jordy.”