Uh oh.
Even though the World Surf League’s official forecasting partner, Surfline, predicted there would be much small surf on tap for the opening days of the Outerknown Tahiti Pro, surf fans from around the globe dutifully logged on to the WSL’s website in order to take in Joe Turpel, Laura Enever and the ever-handsome Pete Mel flanked by paradise. There the three sat in floral shirts attempting to speak Tahitian creole and praising the “end of the road.”
Turpel emphasized that Teahupoo is both the real “end of the road” on the isle of Tahiti and the metaphorical “end of the road” of the 2022 season. Or, actually, the “end of the road” before the top five men and top five women head to San Clemente, California for final’s day.
Currently, the top five women are, in order, Carissa Moore, Johanne Defay, Tatiana Weston-Webb, Stephanie Gilmore and Brisa Hennessy. Lakey Peterson is sitting just under the cut, ready to strike in case of stumble.
The top five men, Filipe Toledo, Jack Robinson, Ethan Ewing, Italo Ferreira and Griffin Colapinto.Kanoa Igarashi waiting in wings.
Well, after happy small talk in the booth, the feed was tossed to Dimity Stoyle and WSL deputy commissioner Renato Hickel sitting in boat. Hickel, too, praised the surrounding gorgeous before declaring there was not enough surf to run today and it “is supposed to be smaller tomorrow if you can believe it” so called Friday off too.
Surf fans in the sidebar chat seemed devastated.
Filipe Toledo, the world’s best small wave surfer, must certainly have been devastated too. Each day called off brings the projected monstrous swell that much nearer.
Terror clawing at corners moving closer and closer to the center of a beautiful mind.
How will you spend the next two days?
Twiddling thumbs?
Drinking heavily?
More as the story develops.