"The idea is to help surfers better plan and focus on each wave, especially in difficult surfing conditions."
The World Surf League, based there in Santa Monica, California, has never met a corporate partner it either did not like or for which would not abandon any semblance of moral. From China’s carbon spewing Great Wall Motors to Barefoot chardonnay to the Barefoot chardonnay of beers Michelob Ultra, CEO Erik Logan and gang have actively tarnished the brand by attaching its name to, literally, anything.
Thus, surf fans woke this morning to a start. After an unparalleled string of brazen idiocy, a new partner has emerged ahead of the 2023 Championship Tour and not only does it make sense, it will likely enhance the whole viewing experience.
Yes per early news:
The Apple Watch will officially be catching waves. The World Surf League announced today that it’s adopting the Apple Watch Series 8 and Ultra as official equipment to keep surfers up to date during competitions. It marks the first time a professional sports league has named the Apple Watch as its official wearable of choice.
Before each heat, each athlete will be given Series 8 and Ultra watches preloaded with a specially made WSL Surfer app. The app will connect with the league’s scoring system in real time and give surfers updates on scores, wave priority, and how much time is left in the heat. They’ll also be able to see how many points are needed to either advance or take the lead. The idea is to help surfers better plan and focus on each wave, especially in difficult surfing conditions.
Aside from the surfers knowing how much time is left in their heats, what the score is etc., I’d imagine that real time data will be gathered from them. How much distance they have paddled, how fast they move when up and riding, the force exerted when Filipe Toledo punches his board after failing to catch a wave at pumping Teahupo’o and won’t that information be fun for us at home?
I think yes.
Knowing the World Surf League like I do, there is very little doubt that the League will also be selling the information gathered from surfers to Big Data and so the aforementioned Filipe Toledo will also start receiving advertisements for 5 lbs dumbbells as soon as he gets out of the water and checks his phone.
Exciting times.
Quickly, though, as I read through the first paragraph of the cut n paste portion above, the bit that reads “The World Surf League announced today that it’s adopting the Apple Watch Series 8 and Ultra as official equipment to keep surfers up to date during competitions…” it makes me feel that Apple is not, in fact, paying the WSL nor is it a partnership, rather just another part of the uniform.
Am I right?
Big Data certainly getting a call.
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Given make or break s2 is back on apple maybe the deal was we will release your show if tou wear our watches…
that’s a 6OK FOC order, now what if a unsponsored rider gets busted selling his or hers for 500€ then claims he lost it out in the water, can he or she be kicked off the tour? Apples for Apples
Filippe’s heart rate will be fun to follow as Pipe gets above 6ft
Surfers spontaneously start wearing apple watches! A miracle.
fubar!
https://scontent-sjc3-1.xx….
Hopefully Italo will be wearing one when he stomps on a board.
Would be fun to hack and tell everyone they’re comboed.
get rid of anything letting the surfers “what they need”. Make them surf every wave at 100%.
No more “closing out heats” by sitting on someone watching good waves go by
Anything that keeps young children gainfully employed in Africa mining the metal needed for apple batteries is a wonderful thing!
i (like to) watch
mickey mouse! watch…
Will they be getting Kinoa to fix the broken ones and do the programming?
Feel like that would be a conflict if so
Phil can play candy crush for 30 minutes at chopes.
Watch this space little guy.
How many dumb cunts that cant tell the time are going to be checking their watch so often that they miss a wave?
Apple reps in the booth calling heats?
Good times ahead
I am concerned this partnership will take away from local bush regeneration projects, coral reef replenishment and not to mention clearing Indonesia and the pacific from plastic
If watches still had big and little hands, Griffin would have to continue listening for the beach announcer.
Best surf watch—Armitron—blue bezel, water resistant to 165 feet—about 16 bucks at Walmart.
I actually used to take my watch off before a surf sometimes— just for the added freedom I felt—no glancing at the time, no ties to the land or time —it really seemed to make it more of a pure experience —just you, your board and the wave..…
You forgot your wettie and your slugos
You should really be bodysurfing then, toots.
Poor old Samsung must be feeling a bit hard done by, they were always the mid-heat smart device of choice https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
did it ever to anyone, that every time they turn into a pro surfing contest, they are affirming Elo and are helping to promote this type of thing.
I like to hate watch the WSL at this stage!
I just hacked the -ity off as I do sometimes….
Your sh article lacked clar and specifici. And your atroc of an interview with ELo is still a shameful missed opportun that lacked integr for The People.
dem stoyle…
Imagine if they had this tech back in the 80’s, we would know how many times I nailed your Mum’s!!
I’d rather they eliminate priority and mic the surfers up.