Bracket round of Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach sees surf great Kelly Slater’s Olympic dream curb stomped by silver medalist Kanoa Igarashi!

GOAT roast.

Our dear JP Currie, it appears, is out of range on his glorious sojourn to the wild bits and unable to provide the day’s wrap we so desperately require. For how can footing be found, in our lives, when we don’t know what we should think about Jack Robinson becoming undone by Xavier “Cliff” Huxtable. What we should feel about another early exit for Kolohe Andino, all that promise likely getting bounced off tour.

The surf, if it can be described as thus, was not good.

Biggish, sloppy, grey.

The sort of business that only the absolutely surf-crazed would willingly paddle into.

Zeke Lau will be following Andino out the door.

And Kelly Slater.

The world’s greatest surfer was brought low by Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi after surviving the elimination round. The affair was absurdly uninspiring but what other way was this going to go? Slater retiring with dignity after his Pro Pipeline victory last year? No, the “world’s greatest…” sportsmen rarely know when to go. Slater even dreamed of an Olympic run, but a few weeks ago. In truth, professional surfing should kick its own buttocks if it can’t sort out a way for that to happen. The Floridian struggling in bumpy lumps is dull and sad. Him threading Teahupoo’s guts, though, is still magic.

It’s funny, I suppose, that what could have kept Slater surfing on tour for at least a few more years would have been quality waves.

Cloudbreak etc.

THE MOMENTUM IS REAL.

But what were your thoughts on the “bracket round?” What do you hope to see in the upcoming round of 16?

Excited to see Ethan Ewing ring the bell or lightly underwhelmed, again, by the “oldest surf contest in the world?”