“It’s amazing what a good old death threat will do.”
Brazilian fans are rejoicing tonight and singing the praises of the WSL’s expert judging panel after the reigning world champ Filipe Toledo demolished American Griffin Colapinto in the final of the Surf City Pro in El Salvador.
On an unremarkable wave Filipe, who was brave as anything in the weak two-foot surf, turned the heat when he hammered four identical turns for a nine-point ride, something no one saw coming. The wave pressured Colapinto into a series of throwaway airs and his eventual loss.
This time last year, of course, Griffin was being hammered with “violent, gruesome threats” for beating Filipe in the same contest, Brazilian fans claiming the fix was in for the gringo, a white conspiracy and so on, the hashtag, #worldshameleague a viral hit.
Even Filipe’s daddy got into the mix, “We really hope that something will be done, and that this will change, as it is becoming unbearable to see and hear the things we are hearing. during the events, I am embarrassed for the others.”
(Read, Brazilian surf fans apoplectic following Californian Griffin Colapinto’s “shock” win over world title favourite Filipe Toledo, “World Shame League! This event was a joke!” and Latin surf fans vow to create chaos at next World Tour event in Brazil following Filipe Toledos controversial loss to Californian in El Salvador, “The biggest protest in history in Saquarema! Bring banners, balloons, planes, boo all the time! Make them leave due to emotional stress!”)
Two weeks ago, after Brazilians Gabriel Medina, Italo Ferreira and Filipe Toledo were put to the sword by Ethan Ewing and Griffin Colapinto at the Surf Ranch Pro, Ethan was told he was going to be killed (“Here in Brazil, we will kill you. Saquarema will be your funeral,” one Brazilian fan wrote via DM), Gabriel wrote a sad post about bad judging, Italo went teen girl passive-aggressive mode (“After a long day, of many thoughts, analyses, news and arguments, I realized that I am tired, psychologically exhausted… We want nothing but fair. Nothing beyond what is our right. We need our voice to be heard and respected”) and WSL CEO Erik Logan was forced out his panic room to address the rampaging elephants with a searing open letter.
The WSL judging panel, architects of six Brazilian world champions over the last nine years, were accused of ineptitude, bias and racism by Brazilian fans.
Now, the bootie is on the other foot, as they say, with some surf fans claiming the judges and the WSL were too damn scared to let Colapinto win again.
“WSL gifted that win to Felipe because they’re too scared of what would happen to Griffin in Brazil if he won. WSL has to protect their most prized American surfer rn, can’t risk Griffin’s safety in Brazil.”
“Imagine winning but not knowing if you really won because you know all the death threats judges received so you can’t tell if you got overscored.”
“WSL relieving for Felipe… They don’t want to take shit in Saquarema. The decadence is assumed.”
“Letting overzealous claims (from Felipe) and loud cheers and whistles from (Brazilian) supporters influence the scoring is wrong. There needs to be more judges, with better knowledge of the sport, that are unable to be influenced by anything other than the surfing.”
I liked the wave, each incision being made as if with a razor as he planted his stake upright into the lip, but it wasn’t no nine, an eight if you’d had a few drinks, a little knuckle duster and were feeling generous.
Rewatch the heat and give me your learned opinion.
I agree 9 was too much… But you also must agree that Italo didn’t loose at all on the ranch. Impossible. One mistake did not justifies another.
Why WSL do not follow The “teen girl passive” advice from Italo: just be fair.
He definitely won it!! No doubt about it this time.
Reminds me of the Stewart Lee Osama bit
dude! you’ve shattered my ego. i’ll let ella explain…https://youtu.be/lhfugTnXJV4
Stu Kennedy? You mean Ethan Ewing, right? Easy mistake.
Toledo crushed at Surf Ranch, fact. Judges musta been watching porn at the time. Didn’t crush at Salvador, but imo earned the win. I like Colapinto, great free surfer, but when surfing against the Braziliians he seems in slow motion. Contests are graded, homogenized, and a killer of creative surfing. Both of them rip, like most of the WSL, but go anywhere on earth when the waves are out of control big and gnarly, and it’s never a WSL guy that’s best in the water.
Unless it is JJF, obviously.
I keep saying that to qualify for a world title, there should be a prerequisite of a quarter-final win or better in huge Pipe, Teahupoo, Waimea, Mav’s or Nazare (paddling, I know some contests aren’t even existing right now) But 3 or 4 a year should be in waves like that, and a quarter-final finish or better to even qualify as World Champ. It’s late, good on ya if you can understand my word salad. Look, to be honest, Billy Kemper, Kai Lenny, Eli Olsen, all the Florence brothers, all kinds of guys totally rip and if a third of the contests were in giant waves, how would the world tour look today if competency in all wave types was stressed? Or leave out small junk surf if you want. I’d go with that. Only decent, large and giant.
ads must withdraw slowly, as there will be side effects…even deaths.
From contest and season format to judging to champion determination the whole shebang needs to be done differently. It’s a broken product for all levels of fans.
Watched the recap in a stony daze… Griff made errors while Felipe made airs (or quick zappy rail turns all the way through). He seemed the winner to me. Shit surf though for “the best” surfers.
Judges making it clear that you should avoid airs, no matter what.
Makes me think how progressive Taylor Knox was 30 years ago. He would have a great shot at the title surfing Trestles. I mean TODAY!
Sometimes I wonder if the head judge isn’t a Damien Hardman avatar. Weird times…
Pretty pathetic what pro surfing has become , shitty sportsmanship(re brazzos) shonky judging , fuckwit boring athletes and total kooks with no love or interest for surfing other than how much it can make them running the contest tour
Time for it to be put out of its misery
The WSL bottled it plain and simple. However the heat went the outcome would have been thus.
Some of Filipe’s entourage at Punta Roca looked pretty damn menacing. Could be the judges were more worried about their own immediate safety than what might happen to Griff in Brazil.
Personally thought the 9 should have been a mid to high 7, but Filipe probably would’ve won anyway. Although being overscored like that does put the wind in your sails, and suck the life out of your opponent.
Enough of this trivial piffle.
How do the commentariat feel about Jason Momoa’s quirky cultural appropriation of The Dukes of Brazzard in Fast X?
That,my compadres,is the pertinent question du jour.
Apparently Momoa and Depp have something in common: no chemistry in movies with Amber Heard. Just watched “The Rum Diary” and I disagree…In the end credits, Kemp (Depp) seeks out Chenault (Heard) and marries her. It was more than a trivial pursuit
pifflewhen reality struckthemher down. That was a real riot and as for Brazil? Piffle!7.17
What we all know is that when they run in world class surf none of this shit is ever a problem. It was pretty clear in tahiti last year who was winning each heat. Same with when pipe is on. It’s not that hard…
Wsl judges couldnt score with a pocket full of hundreds in a crack house….
Just lock us down and stick needles in us, only heroin this time, faz favor. Obrigadz.
7.5 at best. Toledo still deserved the win because Colapinto couldn’t stick those airs. Overall boring and highly suspicious judging decisions. Standard WSL Crap shoot. And claims are fucking retarded.
First!
Hello my friend! How did you score?
Whatsapp, home delivery.
How much?
Its never enuff
I got this from The Fixx: how much is enough?