"What are you gonna do about it?"
What happened to the World Surf League’s much ballyhooed partnership with Apple Watch? Just months ago, the new technology was front and center, a beacon of massive synergies and vectors and success. “The momentum of the Championship Tour, the World Surf League and professional surfing is real,” Chief Executive Officer Erik Logan proudly declared. Chief of Sport Jessi Miley-Dyer made a nice Instagram post showing how it worked and pretty.
Well, things got off to a bit of a rocky start. Italian star Leonardo Fioravanti took to the airwaves after the Pro Pipeline contest and declared, “And, I just want to say our fricken watches weren’t working and that’s pretty heavy, like my watch wasn’t working. Nothing to take away from Apple or the WSL, what they’re doing is great, they’re trying to bring in some technology to our world, but if my watch doesn’t work from start to finish and I gotta ask for time. I’ve been used to having the time on me at all times in heats, we’re fighting for our careers. So, I hope they figure it out ‘cause my watch didn’t work from start to finish. And that’s pretty heavy.”
He was, of course, heavily fined for placing himself above “the integrity of the sport.”
Brazil’s Caio Ibelli complained that the watch didn’t tell time. Hawaii’s Carissa Moore refused to wear and then… nothing.
No “Let’s throw it down to Strider to see what’s who has Apple priority.” No “Kaipo, what do you see there from your Apple?”
Nothing.
It must be assumed that the relationship is intact but even that is now in doubt as Kelly Slater was filmed after bowing out of the still-running El Salvador Pro flaunting an all-to-obvious Shark Watch.
Like, the Sharkest Shark Watch ever, colorway-wise.
Will he cop a punishment or prove, once again, that he is the exception to every World Surf League rule?
Like when the entire book was changed to accommodate him forever?
Where’s Erik Logan?
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Real surfers don’t wear watches.
Finally Chaz Smith writes an article I agree with completely, has hell frozen over?
Usually Chaz brings up Kelly’s name as click bait but not this time. This article is proving a couple of points, really good points with obstacles the WSL should have thought of but didn’t.
Point one was if one member of the WSL is held to a standard, why not all?
The other is about technology and its failure with no plan if it does fail.
Then again it’s the WSL we are talking about and they move the pins daily to fit their goals.
When Italian star Leonardo Fioravanti criticized the new Apple watch and is fined yet Slater is wearing something other than a WSL approve watch(which is worse ) nothing is done to KS, Why?
Fioravanti was experiencing a performance issue related to the physics involved with communication and salt water. He was asked and is penalized for telling the truth….
WTF WSL?
This is one of the most poorly written articles I have ever read. In an age with spell check, Grammer check, and AI, the author of this article should be embarrassed at the least. I guess it’s hard to find good help these days.
Hey Beachgrit.com, try hiring someone that knows how to read and write. This is sad.
Just like that juvenile shark time teller, Ke11y needs to leave the end-section-airs for the kids. Why oh why does he insist on attempting these little, straight-legged, hoping-for-feet-hitting-wax, alley-oops on the closeout move? These aren’t going to turn the dial if he lands but he will surely get fucked when he inevitably fails to ride out. When did the best surf heat strategist lose the plot?
All in pro surf is owed to Kelly Slater so shut up and let him do whatever he wants.
The condensed heat replays aint bad
A condensed playback of my day at work today might almost be impressive though
Apple should bring out a Vision Pro filter that lets us watch contests through the eyes of the WSL’s marketing department. I feel I’d be a happier person. JP, perhaps just a mildly less miserable prick. And a filter for Brazzos to see Italo’s surfing through a biased, racist head judge’s eyes, complete with augmented poostance.
Keep crying, isn’t it what those xenophobic trolls keep saying? When they don’t throw a monkey 🙊 emoji around. Which doesn’t offend me at all, but just shows…
How about that time when they threw to Kaipo on the sled at Margies for the cross promo!? Bright yellow strap and all… Wasn’t working. Like, dead. Lol
Ringo wrote this one, his masterpiece
I wish i had a foto like that
Surely you’d prefer to be in the praying position in front of G̶o̶b̶b̶y̶ Gabby.
Pervert
Tripe. Who gives a shit. It’s a fucking watch.
Dammit Gabby, i wish i knew how to quit you
The biggest failure of the ASP (IPS) was allowing advertisers to control the sport.
ELO just switched out Billafuck for Apple, Quiksilver for Bailey’s Ladders.
The thin veneer is Ad Copy. And humiliating Kaipo with in heat spots.
And how can the WSL require a NIxon team rider to wear a diff watch?
The funny thing is that Kaipo laughs all the way to the bank
Kaipo seems to have laughed his way to the bank his entire life. Hats off to him.
Go dat braddah!
Tbh the ladder work is nothing. It’s just you and your ladder and having to spruik the sponsor and smile for wooz. No big deal.
Having to put up with nonsense from The Okie, La Grande Vache, overbearing Pete and Jamhand Joe all the time – thats soul destroying, unless you don’t give a fuck… hahahaha
I imagine Baileys ladders pay about 0.05% of what the old players put into events.
The Apple Watches have been discarded or ripped from wrist, a relic waiting to be discovered among broken fins among the rocks, per this >>
https://www.fratellowatches…
I didn’t expect Kelly to be a Pride Month supporter
What happened to Breitling?
that is actually a very good question…
Finding ways to dump all the unsold ks watches.
As per Stab : “Upon inquiry, the WSL gave us this; “There are a couple of locations on the CT that do not have the connectivity infrastructure required for the WSL Surfer App on the Apple Watch, but we are actively working with local cellular providers to add coverage.”.
So the WSL is saying that the watches do work, but El Salvador is too primitive?
Is Elon Musk too persona non grata now to utilize Starlink?
According to SpeedChecker, El Salvador has higher 4G LTE penetration than Costa Rica, Brasil and a few other Latin American countries. I’m thinking Apple’s done with the WSL since “Make or Break” failed. WSL can only pull the no cell coverage card for so long.
I wouldn’t trust anything the WSL says.
Never mind the watch. Why is Kelly copping a feel of Gabby’s ass?
Cuz Gabby wasn’t smiling for the picture?
How did Gabe’s ass get on his rib cage?
such a funny ass pic👬