The Tahiti Pro win bookends Robinson's season, the Western Australian having won the tour opener at Pipeline in February.
In rapidly deteriorating four-foot waves, surf fans fondled themselves into a state of near nervous collapse as Australian Jack Robinson muscled his way through Gabriel Medina to win the Tahiti Pro and a spot on Finals Day in September.
Robinson, twenty five, sat in the windy Teahupoo lineup, face congealed into a hard leering mask, watching as Medina collected six waves, accumulating fifteen points, even before the’d looked at one.
As per form, the broadcast missed the first wave of the final, a crucial six point eight three, despite the final determining who would fill the final spot on Finals Day.
Robinson, calm as ever and accustomed to last-minute wins, tunnelled through an insider which yielded a generous 7.83. Needing 7.18 to take the lead, a second wave with seven minutes left scored a 7.83.
“It was impressive, it was technical, it had that wow factor,” said commentator Peter Mel.
After a forty-minute final it was the boy with hair so thick many believe he wears a yellow woollen wig who would take the final spot in the top five and an invite to Finals Day at Lower Trestles.
“It’s an interesting feeling…it was meant to be,” said Robinson.
The Tahiti Pro win bookends Robinson’s season, the Western Australian having won the tour opener at Pipeline in February.
A full contest analysis forthcoming from JP Currie, possibly tonight. Time diff between Scotland, where Currie lives and Tahiti, is a hell of a thing, the final running at three am,.
truth be told…backside lift is 14? whole family went up. looked over the edge and they skirted over to the bunny slope. alone. It was Scotty’s…178s, K2, fitted previously owned boots, thrift shop english sailor front button-up heavy moisture resistant cotton cloth socks, headband…wrap-round-pilot-raybans…kick me! it was Scotty’s.
went thru plenty of sanitary napkins before throwing myself off of Mammoth’s The Cornice. frontside, backside…straight into Warming Hut #2. Still bleeding!
Bingo.
I, for one, refuse to watch the Final Fail at Trestles. Life is too short to waste time thus. The WSL can go fuck themselves.
…while waiting for JP’s lyrical mastery — and latest existential crisis update (no shame, have one every day) — thought biggest standout items from yesterday/Finals day were:
1) Caity is going to be a beast. Fact that WSL didn’t wait for winds to calm down/squall to pass to send the women out was ridiculous, but the image of her sending it on that set wave where she ate shit bc the wind created 12 steps in the wave face will forever be stamped on my brain, in a good way.
2) Medina is a surf savant. During his early years, I definitely thought he played it safe, never seemed to fall at Pipe or Chopes bc he always took off a little less deep, always getting safe looking barrels, working the system to get scores. But he’s grown up, he gives off a very compelling ‘don’t give a shit’ vibe, and he is probably now the most entertaining surfer to watch in a contest — in part, bc he doesn’t sit around and instead keeps things constantly moving, which while perhaps not being the wisest move, tactically speaking, definitely puts his heats in the must see category. I’m a big JJF fan, still love him, but Medina is forcing me to give him his due by sheer force of will and mastery of the ocean.
3) Robbo absolutely deserved the win — but more importantly, he is wasting his life in shit waves on the CT. He needs to join up with the Florence bros, and just go on a nonstop slab world tour. Would so much rather see him throwing himself over thick ledges than Huntington hopping his way through a Trestles heat, chasing what has become a world title with an asterisk. If the tour goes back to Cloudbreak, and resets to finish at Pipe, then maybe come back. But otherwise, go do what you were born to do Robbo, thread big caverns and let the rest of us mortals live vicariously through you. We’ll take care of the 2-3 ft windslop.
It’s easy just go to swell net and read Steve shearer’s report
Shearer did a nice summary. Good points re Medina maybe being a touch worn out by second half of final. The tragedy of Medina (maybe) not qualifying for the Olympics at Chopes will go down as a black mark on the history of the sport, if it happens.
And to his credit, he shifted some of the spotlight from Pip to Steph.
Did he bang on about himself being of “hard working swedish stock”, or name drop Russian Literature? Pro tip Longtom, unless you’re famous, it’s never about you.
agree re that 2nd wave…
Final was on during supper so missed it. Watching my two year old eat and make a mess is good entertainment. I’ll catch all the replay replays later.
Up 90 at crown casino, takes the sting off a Gmed 2nd, come and hang party pete, this place is fuken massive
I get up 90 sometimes but I have this strategy where I don’t leave until my banks dry.
Just real quick, and not trying to be a didact, “who” stands in for he she or they. So “they must vote,” so “who must vote.”
And “he shall fill” so “who shall fill.”
Last two uses of who spot on.
“Whom” stands in for him her or them btw.
It’s easy to fuck up, i do it all the time. Easier though to think in terms of which pronouns are being replaced than subject and object, which is more confusing.
Ke11y is going to start his own tour, stamp it!
He went out and made a company for everything else he does once they give up on him… boards/clothes/pools/flip flops/energy drinks/chia pets.
Oddly enough never seen the man in a pair of shades or bucket hat.
Can’t wait to watch the Surfing world champ be crowned at 3 ft trestles
Gabby got Robbed
Actually he got Jacked
*Robboed
i surfed some fun waves from when women went out in semis so missed end
any outright fuckery for robbos win by i see 700 pts to beat Gab
Maybe they should change the rules again if EE fucked and throw Medina in?
you’ve probably seen replays by now, but fwiw thought judging was legit, for once. If anything Robbo’s second wave could have been a couple tenths higher. Definitely a case of Gab riding anything that moved for 30 minutes while Robbo played zen master and jumped on the sets (such as they were, more like 4 ft lumps of wind swell that managed to hit reef just right and stay open for a few milliseconds).
Thank fuck this years tour is over and we just have to watch one shitty day at trestles.
Hope the WSL makes some big changes next year
at the end of the day, it’s medina that is getting robbed; not by robbo but by sanmo shenanigans and small fine print
Stopped watching before the semifinals. The waves were still good. This insistence on running the men’s and women’s finals day concurrently resulted yet again in shit conditions for the men’s final? What a surprise? I’m just about done with watching the WSL!
At this stage the ISSA World Tour is looking more attractive
Isn’t that what I said? Get Rod Brooks back directing Snapper!!
Rod Brooks is from victoria though.?
Point of my joke lol
Thanks, DR. With you ASAP. Unfortunately no free periods today!
If Brasil win the world surfing games next year he will be in. Plus Toledo and Chicana have to get the “in good standing” tick from Surfing Brasil or whatever they are called. Which is short hand for not failing a drugs test.
Brazil will be crazy to take Fil even if they get 3. Better to have Yago than the lion. In fact I’d rather have Yago than Jow.
If USA win – that bald headed egomaniac is likely to be in. Fucken ridiculous but that is him.
I’m sure that shithead has fixes in where he can.
Brasil have to take fil, theres a clause that prevents lower ranked surfers getting switched. However this loophole does not appear to apply the the mythical 3rd spot. If it did, barron would get in instead.
Technically the us could finish 2nd behind japan and get that 3rd spot, as japan already got a bonus place by winning the 22 games and they don’t allow the bonus spot to be awarded twice.
your ability to keep these byzantine qualification rules straight is awe-inspiring (and that’s not sarcasm).
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Nah it’s pretty straightforward!
I’m still getting over learning that Jack’s surf coach is the same guy as Yago’s father. I thought it was just a bizarre coincidence that you never saw the 2 of them together, turns out it’s because there aren’t 2 of them, just 1.
https://www.youtube.com/wat…