“So is Ethan Ewing going to compete as a bodyboarder or how is he supposed to surf with a broken back?”
In a couple of weeks, the top five rated men and women will compete at Lower Trestles in a one-day grand final that’ll decide the world champions.
At least that was the theory until the world number two-rated surfer Ethan Ewing broke his back at Teahupoo. The twenty-four-year-old Australian’s accident was met with aquarium-like silence by the drama-adverse World Surf League, who merely mentioned he’d been scratched from the upcoming Tahitian Pro and replaced by a local surfer.
Eventually, the WSL allowed that if Ewing cannot compete the men’s div would be reduced to four with the winner of the first heat, fourth and fifth-rated Joao Chianca and Jack Robinson, gifted a bye into the penultimate heat against world number two Griffin Colapinto. Win that and y’into the final against tiny-wave tyro and reigning world champ Pip Toledo.
Despite our sources telling us Ewing is “not in good shape” and may have to wait three months for an operation, followed by six months out of the water, the WSL continues to presume Ewing will compete in the event, running graphics that include Ewing.
And, oowee, it’s driving the WSL’s own fans nuts.
This is starting to feel like you’re just passive aggressively trolling Ethan
there is a WSL obscenity all over the post putting this up.
maybe they could use a nice picture from him in hospital.
Wtf Ethan Ewing won’t recover in time everybody knows you better update the rule book and tell us if Medina replaces him or if it’s gonna be a 4 men’s final, you act so silly sometimes
So is EE going to compete as a bodyboarder or how is he supposed to surf with a broken back?
The lack of transparency on Ethan’s condition and his replacement is beyond ridiculous. Do we need to wait until “make or break” covers it? Why not release a statement about his possible replacement in the event he can not recover on time? It isn’t difficult. Medina should take the number 5 spot and every other surfer should move one spot closer to Filipe “cavern dodger” Toledo
Not putting the next in the rankings if Ethan Ewing can’t run due to injury is a big mess to the surfers and the public!!! Haven’t been looking forward to watching this tour joke in a while…
Why wouldn’t you replace Ethan with Medina? I don’t even like him but it’s stupid to run it this way. I was so excited that things would get better when Logan got the axe. It’s just more of the same. Maybe Eric Logan just got all the blame but was never the problem. Put the best surfers in the best waves. @redbull please start the purple blob tour.
The @wsl and @ethan_ewing are both keeping conspicuously silent about what’s going on. How about an update on his back injury? How serious was the injury? No one is saying anything.
How hard is it to say:
1. Due to the wipeout in Tahiti, @ethan_ewing will not compete for the world title at Trestles. Or 2. Medical professionals are watching @ethan_ewing closely, the severity of the injury is not fully known at this time and he might still be able to compete. Or 3. @ethan_ewing has withdrawn due to injury, and the #3 spot will go to @joaochumbinho, #4 @jackrobinson72 and #5 the next highest ranked surfer, @gabrielmedina. Then they can put all this suspicious drama and politics to rest.
that’s exactly what a statement of the WSL should look like!
And they know exactly that Ethan won’t be able to compete…and he shouldn’t! He shouldn’t be under pressure, he needs to focus on the healing process.
And it’s ridiculous if they don’t replace Ethan. They do it all the time when a surfer is injured. (And I think it’d be a good idea to add Ethan’s throwaway points to his end result.)
@wsl behavior is a shame!
And on, and on. When they’re not tearing hell out of the WSL on Ewing it’s the Finals Day format although, here, I differ from majority opinion. It’s the only contest of the year that has any meaningful drama throughout the course of the event.
As much as a bitch needs dick sometimes she needs a director more.
And Finals Day was Logan’s crowning glory.
Yes?
Give Ewing’s spot to Elo. Then at least we will know that one of the two is still alive.
You might be safer pushing a shopping cart like many in California.
https://i.pinimg.com/origin…
If 4 or more surfers pull out injured do they just cancel the contest?
was on the brink of posting myself up in San Clemente the first few days of the contest window but work intervened, plans abandoned — which means that will definitely be when it runs.
S-line posts a 4-6 foot period…that will last from now ’til eternity…
make it an eco-vacation and ride your bike down…a peddle bike. SB south past VTA fairgrounds, catch the 101 to Oxnard, peel off toward Mugu onto the Hwy 1, south to Venice and The Strand…
the map below starts at Dockweiler and from there its a hop, skip and jump to San Clemente.
https://printablemapaz.com/…
other web site shows Newport Point reeling off 3-footers. assuming that was the epicenter of Hilary…not Zippers (which was the epi…)
Wozzle got themselves into this pickle by switching up the rulebook on the regular. But here they also have to deal with the olympic implications, namely that it would potentially give Gabe the slot over Chianca if GM were to finish higher at Trestles. I actually have a hard time getting worked up over this for the simple reason that —- the contest will still be at Trestles, no matter who’s paddling out. One day we’ll look back on these dark days and explain to our great grandchildren (as we float in our wave pools under the glass domes made necessary by the 175 degree (F) daily temps) that the asterisks in the record books are bc some dumb shit thought it would be a great idea to run the championship deciding contest at the WCT version of a kiddie pool.
p.s. apparently KS11 has come out in favor of a replacement; guessing Hippy got to him
its 2x OH right now! kinda dreamy…took super 8mm from the beach in early 70s, also 2x OH…those of us that have surfed it know it can get really nasty. especially when stoned! and the rock dance to the water? a very slipery slope. booties and gloves are a must. doing ma’ best to get psyched. will try to find my footage tonight.
It does look dreamy at the moment … not sure any of us mortals could actually pick one off in that crowd but maybe we could snag one of those inside runners that slip under the pack.
yeah, I’m surfed out from watching. home-made swordfish tacos for lunch!
those using the right all surf like Phildo. on the left? all Gudang’s
And yes agreeed dez format good, just need the final day to be in better waves, maybe like 6ft waves in a Dubai wave pool..
Yup, bit stupid isn’t it, final 5 should have 5 in it, 3rd injured, shuffle 4,5and six down, inj 3rd holds seed for next year and everyone shuffles around him/her eg 6v5 loser 6th seed next year, no brainer
What happened to GT? They should invite him to fulfill EE place!
What does it even matter to be any number other than less than 6 ,the yellow rashie the number 1 spot means totally nothing , being less than 6 means you are a equal chance to be the winner , but now days the real world champion is the winner of the Olympic gold medal , so WSL finals day actually means fuck all other than you won the event.
Thumb wrestling perhaps?
DR: “sumo with that ass-bearing garb…”
Wsl didn’t think at all…what if next year the #1 surfer is injured before the finals…leading the tour with a good gap… will he not be crowned Champ?They really need to rethink this format from scratch.. besides holding the event in a heavy wave, not Trestles.
If only there was someone around here who had insider knowledge of other recreational competitive sporting bodies and how they manage/communicate athlete injuries sustained warming up for or during sanctioned competitions as a benchmark to what would be an abject failure from surfing’s governing body. If only.
I don’t know why this shit gets under my skin? It’s all so inconsequential!
Passive aggressive?
No silly, just one more dose
Of Positive Noize
This crime scene has Dave Prodan’s oily little fingerprints all over it.
I’m good with a top 4, have a title bet on Pip, less is more.
Dear Derek,
Why did the WSL replace Ethan in the Chopes contest with a second trialist, but refuses to admit the 5th competitor of THEIR final 5??
It’s ok to add wildcards during the regular season but the hated finale is sacred and no “next man up”…. in this case, MEDINA, is not allowed?
Who makes up these rules? So fucking random. What? Post season rules?
Medina can beat Pip if Griffin can’t.
I’m a student of Toledo, but this can’t be a lay up.
Fuck that.
Why isn’t the #6 surfer added to the top “5” when the #2 bows out?
You can’t publicly call it a “Final Four”?
But if a competitor. for the history of time of professional surfing, can’t surf, they won’t add the next rated surfer?
After how many precedents?
NEXT MAN UP.
Medina.
I actually love
That sixth place gets no look in
They, er, finished sixth
gotta be Hip.
Maybe none of the rider sponsors want to pay out Final day bonus to 6th-10th placers (how many injured in a year?) or maybe an injured doesn’t deserve to move down and lose Final day or in this case #2 bonus? I dunno but there is corpo in it somewhere.