There's a new xerife in town.
Last year’s real World Surf League mess, which led to the unceremonious firing of its Chief Executive Officer Erik Logan, began in Salvador wherein shoddy judging was called out by Brazilian superstars Gabriel Medina, Italo Ferreira and Filipe Toledo. Each former champions. All masters of their craft.
The aforementioned Logan was, however, not impressed and fired back an “open letter” so bitter, so altogether nasty as to make that evening’s cocktails very unpleasant.
He was, anyhow, gone during the Brazil event after making alleged monkey business. The World Surf League, though, still barely standing has made a major change for the upcoming 2024 Championship Tour, replacing former head judge Pritamo Ahrendt, Australian I think, with Brazil’s Luiz Fernando Steffen Pereira.
Per the press release:
Today, the World Surf League (WSL) announced the appointment of Luiz “Luli” Fernando Steffen Pereira as the Director of Officiating and Head Judge, succeeding Pritamo Ahrendt, WSL Director of Judging, as he steps away from this role to pursue other opportunities.
With Pereira’s appointment, the WSL Tours and Competition team has evolved the structure and scope of the Head Judge position. In this new role, Pereira will serve as Director of Officiating and will serve as Head Judge for all WSL Competitive Tours.
“We are thrilled to welcome Luli Pereira into the role of Director of Officiating and Head Judge,” said Jessi Miley-Dyer, WSL Chief of Sport. “Luli’s comprehensive understanding of competitive surfing, coupled with his deep commitment to excellence in judging and officiating, makes him the ideal person to lead this team. I am excited to partner with Luli and look forward to the great work that lies ahead.”
Pereira brings a wealth of experience to this role. With a distinguished career in competitive surfing that spans over two decades, Pereira has served as a Judge on the Championship Tour (CT) panel for the last 18 years, including serving as the Women’s Head Judge since 2020. Additionally, Pereira served as a judge in surfing’s Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Pereira brings unique experience from his early career as a professional surfer on the South America Qualifying Series. Pereira also has a distinguished educational background, holding a law degree from the Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil, and he is fluent in three languages.
“I’d like to express my admiration for Pritamo’s leadership as Head Judge and for his extraordinary impact on the sport,” Pereira said. “I am honored to have been selected for this new role and I am looking forward to building on the legacy of excellence in judging and officiating.”
Ahrendt had been on the job for five years, having been a regular old judge for nineteen. Derek Rielly liked him, if I recall. There was no word if he was pushed or if he jumped. What do you think?
Also, do you imagine Filipe Toledo’s daddy Richard is pleased?
More as the story develops.
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I don’t know what to say except – it’s not a good time to be a gringo surfer in the WSL!
This tour is dependent on Brazillians.
Meds, Toledo, Italo, now Chianca and Dora.
They are the stars.
Sorry white surfing.
Use your anger to replace them.
a surf, a beer, and a burger…before they cleared the beach for a rocket launch…https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.ne…
Funkisimo!
tarantula’s
Well…. Rockets!!! I meant funky as in…..wheres the sand? How was the burg?
local’s rock…
Carl’s Jr sucks…went to KFC instead~
bit me~once!
say cheese~
Will it be a good thing commercially for the WSL if by chance Brazilians win every event?
It’s certainly conceivable given the slightest margins & it being obvious that they will get a larger share of the 50/50 calls
Rebel tour back on the cards
World Surf Lulieague
Classic weak as piss move… How do you stop the Brazilians whinging? Put one of their own as the head judge… And fuck everyone else. The squeaky wheel gets the grease again eh?
1) Do you even know Luli? What makes you think he will “fuck everyone else”?
2) Are you afraid you won’t have another head judge that will, for example, push Ewing through a Bells contest because it would make a beautiful story?
3) Why do you find it acceptable to have an Aussie but not a Brazilian as a head judge? Are you saying you are better than us? You anglos don’t own the sport.
Maybe if y’all stop CRYING so much about airs, about claims, about Gabby’s armpits and actually tried to learn a thing or two from the guys who are winning everything, you would start to win again.
Miggy and Dora have the style the “anglos” prefer… They all rip!
Gabe on another level but the style/ spazz factor weighs heavy on purists hearts.
Reef Brazil girls for everybody. One for you, one for you……
Does the WSL have a corpo template they use for all press releases? Just change the names around?
Spin GPT
Stay tuned for BG’s salacious tell all interview with Pritamo!
Pri has asked them to wait ’til after the book launches… https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Steff’s chances of requalifying just dropped.
Just another conductor signaling melody to the orchestra.
The system will be broke until they get rid of the head judges persuasion in the booth.
It’s communism dressed up as democracy.
the women’s division kicked him out courtesy of Surf Equity and will be replaced with a nappy-headed, colored lesbian recently divorced from her companion and in the difficult financial situation of having to raise an adopted cross dressing son and a daughter that want’s to meet her real Dad. Is it Luli?
Very inclusive!
early 80s. bought a house on the hill…great stereo system with Bose…redwood shelves. two youngsters. we all loved music~so put this one on. In memory of Jen See…and her glop about Moby Dick…then The Immigrant Song. St John Bonham. https://youtu.be/IOb8otk7Y0…
I don’t want to judge him before he starts but I still do not understand why you need a head judge. The footage in make or break annoyed me. So much for independence. I think the five of them should be separated with no contact. They should also not know what the other surfer requires. I think this would make it very fair. It’s a subjective activity anyway and always will be. So let’s celebrate that aspect of it.
The spreads between scores would be huge. It would be much easier to differentiate between good judges and arse-crawlers.
100% … the footage in MOB was unbelievable. Shocking the amount of influence the head judge was trying to impose on the rest.
Do we know his stance?
I heard his stance is Pro Palestine.
Climate change admitter?
Staunch Elo denier
Jessi Miley-Denier?
You win lol 👏
Yes I am.
As most people in the global south. No surprise!
It socks. Keeps it in a drawer when his stance isn’t out there for all to see absolutely socking every step he takes.
Stance socks suck!
You’ve obvs never tried their butter blend!!
“Catsup, mayonaisse, and relish equals Thousand Islands dressing. makes for a great dipping sauce for The Judge’s chips and Coronas.” love Ricardo…
cc: Felipe, Italo, Gabe
Of course, but not at the one thing that matter most in business. Making money. Their early moves acquiring License deals with NBA, etc. certainly helped shield them from the surf industry’s rather conspicuous susceptibility to financial downturns.
sleeping in socks is trending…
Never
prevents toe jobs~
Goofy. But likes to go switch.
how does he feel re: shrubs vs succulents? and are coolers/eskies scoring better than ladders in the criteria?
“Let’s do a major makeover on the Chope’s tower…luxury suites, fully stocked bar, inhouse dining area, sexy waitresses, and extended wireless and a wave review center in Santa Monica so the brass knows and can adjust scores to their liking…”
All good but the wave review center now needs to be in El Segundo.
fri 13th: yeah. all ES, Torrance, East Valley College, Hermosa Beach inhabitants hiding in anticipation of The Big Flush they’re in lockdown. can only escape via Imperial Hwy East and PCH is also locked down…both directions. stay in place~or get a one night stand at my safe house in El Porto, next to a killer mex taxueria. update: “we’re booked~no vacancy red lights flashing. night light off. best, VTA/”
“Luli goes left at Rincon…defies The Queen~ more Jen, Com Turren, and the White Guy on the Horse…Rees. love Negs, Matt, sal fitzgerald, JJF, black shorts, and boats that float…get an EPIRP. a 15″ monitor, an Apple processor and a new Lightning Bolt…ceiling hanger~” Geek Squad, Irvine/
from LACO Lifeguards: WSL has purchased lifeguard stands from Marine St thru Bruce’s Beach, north to Neptune’s Net. Zuma may be next. “SO why did they bypass Santa Monica, Malibu, Topanga and Pair-Dice-Cove?” answer: Hamas~
Since the WSL is getting views in the millions of billions why dont they crowd source the scores? They could add a poll and the viewers decide the winners
You’re joking right?
https://media.tenor.com/CQJ…
Thank you for restoring my faith in humanity.
“Just keep drinking”-as Dory might say.
Like we do on contest days with the live screaming threads. One percenters, each of us! Gracias. Mucho.
Smart strategy, just put someone from “your team” in charge to silence the mob. Imagine how many people would be on the streets if Trump were the one sending billions to Ukraine.
he would if he was building timeshares and a golf course in Mariupol
Tiger landed and built one on La Bufadora…and bought up all the glass blowers, chicken roasters, and gardeners…and imported Swedish au pair’s…He’s obviously anti-Trump.
Another insider promoted…great.
Quick thought: If the WSL is financially unfeasible as currently set up, why not move the whole shebang to Brazil? Think of the cost savings in real estate and salaries alone. Plus, Brazilians actually give a shit. Not sure how this could lose.
BR, bringin’ ideas!
Epic idea if you want the entirety of the WSL to be a Brazzo affair, not necessarily a profit machine.
These last couple years have seen too many calls/scores not only be wrong, but worse carry consequential effect determining Heat outcomes. A feat only bettered by MLB Umpire Angel Hernandez.
who lost his discrimination lawsuit. still works. still sucks~
They had to hire someone new once they realized they were never going to find someone able to dislodge Pritamo’s head from Robbo’s sigmoid colon…
Pritamo: “What?! Don’t act surprised Robbo. You know exactly why I’m up there. Your shit is my bread and butter.”
Pritamo was hired to make sleep sounds at bettersleep.com.
That’s Ewing’s chance of a World Title down the dunny.
No chance if he doesn’t learn how to fly, spin and twirl.