"Catty, rude and morally bankrupt!"
What should be a joyous hangover, today, for the surf world is, instead, one of the rotten varietals. Stomach sick. Head not right. For not even 24-hours ago, Narabeen’s own Laura Enever was awarded the Guinness record for “largest wave surfed paddle-in (female).” The beast was snagged roughly ten months off off Oahu’s North Shore. It was officially measured by World Surf League selected scientists.
Wonderful and happy.
Except.
The questions around the complete ignoring of Justine Dupont, who had ridden a probable 75-foot monster earlier in the year, soon began to bubble. Dupont won three awards for the feat at the just-wrapped Big Wave Awards now no longer affiliated with the aforementioned “global home of surfing.”
Enever, of course, an employee.
Hammertime
Now, charges of retaliation by the World Surf League against Dupont are flying.
You will recall that the Frenchwoman was snubbed, three years ago. The XXL Big Wave Awards, then owned by the World Surf League, hosted the affair. Brazil’s Maya Gabeira was awarded the “Ride of the Year” and also gifted a Guinness record “for the largest wave surfed (unlimited)” thanks to those World Surf League selected scientists.
While the wave was very impressive, Gabeira, much like Laura Enever, did not ride away cleanly.
Or at all.
Dupont took to Instagram at the time to declare, “The @wsl announced that the record for the biggest wave surfed would be awarded to a surfer who does not finish her wave. I decided to smile about it even though I am deeply hurt to be subjected to a decision that I believe is totally unfairI’m especially disappointed and ashamed of this league which claims to represent our sport.”
Boom.
Would the World Surf League be so catty and rude? So institutionally fraudulent, as to do Dupont dirty, again, for speaking out back then?
More as the story develops.
She made the drop and got smoked. No record.
I stand corrected! Three years ago. Thanks Chas.
Their is only one big wave award that matters , and thats the Eddie.
It’s more like they did it all for Derek to write it, but he missed it and instead we got all that disgusting impartiality and factual garbage.
DuPont angry about the non-sticking of rides
“Let’s get physical, physical…”
Like when they moved Milton’s desk to the basement in Office Space.
Bethany has a huge reach that goes far beyond surfing though. Maybe the people who pay attention to her were not buying Rip Curl, but I’ve heard she’s a particularly effective marketer in other contexts.
She’s arm & dangerous!
Stab is claiming Bethany Hamilton and Rip Curl parted ways with 3 years left on her contract because she didn’t want to be on a marketing campaign with a trans woman.
Maybe the trans woman had issues being pictured alongside a disabled person.
HAHAHA
The women of Oz from Laura to Annie Knight, offer so much more to us commoners than that allegedly wealthy Dupont surfer.
What is it people don’t get about the criteria paddle into. Dupont certainly didn’t paddle into that wave she’s talking about. So no comparison needs to be made. Laura deserves her award. Her courage shines constantly in a mad world.
What is up with these aggressive record seeking Aussie women? First it was Annie Knight now Laura! I sit in awe of these winners!
True and nothing at all against Laura. Justine’s Cortes Bank wave, though, being ignored and dodgy “scientists” being used to push favorites.
You Dupont out some very good questions