“We are hoping for better diversity in the types of events organized..."
The World Surf League’s 2024 Championship Tour kicks off in just days, now, though you wouldn’t know it what with the absolute and complete silence hanging in the air. The first rule of professional surfing at its highest level is, apparently, that you don’t talk about professional surfing at its highest level. But its true, the Lexus Pro Pipeline opens its window on January 29 though it might be the last of its kind.
For a few short weeks ago, Honolulu’s local government got together and officially revised its “Shore Water Event Rules” including who will be allowed permits to host contests on Oahu’s fabled North Shore starting in 2025 and running through 2027. You can read all here, but, basically, events will be ranked based upon how they will improved diversity, mitigate community impact, solve traffic problems and provide much gender diversity alongside environmental do gooding.
“The highest ranked application will be allotted their first choice of location and time. Remaining slots will be offered to applicants in order of their ranking,” the new application process states.
“We are hoping for better diversity in the types of events organized, and equity for the various participants — particularly as it relates to gender,” Department of Parks and Recreation spokesperson Nate Serota old the Star-Advertiser, “while keeping park facilities available and mitigating the impacts of these events on the surrounding community.”
The World Surf League has famously devalued the North Shore since its inception in 2015 circa 1976. In those early days, it attempted to strong-arm Honolulu before big-footing a schedule change that flipped Pipeline to the beginning of the season and elevated Lower Trestles, in Southern California, to the crowning jewel.
Maybe none of it matters, in the end, as the World Surf League really does feel it’s on its way out the door altogether. I am certain that Oahu’s North Shore will somehow survive but what of Lowers?
Will it entirely disappear?
More as the story develops.
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WSL needs a reboot with A-grade waves
They are retarded.
I know someone in a wheelchair who would be willing to go over the falls at Pipe to tick a box for whoever will pay him enough.
He don’t feel anything anyway……
That’s a lot of comments.
I don’t dislike Kelly the way most people here do, but I wonder how he would feel about his peeps taking over the ASP if you went back in time and told him that for their version of the tour to work that it wouldn’t include J-Bay and Pipe.
Things fall apart
Chas and Derek, not one update on Caio Ibelli post hair transplant ? have you seen his new head of hair ?
I am not sure what rype of diversity they want. The article appears to be poorly written.
They want more unqualified chicks barrel dodging and hitting the reef.
The pipe reef is a sexist, not 1 female hospitalized this season
Isn’t she that gal Braith?
[self lol]
I chuckled. 🤭
Ouch!
I like their interpretation of diversity. If you go and read the actual doc you’ll see they’re more looking at getting different kinds of surfing showcased, different age ranges, and comps that include pros and amateurs. This makes competitions like the Shootout and the Haleiwa Intl Open get precedence which is good imo.
Right, interesting. Definitely a nail in the coffin for the finals ever taking place there.
So….shittier surfing.
I forgot that there was a tour…..
What tour? Maybe Sasha will take over Pipe and lead the way to more diversity!
I don’t think the general audience should be subjected to watching the women’s learning curves at Pipe and Chopes. Not fair to them, not fair to us. Bad idea from the get go.
As for Sasha, good luck stuffing that long board into those tiny backdoor holes.
I prefer watching the women at pipe and chopes, we know what the men can do and have seen the same thing a million times
Also, watching terrified small wave specialists get axed will never not be entertaining
Pickles, Moana, and Carissa do a good enough job to keep it entertaining. It’s far more watchable than when the WSL first pushed the tour girls out there.
It’s cool seeing them progress. And they charge harder than our current men’s world champ
But not the vast majority of the men’s field.
Can’t say I’m a fan of mud on the turtle so I don’t understand the excitement around backdoor entry.
Always wondered the appeal when the silky box is so close.
Spot on!
You don’t eat at the dumpster when the restaurant is right there!
Depends on the dumpster. Crazy what some people define as rubbish.
Theres no doubt now that mrna vaxx had some kinda sex flip juice in it.
Yikes!!!
I will plant a shrub in their honor.
WSL should petition Brazil for a permit and hold the event at Rocky Point
Remember Fernando de Noronha?
never been, but hear there’s great camping
Booooosh!
Da Hui about to get the pick of the seasons spots. They have multiple disciplines can add a tranny event in a pinch then they can have the whole season locked up.
Transformer Div could Save Woke Surf League. Diverse and very Inclusive So Hot right now!
Chicks With Dicks Waxing Their Sticks™️.
bitches, beaches…where’s the peaches?
This has much to recommend it. If the WSL is nice, maybe Da Hui will allow them to have a contest at Turtle Bay.
About time Pipe gets cut. Inconsistent at best. Mediocre wave. Lacks the gravitas of a Saquarema or Trestles. Good riddance.
can’t fool me…
Traffic, Community Impact and Diversity are Criteria, but Cash Is King. Bye Bye Bye WSL.
Using their metrics seems it would be best to just cancel all licenses and not have any contests
Right and WSL is Broke as Fck! Closed their office in Haleiwa over a year ago and laid off the locals running it.
I’m not married to this opinion because I love watching contests at good pipe but…..If pipeline becomes an inclusivity and diversity contest then it doesn’t serve the purpose of the ct anyhow. Unless you are on the sand watching them surf there are better viewing experiences available in surfing for the internet masses. Not many, but they exist. I for one would rather watch pumping cloudbreak than pipe. Also the north shore is getting completely out of hand. Maybe would be best to ice it for a decade or two and see what happens
World tour should be for those who qualified for the year and a couple of wildcards for the x-factor and homage to the host country/region.
Half season cut is shit and so is including too many people who didn’t qualify.
I agree with all of that
I love the idea of trials events and then you get to see all those same wildcards compete anyhow before the best two go into the main event. That’s the best format. If the wsl was smart they would stream a less expensive broadcast of the trials too and sometimes that window ends up pumping even harder than the main event
Sly comp rebel tour
it would be super ironic if the WSL was hoisted by its own petard, so to speak.
Hoist by its own retard, more like
with all its mighty power over the environment, the WSL concedes that it hates the ocean. ocean won’t cooperate in delivering perfect waves to the pristine, carbon-neutral, circus-like events that rely on mother nature and the hoards of spectators that can only cheer for airs. WSL also hates being barrelled…