Toledo's one-year hiatus from competitive surfing temporarily on hold as world champ and small-wave wizard hunts ISA gold!
Surf fans have been gifted the second coming of world champion Filipe Toledo at the ISA Games, a feeder contest for the Olympics and which is being held in the US protectorate of Puerto Rico.
Two weeks ago, the same surf fans were in meltdown over Filipe Toledo’s embarrassing fail at the tour opener the Lexus Pipe Pro, the champ managing only a 1.77 heat total in the clean four-to-six-foot waves.
His lesser regarded opponents, meanwhile, jackknifed waves hither and yon. Shion Crawford rode one wave for eight points, Samuel Pupo found an almost-eight and an almost-six.
Filipe Toledo, a small man with a neat little belly, is considered unbeatable in waves three feet and under, the Finals Day location of Lower Trestles a gift for the small-wave wizard, and a unconquerable mountain for John John Florence and Jack Robinson, although Toledo’s big-wave bona fides have long been questioned.
Following his humiliating loss and relegation to the elimination round, Filipe Toledo subsequently withdrew from the event citing food poisoning and, a little later from the tour itself.
A press release from the WSL said Toledo would be taking “a one-year mental health break from competition.”
Well, dang, don’t time fly.
Filipe Toledo, who is the first Brazilian in history to win back-to-back world titles and who has won an astonishing seventeen tour in events, has fought off his demons to win his first heat the ISA Games, held in clean three-foot waves.
It wasn’t an easy win by any measure.
Chilean Manuel Salman, Venezuelan Keoni Lasa and Swede Greyson Grant all came within striking distance of Toledo.
The contest runs through seven rounds and twelve repechage heats although it usually loses its big names, Medina and co, long before the final as mysterious sickness strikes the superstars, who are obligated to compete in the ISA Games.
In 2023, Medina, Carissa Moore, Griff Colapinto, Jordy Smith and Caroline Marks all withdrew after surfing several heats.
However, this year, a rule change means the superstars have to “actually take part in good faith.” And, if you wanna tap out, you gotta submit an ISA medial review or your Paris 2024 slot could be revoked.
Filipe Toledo now moves into the second against an Argentinian, a Canadian and an Ecuadorian.
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Who gives a fk how bout 2 tours, one for 3ft and under and one for scary as shit kinda waves..preferably without turdell and mates…
3FOOT Toledo….master of bumps
Claims it like he’s just won pipe.
World champion in the “under two-feet category!!”
Driest of dry sarcasm, a beautiful thing to read. Love love DR.
My only question, he does realize that keeping his Olympic spot requires him to surf the venue that created his obsolescence? Will he just sit out the back or sit inside taking scraps while no name dudes from non surf countries take a swing? Used to support the very talented man, but impossible to do so after Tahiti and again at Pipe. Just retire Felipe, you’re cooked.
he a nothing to prove and he should do whatever he wants 2x world champ retire compete it’s all good who cares if he doesn’t like waves of consequence I DON”T!
I wanted to down vote, but instead decided to comment. Retire compete.
Is Fernando going to be personally responsible for sending people who have no business surfing in Tahiti to surf that wave? If it’s on, it could be really dangerous. I fear for Ukrainians who qualify.
He should be safe, they picked one of the smaller and softer PR waves. Though, there are some real waves in the vicinity…careful.
Soul arch and the nub of a knob, on the end of a summer pillow. Glorious. Wank fantasy almost.
I wonder if Filipe missed out on what could have been a stress free longboard career. No big scary waves, no asterisk world titles weighing you down, no real critics of any kind outside joel Tudor. Surely with filipes unbelievable skill set he could have steered this talent in another direction and seen equal success.
Dr Nick Riviera going to be busy.
Let’s not count our chickens before he hatches. Only 37 more rounds to surf before he makes the elimination round of 82.
Don’t forget he then needs to requalify in the next ISA world games which will be held approximately eight business days after these ones,
Which is taking into account Guatemalan bank holiday on the 28th.
Don’t forget by surfing he can help Brazil win the comp and secure a spot for Medina, which helps the cause for a Brazilianian gold, so he is kinda playing team boy here ,,,
Thatd be beleza
That’s pretty good ! Makes sense.
from the Beach Grit Bible of surfing: (which Chas hates)
If thouest shalt resign from the sport of board sliding on waves for the pre-ordained professional surfing tour schedule, thou shalt not surf, ride waves on or upon any wave sliding vehicle or compete in any competitive form of wave sliding so long as the pre-proclaimed period does not extend beyond the year of said withdrawal.
nor shalt any professional wave slider be redeemed or reconsidered for reinstatement into wave sliding events unless “The Chas” shalt deem them worthy and their appropriate penance and redemption hast been witnessedeth and satisfied by no less than three witnesses and certified by at least three Beach Grit Commenters.
what’s certifiable is the fact that you spilled that out without an ‘edit’…voting can lead to some nasty exposure. you guys go first; it’s too big of a playing field for this shoulder hopper.
One week of snorting sertraline off his wifes tits and hes cured!!
She babies him too much
baby mommas milks must taste like a banana smoothie…Hupi?
Pip needs wake up and cashing in.
If he can’t have a mini mal design for four foot and under selling by the millions I have no faith in the remains of the surf media
You’d think his shit head father would have him in Costco or the Brazilian version of Costco by now, must not be as smart as he thinks!
Filipe has never had to surf heavy waves to become world champ however he does need to surf heavy waves to win olympic gold. It might be enough motivation for him to put in the effort.
I think it’s pretty clear he doesn’t do “ heavy “.
I think when cloud break came back on tour he knew the charade was over.
An Argentinian, a Canadian and an Ecuadorian walk into a Puerto Rico bar. The bartender exclaims “Holy Toledo, this is mental!”
“arteniniant say albuminum and total rekall says: on Mars…Sharon Stone crosses her legs…total rekall. Sea Ranch. No Religion…Oh Paper Sun. Winwood..Steve…Felix Pappalardi and Jim Capaldi.” No Deals made~
Steve Winwood and no mention of Traffic…..
https://youtu.be/jvAByzXT1U…
Traffic > Steve Winwood
The finer things keep shining through…
I saw Traffic open up for the Grateful Dead in the 90s and Jerri came out and sat in on Low Spark of High Heeled Boys. He looked like he’d rather be backstage smoking H tbh but it was still a cool moments.
dave says: Two cjh0rds/
40k headmen, nextup…
Gotta be a tough gig.
Note to readers: Tony Roberts took my first-ever surf shot! Kirra, nineties! Pole cam! I love this man!
From pole cam dancing to world leader in self helping, nice
Pics or it didn’t happen
TR is a legend! yeah T
Is he still trying to be the oldest guy landing airs?
As long as the OG’s of surfing continue to make excuses for this little fella or stay cowardly silent, he’ll keep this sort of shit up
I blame the goat. He set the precedent for this nonsense with his hoof pulling out of keramas then going surfing Fiji. The wooz fuckwits let him get away with it and now pip shows up surfing an ISA event prolly to secure his Olympic slot having secured injury wildcard for next year. “Hey wooz. Thanks for the wildcard
and fuck your rulebook!”
Or perhaps wooz are complicit in this nonsense and really don’t give a fuck.
Bu… bu… but… mental health break (or something)! How dare you! Pip would never lie, would he? Didn’t he have to pull out of Pipe due to, umm… food poisoning?
Heh, he’s either lied or made a miraculous recovery and shaken off the stress of the tour and exorcised his demons at the same time.
But he’s really just fooling himself – Chopes awaits Pippy ! Chopes …. Chopes …. Chopes
#pipnotmychamp