"Seen random backpackers who can’t even do a roundy show up in Mex and charge harder than him."
Back in 2015, teenager Filipe Toledo rattled the windows of every surfer on tour when he easily despatched Julian Wilson in the final of the Quiksilver Pro, which was held in two-foot waves at Snapper Rocks.
Filipe Toledo, who was nineteen, rammed a javelin into his opponent Julian Wilson, then twenty-six, by scoring two nines in quick succession before sealing the event, and his first-ever WCT win, with a deserved ten-pointer.
Total heat score, a near-perfect 19.60 to Wilson’s 14.70.
Since then, Toledo has won back-to-back world titles, both in two foot waves at Lower Trestles, but has publicly struggled in waves breaking over reef and exceeding six feet.
In an Instagram post, the WSL celebrated the almost-ten year anniversary of Toledo’s first-ever tour win, running video of his waves along with the says-it-all caption, “Inspiring.”
View this post on Instagram
Less inspiring was the response from hardened surf fans who were quick to point out the asterisks next to Toledo’s world title wins.
small wave world champion…. Has anyone seen a photo of Feleepe riding a wave over 8ft Hawaiian.
Has the personality and heart of a world champ. But he needs to trust his skills in big hollow waves. Medina and JJF are light years ahead of him. A world champ has to be the best in every condition…’
Flippy Toledo . Chopes etc we will see let’s all do the shoulder hop
The small wave champ!
Unbeatable when it’s tiny.♂️
unwinnable when it’s heaving
Now show his first Teahupoo comp footage
Top 99.99999% in 2-3 ft waves but not even in the top 2000 in waves of consequence. Seen random backpackers who can’t even do a roundy show up in Mex and charge harder than him. Let’s face it the guy wouldn’t have ever been a champ in the old format.
Question: let’s say you’re Filipe Toledo, or in the Toledo camp. Do you pretend the reputation for flaking at Teahupoo or Pipe doesn’t exist or do you confront it or studiously do everything you can to stop your boy being presented with the decision, to go or pull back?
More importantly, does history matter? Is legacy even a thing? Anyone under twenty know who Andy Irons is? Joel Parko?