"I didn’t touch any water and straight elbow to reef..."
But what sort of curse has descended upon our World Surf League and who else should be worried? Days after multiple-time champion, and viral sensation, Gabriel Medina tore his pectoralis major, thus being forced to sit out the front half of the season, San Clemente’s Crosby Colapinto has announced he, too, has suffered catastrophic injury one week ahead of the tour opener.
The 2024 Rookie of the Year, who hails from San Clemente, took to Instagram to share:
Welllll… I broke my elbow surfing back door. On the third wave in this clip, I jumped forward off my board after the back spit because I was too deep, fell into the vortex of the lip, the lip ended up going straight to the bottom breaking the flat water, I didn’t touch any water and straight elbow to Reef. So grateful that it was my elbow and not something way worse. What really hurts the most is the timing of it all with the start of the year just a couple weeks away. But I am excited for this challenge that stands in front of me at this moment, And excited to see what comes out of this. “Challenges strengthen you and problems weaken you.” I am going into surgery on Wednesday and will keep everyone updated on how it all goes and the journey of coming back. Thank you to everyone who has reached out and who have sent the love. I will be back soon and this is all part of the journey. I just have to trust it. We are on the spaceship too many!
Medina, Colapinto and likely John John Florence whose coach Ross Williams announced retirement all but finalizing the three-time winner stepping away from the show. The former towhead will likely surf Pipeline, giving surf fans a brief glimpse of what they will miss once the League takes its talents to Abu Dhabi.
Slater gone too, only to surf the tour waves he enjoys courtesy of a magic wildcard.
Does the decimated draw dampen your enthusiasm for competitive professional surfing at its highest level?
Or, will all eyez now be upon the women’s field?
More exciting anyhow, tbh.