Gutted.

This is the final year that surf fans will get to enjoy the World Surf League’s dramatic “Final Five” format. Rolled out a baby handful of years ago, the change sought to mimic the thrilling Pipeline final in 2019 betwixt numbers one and two Gabriel Medina and Italo Ferreira. Winner take all. The League, then fronted by former CEO Erik Logan, decided that California’s Lower Trestles would be the best approximation of Da Banzai and hosted three consecutive Final Fives on those cobbled stone.

Small swell wizard Filipe Toledo winning two of them before stepping away for a mental health year.

Now, grumpy surf aficionados oft insist that Toledo’s two cups should come with silver asterisks attached, seeing that the diminutive Brazilian once refused to paddle any consequential wave, most notably at Teahupo’o and Pipeline. What they conveniently forget is when surfing’s ground was forever shifted at the 2024 Paris Olympics wherein Toledo wrangled a 9.67 tube halfway across the world, at the Place of Broken Skulls, and was crowned “King of Teahupo’o.”

While his glorious reign lasted less than 16 hours, it showed the li’l lion’s potential and, thus, surf devotees were very excited when it was announced that this final Final Five will be conducted at Cloudbreak, a monstrous and scary left. A chance for House Toledo to establish itself once more.

Alas, moments ago the forever young 30-year-old suffered stunning defeat at the Rio Pro, falling to countryman Miguel Pupo in the dying seconds of the round of 16. Pupo snagging a right under priority and bashing slashing on his backhand, only taking time out to celebrate mid-wave. He was rewarded with the necessary number, vanquishing Toledo and sending him sliding down the rankings. He is currently 8th, three spots out of a Cloudbreak invitation, but likely to slip more depending on how the rest of the contest plays out. Only two events remain in the season, J-Bay and Teahupo’o, and might surfing’s best-ever story be in the works?

Filipe Toledo wrangling a Tahitian Titan to punch his ticket to Fiji for the last frame?

Stay tuned!

Did not see that coming.

Surfers are collectively gasping for air, this morning, trying to understand a re-ordered world. The shock win of Democratic-Socialist upstart Zohran Mamdani over the establishment pick Andrew Cuomo in the New York City mayoral primary is, of course, shaking the ground. Cuomo, despite being a heavy favorite leading up to election day and having the support of universally adored figures like Bill Clinton, Bill Ackman and Michael Bloomberg, got utterly trounced by the 33-year-old Ugandan-American, calling in his resignation just two hours after polls closed. It is being called the biggest upset in New York political history, and Mamdani will face off against current mayor Eric Adams and possibly Cuomo, once again, who is floating running as an independent in the fall.

Stunning but not why surfers are wheezing all bug-eyed en masse.

No, the cause of our bewilderment finds its root in Australia where its Time Out Magazine has just released its highly anticipated “world’s greatest surfing spots” list with Burleigh Heads, Bells Beach, Snapper and Margaret River all appearing in the top five over the traditional betting favorite Pipeline.

The complete list is thus:

1. Burleigh Heads, Australia
2. Malibu, United States
3. Bells Beach, Australia
4. Snapper Rocks, Australia
5. Margaret River, Australia
6. Pipeline, United States
7. Mentawai Islands, Indonesia
8. Tamarindo, Costa Rica
9. Tamarin Bay, Mauritius
10. Black Rocks, Mauritius.

While surfers tried to figure out how to approach the day with everything they thought they knew altered, Brazilians were busy writing death threats to send to Australia as no Brazilian waves, not even Saquarema, made an appearance.

At least some things will never change.