“I really want to ride a wave at Nazare or Jaws.”
The two-time world surfing champ, Filipe Toledo, although those titles were claimed in three-foot waves at a crumbling Californian break popular with adult learners, has shocked fans, his peers and media by vowing to one day surf Portugal’s Nazare or the mighty Jaws on Maui.
Toledo, thirty one and a daddy to three children, was responsible for one of the most dramatic moments in the 2024 Paris Olympics when the notoriously big-wave shy Brazilian lashed the second-highest wave score of the event, a 9.67, prompting BeachGrit’s Chas Smith to openly wonder,
What if Filipe Toledo is playing a game of rope-a-dope with the world; what if Filipe’s masterplan was to make the world think he was too scared to paddle into a set at Teahupoo and then, with Olympic gold on the line, create one of the most unlikely wins in Games history?”
It’s little secret that Filipe Toledo has had a long and difficult history with big waves.
Filipe Toledo, two-time, and defending, World Surf League champion** is waking up this morning to an onslaught of unfavorable press. Yesterday, as you’ve surely ready by now, the future Olympian put on an extremely tepid performance at Pipeline, collecting a score of just 1.77 before being relegated to the elimination round where he eliminated himself.
“Food poisoning” cited as the cause.
Surf fans are well-acquainted with Toledo’s withering once waves reach that amorphous “size of consequence.”
Today’s Sydney Morning Herald ran the blaring headline “Reigning world champ Toledo in big-wave show,” twisting the dagger with:
Professional big-wave surfer Laura Enever and world No.5 Molly Picklum spoke about Toledo’s frustrations and tactics in commentary as his first heat of 2024 ticked down, while WSL’s veteran analyst Strider Wasilewski – renowned for his prowess at Teahupo’o during his younger years – identified Toledo pulling back on several waves from his vantage point in the water.
“He’s got to get those butterflies out of his stomach because at the moment you can see the hesitation,” Wasilewski said. “I want to see him step up and surf Pipeline the way that [he can]. He’s got the talent, he’s just got to get over that fear factor.”
Toledo took to Instagram excoriating Wasilewski and others, penning, “To the critics on duty, and the world champions who comment on social media, believe what you want, I’m not here to prove anything to you! My health is my priority! To those cheering me on, thank you very much! We are together haha we will be back better and stronger!”
It is what makes the boy a fascinating study. The combination of pounding a lion-tattooed heart, owing nobody nothing, having proven everything, while being a full blown and very public sissy to the point glowingly positive Strider Wasilewski can’t take no more.
Well, all of that is set to evaporate after Filipe Toledo made a public vow to surf Nazaré and, or, Jaws, alongside big-waver Lucas Chumbo telling a Brazilian outlet.
“We’ve already agreed that it’s going to happen someday,” Toledo said. “I really want to ride a wave at Nazaré, or maybe Jaws, at least once in my life, just to feel that rush and see what it’s like.”
He did add an important caveat.
“I can’t just head out there and decide to catch a wave on a whim. I’m a father of three, so I have to be a bit more cautious — I can’t just act without thinking.”
You think he gonna go and is the Jaws, Nazaré thing maybe a little cop-out ’cause it’ll be a tow etc?
Would you, instead, and like me, prefer a simple paddle-in at six-foot Teahupoo? Wipe the slate clean, as they say, prove what you desperately need to prove, and move on?
Yes?
it’s just not going to happen
I feel like I should get the very same Lion tattoo that Felipe has on my testicle that hangs the lowest. I’m convinced my surfing will get soooo much better.
he could start by catching a wave at the next comp
You mean ” wipe his chest clean” on the reef.
the angels use a grinder I believe.
What if no one gives a fuck , will it matter ?
Soooo good to be talking surfing again and here is a question of substance that will make me mate Brutus proud. Do all of yous hold local surfers who charge in higher esteem or is it purely based on how far their “careers” take them?
For example I fucking love Brenno AKA Midget Magic and respect him so fucking much for being an absolute mad cunt who fucking sends it in heavy waves way more than I do other local surfers from round here who are just renowned for their small wave surfing no matter how much “better known” they are. Does sending it in heavy waves waves still count or is it as Hippy suggests now just about small wave surfing and big jumps and twirly birds?
Genuinely interesting in what all of you cunts have to say about this cuz it’s a good gauge of where surfing currently stands. For me I just love surfers who are good in all conditions but I personally can’t stand cunts like Pip with all the talent in the world who don’t have the balls to at least have a dig when its heaving. That just aint acceptable round here haha
There are some dead-set chargers where I am from, and they seriously go after the size, and it’s legitimately big stuff. They keep it pretty low-key, but there are surely a few chest-thumpers that hang around the fringe that you wouldn’t give the time of day to. And there are other crews or blokes and chicks that just slip around, getting their fix, be it big, small, or otherwise. No fuss, just in and out and gone like the setting sun. I respect them for their surfing life balance.
I’ve stopped judging people based on how good they are at surfing and just use how much money they make instead.
I can’t keep track of who everyone is around here or if you’ve been around since last year’s Teahupoo contest, but general consensus is that Pip’s world titles are an artifact of the Final 5 being held at Lowers.
But he woulda won both times on points alone
True
Some people, aint it true TOW.
not if had to surf Pipe as a final contest.
Didnt they do pipe at the start of those seasons?
final contest I said
I love how Gmed surfs Pipe once a year and fuken owns it
Ok I bite ,and SC yes back to a bit of surfing……..I really love Pip’s surfing,creative/innovative and entertaining to watch…I even think he’s another level above Ethan!
Yes Pip has developed a fear over the last 5 years of shallow reefs and hitting the bottom……we have all seen it……seems irrational to us who can see he is ooozing talent and has given us some surfing finest moments in surfing eg J-Bay……
It would be interesting to know actually how many people / surfers on the planet would just want to surf big slabs…….Pipe/Chopes/etc …without any cameras to record the moment?
Having big balls is one thing……but how to rate ya balls…I have a mate who has absolutely no fear of any size waves…but he’s terrified of sharks………if we compare CT surfers to him…well they have no balls….so it’s all relative…..
I love watching Pip because he brings flair to the tour…original…has a problem with slabs……so what….he entertains us with amazing surfing….
the whole big wave thing is relative to how much you think you can handle…in other words …can you survive a 2-3 wave hold down….in 20′ + surf ( Not faces)….can you survive getting pitched in a 20 wave and survive the next 4 waves………
I still think that quarterfinal against Jordy at j bay in 2017 was the best surfing I’ve seen. He’s a power surfing flow master.
As an old school type to me a world champion is someone who excels in all conditions on all the types of boards needed to excel in said conditions.
This is why I am diametrically opposed to the concept of a “dream tour”.
Every surfer with a shred of talent can rip in dream conditions, and after awhile the surfing becomes hard to distinguish and the better surfer is more in the eye of the beholder, but in comps that present legit challenges the cream clearly rises to the top.
This component has been pasteurized and has boxed pro surfing into the parameters we have today in my dim view.
It is something I actually want to write about below the line one day.
ya have to remember that it’s competition surfing….so rules and regs that have been developed over 50 years…….with the latter generations under the control of the media/industry……the WSL has really only one mission….give us a valid mens and womens World Champion…….
some of the world greatest surfers never won contests/World Champs……but doesn’t diminish them as surfers…..BK/Margo/Dane K/ Wayne L/ RCJ/ etc…..
True but a little off the topic I’m harping on.
Back in the day venues like Waimea were part of the tour, and valid World Champs were required to handle full on Rhino Chasers as well as little chipsticks.
One of the reasons MR still stands out as one of the best to have ever won it.
Waimea was always specialty events like the Eddie/Smirnoff etc …but not really on the ASP tour….remember the tour was held from Tuesday to Sundays…no matter what the surf was like…..so had to have boards and surfing where you could win in knee high and below at least one time during the week…….then of course you would get to Hawaii…and even it was 20′ closing out…..well get ready for ya heat……then we got the dream tour with waiting periods and having to deal with really good waves……..when you look at JJF/Medina/etc…….great in everything…..
AI for the win….
Yes — the 1986 Billabong Pro was part of the ASP world tour. It was held at Waimea Bay, and Ross Clarke-Jones is described as having joined the ASP world tour in 1986 and then surfed that event that year.
MR was outstanding. Crazy that he did it on an 8’6.
Bryce Ellis not even paddling out.
But also who can forget when JJF absolutely spanked the field in France with what was then never before seen mastery of the jet ski.
Again it is the imperfect setups to me that have provided the most memorable moments.
So again should the worlds best surfer be the one who could do it all on everything on any type of craft, or is todays status quo where it’s at?
I look forward to your insight and answer to that.
so the Billabong pro was actually at Sunset beach…swell got big and perfect so they moved it to Wiamea….would never happen again..permits/surfers would not allow….but you are right in saying…these anomalies are the most memorable…….JJF /Margaret River….AI against Bruce at La Nord France….ah the list goes on…..
Sad but true we will never see that again. Everything is compartmentalized into specialties now.
Could you imagine Gabe and crew on a gun charging 10 foot Puerto?
Alas these are things we will never get to see.
I blame Kelly🤣
AI vs Bruce one for the ages.
People that surf well or charge without ego, cameras or beating their chest get my respect.
How many German legs is he expecting to charge?
It’s lower German legs Gil for fuck sake!
Xox
Hey! I think I deserve some credit for this one. Ol’ Gil’s hard drive is a bit hazy these days.
Oh poor Gil ! You can re invest!
Xox
Several
He can get that anchor kid to show him the ropes
Flick for coach
he should be fine. Once you go down on one twenty footer with a bubble on you realize it’s child’s play and you won’t be underwater more than ten seconds. Child’s play these days……
Aussie mate of mine is visiting and it reminds me why y’all are some of the funnest cunts ever to have a laugh with on the planet. Some cultural differences without a doubt that need to be smoothed over (chatty American, brutal/rude Australian irony/humor), and yet it is proven that our species can coexist and have a great time.
Saw this today too btw https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
And we can all agree… big asterisk for Filipe
Once seppos have been broken in to not taking life and everything else so seriously they can be lovely people to hang around with, even with that whingey fucked up accent they have xx
Having gun control, basic healthcare, and not having (or asking for) the attention of the entire planet on you as the de facto empire helps. More than happy to let you be the younger sibling who downloads all our shit and thinks it’s theirs… we’ll pave the way little buddy (look at One Nation! Oh jeez!).
Cheers bruz
Voting in Donny twice certainly isn’t helping your global popularity either hahaha
Y’all are possibly not too far behind!
Gun control means using two hands!…
I like Jacks idea of throwing sandwiches instead of shooting guns
Gun control sucks balls mate , i miss going out in the bush a blasting a few roos or a croc , was fuckin great fun.
Do what you want, just don’t get caught!…rule no 1.
Spent about five months straight in Costa Rica with no other Australians once and the lack of sarcasm, irony and deadpan humour almost ruined me. You cunts are so literal
Fuck that’d be like guantanamo …with surf!
Did it leave permanent mental scarring? I used to do solo trips to Fiji for swells and be surrounded by Seppos and it was the constant arse slapping rather than writing each other off that nearly buckled me.
You Lucky Country!..
The culture shock moving there and especially moving back home taught me that. Would be hard for y’all if it was annoying/hard for myself.
The American perspective might be that y’all are laughing at thin air like a bunch of teenagers. Or just rude. I came to realize it’s a constant 30,000ft view on the situation and how cued in people were to their environment. American humor is a bit on the nose, silly, slapstick, or just plain bizarre, which also has its own trick. When I first moved there, I found it would really poke at y’all’s sense of propriety or respect at times and would think y’all are the most sensitive, humorless pack of adult adolescents on earth.
It really is all relative. At the end of the day we are a planet of chimps so you learn to enjoy where both are coming from because that’s family xx
not sure I buy that Americans aren’t funny.
Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Dave Chappelle, Don Rickles, Joan Rivers, Steve Martin, Robin Williams, Seinfeld, Louis C.K., Bill Burr, Chris Rock, John Mulaney, Sebastian Maniscalco, Mitch Hedberg, Steven Wright, Norm Macdonald, Eddie Murphy, Katt Williams, Sam Kinison, Patrice O’Neal, George Lopez, Phyllis Diller, Sarah Silverman, Chelsea Peretti, Iliza Shlesinger, Shane Gillis, Andrew Santino, Theo Von and on and on endlessly. I know tons of people who are hilarious. 8 of 10 Jewish Americans I know have great senses of humor, 7 of 10 Irish background, 6 of 10 Black, half the gays, half the Mexicans. WASPs can be cuttingly clever. Rednecks funny as fuck.
We are a country with millions of funny people, by raw numbers very likely the most in the world.
Traveling American surfers though not so much, maybe least funny demographic in the USA. Apologies for them
There it is. Spot on.
Totally was thinking in the American surfer bubble. Stoked you took the time to write that.
I wouldn’t say that I was suggesting Americans aren’t funny. I was just teasing out the perceptions of them from Aussies and vice versa. Humor is relative and also a universal experience.
I can feel the patriotism bleeding through
The main difference between Australians and Americans is that we worship the tall poppys and you guys ruthlessly cut them down.
If you try to tall poppy an American they’re gonna think you’re complimenting them.
Felipe is the best surfer on tour. If he develops a big wave ability….. open ocean reef, specifically, the tour is his. Gab is an animal. Italo electric caffeine Yago balanced.
Australia worries about style points
That’s your tour
Hang on . He lost heats recently. And anyway when Dane Henry gets on tour he’ll probably get 3 in a row. ( if it lasts past January
Fearlip is the best surfer on tour bahahahahahaahahahhaahahahahahahahahaha. The soft cunt can’t even take off at 5ft Chopes or Pipe even after going to both for over 10 years. You Seppos are so used to soft, shit waves you forget some of the rest of us actually rate surfers when it gets over head high too
You are like a two dimensional man stuck in a three dimensional world.
You seriously need to start expanding your quiver.
Hip, Filipe is on the backside of his career mate, with 3 kids.
He has made it perfectly clear he has no intention of charging heavy reef waves.
Time to let the fantasy die mate- it’s like Negs moderating days.
it’s over, respect the scoreboard.
And another ex-champ takes the prize
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Who’s next ?
Felipe is doing his utmost best to avoid the thing he has to do – Spend a month at chopes/cloudy/pipe and get over the fear.
he’s not avoiding it- he’s made it clear he’s not interested.
Wonder if there have been any serious tyre kickers sniffing around the WSL?
Hopefully some hedge fund operators who’ll buy..destroy..profit.
Probably nothing serious, cos it doesn’t seem to be an actual business that makes a profit.
More of an international govt grant distribution agency, with a bit of surfing on the side…
terrible business model
Dirks personal wealth has grown from $5 billon to over $7 billion now since he took the tour over so I reckon the tight cunt could have paid for the event at J bay and the $1.5 million it cost him would have been pocket change the wanker wouldn’t even know was gone ay
In the BBC, Dirk is a peasant!…
Viva Mexico!!!!!
Think that little cunty Uriah Anchor would beat the little lion at Teahupoo.
As long as his old boy pushed him in
https://youtu.be/AxpL4aghej4?is=pziBmwtqnOW139eu
It says “Live on KEXP”
I have never heard of KEXP before…. But he mentioned everything else, and it seems they are all live on KEXP….
A new drug?
Watching Sports
No idea either. Good song.
Radio Seattle?
Kexp been round for years. Have a good eclectic mix of musos on
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-wlueRRSpAE&list=RD-wlueRRSpAE&start_radio=1&pp=ygUYcGlncyBwaWdzIHBpZ3MgcGlncyBwaWdzoAcB0gcJCU4LAYcqIYzv&ra=m
… take note Filipe.
I already declared I am placing him No. 1 on my fantasy team….
He will get a YETI
He is a top level surfer
Check Vegas for the odds of him making a deep drop on DOH.
I thought everyone uses Polymarket
I don’t gamble.
When I go to the casino I buy the nice food and watch everyone else piss away their money…
I might as well drive by the casino and just throw my money out the window.
Cut out the middle man…
I just stick to 25 cent video poker at the casino bar, comes with free beer and grumpy bartenders.
It’s a cheap way to play with numbers and algorithms.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c… https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Also now gambling is so entrenched, you don’t even get to go to the nice casino, you just lose it at home…
My mate it so good at it, but as soon as he keeps winning he gets barred. Fuckn joke
Here in Australia, you can bet on if an AFL player drops their mouthguard in the 3rd Quarter. No joke….
I prefer the bird in the hand over the two in the bush.
Amazing he has 3 kids without having any nuts.
I felt that
You just fucked up the Richter scale
Can one of you layabouts pin this 👆
Nah, can’t be bothered.
Xox
Hahaha an that’s fair enough too
Can anyone do it?
Let’s see it.
I am putting Flippy on my team.
Probably trade out that useless love struck EWING