Let them eat Colapinto.
The World Stonewall League is set to wrap up its 2026 World Championship Tour season under a dark cloud of nasty. The “global home of surfing” was thrust into the spotlight in the middle of last month after releasing a statement that “a surfer” had been suspended following “serious allegations of abuse.” It then proceeded to hide behind its very sturdy stone wall, refusing to name the surfer nor engage with a host of female professional surfers, both current and former, who have since come forward to illustrate the toxic stew during and around events.
2027 might not be looking better for the League after the Gold Coast council approved a proposal to host a WSL night surfing exhibition at Snapper Rocks.
The concept, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp., “…involves installing temporary floodlighting to allow the competition to continue after sunset, as the council explores whether night surfing can become a permanent fixture to ease congestion at some of the Gold Coast’s busiest surf breaks.”
WSL President Andrew Stark very bullish, declaring, “We believe the initiative represents an opportunity to strengthen the Gold Coast’s position as a world-class surfing destination and to demonstrate innovation in the presentation of professional surfing.”
The waters will be closed to the general public during the experiment, the lineup cleared for “elite competitors” and sharks.
Councillor Donna Gates was one of many worried that dark plus floodlights plus warm professional surfer bodies might lead to disaster. “I have been concerned about this because of the dawn and the dusk issue, with potential shark bites or attacks,” she opined.
She was the only official to vote no on the proposal.
Bond University associate professor of environmental science Daryl McPhee was surprised by the Gold Coast’s move, sharing, “The lights will attract various fish species and squid and seabirds, and all those are prey of tiger sharks. So, it’s not without its risks.”
He later added, “It’s always good when something’s trialled, but you don’t want to see a trial actually putting somebody at risk.”
Professional surfers essentially used as chum.
But do you think popular new prop bet sites will take action on which CT surfer will take a bite and/or which limb they might lose?
Will Al Cleland Jr. be used?
More as the story develops.
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They can have Albee Layer as well. Listening to him talk on a podcast is some of saddest, most downbeaten stuff I’ve heard from a surfer in years.
At least, for our sake, he quit doing his own podcast with Jack Freestone, saying that a surfer should only start doing a podcast when they no longer wish to push their surfing anymore (burn). Fella speaks likes he’s never heard of a sports agent or a financial planner, although sounds like he never made enough money to need a planner. Definitely needed an agent, though.
Maybe his current therapist will tell him this; at least he has one of those.
whats the gist of Albee’s beef Barn?
don’t do podcasts.
Think he’s got beef with life in general, from the sounds of it.
girl left him, no home, dog died ( probably ), renting a friend’s tiny home, no space to store his surfboards, some sponsors dropped him, no children or wife, can’t get a wave out at the perfect local right that breaks once ever 15 years (that was from a few years ago) because everyone drops in on him, looks and sounds like a nervous nellie. He’s obviously a big softie; not that there’s anything wrong with that, just that the world is harsh.
That’s it at half-way through and I had to pause it as I’m considering jumping out of my window. I’ll give it another try later, after I secure my window, as I’ve always respected him since around the time Meola won the first Innersection film, and they’re close mates. I’m hoping that the guy who got Clay Marzo a bunch of sponsorships, or any agent, gives him a call.
My automatic dumbass surfer thought is “that’s really sad he’s depressed he’s so good at airs”.
My simpleton mind went to. “If i was 6’2, blondish and looked like him I’d be knee deep in the
ladies.” But even I have been down that road and know that bedding many ladies does not bring happiness and after a while you’re just looking for the right one.And we all know that very, very few women remain with the sad-sack man. Only the crazy, psychos keep those around so that they can walk all over them. Fella seems to be processing getting dumped, right in front of the camera. Hard to watch.
Has always seemed like he might have some hidden demons in his brain.
WSL President Andrew SHark
I guess the Brazzo top five won’t be participating in the night surfing after making such a song and dance about their fear of sharks at Margs. The Margs event then canceled at great expense to taxpayers. An event which they coincidentally enough showed little success.
You must be referring to the 2018 event that was reconvened with huge success at Uluwatu and won by popular Brazilian William ‘Panda’ Cardoso with Australian Julian ‘Crying Willy’ Wilson coming 2nd.
It showed how a contest could (and should) be moved to a better site, with many left wondering why it doesn’t happen more often, and bemoaning Margaret River as unfit as a pro-surf tournament arena.
Ahhh, those were the days…
Expression session
Derek vs Derek
Chas vs AL