Gabriel Medina (BRA), 2014 WSL Champion, claimed an emphatic victory today at the Fiji Pro, besting current Jeep WSL FrontrunnerMatt Wilkinson (AUS) in solid 10-to-12 foot (3 – 3.5 metre) surf at the world-renowned Cloudbreak.
Stop No. 5 of 11 on the 2016 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour, the Fiji Pro, culminated in dramatic fashion today with the remaining members of the world’s best surfers battling one another in the largest surf of the year.
Following a slow start, with both Finalists finding themselves out of position in the building swell, Medina struck with two back-to-back scores for impeccably-navigated tube rides, posting a 7.33 and a 8.27 to place Wilkinson into a combination situation. The Australian was unable to find a rhythm in the challenging conditions and Medina posted his first elite tour win since last October.
“It feels amazing and I am so stoked,” Medina said. “I just want to thank God and my family. That was a crazy week. We have been waiting for these waves and they finally came through. They were big and we got so many sets on the head. We got a lot of barrels and it was a sick event. I am just so happy.”
Today’s victory rockets the Brazilian to second on the WSL Jeep Leaderboard heading into the back half of the season.
“I am really tired right now, but I was saving my energy for the Final because I knew it would be tough,” continued Medina. “Wilko (Matt Wilkinson) has been surfing amazing since the first event and I do not know who can stop this guy. This is his third final of the year and I am really happy to make this final against him.”
Today’s second place finish strengthens Wilkinson’s lead on the WSL Jeep Rankings and the Australian will retain the Leaders’ Jersey heading into the J-Bay Open with a commanding 32,500 points. The Fiji Pro marks Wilkinson’s third Finals appearance in 2016, after his back-to-back wins on the Gold Coast and at Bells Beach.
“I am really stoked with second,” Wilkinson said. “If I came here knowing I would get a second, I would have been absolutely frothing. That Final was just so tough. It was disappointing not to get a big barrel when there were some to be had out there, but I just had twenty sets on the head and one barrel that I got caught in. Gabriel (Medina) was unbelievable out there. It is halfway through the year and I could not have dreamed of a better start. Everyone is obviously going to be coming for me, so it is definitely not time to let off on the accelerator. I am going to go into J-Bay as focused and ready as I can.”
Adrian Buchan (AUS) defeated three-time WSL Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) in the Quarterfinals before being eliminated by Wilkinson in the Semifinals. Buchan’s 3rd place finish is his best result in 2016 and his first Semifinal berth since Jeffreys Bay in 2015. Buchan was previously in 15th place on the Jeep Leaderboard and will now move to 7th.
“I’m pretty gutted right now,” Buchan said. “I spent the whole heat duck diving washed through sets. I fought back with that 7.8 midway through the heat and I just couldn’t get deep enough on that 4.1. I spent the last six minutes dodging wash-throughs again. That was frustrating, but you can’t get mad at the ocean. I’ve been pretty in rhythm all event and that heat I was completely out of rhythm. It was amazing to surf a heat against Matt (Wilkinson), but it just hurts when you are in rhythm and you have a heat like that.”
Fanning’s Quarterfinal berth earns him a fifth-place finish and sees him move to 16th place on the Jeep Leaderboard.
“It’s been an incredible event,” Fanning said. “Celebrating Taj’s final CT appearance, having a birthday, ending in pumping surf and just having a great time has made it a really special event. I appreciate all the support I’ve had throughout the window and will see everyone in Jeffreys Bay.”
Today’s Semifinal berth for Kelly Slater (USA) marks a great result for the 11-time WSL Champion, and his first Semifinal since Jeffreys Bay in 2015, after his worst ever start on the Championship Tour. During the match-up, Slater exchanged strong opening rides with Media, but the Brazilian got the edge with an excellent 8.40 over Slater’s 6.50. As sets rolled in, Medina continued to increase his lead with a 6.27. In the dying minutes of the heat, one last opportunity came through for Slater, but Medina utilized his priority to block the four-time event winner. En route to the Semifinal, Slater unleashed incredible performances including a near perfect 19.77, the highest heat total of the event. Slater will leave Fiji with a 3rd place finish and move up to 26th place on the Jeep Leaderboard.
“I am happy because I surfed well in this contest,” Slater said. “I feel like I finally got the computer working in my brain again, but I caught a couple of viruses in that heat. I probably got a little ahead of myself. I might have gotten a little too excited from the last heat and a couple of heats before that. You just have to focus on the job at hand. Gabriel (Medina) picked it right and played the heat the right way. I had my chances and made three or four mistakes. I am looking forward to J-Bay.”
Slater previously dispatched Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) in the Quarterfinals with an excellent 18.70 two-wave heat total.
John John Florence (HAW) battled eventual runner-up Wilkinson in Quarterfinal 4 but wasn’t able to take down the Australian and takes home a 5th place finish. Florence secured a solid 6.50 on his opening ride, but Wilkinson quickly captured the lead with a 7.73 and 6.90. Florence, with a 10.93 heat score, was not able to close the 8.13 point gap against Wilkinson. Florence remains in third place on the Jeep Rankings.
“The waves are really good right now and I just did not pick the best waves,” Florence said. “I had that one at the end but I was a couple feet too deep. This result is not too bad, it is still a keeper and it’s only halfway through the year. I am pretty excited for J-Bay. All in all, I am pretty stoked. I had some really great waves in Fiji.”
Adriano de Souza (BRA) was dispatched by Medina in the opening Quarterfinal. Medina locked in multiple maneuvers to earn a 6.33 to take control. De Souza battled with a 5.83, but could not find a strong enough back-up score to defeat Medina. Medina scored a 4.53 to gain a 2.03 point lead to eliminate the reigning World Champion from the event. De Souza will walk away with a 5th place finish and 5th on the Jeep Rankings.
“It was a tough day out there for me,” De Souza said. “I got so many waves on my head and a broken board. Gabriel (Medina) has so many skills and he is so smart and picked the right waves. Right at the end one wave came through. Needing a 5, I tried to get deeper and then that cost me to not make it through the last wave. I am just happy to be in the Quarters, as it is a good result when looking at the full year. Now I am focusing on J-Bay. Before that I will stay here another week and get more barrels.”
The next stop on the 2016 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour will be the J-Bay Open in South Africa from July 6 – 17, 2016.
Fiji Pro Final Results: 1 – Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.60 2 – Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 6.34
Fiji Pro Semifinal Results: SF 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.67 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 12.03 SF 2: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 13.33 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 12.00
Fiji Pro Quarterfinal Results: QF 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 10.86 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 8.83 QF 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 18.70 def. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 9.40 QF 3: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.60 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 13.40 QF 4: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 14.63 def. John John Florence (HAW) 10.93
Did you see the Fiji Pro last night? After a full week’s holibobs of lazing in hammocks drinking brightly coloured cocktails with little umbrellas in the WSL mob finally got to earn their paychecks yesterday. And boy did they. Cloudbreak finally came to the party and unleashed video game perfect pits for the crew.
WSL Release:
The stage is set for a thrilling finale tomorrow at the Fiji Pro, Stop No. 5 of 11 on the 2016 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour. Competition today ran through Rounds 4 and 5 with world’s best surfers battling for a place in the Quarterfinals in perfect 6-to-8 foot (2 – 2.5 metre) Cloudbreak conditions.
Kelly Slater (USA), 11-time WSL Champion, delivered the performance of the day and charged through his Round 4 heat against Adriano de Souza (BRA), reigning WSL Champion, and Wiggolly Dantas (BRA). Slater opened up with an excellent 9.77 and further established his dominance with a perfect 10.00 for a 19.77 heat score. The Brazilians tried to fight back, but were forced into a combination situation by the American. Slater’s win earns him a direct advance to the Quarterfinals where he will face Dantas.
“I had to go on that last wave and I just misjudged it,” Slater said. “That was a heartbreaker. I got pitched and broke my leash and board. I am kind of tripping, even though I had a great heat. But I am putting all that behind me. This is all for Robert Rohmann and his family today. I am thinking about you guys and I am sorry for your loss.”
Matt Wilkinson (AUS), current Jeep Rankings’ Leader, squeaked through Round 4 to secure his place in the Quarterfinals against John John Florence (HAW) and Adrian Buchan (AUS). The heat saw multiple lead changes with excellent-range scores, including Florence’s no-grab barrel to earn a near perfect 9.93. Wilkinson chipped away with a 16.56 heat score, edging out Florence by only 0.13 points.
“Coming here is amazing because it is one of the best waves in the world and I really wanted to stop people questioning whether I can go left or not,” Wilkinson said. “To beat John (Florence) and Ace (Adrian Buchan) out there is the hardest heat you could have. I think those are the best waves I’ve ever seen, so to get a heat win like that and get barrels like that is the best feeling in the world. To put a big result on the board when the waves are so pumping feels pretty awesome.”
Florence went on to face Jadson Andre (BRA) in Round 5 Heat 4. Florence fired with two excellent 8.50 rides to take the lead and forced the Brazilian to find two new scores. Andre tried to fight back with a deep tube ride, but was not able to break the combination. Florence will advance to the Quarterfinals where he will surf against Wilkinson.
“I just tried to pick nice, clean waves,” said Florence. “I knew there were a lot of clean waves coming in and I didn’t have to make it harder for myself. I am excited to face Matt (Wilkinson) in the Quarterfinals. He got me in Round 3 and he is in the lead right now, but I am just going to focus on my own surfing. I’d love to get him back, but you never know. Tomorrow we are supposed to have good, big waves so I am excited.”
De Souza narrowly survived elimination Round 5 Heat 1 against injury replacement and former CT charger Dusty Payne (HAW). De Souza and Payne went wave for wave, but the reigning World Champion locked in the win with an 11.34 heat score to defeat Payne by only 0.97 points. Payne will walk away with a 9th place finish while De Souza will go head-to-head against compatriot Gabriel Medina (BRA) in the Quarterfinals.
“We had a tough heat because there was so much expectation that the waves would be crazy good,” De Souza said. “As soon as we were out there, I waited for a while and realized that I was in a heat and not in a freesurf and needed to get some points on the board. I am so happy to be in the Quarters. I am excited for tomorrow because I heard it will be bigger than this.”
Gabriel Medina (BRA) was the first surfer to secure a Quarterfinal berth and opened the day’s action by locking in a perfect 10.00 with a hollow tube ride. Dusty Payne (HAW) fired back with an excellent 8.33, but Medina carved out a huge opportunity for himself with massive aerial maneuvers to regain the lead. Medina, with a 14.60 heat score, defeated Payne and Michel Bourez (PYF).
“Everyone got sick waves in that heat and one of the sets was mine,” Medina said. “I’m stoked to get a 10. The waves are incredible — I think it’s the best Cloudbreak I’ve ever surfed. I tried to do my best on that wave, it was the best 4 of my life!”
Bourez was not able to make it out of his Round 5 heat against Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) and leaves the contest in equal 9th place. An interference call on Bourez disqualified his second wave score, leaving him with just a 3.77 combined score.
“There were not many waves in the heat,” Dantas said. “When I saw that good wave that Bourez was on, I thought that I had to go because I had the priority. I am so happy to make my heat. It is hard when you block your friend like that, but I am stoked to make it. My boards are feeling good and I am feeling good.”
Mick Fanning (AUS), three-time WSL Champion, battled Josh Kerr (AUS) and Jadson Andre (BRA) in Round 4 Heat 3 to earn his place in the Quarterfinals. Andre got the jump on the Australians with a strong 7.93, but Fanning captured the lead with an near perfect 9.80 barrel and an incredible 8.27. Kerr fought hard to climb back and scored a near perfect 9.07 but was not able to turn in a second excellent-range score to combat Fanning.
“That was so beautiful,” said Fanning. “Looking out from that last wave and seeing all you guys with your hands in the air, I was losing it. The 10’s that have gone done today have been for barrels that were so deep so I tried to stall as much as I could.”
Fanning will face Adrian Buchan (AUS) in the Quarterfinals after Buchan dispatched Kerr in Round 5. Buchan gained control of the heat with a strong 7.50 score and secured his lead with an excellent 8.17 tube ride. Kerr fought back with a 10.66 heat score, but was not able to find the 9.34 required to advance.
“At this stage at the event you are in your own headspace when going up against your friends,” Buchan said. “Josh (Kerr) and I are good mates and we have surfed so many heats together, and we always seem to draw each other. Those were the best waves I’ve ever surfed a heat in. It is tough to surf against friends, but I get to this point and know that I am really just competing against myself. I am excited to surf against Mick (Fanning) in the Quarterfinals. It is going to be a big challenge, but I am looking forward to it.”
Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow at 6:30am local time for a possible 7am start.
The Surfline forecast is calling for:
Mid period SW swell will continue on Thursday, easing from Wednesday, but still offering well overhead sets, light wind and good surf. A larger, longer period SW swell will build in for the final day of the waiting period. Wind looks favorable for the morning, potentially trending sideshore S for the afternoon.
Heat 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.60, Dusty Payne (HAW) 11.16, Michel Bourez (PYF) 10.23
Heat 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 19.77, Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 13.34, Adriano de Souza (BRA) 11.60
Heat 3: Mick Fanning (AUS) 18.07, Josh Kerr (AUS) 15.07, Jadson Andre (BRA) 13.43
Heat 4: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 16.56, John John Florence (HAW) 16.43, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.16
Fiji Pro Round 5 Results:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 11.34 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 10.37
Heat 2: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 14.27 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 3.77
Heat 3: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.67 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 10.66
Heat 4: John John Florence (HAW) 17.00 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 10.17
Fiji Pro Quarterfinal Match-Ups:
QF 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Adriano de Souza (BRA)
QF 2: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA)
QF 3: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
QF 4: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) vs. John John Florence (HAW)
TAVARUA, Fiji (Wednesday, June 15, 2016) – The Fiji Pro, stop No. 5 of 11 on the 2016 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour, roared back to life today following a week-long hiatus with Cloudbreak delivering building six-to-eight foot (2 – 2.5 metre) waves for Round 3 of competition.
Taj Burrow (AUS), 18-year CT veteran, surfed his final CT heat today against John John Florence (HAW) and the bout proved to be the premiere battle of the season thus far. Florence opened strongly with a deep barrel to lock in an excellent 8.17, but Burrow quickly followed suit with an 8.00 to take the lead. With the swell pulsing during the heat, both competitors charged wave after wave to exchange excellent-range scores. Burrow bettered his score with a near-perfect 9.20, and Florence answered back with a near-perfect 9.43. Burrow continued to battle and earned another excellent score, an 8.60, to regain control. With fifteen minutes left on the clock, Burrow held control with a 17.80 heat score over Florence’s 17.60. On the last exchange, both surfers caught massive barrels. Burrow earned a near-perfect 9.43 for his tube, but Florence took the lead with a 9.33. Burrow finished the heat with an 18.60, just 0.16 points short of Florence’s 18.76 heat score.
“That was one of the best heats of my life and to have it with Taj (Burrow) before he leaves the Tour is one of the coolest things ever,” Florence said. “It is so special to surf against Taj with everything he has contributed to surfing. Since I was a little kid, I’ve been watching him do airs and watching him win events. That was an amazing heat and I am so stoked.”
After announcing his retirement from the elite Championship Tour earlier this year, the Fiji Pro will be Burrow’s last CT event. In his 18-year career, Burrow has been a Top 10 finisher 15 years, posting WSL Runner-Up positions in 1999 and 2007.
“That was one of the best heats of my life,” said Burrow. “Every time I got off the ski and got out the back, a crazy perfect wave would be there and I’d be in the perfect spot. I could not have picked a better way to finish my last event ever. The waves were exactly how I’d want them and exactly who I’d want to surf against in those types of waves, someone who will push me to be my best. This has been the best twelve days of my life and everything fell into place so perfectly. I feel like I won the event and the World Title. I am so happy. I have so many people to thank along the way – everyone who supported me on the road, my friends, fans and family. Thank you to everyone around the world for all those years of supporting me.”
Matt Wilkinson (AUS), current World No. 1 on the Jeep Leaderboard, dispatched Alejo Muniz (BRA) in the final heat of Round 3. Wilkinson trailed behind Muniz for the majority of the heat, but fought back with an excellent 8.50 barrel ride and a solid 5.43, forcing Muniz to chase a 7.27 in the final minute. Wilkinson will face Florence and Adrian Buchan (AUS) in Round 4. Muniz will walk away with a 13th place finish, his third Round 3 elimination of the 2016 season.
“It was tough out there,” said Wilkinson. “When the waves are pumping like this you get so excited and once I was out in the heat, the tide was still coming up and the wind had kind of fluffed onshore. The waves earlier would have been really open. I was taking off behind them but then almost dragging and getting stuck. With six minutes to go I decided to do some turns and get some scores on the board and get it back together. I am stoked I ended up getting that last barrel.”
Kelly Slater (USA), eleven-time WSL Champion and four-time event winner, eliminated Jordy Smith (ZAF) in Round 3 Heat 4. Slater found a clean barrel on his opening ride to earn a solid 7.83 and gain an early lead. The waves continued to fire and both surfers battled for control. Slater hunted for barrels and captured an excellent 8.73 wave score, forcing Smith to turn in two new scores. The South African secured an 11.83, but fell short against Slater’s 16.56 two-wave total. Smith will walk away with an equal 13th place at Fiji and Slater will move on to Round 4.
“There are waves all over,” Slater said. “There are actually waves deeper than the ledge. There’s waves on the ledge and then there are some wide ones, but you have to pick your poison. Everyone is seeing those good ones and those are the ones you want, but you cannot guarantee there are going to be a couple of those during your heats on a day like today. I got psyched out on a few waves that I really wanted, but they didn’t materialize into much. The good ones are out there.”
“Obviously this was going to be an extremely tough heat,” said Smith. “I tried to choose the best waves I could. Kelly (Slater) is the best surfer out there ever. I tried to play to my strengths, but unfortunately he got the good scores and beat me. I think I’ve just got to get back on track. I feel like my surfing is great and heading to J-Bay next should be a good one for me. I will just take everyday as it comes and chip away. I just want to go to J-Bay with an open mind and try to surf my heart out.”
Mick Fanning (AUS), three-time WSL Champion, came out of the gates firing and opened his scoreline with an excellent 8.33. Fanning continued to dominate the heat against compatriot Adam Melling (AUS) and took the win with a clinical performance and a 13.40 heat total.
“It’s been a long wait but the surf is pumping today,” Fanning said. “It’s great to see Cloudbreak turn on again and get a few waves. Adam (Melling) is a super strong surfer wherever we are and I knew he could be dangerous. Fortunately, I found the rhythm in that exchange.”
Gabriel Medina (BRA), 2014 WSL Champion and former event winner, dominated the opening heat of Round 3 against Matt Banting (AUS). With lots of opportunities, Medina made the most of his heat with fifteen rides. The Brazilian charged with massive combination maneuvers to earn two solid 7-point rides, putting the Australian in a combination situation. Banting will walk away with a 13th place finish and Medina will advance to Round 4.
“That was a good wave – the air was good but the barrel wasn’t very deep, which is why I think I got that score,” said Medina. “I got a lot of barrels in that heat so it was really fun. The waves are finally back after all those lay days and I’m stoked to be here.”
Adriano de Souza (BRA), reigning WSL Champion, blazed through Round 3 against Keanu Asing (HAW). Asing got off to a quick start with two waves, but De Souza earned the lead, opening his account with a 6.17. On his second to last ride, De Souza claimed a near-perfect 9.10 with two back-to-back hollow tube rides. Asing, needing a 9.67, was not able to challenge the World Champion and is knocked out of the draw.
“I have been focused on the good waves and trying to improve my techniques,” De Souza said. “After this event I am going to stay another week just to improve more and more. For me it is a big learning curve to catch Kelly (Slater) on those techniques – I’d need to live in Fiji for the next ten years – but I am doing the best that I can. I understand that there is so much I can learn and improve. Keanu (Asing) is a tough man and he surfed so well. I was worried the whole time that he would get a 10, which he can do. I am happy to advance and go to the next round.”
Jadson Andre (BRA) caused one of the upsets of day when he eliminated current No. 2 on the Jeep Leaderboard, Italo Ferriera (BRA). The 2015 Rookie of the Year is eliminated from the competition in equal 13th place, despite holding an excellent 9-point ride in his scoreline. Today’s result is the best of the season for Andre, who is currently ranked in 34th place, and he will move on to Round 4 where he will face Josh Kerr (AUS) and Mick Fanning (AUS).
“It was an amazing heat for me,” Andre said. “I think Italo (Ferreira) was the guy who beat me the most. I started the heat well with two good scores and Italo did not have any really good scores. I pretty much had the heat in my hands until I paddled for a bad wave where I fell. Italo got a bomb and I took a set on the head. At the end of the day, I did well and I went to the right waves. I used my priority to not let him go for seven minutes because I know how dangerous he is. It has been a long time since I’ve made Round 4.”
The last 2016 WSL Rookies left in the draw, Kanoa Igarashi (USA) and Conner Coffin (USA), were not able to advance out of Round 3 as they were eliminated by Michel Bourez (PYF) and Wiggolly Dantas (BRA), respectively.
Coffin, in particular, looked in peak form against Dantas. With seconds left on the clock, Coffin held the lead with an 11.20 two-wave score over Dantas’ 6.97. In the final moments of the heat, Coffin was charged with an interference call on Dantas on his last exchange. With Coffin’s second wave score disqualified, Dantas got the slight 0.11 point advantage over the rookie to take the win.
“The conditions were challenging out there and I was struggling to get a good wave,” said Dantas. “I am stoked to make my heat. I am pretty happy and I am for sure going to surf better in the next round. I have been surfing Cloudbreak the last couple of days and trying to learn as much as I can. I have been learning the different sections and approaching them in different ways. It has been fun and I am excited for the next round.”
For more information, check out WorldSurfLeague.com
Fiji Pro Round 3 Results:
Heat 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.50 def. Matt Banting (AUS) 4.33
Heat 2: Michel Bourez (PYF) 7.67 def. Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 5.46
Heat 3: Dusty Payne (HAW) 7.20 def. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 6.50
Heat 4: Kelly Slater (USA) 16.56 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 11.66
Heat 5: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 6.94 def. Conner Coffin (USA) 8.83
Heat 6: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 15.27 def. Keanu Asing (HAW) 11.00
Heat 7: Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.50 def. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 13.73
Heat 8: Josh Kerr (AUS) 14.26 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 12.20
Heat 9: Mick Fanning (AUS) 13.40 def. Adam Melling (AUS) 9.17
Heat 10: John John Florence (HAW) 18.76 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 18.60
Heat 11: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 13.54 def. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 9.93
Heat 12: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 13.93 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 8.50
Fiji Pro Round 4 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA), Michel Bourez (PYF), Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 2: Kelly Slater (USA), Wiggolly Dantas (BRA), Adriano de Souza (BRA)
Heat 3: Jadson Andre (BRA), Josh Kerr (AUS), Mick Fanning (AUS)
Heat 4: John John Florence (HAW), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
The life of a World Surf League pro surfer isn’t too shabby. Touring the world surfing the, ahem, “best” waves that have been cleared of the hoi-polloi for a few days of fun and frolics before swinging back to the airport for the next leg.
Getting awesome surf in the event windows is of course a meteorological lottery. Mama Nature occasionally treats them to a show and sometimes she pulls the plug and goes on holibobs for a week, leaving mirror calm in her wake.
Like at the moment. The pros are marooned, Robinson Crusoe style, on some beautiful islets off the south west corner of Fiji.
Sure they’re not exactly doing it Bear Grylls style … which it must be said IS an idea for future seasons. The Island with Bear Grylls and the Top Surfers in the World … certainly has some legs. More so than Youth Hostelling With Chris Eubank. To watch them bitching and losing their marbles on an island without AC and hot tubs whilst having to hunt for their dinner AND compete would be televisual gold. Lord of the Flies surf style…
Anyhoose. Televisual format brainfarts are not the point of this piece. It’s what to do with the many lay days and an expensive production crew twiddling their thumbs. Because those production bods, commentators and camera folk cost upwards of £250 a day for their tech know-how. And right now they’re sitting by the pool drinking G&Ts. Because all media folk know when someone’s paying you and there’s nowt to do then once the clock strikes 10:30am it’s G&T time.
So. A modern decathlon is in order. It would give the pros something to do and the production team will spare their much abused livers.
1. Swimming
A straight all in race across the channel from Namotu to Tavarua. Anyone that does not finish the mile is instantly disqualified from the rest of the decathlon.
2. Kayaking
After a refreshing pint, or two, of Pimms the return leg to Namotu. Again, an all out thrashathon with the remaining surfers windmilling back across the channel … whilst:
Anyone that snags a fish whilst towing a line on the way back earns bonus points based on fish weight in kilos.
4. Beach Volleyball
After a mid-morning sushi snack from the freshly caught fish a bit of team play. Based around national teams. This is a bit unfair on Jordy, Jeremy and Michel so they can play as Rest of the World against Australia, Brazil and the USA. Seeing as Jordy is the tallest pro then there’s a good chance they might smoke it. But the Brazilians are pretty renowned for their beach volleyball so who knows.
5. Sand Sculpture
After a hectic morning of competition we need a more restful activity that displays the creative, artistic nature of the pros. So. Sand sculpture it is. Sure coral sand isn’t ideal, it’s not as sticky as Weston Super Mare’s legendary sludge. But you work with the materials nature gives you. Something makes me think John John might build a mean sand castle, seeing as he’s so flipping good at everything, and there should be abundant coral/shells for decorative effect.
6. Ping Pong
After lunch it’s the back five. With a few tables in play this event would be a simple man on man from the start. With the winner from Namotu taking on the winner from Tavarua for the most points. Sure it’s sweaty as hell playing wiff-waff in Fiji but that’s part of the fun when the sweat’s running into your eyes and burning them…
With our pro heroes pretty much broken by this point it’s time for a disco nap and then food. With a sunset dinner comes great Instagram potential. Again artistic merit is key here. Straight horizons, utilising the rule of thirds and filtering appropriately will all be rewarded by the judges. The commentary on this leg will be particularly spicy: “Joe, I can’t believe Wilko is going Clarendon at this juncture, that’s some spicy ‘Gramming.” Etc.
On to the main event. Points are awarded on units. Not volume. So it’s cocktails and shots not pints of Fiji Bitter. Anyone that spews, passes out or goes skinny dipping is disqualified.
9. Arm Wrestling
Drinking and testosterone inevitably leads to arm wrestling. Again man on man for the last few vital points. No holding on to the table with the spare hand and no leg bracing against the table legs allowed.
10. Creative Hairstyling
Finally. The crowning glory of the Modern Fiji Decathlon. Clippering the shit out of each other with rusty barber clippers. Points awarded for the most shocking mohican delivered. Speed is of the essence here.
***
So. There you have it WSL. A lay day filled with thrills, competition, creativity and fun. Keeping boredom at bay and the pros and crew enthralled. It would be phenomenal on the live feed.
Make it happen.
Oh.
And PS: you’re welcome.
After a few years’ sabbatical we’re stoked to announce Boardmasters is confirmed as a World Surf League Qualifying event.
Boardmasters had a proud history as, for many years, the UK’s only World Tour event. For a few golden years England and Scotland hosted the tour but in recent times it’s been sparse. Sure BM HAS been a stop for the WSL longboard crew the last few years but it’s not quite the same.
So it’s with great joy we share the news from Boardmasters that the event is once again part of the World Surf League qualifying series.
It’ll be a QS1000 event, but as QS events worldwide are getting rare they’re all vitally important for points and for seedings the following year.
Boardmasters will host the Men’s Open, the Women’s Open and the Boardmasters Men’s and Women’s Longboard contests,cementing Boardmasters as the high-profile event in the UK’s surf calendar.
Boardmasters will be stop #29 on the WSL international qualifying series tour, giving surfing professionals the opportunity to come to Cornwall and be in with the chance of gaining valuable points in their quest to reach the elite platform of professional surfing.
The highly anticipated Boardmasters QS1000 will run from Wednesday 10 until Sunday 14 August 2016 at Fistral. The action will kick off with the Men’s Open. Britain’s best professional surfers, such as Ben Skinner, Luke Dillon, Jobe Harris and Lucy Campbell will once again have the chance to compete at an international level in home waters.
Registration for entry for the WSL Open and Longboard events is via the WSL website.
It doesn’t stop there, as the festival continues at Watergate Bay for a weekend of the biggest and best names in live music performing from Friday 12 – Sunday 14 August 2016. Confirmed headline acts so far include Chase & Status, James Bay and Deadmau5, with other performances across the weekend from Catfish and the Bottlemen, Craig David, Primal Scream, Kano, Lianne La Havas, Kaiser Chiefs, Sigma, Wolf Alice, Example and Eats Everything, with further acts still to be announced. Can’t wait!
Johanne Defay (FRA) has claimed victory today at The Fiji Women’s Pro, Stop No. 5 of 10 on the 2016 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour (CT), besting reigning three-time WSL Champion Carissa Moore (HAW) in six-to-eight foot (2 – 2.5 metre) surf at Cloudbreak.
“I’ve never beat Carissa (Moore) before,” Defay said. “She is such an amazing surfer and she took 9-point rides in every heat. It is crazy and I am so happy. I want to thank my family because they have been up all night watching.”
Today is the second elite CT win for Defay, who claimed her first CT victory at the Vans US Open last year. The 2015 Fiji Women’s Pro semifinalist dispatched Courtney Conlogue (USA) in the Quarterfinals and Bethany Hamilton (HAW) in the Semifinals before facing Moore. Previously at 7th place on the Jeep Leaderboard, the result moves her to 4th place.
“The waves were really incredible for us this year – we are so fortunate,” Defay said. “All the girls were ripping. I felt like I wasn’t surfing very smart heats leading up to the Final. I was getting good waves at the end and advancing so I wanted to start strong in the Final. I’m so stoked right now.”
The Final match-up saw extraordinary performances from both surfers. Defay dropped an excellent 8.40 with massive hacks and clean turns in the pocket. With less than ten minutes left on the clock, sets out the back gave both surfers opportunities to improve their scores. Moore set up with a huge backside hack, but fell on her second maneuver. Defay attacked the lip to lock in an 8.70, putting the three-time World Champion in a combination situation with less than five minutes left. Moore was not able to find the waves to combat Defay’s 17.10.
“I was having an okay year but this really helps me get into a better place for me on the rankings,” Defay said. “The next few events are usually strong for me so I hope to keep the results coming.”
Defay heads into the upcoming Vans U.S. Open of Surfing as the defending event winner.
The Fiji Women’s Pro marks Moore’s first Final appearance of the season and her best result at the event. Moore put on a flawless performance en route to the Final, including a perfect 10 in her Quarterfinal match-up against Laura Enever (AUS). The runner-up finish will see her stay in the 3rd position on the Jeep Leaderboard.
“It was really an amazing event and I’m really happy with the way everyone surfed,” Moore said. “Disappointing that I wasn’t able to stay in rhythm for the Final, but congratulations to Johanne (Defay), she surfed incredible.”
“Fiji has been a challenging event for me in past years so it felt great to get some solid waves and big scores under my belt here,” Moore continued. “Big thanks to my coach, C.J. Hobgood, and to my support team here at home. Finals is a good result and I’ll look to build upon it at the next event in Huntington Beach.”
Bethany Hamilton (HAW), global sporting icon and wildcard into the Fiji Women’s Pro, was eliminated in Semifinal 1 by Defay. The Frenchwoman set the rhythm early by unleashing vertical maneuvers to earn a near-perfect 9.20. Defay backed up her opening ride with an 8.27, forcing Hamilton to find two new scores. Defay continued to strengthen her two-wave total, throwing away solid scoring rides. Hamilton fought back with sharp cutbacks, but was not able to defeat Defay.
Hamilton caused a series of upsets as she blazed through the draw, eliminating world No. 1 Tyler Wright (AUS) in Round 2 and defeating six-time WSL Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) in Round 3, before taking down Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) in the Quarterfinals. This event marks Hamilton’s sixth appearance in a Championship Tour event and the third-place finish is her best ever CT result.
“Coming here and competing in the Fiji Women’s Pro is a dream come true and I am stoked with how I did,” Hamilton said. “The women on the Championship Tour are surfing amazing right now and the level continues to get better and better. I have so much respect for all the girls and it has been an amazing time here. I am so thankful for my husband’s and family’s support and all of my fans for cheering me on. It has been an incredible experience.”
Bianca Buitendag (ZAF), 2015 event runner-up, took on Moorein an epic Semifinal clash. The two surfers went wave for wave to secure a spot in the Finals. Moore got off to an incredible start with powerful backhand snaps that earned her a near-perfect 9.77. Buitendag battled back with an excellent 8.27 and 7.83 to take the lead in the last ten minutes. Under pressure, Moore responded with solid rides to regain the lead. Moore continued to improve her situation by delivering another near perfect score, a 9.27, forcing Buitendag to find two new scores with five minutes left. Buitendag’s 3rd place finish marks her best result this season. Buitendag will remain at 9th place on the Jeep Leaderboard.
“Learning from the best, like Carissa, will help me improve,” said Buitendag. “The way Carissa approaches the lip is much more committed and critical to what I had done. Definitely that and spending more time on lefts, because I do not do that as often. There is so much to learn from all of these girls and I am so happy to be a part of it.”
In a heated re-match of the 2015 Fiji Women’s Pro final, Buitendag previously edged out defending event winner Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) in the Quarterfinals by just 3.73 points, ending Fitzgibbons’ run for a third-consecutive event Title. This 5th place finish will see Fitzgibbons remain 5th on the Jeep Rankings.
Courtney Conlogue (USA) was eliminated in the Quarterfinals by Defay. Conlogue controlled the heat with a 14.00 two-wave score, but an aggressive three turn combo under Conlogue’s priority earned Defay an excellent 9.17. Conlogue was given one last opportunity advance in the dying minutes of the heat, but could not close the 1.07 gap on Defay.
“In the start of the heat I definitely had control of it,” Conlogue said. “As I came around, I lost my rhythm with the ocean and Johanne ended up maximizing on it and I made a few mistakes in that heat. I just have to go back to the drawing board and learn from my mistakes heading into the US Open. I am trying to win events and surf the best I can. When I get to the US Open that is what I will be working on.”
Conlogue’s 5th place finish in Fiji has earned her back the WSL Jeep Leader’s’ Jersey at the upcoming Vans US Open of Surfing.
Fiji Women’s Pro Final Results: 1 – Johanne Defay (FRA) 17.10 2 – Carissa Moore (HAW) 10.70
Fiji Women’s Pro Semifinal Results: SF 1: Johanne Defay (FRA) 17.47 def. Bethany Hamilton (HAW) 11.06 SF 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) 19.04 def. Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 16.60
Fiji Women’s Pro Quarterfinal Results: Heat 1: Bethany Hamilton (HAW) 12.33 def. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 11.26 Heat 2: Johanne Defay (FRA) 15.07 def. Courtney Conlogue (USA) 14.00 Heat 3: Carissa Moore (HAW) 19.03 def. Laura Enever (AUS) 15.77 Heat 4: Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 14.40 def. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 10.67
2016 Samsung Galaxy WSL Top 5 (after Fiji Women’s Pro):
Did you see the Fiji Pro last night? After a full week’s holibobs of lazing in hammocks drinking brightly coloured cocktails with little umbrellas in the WSL mob finally got to earn their paychecks yesterday. And boy did they. Cloudbreak finally came to the party and unleashed video game perfect pits for the crew.
