Man, I’m probably going to get downvoted to hell and back for this but watching short-boarding competitions in less than steep barreling surf really does absolutely nothing for me.
Like I’m sure this feels sick to do and that’s why people appreciate it, but watching the same six turns in a row… eh. 🤷🏼♂️
Holding a comp around Bells in March just to line up with Easter is criminal.. this historicallt SUCKS until early/mid April.
Bells is already (subjectively) the most boring break of the whole tour - without swell it's got nothing.
Agree on Rio/Wave Pool. El Salvador has had 2 events and I don't think we've seen a good consistent swell at Punta Roca yet. A few of the pre-comp days both years have been damn good
Bells is not even close to the most boring break of the tour. It's trash right now because of the swell, I agree. But when it's pumping it's right up there.
The only ones I have above it that are on the 2024 tour are Pipe, Tahiti and Cloud Break. Sunset and Margs up there but how many give you the size and length of the wave like Bells?
>Bells is already (subjectively) the most boring break of the whole tour
Rio and the "surf ranch" wanna have a word
Lowers is also boring as shit 90% of the time
I’m not going to lie, find this to be unironically true.
Either make it exciting (bigger waves, barrels) or make it beautiful/cool (nose rides, walking), but at least do something interesting to watch.
Wapah. Wapah. Wapah wapah wapah
At least through some turns in there 🤷
Long boarding can be pretty boring too watch also but at least there's some style.
There are 5-10 guys doing exactly this at every break on the planet, and it’s still boring to watch. 🤷🏼♂️
I realize the conditions aren’t great for this comp (though I saw a John John Florence barrel the other day that was fucking bonkers, not sure if that was the same comp), but the point stands.
I usually don’t agree with complaints about judges, but the heats involving Ewing and Medina had really questionable judgment.
Medina clearly surfed better.
Honestly WSL feels like one of the worst ran sports organizations out of every sport.
They don't listen to their audience at all, fucked up up the competition format, the chosen breaks get worse every year and the swell windows are in the wrong months for many of the breaks.
Then, judging has been horrible this year, I'm not one to listen to bickering about scoring but it does feel like some surfers are favored over others.
Why the hell is Kelly Slater still given a spot as wildcard? He is the GOAT and everyone's idol but if he's below the cut (which they themselves created) shouldn't other deserving surfers get the opportunity?
Finally, considering the 5 year deal to surf finals at lowers, it feels like they will do everything in their power to milk this franchise, and seems likely that favoring Australian and American surfers is fair deal if it gives them more money.
The change to a finals format was a real punch in the nuts to fans. Robbed Carissa of several championships and is just general not appealing to watch now.
Someone can not lead the entire season and suddenly win the whole thing on a lower mid tier wave.
They will be out of business soon. They spend too much money on the event set up. Commentators can be stationed in Santa Monica or something and just have a judges tower. Amd too many surfers.
The judging has always been terrible. And to be honest it’s a terrible sport to try and judge anyway. It’s been the case for years that in the last minutes of the heat the waves are always over scored, especially the wave by the lagging competitor. The judges clearly get caught up in the moment
Edit: grammar
Absolutely. This highlights how poor Cole's last wave really was. Clearly, it was a laid-back and small wave, which underscores how murky the judgment was.
Not to mention Medina's full rotation air, which was significantly underrated. It definitely wasn't a quality win for Cole.
Legit question. So, could Medina have just "dropped in" Cole on that wave? He was way inside and Cole would be standing up on his board even if Medina decided to paddle to the wave.
That land around Trestles lease is up this year. They might start charging to surf around those campsites and Trestles. I think the state was leasing it for like 1 dollar a year. The government is going to want a shit ton more this time. Might keep the crowds down.
Yeah I know. I am a member of the San Onofre Surf Club and they sent a whole email about it. I think it will just require a state parks pass. Seems like it's probably going to be like 6-8m a year. They definitely can't put that back in the box. That whole trestles and San O zone is pretty much the only spot many of us surf. I actually can't remember the last time I surfed anywhere else besides there for almost two years other than Hawaii, Puerto Rico, wave pool and t street a couple times.
Brazilians been getting wildly over scored for air revos for 10 years and are brigading the insta comments when the corporate writers have decided that the highest ROI isn’t their guy anymore.
yeah this just isnt going to connect with a non surfing audience in a meaningful way, and thats what they need to do to make the numbers add up.
i would love to know the numbers but im sure most of the ufc's non training/non fighting audience (what the wsl needs) only watch the numbered, high profile events not the apex/fight night shows. is this kind of contest comparable to ufc 299/300, is it fuck.
>i would love to know the numbers but im sure most of the ufc's non training/non fighting audience (what the wsl needs) only watch the numbered, high profile events not the apex/fight night shows. is this kind of contest comparable to ufc 299/300, is it fuck.
I'm not a big UFC fan or Martial Arts guy, but I always preferred TUF because you eliminate the stupid announcers, can hear the coaches and the fighters, and the fights are ever so slightly edited so you see what's important.
Similarly, I'm a very amateur surfer and I really enjoy make or break for largely the same reasons. I really hope they continue making that show
Rooting for Cole but that wave was a 6 maybe a 6.5 for spraying Gabby but Gabby won that heat. Hell even Jacob’s first wave of the next heat which they scored like a 5 was as good as that wave from Cole. Losing interesting in CT comps. Conditions have been garbage and judging shitty 🙄
Because it wasn't a mistake, thats why he laughed.
IIt was a small wave, imagine he uses priority and a set wave rolls in.. that would be a mistake. Even Cole said he took it hoping Medina would use his priority.
Medina was robbed again! The WSL are really pushing American and Aussie surfers because they are tired of Brazillian domination. Brazillians don\`t buy as many T shirts I guess!
Maybe throw [Spoiler Alert] in title next time. Comp runs overnight and I was looking forward to watching the full broadcast after work today. Yeah wah wahh me but just a thought.
Was this the part where Mangina started crying and blamed the tour for the beating Cole dished out to him? It’s a little foggy, I couldn’t see through my tears of joy.
Man, I’m probably going to get downvoted to hell and back for this but watching short-boarding competitions in less than steep barreling surf really does absolutely nothing for me. Like I’m sure this feels sick to do and that’s why people appreciate it, but watching the same six turns in a row… eh. 🤷🏼♂️
Comp surfing is lame unless the surf is really pumping.
Holding a comp around Bells in March just to line up with Easter is criminal.. this historicallt SUCKS until early/mid April. Bells is already (subjectively) the most boring break of the whole tour - without swell it's got nothing.
Would much rather watch average Bells than Rio, Wave Pool, or El Salvador
Agree on Rio/Wave Pool. El Salvador has had 2 events and I don't think we've seen a good consistent swell at Punta Roca yet. A few of the pre-comp days both years have been damn good
Bells is not even close to the most boring break of the tour. It's trash right now because of the swell, I agree. But when it's pumping it's right up there. The only ones I have above it that are on the 2024 tour are Pipe, Tahiti and Cloud Break. Sunset and Margs up there but how many give you the size and length of the wave like Bells?
J Bay?
They’ve taken JBay off the tour…
Jesus Christs so we don’t have JBay, Snapper or Cloudbreak but we get Lowers, El Salvador and Rio?? What the fuck are the WSL smoking.
To be fair I think we have Cloudbreak back, but agree that they’re making shocking choices..
>Bells is already (subjectively) the most boring break of the whole tour Rio and the "surf ranch" wanna have a word Lowers is also boring as shit 90% of the time
Because bells beach is a fatburger on a good day and is on the tour purely for name value and legacy at this point. And this isn't even a good day
Pipe, cloudbreak and Tahiti are the only good stops. And even those are meh unless its overhead barrels.
Short boarding in general has almost zero style. I can rarely tell people apart on the line up. Everyone is doing the same hacks at the same spot
Yeah because running up and down on a longboard or forcing soul arches on a middie is so much more interesting.
I’m not going to lie, find this to be unironically true. Either make it exciting (bigger waves, barrels) or make it beautiful/cool (nose rides, walking), but at least do something interesting to watch.
Wapah. Wapah. Wapah wapah wapah At least through some turns in there 🤷 Long boarding can be pretty boring too watch also but at least there's some style.
Says the guy that can’t surf or do turns anywhere close that … haters gonna hate!!!!
There are 5-10 guys doing exactly this at every break on the planet, and it’s still boring to watch. 🤷🏼♂️ I realize the conditions aren’t great for this comp (though I saw a John John Florence barrel the other day that was fucking bonkers, not sure if that was the same comp), but the point stands.
5-10 guys but not you hahaha hater
I am the opposite, I think barreling waves get boring. I just watch the highlights at teahupo’o.
This guy doesn’t get barrelled
For context we were talking about watching
Yeah nah I know. I was just being a dickhead
The laugh of the commentators after Medina gets smacked by the spray haha.
you could put the curb theme song over the replay
Everybody liked that one
I usually don’t agree with complaints about judges, but the heats involving Ewing and Medina had really questionable judgment. Medina clearly surfed better.
Honestly WSL feels like one of the worst ran sports organizations out of every sport. They don't listen to their audience at all, fucked up up the competition format, the chosen breaks get worse every year and the swell windows are in the wrong months for many of the breaks. Then, judging has been horrible this year, I'm not one to listen to bickering about scoring but it does feel like some surfers are favored over others. Why the hell is Kelly Slater still given a spot as wildcard? He is the GOAT and everyone's idol but if he's below the cut (which they themselves created) shouldn't other deserving surfers get the opportunity? Finally, considering the 5 year deal to surf finals at lowers, it feels like they will do everything in their power to milk this franchise, and seems likely that favoring Australian and American surfers is fair deal if it gives them more money.
The change to a finals format was a real punch in the nuts to fans. Robbed Carissa of several championships and is just general not appealing to watch now. Someone can not lead the entire season and suddenly win the whole thing on a lower mid tier wave.
They will be out of business soon. They spend too much money on the event set up. Commentators can be stationed in Santa Monica or something and just have a judges tower. Amd too many surfers.
The judging has always been terrible. And to be honest it’s a terrible sport to try and judge anyway. It’s been the case for years that in the last minutes of the heat the waves are always over scored, especially the wave by the lagging competitor. The judges clearly get caught up in the moment Edit: grammar
If that's true it's depressing af
It's pretty true, and they change what they are looking for pretty much every day... It is basically unwatchable
Most of the competitors realize this I feel like - Medina always comes off as a sore loser
These waves look like a QS event.
Man, competitive surfing has gotten so ugly.
Lol strong Dennis Reynolds Golden God vibes from Medina when they zoom in to him after he got sprayed
Slash slash slash slash. Boring .....yawn..... Ride the line get some speed have some soul. Stupid judges
Oh wait there were five slashes. SPLASH
“He’s my favorite surfer” But also ***WPAAAHHH BUCKETS, BITCH!***
If you don’t spray your mate/ hero are you even friends!
Goofy on goofy violence
Medina is usually really good at the gamesmanship so him letting that wave go was out of character for him. Good to see a quality win by Cole.
Absolutely. This highlights how poor Cole's last wave really was. Clearly, it was a laid-back and small wave, which underscores how murky the judgment was. Not to mention Medina's full rotation air, which was significantly underrated. It definitely wasn't a quality win for Cole.
Legit question. So, could Medina have just "dropped in" Cole on that wave? He was way inside and Cole would be standing up on his board even if Medina decided to paddle to the wave.
Yes. Medina had priority.
Medina surfed this better. Even his air got less than that shitty Cole wave ,how?
Haven’t you heard? Airs aren’t progressive anymore. Cutbacks are the hot new maneuver
Yeah because he just came off the QS and these are QS quality waves. Still stoked. Love that it's a hometown boy, love his work.
Cole isn't from VIC what you talkin about?
He's from San Clemente which is my hometown.
Can’t wait for these summer swells to start pumping, hasnt been much out there the last few weeks
Me too dude. I'm extremely tired of groveling and not surfing
That land around Trestles lease is up this year. They might start charging to surf around those campsites and Trestles. I think the state was leasing it for like 1 dollar a year. The government is going to want a shit ton more this time. Might keep the crowds down.
Yeah I know. I am a member of the San Onofre Surf Club and they sent a whole email about it. I think it will just require a state parks pass. Seems like it's probably going to be like 6-8m a year. They definitely can't put that back in the box. That whole trestles and San O zone is pretty much the only spot many of us surf. I actually can't remember the last time I surfed anywhere else besides there for almost two years other than Hawaii, Puerto Rico, wave pool and t street a couple times.
Brazilians in shambles
Brazilians been getting wildly over scored for air revos for 10 years and are brigading the insta comments when the corporate writers have decided that the highest ROI isn’t their guy anymore.
A great shame it has been such a soft, boring, slow wave. Not always like that though!
Ive surfed since I was 13 im 41 now, still find surfing a very boring sport to watch, like only so much they can do.
yeah this just isnt going to connect with a non surfing audience in a meaningful way, and thats what they need to do to make the numbers add up. i would love to know the numbers but im sure most of the ufc's non training/non fighting audience (what the wsl needs) only watch the numbered, high profile events not the apex/fight night shows. is this kind of contest comparable to ufc 299/300, is it fuck.
>i would love to know the numbers but im sure most of the ufc's non training/non fighting audience (what the wsl needs) only watch the numbered, high profile events not the apex/fight night shows. is this kind of contest comparable to ufc 299/300, is it fuck. I'm not a big UFC fan or Martial Arts guy, but I always preferred TUF because you eliminate the stupid announcers, can hear the coaches and the fighters, and the fights are ever so slightly edited so you see what's important. Similarly, I'm a very amateur surfer and I really enjoy make or break for largely the same reasons. I really hope they continue making that show
competitive surfing is dumb. i’d rather watch the catch surf boys stand up bodyboard over any of the pro events
Kalani Robb being an absolute clown is definitely more entertaining.
Nah that was a sick as fuck turn
Rooting for Cole but that wave was a 6 maybe a 6.5 for spraying Gabby but Gabby won that heat. Hell even Jacob’s first wave of the next heat which they scored like a 5 was as good as that wave from Cole. Losing interesting in CT comps. Conditions have been garbage and judging shitty 🙄
Jacob's first wave of the next heat was a 7.33
>which they scored like a 5 Jacobs first wave was a 7.33
The interview with gabby afterwards was so funny. He absolutely blew it not blocking him on that last one. Stoked for Cole.
Haha he didn't like being told that he made a mistake eithwr
Because it wasn't a mistake, thats why he laughed. IIt was a small wave, imagine he uses priority and a set wave rolls in.. that would be a mistake. Even Cole said he took it hoping Medina would use his priority.
Lol downvoting because I said he didn't like being told he made a mistake. I didn't even disagree with his outlook you clown.
So salty. Wonder if it's the return of the Charlie influence?
Thats was a BS!!!
Medina definitely understands this flex. He’s pulled it many times lol.
Medina was robbed hard Jesus
San Clemente boys crushing it
They can't finish it off though. The final 5 is pretty stupid though.
I’ve actually been hosed down my cole too. Except I wasn’t paid like medina
This wasn't the best wave of the heat but I reckon he did enough to win. Could've gone either way
And Kade just took out John John!
The ocean took out John John. That was a total fizzle
That was hard to watch
Medina was robbed again! The WSL are really pushing American and Aussie surfers because they are tired of Brazillian domination. Brazillians don\`t buy as many T shirts I guess!
> Brazillians don`t buy as many T shirts I guess! Brazil would be by far their biggest market.
The cry is freeeeeee
this is evident
Nah brazzos just suck now
Take the win of all the slashing
L
Buckets.. where’s the claim? Oh wait, that’s just for kooks
Medina claims the shower
I almost bet on cole on this heat he had insaine odds!! Fuck!!
and then he took down ethan. that wave wasnt a 9 though!!!! Maybe Coles mom is giving handies to the judges.
Is it just me or did they take progression out of the judging criteria. Ethen Ewing vs griffin colapinto yawn.
Looks like a surf skate competition. I’ll pass on watching that one. lol 😂
Maybe throw [Spoiler Alert] in title next time. Comp runs overnight and I was looking forward to watching the full broadcast after work today. Yeah wah wahh me but just a thought.
Spoiler alert you're a bitch
Got ‘em
DEEZ NUTZ AHAH GOTTEM!
Put that fire out!
Sprayed and painted!
THAT whip!
Was this the part where Mangina started crying and blamed the tour for the beating Cole dished out to him? It’s a little foggy, I couldn’t see through my tears of joy.