Surprises on the 2018 CT schedule
Recently the WSL stated that 2018 would be a transition year for the Championship Tour with big changes due in 2019. Overnight, the WSL released its 2018 contest calendar showing some of those changes are already being rolled out.
After a four year break, the Championship Tour will once again return to Indonesia in 2018. The Bali Pro, Indonesia, is scheduled for late May and wil be held at Keramas, site of the last Indonesian CT event back in 2013.
Keramas rejoins the Championship Tour in 2018
The other notable addition to next years calendar, though it's less of a surprise, being announced last week, is the Surf Ranch contest at Lemoore, California. The Surf Ranch will be a CT for both Men and Women and has a five day 'waiting period'.
On the other side of the ledger, two long standing competitions, Fiji and Trestles, have been dropped. WSL CEO Sophie Goldschmidt stated that lack of government support stymied the Fiji Pro.
Also, with Trestles gone, mainland USA has just one event - an inland one. Here in Oz, we retain all three: Snapper, Bells, and Margaret River.
The Margaret River Pro is without a naming rights sponsor, as is Bali, the Surf Ranch, and Tahiti too having lost long time sponsor Billabong. Outerknown, Kelly Slater's clothing company, sponsored Fiji last year but is nowhere to be seen this year.
Sophie Goldschmidt, WSL CEO, said of the 2018 calendar: “Indonesia is universally-regarded as home to world-class waves and is a location where the League is exploring long-term opportunities for the sport. While Fiji has been a multi-year pillar of the Dream Tour and we may return in future, appropriate support from the government of Fiji is needed to bring the world’s best back to Cloudbreak and Restaurants. Keramas is a fantastic venue and we are stoked to go there in 2018.”
The overnight news arrived with a full calendar of events for the CT, QS, Big Wave Tour, and the newly reformed Masters and Grand Masters Championship. This is an idea the old ASP introduced in the 1990s, past winners including Terry Richardson, Gary Elkerton, and Cheyne Horan. The two divisions cover surfers 40-49 years of age and 50+. They're only available to past IPS/ASP/WSL surfers.
The Masters initiative appears a way to legitimise the WSL's recent Heritage Heats, and also find a competitive platform for Kelly Slater who's on the cusp of retirment.
The full Mens and Womens 2018 CT calendars are.
Mens:
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, Australia - March 11 - 22, 2018
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, Australia - March 28 - April 8, 2018
Margaret River Pro, Australia - April 11 - 22, 2018
Oi Rio Pro, Brazil - May 10 - 19, 2018
Bali Pro, Indonesia - May 27 - June 9, 2018
Corona Open J-Bay, South Africa - July 2 - 13, 2018
Tahiti Pro Teahupo'o, Tahiti - August 10 - 21, 2018
Surf Ranch Lemoore, California/USA. September 5 - 9, 2018
Quiksilver Pro France, France - October 3 - 14, 2018
Meo Rip Curl Pro Portugal, Portugal - October 16 - 27, 2018
Billabong Pipe Masters, Hawaii/USA - December 8 - 20, 2018
Women:
Roxy Pro Gold Coast, Australia - March 11 - 22, 2018
Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach, Australia - March 28 - April 8, 2018
Margaret River Pro, Australia - April 11 - 22, 2018
Oi Rio Pro, Brazil - May 10 - 19, 2018
Bali Pro, Indonesia - May 27 - June 9, 2018
Corona Open J-Bay, South Africa - July 10 - 17, 2018
Vans US Open of Surfing, USA - July 30 - August 5, 2018
Surf Ranch Lemoore, California/USA. September 5 - 9, 2018
Roxy Pro France, France - October 3 - 14, 2018
Hawaii Women’s Pro, Hawaii/USA - November 25 - December 6, 2018
Comments
How can they possibly drop Fiji which has consistently been one of the best stops on tour?
Its an absolute travesty they are keeping the likes of Brazil and Portugal and dropping Cloudbreak.
As a business unit the WSL must be looking at commercial viability, imagine the logistical costs between Cloudbreak and Lemore and factor in the return on investment for each. Makes perfect business sense once the emotional attachment has been removed.
Bit of a shame though all the same.
Perfect business sense ?
The whole idea is to attract viewers.
Fiji is widely regarded as the best and most anticipated stop on tour and it's being replaced by a hot tub novelty that'll struggle to retain viewers into its second year.
Maybe the entire world tour is the loss leader for the wave pool biz.
Loving the Fiji governments current refusal to subsidise Dirk Ziff's bottom line though .
:—]
Fiji is by far the best event on Tour, year on year.
Makes Kellys one year sponno look like a cynical move now that the wavepool is up and running.
Shows how the WSL, even with a billionaire backer, is still hopelessly addicted/dependent on govt/taxpayer underwriting.
"Also, with Trestles gone, mainland USA is without a Mens CT contest "
Isn't Lemore on the mainland.
Ha ha...my mistake. Still can't get my head around the wave pool being a CT.
Yep, that's right. It almost like a separate tour.
Weird hey!
It's almost like the location is irrelevant.
FWIW, I don't think Lemoore can be considered in the same vein as an ocean contest (gawd, how weird is it to have to qualify that a surf event might be held at the beach).
Part of the allure of most of the tour stops is that the surfers gets to connect with its fans - hence the reason for Gold Coast, Torquay, Hossegor, Trestles - not only are they great waves, but they also have vibrant surf communities. So, each 'CT event has essentially operated as a travelling circus to all of the main surf cities around the world, which in turn helps to give the each local surf industry an annual boost.
Lemoore doesn't fit this profile though. Not only is there a relatively small number of potential spectators (8,000 according to this article), the region doesn't quite lend itself as an interstate holiday destination, so that surf fans can watch the World's Best Surfers in action.
And I'm sure that's not the point of Lemoore. However, there's now nowhere on the US Mainland for surfers to plan a two week holiday in and around a WCT event.
Is that a bad thing? I don't know. But I think when considering the 'big commercial picture', Lemoore is certainly nothing like any of the other tour stops. Hell, the town only has 26,000 residents - another 8,000 surf fans would increase the population by 30%. Where are they all gonna stay?
2ft wave pool over 4-6ft CB? Are you serious WSL? Give yourselves an upper cut. Best surfers on best waves? Bollix!!!
As the pros get more used to the wave pool, it's going to be interesting to see what boards they ride. I reckon board choice will evolve to be quite different from those used in the ocean WSL events.
Good question. After riding one of Kelly/Tomo/Firewire's short, high volume Omnis (the one in all the Lemore vids) that would be my ideal board...and I suspect they're going to sell millions of units. It's a rather genius bit of diversified marketing for Kelly - the comp, the brand (Outerknown Lemoore Pro?), the board etc.
I just hope some young upstart schools him on his own ramp!
Yep, Beagle. I can see them going to really short, flat bottomed little boards and doing skatey turns and airs quite different to what we see elsewhere.
I remember years ago when the flow rider opened up and they had an invitational demo. They invited a few pro surfers (I think Luke Egan etc. were there) and these guys just "surfed the wave and pulled into the barrel.
Then the other invites were a handful of pro skaters who just destroyed the thing like a vert ramp. Huge airs, 540's etc.
I wonder if the Wave pool leg on tour will become like that with tiny "skate/surfboards".
Considering how easy it will be to merely take off and get tubed from start to finish without any risk of choosing the wrong wave, will the points go to variety and difficulty of aerials???
I'm a bit less cynical. I reckon the judges will award more points for style, flow and massive combos (5 second barrel to power hack to air to barrel etc), so the focus will be more on performance than wave catching and heat hustling (I can't see ADS making too many heats, for example). If you look at the Lemore wave line in the videos it's similar to a small, perfect reef pass...short transitions and super sucky. These conditions do lend themselves to boards like the Omni, and others, but if you look at the past winners on small perfect waves (e.g. restaurants), then you'll see a wide variety of planshapes and rockers...but no skateboards!
Ahh....massive combos? I saw mick surfing it and although hollow and fast seems to have no push once you are beyond the pocket. He was using all his strength to do a power hack and cutties. Depressing from my viewpoint, the whole thing seems to have gone sideways. How can you compare a 2 foot industrial park with J Bay - even on a shitty day. Best waves, excuse me whilst I choke.
I read another comment elsewhere about the possibility of creating a format similar to ice-skating where the first few rounds are judged on technical ability. i.e all competitors must nail a series of technical manoeuvres to move into the finals, where each surfer puts together their own "run". Points would be awarded for variety and difficulty. Airs, hacks & barrels score higher than one crazy manoeuvre. Certainly a different way of running it considering all the variables have now been taken out.
The WSL needs to release a statement on the format for the wave pool comp. ??
No priority, no man on man, no 20 min heat, no need for seeds. Not really a "competition "is it.
Surfers perform just for the judges, a bit like figure skating. (hmmm, how will I pick my fantasy team)
Cloud break vs Portugal
Massive barrels vs close outs
Bath warm vs freezing
Crystal clarity vs turbid sludge
White sands vs brown Grit
Frangipani fragrance vs sardine stench
Bikinis vs mario brothers moustaches
Kava vs port?
One outta eight aint bad.
I'll take the kava, it tastes worse but the hangover is kinder.
I cracked a bottle of 1980 vintage port with Lucky Al the last time he was in town. Wouldn't swap that for all the kava in Fiji.
Don't knock sardines, they are beautiful to woof down, particularly with white wine and tomato, and the scenery in some of those old medieval towns is tremendous as is the food. Not keen on sweet potato and yams, really bland. Water temp in September is around 20º which from Victoria is a Balmy summer surf. Bit harsh Blowin.
Memla - I've never been ....but I'd love to go .
Still rather catch Wahoo and get pitted at restaurants and Cloudbreak though.
Each to their own.
No neither have I, however, plan to go next September with the trouble and strife in tow, or is it the other way around? Have surfed cloudbreak many years ago and no doubt idyllic little island and awesome waves. Not much to do for the ladies after a couple of days though, hence a good compromise in Portugal.
Portugal is awesome. Plenty of spots to choose for waves, including long points, its definitely not just limited to the one spot. The Port is of a much higher standard than what you generally get here
They should change every stop every year but always end in pipe with a 1 month waiting period.
There are so many waves that could be on tour but aren’t
JJF (if he wins) will go down in history as the last true champion of the (ocean) world tour
To think that the pool gets a gig for championship points over Fiji in a "dream" tour designed to crown the best surfer in the world is a backwards step in pro surfing.
Watch out for the pool specialists in coming years...
Lemoore - mens and womens CT
Sept 5-9...tight schedule ?
Gary was thinking about this - surely Lemoore is impacted by weather systems.
What if it's stormy/squally during the comp??
throw a tarp over it?
Gary always tarps up. He likes to practice safe surf.
Haha!
The wave pool comp will go off. In every conceivable direction. Perfect waves for every heat, a level playing field that will make pro surfing accessible to all peoples of all nations. Rabbit's majestic dream, finally realised in a chlorinated pool. Busted down the door like never before and dehinged to boot. A great unity will arise linking landlocked and coastal dwellers alike. Episodes of Poolwatch and Wave Pool Rescue will pump logies. Extreme Cage Pool coverage late at night on SBS. Olympics will build venues and Prime Ministers will have a crack in their dick togs and resist the urge to pee. Skateboarders will become the surfing elite, oligarchs will purchase teams, Athletico will surf United, jerseys will be issued and when they break for lunch we can all run onto the pitch with our surfboards. Clones will ride drones.....or is it the other way round?
Wonder if they can run the comp at night if it's too windy during the day?
Maddog. Took the thought right out of my head.
Surf comp under lights broadcast live on Fox Sports7 or whatever.
It is the perfect set up for live broadcast. 1 wave ridden, replays and analysis then eagerly awaiting judges scores. Then ad break (while pool settles) straight back from the ads to the next wave. Rinse and repeat.
Commercially it makes sense. But......
The format was 1 x left and 1 x right per surfer per heat if I'm correct? I imagine that will be the format for the Lemoore Pro.
Shame to see Fiji go and Brazil stay. But with such a devout fan base in Brazil, they'd have shot themselves in the foot if they got rid of the heat. It's a business at the end of the day.
Remember when Rabbit saved the tour by taking it away from city beaches to G-Land, Tahiti etc.
Seems all things go full circle...
At least it still finishes at Pipe for now.
As an event for the non-surfer it makes sense. Take the recent Portugal comp for example, long waits, closeouts, heats being won with scores under 5.
For pure performance sake, it's an interesting exercise. Take out the variability of wave selection, growers, sections, chop etc. Go hard, innovate and blow minds rather than 5 or six carve turns.
Would I prefer Fiji ? Yes, but until the tour can successfully get sponsorship outside the industry (like Golf, Tennis etc), it will always need a benefactor like Ziff.
C'mon, admit it, you like the Portugese closeouts. France did a pretty good go of them as well on the fuller tide. You remember the closeouts of our youth, and when we travelled and found, more closeouts. That onshore day at the coastal town's back beach - my closeout must have been head and a half, no less. And that rivermouth we all found, beautiful straighthander.
I enjoyed watching the tide drop out in Portugal, I even saw backwash.
Insert plastic fin joke here
lolol I'm still using them from time to time
guilty confession: I reckon the glassflex M5s with the inside foil are still about the best I have
It does have sponsorship outside the industry.
It's called the Australian taxpayer. We underwrite every event on the Aussie leg, via Govt money delivered via state tourism agencies.
Which is why Australia, with 26 million people, can sustain 3 CT's a year and America, with 323 million can barely support one.
Which is why Fiji, despite being the universally recognised best event on Tour and being sponnoed by Quiksilver, Volcom, the WSL itself and Kelly via Outerknown, cannot be sustained.
As to whether a non surfer will find surfing in a wavepool any more compelling viewing than surfing in the ocean, thats a big X in the equation.
It's a big enough X as to whether surfers will find it compelling.
I'm sure people will tune into the first one for the novelty factor, but in 2, 3, 5 years time ?
The sponsorship delivered by the taxpayer is barely a drop in the ocean compared to what Mercedes, Moet, Veuve, BMW, Vodafone and major corporates spend on Golf & tennis.
FWIW, I agree with you about the wavepool. As a sports fan generally, I'm interested to see who can put on an all out 'performance' and push limits. As a surfer, I'll watch the heat analyser for scores over 8.0 and move on.
The NSW Govt has dumped the grovel fest that was the Australian Open at Manly, maybe a sign of the times for the future of Govt support for surfing events in Australia. The main reasons they dumped it was because: Key performance indicators — which were a prerequisite for funding — had not been met. A number of sponsors also pulled out of the event and event promoters IMG made a decision not to run it.
I know it's a drop in the ocean, the point is, Professional surfing seems not to be able to exist as a commercial entity without it.
Or barely anyhow.
Take the taxpayer funded scaffolding away and it crumbles fairly quickly.
In the words of CEO Sophie Goldschmidt: "appropriate support from the government of Fiji is needed to bring the world’s best back to Cloudbreak and Restaurants."
Hurley , Nike . Ditching , employees , riders, contest and marketing budgets.
They have a huge issue in their business right now. Some would say damage control procedures. That's probably why Trestles is no more.
The Fiji contest has always been a liability, political instability had stopped the contest being held there in the past.
Both two of my favourite stops on tour. Heck I can sit and watch a contest just about anywhere though.
I'd wish they'd drop Margies so we'd get back two weeks in prime season
And it would seem Slater is as ruthless and cunning out of the water as he is/was in it. He's been tutored by some of the best.
The whole business love triangle between Terry Hardy , Paul Speaker and Slater makes a lot more sense now. As for Ziff, I think he's got too much money to actually give a shit what happens from here. Philanthropist my arse.
I’m baffled they have dropped Fiji.
Losing arguably one of the worlds best waves for a man made wave in a pool.
It’s rather embarrassing for the “sport” of surfing and almost turned me off watching the WSL season at all next year.
Fucking pathetic
Who runs the wsl to drop Fiji for a clown pool of nothingness is beyond comprehension
in my book. Surfing is for the elements good or bad big or small its just disgusting.
Surfing contest is losing its direction.
We all love Cloudbreak, but you can't expect somebody to drop a couple of million dollars to give us some moments of idle free entertainment on the off chance the surf turns on.
Thats the whole pro tour Wally.......CB has been by far and away the most consistent spot on tour so that logic doesn't fly.
I don't think Cloudbreak has been replaced by a pool, Trestles has.
Cloudbreak has been replaced by Bali. More local surfers, more tourists to watch it, maybe some government support. Makes complete sense when you look at it that way.
Cloudbreak must be a logistical nightmare, certainly it was never going to get massive crowd numbers.
"clown pool of nothingness "
Haha that’s epic isn’t it
Kelly Slater inked a deal to sponsor the Fiji Pro for 3 years.
Wonder who reneged on that contract?
But then seeing as Kelly owns the pool and the WSL owns the pool and ..........well, it's starting to get a bit of a whiff about it.
Getting that Supercloseouts fishy smell you reckon ?
Does it seem a bit dodge to you?
Slater announces 3 year sponsorship of Fiji then less than a year later, reneges and his wavepool is now in the CT.
I mean, it's probably all legal but it stinks to high heaven.
You have a issue with that blowin.
Put it this way to me its like saying o yeh I raced at Bathurst but
it was in a simulator but a really good one.
Portugal was really bad I totally agree which is a real shame because
there is unbelievable quality waves there and not far from supercloseout
infact I hated that place it stunk.
Nah , I love the way you chose to put those words together.
Not something I'd have done . But I'm glad that you did now that I've seen it .
Made me laugh.
The only that can be done to save this mess is axe strawberry-lewski and bring in gary g! problem solved.
Gary has pitched that idea before: An olied-up-adonis straddling a motorised fibreglass horse in the channel. The viewers wouldn't be able to turn away!
The deal came unstuck because whilst the WSL wanted some sort of advertising logos plastered across Gary's frame to monetise all these new eyeballs he'd attract.
Gary couldn't sign a deal that would require him to obscure his perfect form.
You're on fire Gary G.
Even your sign off song is all time.
Cheers mate, Gary hopes you're getting many a facey
Sorry buddy all good I read it wrong.
On a side note didnt WSL purchase that pool thing im sure I read
it somewhere so I guess im pretty dumb to not see this coming
it had to come but personally I hate it and loved Fiji thats why im pissed.
With WSL's good form with flat spells for events, don't be surprised if the pool machinery breaks down mid comp.
In the chlorinated surf comps of the near future, drones will ride clones and we will back them like horses. No need to announce the winners, they are as always the Petrochemicals.
Cant believe the whinging here.
Yeah id rather they kept Fiji, but Keramas is a decent comp and i honestly think one wave pool event is a great thing.
No excuses for who got the better wave or this or that, it's all going to come down to just surfing
Yes if it was a whole tour full of wave pools it would suck, but one event Yes..and its still a damn fine wave even at 3ft.
The only performance left gone, another way to prevent Goofy world champs!!! Chopes is the only pure lefthander left (Pipe is mostly backdoor theses days)!!
At least the crowds may start to forget about Fiji as the years go by.
WSL should just be taken out the back and shot. Put the poor bugger out of its misery
No need for anymore pro surfing anywhere. The world is awash with plastic foam. The job is done.
I'd say more surprises could be coming, since the Ziff formula is "you raise gov't & commercial sponsorship money, take a management fee and pay us the net towards our cost to broadcast ", which would mean those events without naming rights are commercially circumspect, starting with the MR contest only 4 months away. I assume the naming sponsor's can't see long-term branding opportunities with so much turbulence in the WSL new marketing strategy(s)
Looks like trestle was pulled from hurley's end ......massive layoffs 1400 and counting ...changes for (Nike )/ Hurley. They are not afraid to pull the whole thing ( re Snowboarding program).
Sales on Surf way down in the states I guess ?
All those aspiring professional surfers better get a real job. Every angle has been tried and in the end competitive surfing remains a fringe sport of interest to a tiny audience who are fussy and easily bored. In the 70s a surf movie was an out of body experience. In the 80s the latest surf video was an exciting christmas gift. These days 100 foot Nazarre is of interest but even that is fading fast. Shippies is boring.
General viewers themselves are saturated with movies, sport, reruns, new series and endless options to view stuff on youtoob.
Meanwhile sport with clear scoring systems and fast action such as tennis and football retain interest. Wheras that last little air reverse in the shorebreak means nothing to anyone.
Fortunately my new board went great in empty waves at a popular local beach on sunday. Where were the groms? Glued to crap on yootube or posting stuff noone reads? The fade out of pro surfing and perhaps surfing itself has benefits !
You are right about saturation Frog. In the 80's, if I wanted to watch some surfing on a screen, I had to resort to hiring "Tubular Swells" from the Culburra video store, again. If it was'nt on the shelf, the owner would give you the name of the last guy who borrowed it and I'd just go round to their place and borrow it off them! Finally the entire audio section disintegrated from being played to death. Which was fun, because by that time we'd watched it that much, that a group of us could basically do the voice overs word for word in chorus and in perfect cheesy SoCal accent.
Nowadays, I can watch any kind of surfing I want, all day every day, without having to pay a cent or even get out of bed for that matter.
Classic.........great story. My local was stocked with plenty of great movies , they had all the wave warriors, mad wax , storm riders ...
Kernamas great wave performance plus barrel option. The pool. Will be a novelty and keen to watch just for novelty factor alone. Reckon they need one more event in indo but at a big long cloud break style left
Why comp at Keramas and not Uluwatu ?
I reckon Keramas is a really good contest wave - punchy, hollow, variable enough throughout the tide to spice things up, close to shore so easy to get up close action. Better than Ulus I reckon (as a contest wave).
This s a bit enlightening ....
https://magicseaweed.com/news/wsl-ceo-theres-more-changes-to-come/10605/
Just sounds like the same corporate BS to me...
A non surfer leading thecway , I mean how diverse can you get?
Best thing is that young ones are not getting into surfing , well apart for a few local groms , most lineups are old guys and gals.
Maybe if one particular surfer had gone after say , oh,what is reasonable 8 world champounshuips there could have been more of a sense of possibility , of renewal but having a very old surfer as world champ ......
No doubt he is talented but pro surfing is not going to be surfing soon .
Agreed, clueless corpo BS. I heard a lady with no clue saying thank God we have a billionaire backing us and lets hope to hell these wavepools work.
Funny how far people are prepared to push something to make money out of it.......potentially another 6 wave pools mmmmm...see if the first one works ....surfing and money.or money money money and fuk surfing.
one plus in all this - the women are going to J bay
As someone mentioned earlier the success of skateboarders, skimboarders and snowboarders on standing wave pools. I wonder how they would go riding these waves, what if like a standing wave they are better (more entertaining) then surfers. What will happen then. CT wild cards? Who will be the best in the world?