The Championship Tour in Kelly's wave pool - videos
It's a conspicuous morning. All the speculation about Kelly's hot tub as a viable contest venue is being replaced by real life runs down the lagoon. The WSL is testing the venue to, in their words, "understand the wide array of opportunities available. Everyone from competitors, organizers, judges, broadcasters, sponsors and even a delegation of the sports founders are on hand to witness the technology that will have a dramatic effect on the future of surfing's evolution."
Here are the willing guinea pigs beginning with the king and creator, who's surfing with a bung foot ("I don't care if it takes an extra month to heal, it was worth it"):
Steph Gilmore who "just walked into the future":
The current world champ, John John:
Drone footage of Gabs vertically blasting his way to the future("Estamos vivendo o futuro, esse é o futuro do surf"):
Felipe (It's not a dream! Obrigado, não é um sonho!):
More Felipe, now taking to the air. The first proper air of the day:
Silvana Lima. This angle shows the shape of the pool and the method of wave dampening:
And Adriano on the left:
Comments
Good on Kelly for giving himself the yellow jersey.
Wow, it looks kind off different in shape now more a mix of different sections, don't know if its just the angle but they look like they can now get deeper too.
For it's size it really is a perfect little wave.
Not a single air??
I've just added more vids. See Filipe's.
God damn what an awesome wave.
Running score sheet from the event..
'God damn what an awesome wave.'
Awesome: 'extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear.'
Major doozy alert!!!
Awesome? Awesome... gaddammit!!!! You mean like the mid awesome? That take off is beyond fat. No drop at all. Critical factor zero. Fearsome!!! Three poles or rincon fearsome. That lip is beyond thin. The Victor Pines, with a throbber bending around Granite Island. Draw off the bottom? Pines again. Grunt? Seaford. Awesome? However I can imagine mid specialists being terrified of it. But 'OMG', What a doozy to start the day!!! Laughter is the best medicine!!! A doozy a day keeps the doctor away!!!
Early days, but I'm calling Gerry Wedd for world champ!
awesome [aw-suh m]
adjective
1. causing or inducing awe; inspiring an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, or fear: an awesome sight.
2. exhibiting or marked by awe; showing reverence, admiration, or fear.
3. Slang. very impressive:
Seeing Swellnet is more of a casual (rather than formal) setting, my usage was centered around the slang version - "it's a very impressive wave".
And yeah, I grew up on the Mid Coast, not the North Shore, so my standards aren't quite as high.
Now I get it!!! Nothing wrong with the odd doozy!!!
mmmm, sniff, sniff. the baker's dozon, rides again.
Herc i'm 50 years old, bad knees, bad hip etc etc. The take off to me..................... IS FUCKING AWESOME!!!
Well, I'm over 60 shrheads, but jeeze, none of that? What's the use of all that? What's the idea of that... all that 'stuff'. Stupe and co like all that stuff, and often find that going for walks with people that do tai chi fixes it... could try that? Could be a bit of a doozy but...
In all seriousness though, in your state, those ludicrous beyond fat handers are harder on you than if your board was dropping away under you. Because the board stays so flat, dead flat actually, you'll have a harder time trying to pull your hips and knees high enough to get to your feet before the wave runs away. You would be better off overcoming your apprehension of more critical drops and realise it will benefit you to have your board falling away under you. And just because the drop is more critical, it doesn't have to be heavy. I'm sure slattsey could bubble wrap the bottom, and even you for that matter. For a price of course. Say like an optional extra. Like hire cars with the no excess fee. You could even get bubblewrap with pictures of toleda on it and stuff like that? For an extra fee of course. As another option.
'He got in me way, so I popped toleda!' What a day!
I agree about steeper drops being easier in a few ways.
Just about broke my big toe on a crumbly thing recently as it rolled under my foot. That would never have happened on a steep drop.
But instant dismissal of any wave that isn't Blax is ridiculously limited and frankly , it's a rather kooky thing to say .
If that wave puts a smile on the faces of multiple world champs that surf waves that would see you literally shitting yourself , well , how's that make your attempts at being irredeemably staunch appear ?
Looks like a hell time .
Maybe not forever, but a hell time nonetheless.
Major doozy alert!!
'But instant dismissal of any wave that isn't Blax is ridiculously limited and frankly , it's a rather kooky thing to say .'
Who said that? Where is blax mentioned? What a doozy!!!
Carry on doozyin'!!!
Yeah i get what your'e saying Herc and i agree with you to a degree (cant stand fat handers either), but would never surf the box or chopes or other places like those because i'm not as agile or quick off the mark as i'd like to be and i like to get all my bits in order before i descend into maelstrom so a nice little roll in just before the drop always makes it a more pleasant experience, if get my drift :)
Yes, for sure shrheads, a nice ramp is ideal for you. Its just that those waves have zero in the way of a 'drop'. And as far as 'elite athletic competition' goes, making the 'drop', is a highlight of skilled, awe inspiring surfing. You bring up 'chopes', and the 'box'. From a competition point of view, as we easily see, pretenders, doozy's, are quickly exposed in critical drops. They won't go what some will. They are shitting themselves, where others are reveling in it. Easy to see. Blax is good for that too.
You aren't wanting that scenario, but a ramp/drop would be much better for you, buzz wise too, than a total fat hander take off.
I honestly think that Slats will be able to sort it pretty quick given the improvements made since the first video released. a movable floor or something alike. (leave it there for you and the pros, move it for me (the doozy) ;)
I'm reeling at the moment shrheads. We've been done up!!!! And, as benny (oh the Gaul) requested, could you use a bit more informal slang? Cunning.
Aye, hang on!!! I'm getting another inklin', one of them AndyM inklin's!!! ishredinmyhead ya reckon. Well, it sounds a bit punky!!! 'a movable floor or something alike' ya reckon... oh yeh. So like, 'go herc, your up mate! This one's a doozy.... mmmmmaaaaayyyyteee!!!'
'Shit where's the floor gone... it's opened up on herc... shit, now its faaarkin closed shut... where's faaarkin herc... anyone seen herc...'
'Yeh, aye, they reckon they last seen him down the sw... way east a' Albany way... they reckun'
ishredinmyhead ya reckon? Yeh, nice try gaul!!! I knew it!!!
sounds like a plan lol
herc needs ta take stu, & the baker's dozen, for alittle look around, put them in the drink, if ya need a hand herc, i'm right here.
regards to all.
Thats pretty good......... but i could get bored watching that pretty quick i reckon. Just doesn't have the same magic to it. Don't get me wrong if someone told me i could have a go id lose my shit but to watch the pros do that for a whole comp...... i dunno.
if this is the future then colour me amish
i mean i looks like fun, but comps in that? boring
Yeah sure, comps would be boring. But with a week of devil winds ahead for my coast, I'd give my left arm for this in my backyard.
the south/ westly down south should be fine this week Ben. hook up with herc, he will get some lovely photos of ya, i'm sure.
Looks a lot less boring then watching 1 wave eevery 15 mins come thru trestles like the most recent world tour comp
I'm sure it'd be the tits to surf but from a viewers POV how long can the excitement last? Every wave is perfect, all the surprise gone, so what's the effen point?
The boyz at stab are having some fun outside..best angle to see how it works..not really a pool would you say?
Way better than that Wavegarden shitter
Question..............
How long between waves? What is the time taken for the water to settle before the next wave can start? Answers please..........
Dunno at this point. There's no live footage so no way of checking off time between succesive waves.
Only way to gauge is the wider angle shots of turbulence behind the wave and on this score it's dramatically reduced from past vidoes of the lagoon. The wave dampening - the rise on the far side of the pool which has only just been built in - appears to be working well.
As the worlds worst backhand tube rider , I can safely say that would be a hard and fast tube to wrangle as a goofy.
Medina cuts the rug well.....how'd Wilko go though ? Can't say I've ever seen him surf in tight , fast backhand tubes.
Maybe he killed it ?
Scores suggest otherwise.
PS I'm writing this from the spot that was until very recently , the home of my favourite beachie sandbar.
It's now gone .
Just like that . RIP fun wedges.
That's a big positive in the Hot Tub's ledger ....it'll still be there tomorrow.
soft, read back tayaself, what ya just wrote, out load, so ya can hear it.
What's soft about it ?
Jesus christ, do i have ta,spellitouttaya, don't worry about champ, give it acouple year's.
I like seeing that the scores aren't all 8's and 9's across the board, and reading that JJ fell on a few waves. That is what would make a contest here not as boring as it could be if every wave being caught was ridden to the levels the videos have shown over the past year or so.
It would be like only ever seeing the perfect rides out at Supertubes in Portugal, the comments would be the same "boring to watch", but knowing not every wave is being made and surfers missing sections is what would keep the excitement levels up for a whole comp.
Also the format of best score of 2 x rights and best of your 2 x lefts would also keep it interesting. Not 100% sold but can definitely see some potential.
If Hurley had the money (which, being a subsidiary of Nike inc., I assume they do), they should build a wave pool based on the KSWP or Webber's model as part of their HPC in norther NSW.
Now THAT would be a training centre!!
That looks so fun, though agree would make the most boring comp to watch unless they can program RNG into every single wave for size, speed and sections. Funny how a fake tube is boring to watch yet if nature did that it would be amazing.
The barrel looks super fast, I wonder if they can create the same barrel at lower speeds or it's all based on how fast that generator is going, not the shape of whatever's under the water.
They're going to have to add in some wave to wave variability or it gets as stale as watching a vert ramp comp or a wake boarding comp - both things that never gained any real popularity.
Surfing is a bit like poker machines in that it utilises infrequent rewards to keep the punter on the nipple - it's the same thing that kept us hunting back when we were hunter-gatherers.
It also applies to spectating.
To watch It's a yawn fest at best
No doubt a bit of fun if your on it
What's the carbon footprint like?
Sustainable solar power running it?
It a waste of money I reckon
As much as I love ya Steph...that is NOT the future of surfing. It may be the future of surfing exhibitions, manoeuvre development, technique correction and training etc etc but the future of surfing is and always will be in the ocean.
How can we strip down our very connection to surfing to just a replica of a wave and call it the future. At its pure essence surfing is about a pure and unfettered connection to nature. Our existence on this planet is wholly reliant upon water and its tidal movements against the sun. The winds and weather which create the waves which move across our oceans and finish their journey on our shores and allow us to share in that final moment is THE reason we love it. Not the perfection, not the achievement, it's the pure connection to the final movement and expression of nature - the wave.
To say the recreated wave is the future of surfing is like fucking a perfect custom ordered robot and calling it the future of love.
As much as I love ya Steph...that is NOT the future of surfing. It may be the future of surfing exhibitions, manoeuvre development, technique correction and training etc etc but the future of surfing is and always will be in the ocean.
How can we strip down our very connection to surfing to just a replica of a wave and call it the future. At its pure essence surfing is about a pure and unfettered connection to nature. Our existence on this planet is wholly reliant upon water and its tidal movements against the sun. The winds and weather which create the waves which move across our oceans and finish their journey on our shores and allow us to share in that final moment is THE reason we love it. Not the perfection, not the achievement, it's the pure connection to the final movement and expression of nature - the wave.
To say the recreated wave is the future of surfing is like fucking a perfect custom ordered robot and calling it the future of love.
Fucken A, comrade. And worth repeating twice!
Maybe something will sink in?
Yeah to me looks like a fun arvo on a twinnie which would be suited to the wall parts and the super soft take off. I reckon Asher would draw some nice lines out there.
If the future of surfing is a goods train driving through a mining dam and only pros & buddies of pros riding it, then thanks WSL, I can't wait.
Exactly.
But you forgot the chlorine.
Can have a chat with gina rhienheart , get her to put a grader blade on the side of her trains , drive im tnrough the salt flats on the way to Port during cyclone season . 30 kms of barries. Those fuckers can move so could be good size barries at that.
It's kinda cool for the novelty value, but I can't imagine watching more than one of these comps with any sort of interest. When there's no suspense built by waiting for the right wave and no tactical priority battles, it just seems little more than a gymnastics competition.
Filipe won in 2-3 ft zippers! Hardly a shock is it?
Stab flew an unauthorized drone over Slaters pool
Nice pics.
Amazing waves. Superbank or rivermouth type sandbar perfection. I have surfed waves that good but not often. Contest would get boring after few. For the contests to work long term you would need some form of distorted variation or beast-factor to the wave so competitors and viewers would sit there wondering what the hell is coming next as the next wave surged out. It could be done but not as kellys pool is now.
Steph - "just walked into the future".
I reckon Steph was specifically referring to the future of wavepool surfing (Kelly's WP being it) & not comparing surfing in wavepools to surfing in the ocean, in other words not implying surfing in wavepools is better than in the ocean. Could be wrong ofcourse.
My guess is that if Steph had the choice between surfing 6' Kirra or Kelly's wavepool you'd see her out Kirra anyday of the week. Just a guess tho....
from the stab article.
"Back to last night. Lyon had a brief conversation with the engineer behind Kelly’s man-made wonder.
Here’s what we learned: The mission of Kelly Slater’s Wave Co is to replicate the ocean in the most literal way.
The pool has tide swings, they’re five minutes apart, and are dependent on whether the left or the right is breaking.
Both the left and right break in the same pool. When the left rolls through to “shore”, a few minutes later the right breaks from the opposite “shore”. Apparently, there are 50 different configurations of the wave."
Has anyone else noticed just HOW MUCH WATER is moving as the way pushes down? That's for a wave of that size, so if Webber is talking a 2m wave, there will be a LOT LOT LOT more water moving and needing to be 'dampened' as the wave passes. Hmmm.
Also, I noticed multiple, ah, "ripples" behind the main wave in a few shots, which all seem to get some 'backwash' type effect from the main wave off the 'dampening' buffer zone - that could well exceed a foot or more by the looks of some of the shots, so the time to 'settle' between waves will be influenced from multiple sources.
So, a circular 'linear loop' set up is going to work?
All others are a straight line, wonder why?
Would love to know roughly how much each wave costs to generate.
Can imagine it would be so boring waiting for the train to back up and go again (unless you were lucky enough to get a seat at the bar!!)
There are two things occurring. One is this: wave pools are here. Second thing: some people think this will affect 'their' experience of surfing in the sense it may taint or take something away... When any individual feels threatened by what 'may be' there is a simple disconnection with what 'is'. ;);)
This ONLY applies to a person who actually struggles with their own ability to have fun and hence chooses to unconsciously decide that an exterior influence or activity will be the determining factor! From here a survival instinct kicks in to preserve or attempt to maintain something that is non-existent. Having trouble grasping it?! This non-existent thing... some like to call it happiness or contentment. And some try and rationalise their lack of something through their actual dependence upon a particular pursuit or 'thing' that may or may not even generate this supposed happiness or contentment. Yet sometimes we wish to put the emphasis on a thing to just try and understand what is 'meaningful' to us. This can take on extra importance if the connection is through nature;);)
For a lot of us this thing IS surfing! And fark yeh it's a wonderful thing. I imagine a lot of us here (for and against) have one clear and unifying constant in our lives... Surfing! In the ocean or in a pool - you are free to make a distinction - just be careful to have done the time in both before you sprout existential facts!!
From being a grom learning about the ocean... Spending sun soaked days each school hols - or every morning and arvo for us lucky buggers that grew up within walking distance of the beach... The hrs spent daydreaming of waves in school and then to escape to go surfing as soon as school was done (or just missing school coz the swell was on!) are cornerstones of Aussie youth. How farkn lucky we were and are;) And this carries on into most of our lives - look how many of us put in the hrs at work to then carefully plan and exact another surf mission after fulfilling duties and kid requirements etc. Each adventure gathering us more knowledge of the ocean, the tides, the winds, the equipment we ride and as a result our ability to gain an understanding that allows us to score good waves and experience pleasures beyond what words can even describe. The introduction to and experience of wide and varied cultures through travel... Most of us are better off because of surfing and nothing can take that away!
It is a tremendous gift. We are blessed to be surfers. All the times we get skunked are worth it because we are learning. If we aren't learning about the ocean or surfing itself, we are learning about ourselves and how we can adapt and adjust to adversity, and more importantly, how we can carry our stoke back on land. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, a few of us have developed a possession of surfing... The supposed joy has only fed the 'idea'. Surfing in it's purest form is just fun - yes hard work and injuries, sacrifices and expenses come into play... But we do it coz it's mad fun;)
So the only thing amongst all the pretend bravado, the perception of what's cool/what's not, what's right/wrong, who is selling out and who is being 'true' - the only thing we can't lose sight of is that surfing is fun (reminder that fun cannot be identified as something you can 'have'!) This fun, if it is true, can only be shared and will manifest as encouragement to others so they can hopefully experience this too... Coz if you're really having 'your' fun, you won't mind that someone else derives their fun through different means;);) Whether or not you dislike/like, agree/disagree is the irrelevant part unless you have a hankering for misery!
Pls read that last bit again...
So this is where wave pools have come into play. Not all wave pools have been a success or will be. The fact is what is on offer now is pretty impressive so what's ahead could possibly be amazing - cudos to Kelly and good luck to Greg! All the people lucky enough to surf Kelly's pool look like they're having a fuckload of fun. SIMPLE! So let them have their fun... What the fark else is goin on out lemoore way;);)
The resentment comes from the reality of only those who aren't actually having fun with their surfing. The ASP or WSL or local board comps or big surfing companies or whoever never have and never will get in the way of me scoring a few empty pits or nice whips off da top! No extra people in the water ever gets in the way of anyone finding the means to seek out new places... They may get in the way of what 'was' for you, or what 'may be' ;);) But that bit is up to you!
If surfing is a distraction to deflect what's really going on for you, well, you may be in real trouble... Maybe memories of uncrowded waves, empty line ups and so on are just that - just memories. Just ideas... Your beliefs, perceptions, assumptions. Just that! Try let them go.
Pretty sure the smiles on the faces of Steph, Kelly, Felipe, Gerry... whoever... They are REAL smiles. They are real coz they are removed from what 'may be'. We as surfers have a lot to learn... A hell of a lot;) So cheer up detractor muppets and get over yourselves - the people having fun are the people actually having fun!
Who would you rather be? ;)
Kelly looking old !
Haha, as Jelly Flater continues to defend greed and sociopathy by spruiking wave pools as being a fun way of bringing the world together.
Wavepools - the new Coke!
Everybody now - "I'd like to teach the world to surf in perfect harmony"
Geez AndyM... Great contribution there! Feel free to quote where I apparently suggested those things and did any spruiking ;) How's the hate stoke factor treating you? It's a great vibe, a great legacy;) When you get really good at pretending, there is always the opportunity to not ...
And freedom is about being free... Don't need ads for that;)
Jeez you would be fun at parties :(
"And freedom is about being free... Don't need ads for that;)"
I love it mate! When you spout stuff like that, it's just gold.
You really make me laugh.
Honestly.
Glad to hear you are having fun! Really;)
And nice to see you quoting stuff you may like...
Now, the alleged quotes about the non-existent stuff ;);)
You know, the misinterpretation.
That's gold!
Ive seen 100 guys out at snapper in waves 1 quarter as good as those.
Yeah you're right - you're not doing a sales pitch for wave pools at all.
... and yet the fun with or without them will bring the world together yeh ;)
Sorry mate, you'll have to explain that one for me!
Webber and Freeride chat in two separate boxes on a webcast + AndyM and Jelly Flater chat in two separate boxes on webcast = 4 boxes of awesome conversation.
One and only rule is you cant talk above your opponent.
Sounds like the opening credits to the Brady Bunch.
Would you trade your back hand for another forehand? Anyone?
I have it's liberating.
Free of shackles?
No more looking over your shoulder?
Hey any one that wants steeper drop, just take off down the line in that hollow section.
Fixed.
MR has a smoker up on his insta ....and says after Fanning was giving him some tips after a few beers......then Eugene started to kick in..
I've started to imagine the wave pool with crystal clear salt water and stocked with fish and marine life.
Make it beautiful.
It'll probably wind up with the Westfield shopping centre vibe no matter what it looks like I suppose.
https://www.facebook.com/surfer/videos/10155961753443856/?hc_ref=ARSJXxj...
OMFG
Now picture that with a school of mullet shooting through the lip as he works his way down the tree lined headland like Ye Old footage of Rabbit at Burleigh and we're getting somewhere.
NEWS... 2/5/18 Gold Coast Bulletin. (Online Subscribers Only)
Check also Gold Coast/QLD 9 news tonight?
WSL poaches Surfing Austraila's Andrew Stark to hard sell Kelly's Gold Coast Hot Tubs.
Early 2016 (A.Stark in STAB MAG) "Kelly Slater wave pool is still on the cards for Gold Coast".
Glen Casy gets a go in the pool tomorrow.....arvo hopefully cos at the moment he drinking piss in the Hot Tub with Ant mcdonald..
to early to hungover...Nurse that new hip Glen..
1st wave....Wobbly start Glen ...but you warmed up..
Not bad for an old bloke 4 months out from a new hip...the signature style is still there...onya Case!
Just warming up...ol bugger thought he was at J Bay taking the Highline approach
Riding a single fin channel bottom ? anyone know ?
Not sure what he was riding there Udo but he's been riding a thicker 6'8" thruster shaped by Chris Brock at home during his recovery from the hip replacement.
Where did you watch this, Udo?
glen_casey insta
riding a thruster..
Mark Richards insta
MR footage from drone....smooth as Silk and Leila posted a pic of Gynge pigdogging.