Where will the Comp zone extend? Do they get to take off at the top of point or only racetracks?

I assume they get access to the whole reef, but from memory the 2008 Search event had the scaffolding looking straight down on the Racetrack, it being the most dependable part of the reef, and I reckon they'll do the same this time around.

WSL still has the event window as April 11-22...they're a bit slow over there...

The WSL website is a mess regarding this Ulus event which could theoretically start tomorrow.

I looked for the start dates/window earlier and nothing, you'd think they'd have it up there by now.

I can only deduce there is still some discussion with the authorities about when the event can begin.

You mean how much money the authorities can squeeze out of the WSL before they're permitted hahaha.

Small Ulus should be good at least..
And a great time for a Bintang on the cliffs..

Still nothing on the App or Websitr. Complete silence. I'd be very surprised if it starts tomorrow given it is 10.30pm now AEST. The surfer prob know....

It's incredible, isn't it?
Their original press release said "to start within 48 hours of the Keramas comp finishing" (I paraphrase). You'd think an organisation hell bent on looking professional would tighten up its PR/Comms act.

Still radio silence on the WSL site.

Hard to even find a mention of it.

They have a page with Uluwatu CT on it but still showing Margaret River pics and info.

No forecast info, no news etc etc.

Bizarre.

Just a theory, not so sure about it myself, but betting agencies say betting closes Friday June 8th. Maybe they’ve been told?

Did anyone else catch Jordys loose comment when they stopped surfing in pumping waves when he said can you believe we are stopping for a wedding. It was during his rd4 post heat interview. I don’t think he was supposed to say that.

That was interesting. Jordy has a habit of spilling the beans in interviews, especially when his emotions are running high.

About two years ago the WSL schedule had just two days between Bells and Margarets, and that was transporting the whole gig across the continent.

Leaving five days to move from Keramas to Uluwatu seems excessive, especially as it would only leave them a further five days to run Men's and Women's.

Sounds like JJ is out but I guess they can't announce that since you wouldn't even know there was a comp on in Bali this week from their website....other than the one just finished. Event window opens April LOL !!!!!!!

Something is up. Something is not going to plan. I can’t see the lack of update on their website being an accident

WSL website is a shocker for navigating.
Some pages you can access the heat analyser, others you can't.
The other day I wanted to know the rankings, couldn't find it anywhere.
There was an athletes page, but no rankings.
Found a link down the bottom that said rankings - took me to the athletes.
Searched in google and found my way in.
Shambles.
They've fixed that one now but there is always something shit about it. Trying too hard to be fancy rather than simple and accessible.

Is there any action on the cliffs at ulus?
They’d need a day to set up the gear wouldn’t they?

http://balibelly.com/uluwatu/

Doesn't appear to be a mass of humanity like you'd expect?

Yep so they've decided to run from the 8th til the 10th, missing the next few days which look better than Fri-Sun. Smart one WSL...

....but then it was supposed to start within two days of Keramas ending so I suppose anything could happen.

The WSL has just announced via their website that the contest will now only run till the 10th, meaning they have just three days to finish Men's and Women's.

BREAKING NEWS
Medina was harassed by tiger shark yesterday arvo, Ulu's has been cancelled !

Ha ha that's funny sunlover my wife is at ulus saying a lot of pros are out
in the water now, Brazilians winning the free surfs.
Bit of a bummer really the forecast dosent look great for a while.

Ever tried to d business in Indo ? Nothing happens quickly except the cash leaving your wallet.

With only 3 days for mens and womens I don't this it will be 8th for "the call". They wont have much choice but to start.

What could have been a amazing return to Ulu is shaping up to be a rushed piss poor effort

Sounds like the local authorities gave the go ahead for the contest, sat back and waited until the WSL committed and announced the event, then come the actual date stepped up and said "Ok Mr. Sucker Billionaire, it's time to seriously grease some palms...hahahahaha". Sophie the Sledgehammer just can't surrender to Indo style business and the whole thing is turning into a farce.

anybody else find the 'athlete this athlete that' jargon a bit wearing? Usain Bolt is an athlete and I hear him being referred to as a runner or a sprinter, pick any other athlete from any other sport, skater, toboganer, swimmer, hurdler, footballer, all athletes but still have an identity linked to their sport. Surfer is again a derogatory term? Finally we might back on the fringe! Does surfing not look like you need to be an athlete or athletic to perform it at the top level?

What the hell does that mean Evosurfer?

I'm glad the WSL are doing their best to make it happen. No-one guessed that Margs would turn out that way, at least they are having a dig to get the job done. I admire them for their initiative and bravery. Every prick likes to put the decision makers (who have their balls on the line) down. Do a better job yourself ya knobs.

yeah! Spewing! I'm feeling pretty excited by Felipe and Italo though. Those guys are incredible. I saw on "Better Backwards" Italo's perfect 10 and couldn't help but think it looked like Felipe. Who else could pull a wave off like that?

If a surfer is out, does your alternate automatically get rotated in in Fantasy Surfer?

FFS, I can't find anywhere that says JJF is out. Is this true?

WSL website still has him surfing his RD 3 heat.

Cheers Nick.

Now to my first question, does your alternate surfer get rotated in if a surfer pulls out in your Fantasy Surfer team?

(Paging Gary G, Gary G to the double entendre aisle.)

yep he's out but zero on WSL. wonder if they will pretend he is going to surf kelly style. geez they are flogs

At least they will be no sharks, thats the main thing about the completion of this event. NO SHARKS, unless your taking your girlfriend to Single Finn dancing on a Sunday night. There will be plenty of sharks there.

I think you only get the alt if your surfer doesn't surf at all.
JJF has started the event so I think we just lose him.

Só o #uluwatu : @marcelodadafilmes / @billabong @billabong_australia @billabongbr @oakley @oakleybr @oakleysurfing @digaoi_oficial @rednose_oficial @bullysbrasil @tpattersonsurfboards @silversurfsurfboards

A post shared by Italo Ferreira (@italoferreira) on Jun 5, 2018 at 5:41am PDT

Wow, this season just gets more and more stale. There's some amazing surfers but they're so boring to watch. Cookie-cutter Brazzos with no style and foolish claims. Not many outside the mould. Need more like Wade, Mikey, etc. that throw different (actual) style in. Though I do like watching Kolohe, not his surfing, his losing, you can tell it really shits him lol.

Admittedly the contests have been only sporadically engaging, but Italo and Felipe boring to watch??

Along with JJF when he clicks, they're the best things that have happend to pro surfing in 15 years. In fact it's even longer than that since the tour has seen such a leap in standards.

They're amazing surfers with crazy moves, but the moves have no style, those types all look the same and I find it boring to watch. Even say Parko and Jordy have some style. I think there's a vanilla brand of hi-performance surfing (including airs) is what I'm referring to. Julian's another boring one to watch (in comps at least). I guess it's something that can't be taught.

Agree Evo, not so much Ho but I like Mikey's freshness, Ho plays the dick a bit too much for mine. I watched Mikey take on serious Jakes a few months back, he's certifiably nuts. Both him and big bro were out there and Mikey was sitting 10m deeper than anyone. He went down the mineshaft on a couple and I'm not sure how he didn't die. The brazzos are like spinning tops on speed.

Wow...please surf like this in the comp, please surf like this in the comp, please surf like this in the comp.

@ Stunet.
Big calls going on here.
Lots of interesting things have happened in the last 15 years.
The first being the return of the quad! Fiji Teauhpoo
Dane Reynolds snapper performance in 09 ?
The search events especially Mexico.
Competitors numbers reduction 44 to 32
Code red/ Fiji super heats 2012

M F Jbay shark incident/ attack. (Definitely an attack in my eyes.)
M F at pipe super heat with jjf and Robert.
MF at pipe in 2013.

JJ F at margarets main break. 2017.
Parko world title and winning pipe backdoor. 2012.
Parko man overboard Brazil.

Many more, written in copyright by lanky for true blue b.......

By 'best things' I mean best surfing performances - so nothing structural or circumstantial.

Like you say, there have been moments, Dane annihilating Parko in the Quarters at Snapper is one of them, but in the last 12 months there's been so many moments that it must be called what it is: a singular jump in standard. And I don't reckon we've felt such a shift since the Pottz, Kong, and TC old guard dropped off tour in the mid-90s and were replaced by Slater's Momentum peers.

The level has been significantly raised. Once again the old guys are going or gone (Slater himself, plus Fanning and Parko) and the young guys are taking the lead, throwing down dual air revs at traditional waves like J'Bay, taking traditional carves to supersonic speed, and boosting airs into orbit and landing them with aplomb.

That Toledo could do that backside rotor at Saquarema, you know, the one where he could've jumped four lanes of traffic, in a competition should sum the argument up. We're amongst crew with a certain bias against airs and against Brazilians, but jeez, if you like to see new things done on a surfboard then that was one almighty leap into the hitherto unknown.

Heres some footage of Mikey and owen surfing Jakes, we missed the big day as it was raining ealry and my brother (who films) needed some sleep. Apparently on the big day mikey was air dropping into bombs and making it out on a not so perfect but big swell.
This footage was of the next day a lot smaller and messier. But still Owen managed to find the best quality waves.
https://vimeo.com/266949526

Seems like only yesterday people were saying this year is Felipe's and no one can touch him.

Well, it may have been last week come to think of it.

What a racist, pig-headed comment. Felipe and Italo have amazing styles. You sound like a typical Aussie "Local Boardriders" kook that thinks every up and coming grommet on his beach is the most important human on Earth. I really hate that Aussie Phalanx mentality. So ignorant and ugly. Those Brazzos are NOT spoilt East Coast Australian knob heads like yourself.

The two most dominant competitive surfers of the last thirty years have left. Well one retirees and the other is m.I.a

As far as the airs go yes they have been bigger than big. Though as we see with jjf they come at a big price....

I honestly felt that competitive surfing went somewhat flat and quite in the 90's

I didn't seem to pay as much attention then so......
I see your points . I just tend to disagree I guess.
No big deal; )

Gee Timmy, you must be Feeling The Burn like you've just had a protracted and sweaty session in front of the mirror with Gary.

*fire emoji*
*eggplant emoji*
*winking emoji*

ahh but billie, can you tell us which 'your' should be 'you're' and which 'your' should be 'your'? and does anyone here actually give a shit on an internet forum?

Mikey on the big day.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh70l9hBslK/?taken-by=nikki.schaeffer

You're totally correct. I await the documentary !
I personally watched Andy compete at trestle in 2010. It was something else. He was present, fired up though at one point in the event. On the second afternoon I over heard him talking about JJF in the event. I recall him saying " it's over for him and JJF is the future."
Every day Andy had been arriving with two boards, though on the last day he arrive with only one. When someone asked about his back up board he replied" you live by the sword " . He ended up breaking the board in the semis also that day!
I seriously watched him sprint across the rocks with a borrowed board under his arm .
Sureal to think he was gone six months later RIP.

Incredible stuff. Remember when airs were hail mary's or end section moves at best. Well that game is gone. Can't believe how he pulls these off then continues to surf out of the with speed and style. Mind blowing to watch. Love the airs but digging is turns and speed just as much. Full package. Sure i love seeing Mikey have a dig and taking scalps but there is plenty of air in-between Italo and Mikey - its a big gap.

Halfway through Friday with no start yet. Hard to see how they can get through everything they need to in less than 3 full days.