Caio Ibelli misses the injury wildcard

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Form Guide

It was always gonna be a controversial call with three surfers going for the Championship Tour's two injury wildcards: one surfer legitimately injured but low key, another legit and popular, the third with an injury that disappears at convenient moments yet he's the most famous surfer of all time.

How would the WSL play this? New rules perhaps..? They've done that before.

Today they announced that Caio Ibelli, who injured his foot while training for Margaret River, has drawn the short straw. Florence and Slater are in. Slater, as you know, injured his foot at J'Bay last year but he's competed selectively since then and also chased waves while missing less-favoured events.

Ibelli let his thoughts be known on Instagram:

"Today @wsl announced that next year's Injury Wildcard will be Kelly Slater and JJ Florence. Sincerely, I disagree with the decision, Kelly used and abused. She went to Fiji 20 feet during the Keramas event, stayed 3rd in the pool and did not go to France next week. This is the second consecutive year that he uses the same wave. Is it fair?"

I assume it was Google Translate that called Kelly a "she" and not Ibelli, though I could be wrong.

Commish Perrow appears to have anguished over the decision. Read his statement here:

"It’s always a challenge when we have a large number of applicants for a limited number of wildcard positions,” Kieren Perrow, WSL Commissioner, said. “We truly appreciate and understand the value of being on tour and take this process very seriously. As it has for years, this process includes an independent medical review board, which assesses the applicants based on severity of injury and the impact it has on the surfer’s ability to compete at the Championship Tour level. In the case of 2018, all three applicants were deemed to have severe injuries that prevented them from competing in multiple events. From there, we apply our technical criteria and career achievement factors - which include World Titles, career results, prior year ranking, and ranking at time of injury. While all three have strong cases, we have determined that Kelly Slater and John John Florence will receive the WSL wildcards for 2019 and Caio Ibelli will be the first replacement for the tour - not something we guarantee to a third applicant most seasons but is deserving in this case.”

BANZAI PIPELINE, Oahu/Hawaii (Tuesday, December 18, 2018) - The 2018 World Surf League Championship Tour  season has come to a close with Stephanie Gilmore earning her record-equalling seventh World Title and Gabriel Medina winning his second World Title. Now, the 2019 Championship Tour will challenge the world's best surfers, including a new crop of rookies who are officially solidified for next year. 



The 2019 men’s Championship Tour class will be contested by the WSL Top 34, made up of the top 22  finishers on the 2018 CT Jeep Leaderboard, the top 6 finishers on the 2017 Qualifying Series, and two WSL wildcards.

2018 Top 22 CT: 
Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Julian Wilson (AUS)
Filipe Toledo (BRA)
Italo Ferreira (BRA)
Jordy Smith (ZAF)
Owen Wright (AUS)
Conner Coffin (USA)
Michel Bourez (PYF)
Wade Carmichael (AUS)
Kanoa Igarashi (JPN)
Kolohe Andino (USA)
Mikey Wright (AUS)
Willian Cardoso (BRA)
Sebastian Zietz (HAW)
Michael Rodrigues (BRA)
Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Griffin Colapinto (USA)
Adriano de Souza (BRA)
Ezekiel Lau (HAW)
Yago Dora (BRA)
Joan Duru (FRA)

2018 Top 10 QS (minus double qualifiers from CT):
Seth Moniz (HAW)
Ryan Callinan (AUS)
Peterson Crisanto (BRA)
Jesse Mendes (BRA)
Deivid Silva (BRA)
Ricardo Christie (NZL)
Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA)
Jadson Andre (BRA)
Soli Bailey (AUS)
Jack Freestone (AUS)

WSL Wildcards:
Kelly Slater (USA)
John John Florence (HAW)

CT Men’s Replacement Surfers:
Caio Ibelli (BRA)
Frederico Morais (PRT)
Ethan Ewing (AUS)

The 2019 elite women’s CT class will be contested by the WSL Top 17, made up of the top 10 finishers on the 2018 CT Jeep Leaderboard, the top 6 finishers on the 2018 Qualifying Series (QS) and one WSL wildcard.

2018 Top 10 CT:
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
Lakey Peterson (USA)
Carissa Moore (HAW)
Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA)
Johanne Defay (FRA)
Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
Caroline Marks (USA)
Courtney Conlogue (USA)
Malia Manuel (HAW)
Nikki Van Dijk (AUS)

2018 Top 6 QS (minus double qualifiers from CT):
Coco Ho (HAW)
Paige Hareb (NZL)
Bronte Macaulay (AUS)
Macy Callaghan (AUS)
Brisa Hennessy (CRI)
Silvana Lima (BRA)

WSL Wildcard:
Tyler Wright (AUS)

CT Women’s Replacement Surfers: 
Keely Andrew (AUS)
Sage Erickson (USA)

The 2019 WSL CT will be the primary Tokyo 2020 Olympics qualification avenue for the world's best surfers. The world rankings at the end of the 2019 CT season will determine 18 of the 40 places at the Olympic Games (10 men and 8 women). The remaining 22 places will be determined at the 2019 and 2020 ISA World Surfing Games, the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, and a single slot (each for men and women) for the host nation, Japan.

Of these 18 places determined by the WSL, there is a maximum of 2 men and 2 women for each country (e.g. if there are 3 women from Australia in the Top 8, only the Top 2 female Australians will qualify). 

The 2019 Championship Tour starts in April and runs until December. This is a year-long, multi-stage tour that tests the world's best surfers in a variety of different waves and conditions. The CT schedules are listed below:

2019 Men’s Championship Tour schedule*
Gold Coast Men's Pro: April 3 - 13, 2019
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: April 17 - 27, 2019
Bali Men's Pro: May 13 - 24, 2019
Margaret River Pro: May 27 - June 7, 2019
Oi Rio Pro: June 20 - 28, 2019
J-Bay Open: July 9 - 22, 2019
Tahiti Pro Teahupo'o: August 21 - September 1, 2019
Surf Ranch Pro: September 19 - 22, 2019
Quiksilver Pro France: October 3 - 13, 2019
Meo Pro Peniche: October 16 - 28, 2019
Billabong Pipe Masters: December 8 - 20, 2019

2019 Women's Championship Tour Schedule*
Gold Coast Women's Pro: April 3 - 13, 2019
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: April 17 - 27, 2019
Bali Women's Pro: May 13 - 24, 2019
Margaret River Pro: May 27 - June 7, 2019
Oi Rio Pro: June 20 - 28, 2019
J-Bay Open: July 9 - 22, 2019
Surf Ranch Pro: September 19 - 22, 2019
Roxy Pro France: October 3 - 13, 2019
Meo Pro Peniche: October 16 - 28, 2019
Hawaii Women's Pro: November 25 - December 7, 2019

*All events subject to change.

Comments

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 12:33pm

Is Ace Buchan the most underrated surfer on the WCT for the past 5 years ?

Giovanni's picture
Giovanni's picture
Giovanni Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 3:58pm

No

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 12:35pm

.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 12:46pm

What can you do ?

WSL doesn’t give a fuck. It’s a business and Caio doesn’t equate to bums on seats.

Not saying that he’s not an incredible surfer , but I wouldnt go out of my way to watch Caio surf . Unlike Kelly.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 12:52pm

Yeah but if bums on seats was the only metric why the pretence of qualification? Do away with the QS and make every CT season invitational. Judge 'em on, I don't know, Instagram followers.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 12:57pm

The illusion of impartiality is too be maintained if a subjective scoring system is to be respected.

It’s the old Hollywood ideal of the suspension of disbelief that keeps all the balls in the air.

And isn’t the WQS entry fee pool a nice little earn for the WSL ?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 1:02pm

Wonder what they would've done if there were three high profile surfers going for it? As it is it's very easy to dismiss Ibelli, little hedgehog that he is.

Think about it though: The hedgehog...sorry, Ibelli, has legitimately qualified via the QS but wont be surfing on the CT this year, while Mikey Wright who's never qualified via the QS will be.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 1:10pm

Oh no , Stu.

Don’t go pulling back the curtain behind which sits the wizard of wOZzle.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 1:13pm

The three high profile surfers would have to contest a sudden death twerk- off . It’s the age of equality after all and the women have been forced into a bikini bottomed twerk- off in order to secure contracts for the past couple of decades.

Giovanni's picture
Giovanni's picture
Giovanni Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 3:59pm

Absolutely

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 1:01pm

I thought that it basically was an invitational when required ?

How else do you explain Mikey Wright ?

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 12:44pm

"Career achievement factors" Just making criteria up along the way it seems, I'd be super pissed as well!

Giovanni's picture
Giovanni's picture
Giovanni Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 4:01pm

More substantive proof of the lack of credibility and integrity of the WSL #hoax

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 12:44pm

Another interesting observation: in early September the WSL released the 2019 schedule. There were minimal sponsors then, because some events weren't quite signed off. Quiksilver confirmed this in a podcast on ShopEastSurf around the same time, where Boardriders CEO Dave Tanner reaffirmed their commitment to the World Tour.

https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2018/09/06/2019-ct-sched...

As such, it's very interesting to see the 'France Men’s Pro' and the 'France Women’s Pro' now include Quiksilver and Roxy as event sponsors, but the 'Gold Coast Men’s Pro' and 'Gold Coast Women’s Pro' still remain sponsorless.

Was this an inadvertent oversight, or has the Gold Coast lost its two long term event sponsors in Quiksilver and Roxy?

Giovanni's picture
Giovanni's picture
Giovanni Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 4:02pm

Smoke and mirrors Ben

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 4:06pm

Could also be explained by way of a delay at the GCCC end too.

JackStance's picture
JackStance's picture
JackStance Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 2:18pm

Do you think the retirement of Mick and joel have anything to do with it?

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Friday, 28 Dec 2018 at 1:00pm

Quiksilver is now listed on the WSL website as sponsors for the Gold Coast events. Roxy is not however.

Sponsorless Mens events are Bali, J-Bay, Tahiti, Surf Ranch and Margaret River (though with Brodie Carr now CEO of Tourism WA I would expect the government to maintain funding as per the last few years). So, only 54% of the Men's WCT is sponsored at this stage.

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 12:58pm

Last 2 weeks of March the Goldy will be pumping, confirmed.

monk's picture
monk's picture
monk Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 1:09pm

This is complete bullshit. Kelly relinquished his opportunity to be a genuine injury wildcard by surfing his own event - the fact that he surfed freely and did really well doesn't help his cause. IMO there was never had an issue with Kelly missing Europe and only turning up to Pipe because he knew it was going to pump - that was his prerogative, similar to the manner in which Tennis pros can choose which events they want to go to. But I had one disclaimer - as long as he didn't expect an injury wildcard! I know this is a business decision for WSL but for fuck's sake this has major implications on a genuine injury wildcard's livelihood. I was in Caios camp i would be fucking spewing.

belly's picture
belly's picture
belly Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 1:13pm

Fair summary imo.

Giovanni's picture
Giovanni's picture
Giovanni Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 4:08pm

'complete bullshit' and Slater is not stupid and he knows it... The writing was on the wall for this one. If the so-called greatest of all time really was, he'd refuse it knowing that Ibelli deserved it legitimately, knowing full well every event 'sponsor' in 2019 would give him a spot. Can't respect him nor the WSL for this regardless of how inferior a surfer Ibelli is.

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 1:10pm

Will Caio get all the wildcards Mikey got this year then?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 1:12pm

Caio better buy some voodoo dolls and a shitload of pins.

belly's picture
belly's picture
belly Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 1:17pm

Fair point. Unless my maths is out there is 2 wildcards per event (top 32 + 2 and 36 surfers in a CT), Caio should be pretty much guaranteed 1 of them indefinitely.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 1:20pm

Depends on sponsor arrangements. For instance, at Bells one goes to Rip Curl another to the highest placed trialist. These arrangements are already locked in.

Mikey got so many opportunites this year because of the three injuries. Caio better hope for the same.

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 1:24pm

Well if Kelly has a poor start he'll probably skip some shit events down the track.

Giovanni's picture
Giovanni's picture
Giovanni Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 4:13pm

Tail wagging the dog?

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 1:14pm

Caio needs to up his street cred.

A haircut should be enough.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 2:58pm

If slater was a decent cunt he’d retire and give it to ciao.
But he’s not

barrytheblade's picture
barrytheblade's picture
barrytheblade Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 3:15pm

Here comes another Brazilian storm in a tea cup.....oh its them against us, well sorta is when fans carry on like chumps and haven't got a bone of sportsmanship in there body.

Would rather watch Slater than Ibelli any day of the week.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 3:23pm

It’s not the point.

Of course, we’d all prefer to see Kelly over Caio.

But, Kelly has a habit of not bothering to turn up to events. So, the WSL should just give Kelly a golden wild card ticket to any event of his choosing, whenever and wherever he wants.

And the WSL should give Caio the injury wildcard because he has legitimately earnt it.

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 4:24pm

That's actually a good idea. Make it for those with 10+ titles.

barrytheblade's picture
barrytheblade's picture
barrytheblade Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 4:49pm

Not making a point, just a personal opinion.

WSL are the ones making the decision not Kelly.

lost's picture
lost's picture
lost Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 3:29pm

kelly will lose interest very quickly after not doing well in the first few events. The "shitwaveristis" will flare up again in his foot or shoulder depending on location and forecast making him miss many events. His clever doctors will have him recovered for his pet events where he will do OK but unlikely win.

Timmy 56's picture
Timmy 56's picture
Timmy 56 Saturday, 29 Dec 2018 at 11:30pm

Jeez , im not not so sure he went within millimetres of getting in the final at pipe.

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 3:58pm

It’s a dog act, and karma might set it right yet anyway. Maybe he will break his other foot. In a stellar career, this is a major blemish. I know there are clauses in contracts, for example like someone who just fell off tour, theirs is they lose 200k a year. I’m not privy to Caio’s financial situation but this is stealing food off Caio’s table so Kelly could play in his pool. Caio will now have to surf more QS events on a lower income, with the very real risk of not requalifying and then losing his sponsor. Worst case scenario I know. Mick said he competed in enough events to requalify, class. Imagine losing your own job like this. This from Kelly is disappointing, to say the least

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 5:37pm

If you want to blame anyone blame the WSL for not giving Caio a injury wildcard, or blame the WSL for giving Kelly one if you don't believe he should get one.

But no way you can blame Kelly because the WSL gave him an injury wildcard but Caio missed out.

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 5:59pm

The WSL have to make a sound decision for the good of the entire competition, if I were on board making the decision I would do exactly the same. It is totally Kelly’s bad here, exploiting a situation for his own gain. He shouldn’t have put them in that situation. He could have surfed Europe, instead of playing golf. I’ve always been a huge fan of his. I have massive respect for almost everything he has done. But not this. This is unsportsmanlike, and also a dog act to a brother

MidWestMonger's picture
MidWestMonger's picture
MidWestMonger Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 9:53am

Don't blame Kelly eh? He has left himself open to criticism by surfing Fiji when he was supposed to be in Keramas. He choose to surf his ranch but not in Europe. He would of requalified easy the way he surfed pipe. A bad look for a legend of the sport IMO

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 3:27pm

The WSL still makes the call not Kelly.

Blaming Kelly makes no sense at all he has nothing to do with the decision.

david 24's picture
david 24's picture
david 24 Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 4:37pm

Everyone bangs on about Mikey Wright getting wildcards, but at least he qualified 12th with them. What about Miguel Pupo and Wiggolly Dantas ? neither were in the 2017 WQS top 20 and both missed the cut on the CT yet the both got 5-7 injury wildcards this year (plus other entries )and still ended up 36th and 38th. What a wasted gift.

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 5:31pm

Stoked Kelly and JJF get injury wild cards because they are the only surfers i really like watching.

But feel for Caio he should also get one, 100% he has a right to not be happy.\.

Silly to blame Kelly though, blame the WSL they are the ones who make the decisions.

wally's picture
wally's picture
wally Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 6:41pm

On one hand, I'd back Caio to win more heats than Kelly (at his time of life) over a year's events.
On the other hand, without Kelly Slater, there almost certainly wouldn't be a comp of WSL quality in existence and Caio Ibelli probably wouldn't be much concerned about missing it.

Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 7:21pm

I just wanna know how long ago it was when KP took Kellys dick out of his mouth so could blubber “It’s yours.”

Then resume..

crg's picture
crg's picture
crg Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 7:46pm

If they wanted to make a concession to Kelly and his achievements and contribution to the sport then they should have done just that. Make a one off exemption for him in his last year with a special wildcard and maintain the integrity of the injury wildcards process by giving them to those who were injured, not those that were conveniently injured with lots of titles.

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 8:19pm

I like this comment crg, this best fits the situation. It just needed to be handled better is all

belly's picture
belly's picture
belly Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 8:28am

I agree, great comment!!

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 7:48pm

Kelly or Caio? I know who I'd have in the trenches next to me.

What a way to tarnish an outstanding career.

Shame on you, WSL and Slater.

Woody7's picture
Woody7's picture
Woody7 Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 8:19pm

The big loser is Ethan
Next on the QS only to be shafted down to 3rd on the list because of the WSL arrogance
Kelly can do anything HE wants
JJ deserves it
Frederico ... well he’s Portuguese and they need him because of their business plan
Caio ........
Then Ethan gets to go 3rd drop
Come on WSL clean your (bias) act up

LeBarry's picture
LeBarry's picture
LeBarry Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 8:34pm

can you tell us about the judges (who are they and where from?) can you also let us know about the masters, big wave, mals, and other events (not the boogs) ta

spenda's picture
spenda's picture
spenda Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 8:55pm

Not that i claim to know much about cricket, but i imagine it would be weird if Fox Sports got to act as selectors of the Aussie cricket side. Surely there can only be fairness if the parties with viewing interests and the sport regulators are separate parties i.e not both being WSL.

belly's picture
belly's picture
belly Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 8:27am

Bit off topic but commercial interests effect competitive advantage in other ways in team sports. India refusing to play day/night tests, Collingwood getting 7+ Friday night games and clubs like Freo and GC, getting none.

ojackojacko's picture
ojackojacko's picture
ojackojacko Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 11:44am

yeah belly. and rightly or wrongly (mostly wrongly), there's politics and favouritism at all levels in all sports too (ask Brad Hodge, Simon Katich, Glen Maxwell; any potential olympic athlete who qualified but didn't get selected; Robbie Farrah; me back in the U14s and the B9s ...)

Billyw's picture
Billyw's picture
Billyw Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 9:29pm

really tough call on the surfers whom it affects but this is the norm now - WSL is a business and the decisions are commercial, fair or not, in the interests of surfing or not. They called Mavs off the other day because it would clash with Pipe - business decision. I just reckon they would get so much more respect if they just bloody said it - don't make up some rubbish about inconsistency or 3 more months blah blah. And with Slater, just come out and say we are making a one off exception cos the guy has 11 titles!!! Don't push it through on this injury crap. I for one hate this kind of bullshit in all other parts of our lives, at least keep some honesty and balls in surfing

Big Undie's picture
Big Undie's picture
Big Undie Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 10:24pm

Didn't really like the way he stayed in the line-up when the Womens Invitational was on after his semi final loss to Julian ! Love his surfing but...Fair Go ! WSL losing faith !

fitzroy-21's picture
fitzroy-21's picture
fitzroy-21 Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 10:57pm

I once had so much respect for KS as the GOAT but now I find myself losing more and more respect for KS each year he continues to take the piss and plays these games.

ojackojacko's picture
ojackojacko's picture
ojackojacko Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 11:37pm

won’t be surprised if kelly qualifies for the olympics on those criteria. it must be the only thing in competitive surfing he hasn’t achieved and you’d think he’d have his eye on it as a swansong

savanova's picture
savanova's picture
savanova Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 10:08am

I rekon you got it. Instead of the gold watch at retirement there gonna try and give him a gold medal instead. ( Prob already has enough watches though never seen him wear one?)

uncle_leroy's picture
uncle_leroy's picture
uncle_leroy Wednesday, 19 Dec 2018 at 11:59pm

Bugger for Caio, I really enjoyed his surfing on the Aussie leg of comps in 2016 along with Leonardo at the time, took down a few big names with ease

wallpaper's picture
wallpaper's picture
wallpaper Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 8:31am

seriously, who fkn cares

ringmaster's picture
ringmaster's picture
ringmaster Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 8:45am

To all the critics. Don't blame K.S.....blame the WSL. They make the rules and enforce them (or not).

Slater IS the world tour and once he goes it really does lose a lot of relevance. I for one am stoked he's still on board. I'll always drop what I'm doing to watch him surf a heat but wouldn't even be bothered picking up the remote if Ibelli was on.

lost's picture
lost's picture
lost Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 1:06pm

"Don't blame K.S...blame the WSL" then you go to say "Slater IS the world tour" so OK to blame Kelly then ????

wallpaper's picture
wallpaper's picture
wallpaper Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 9:02am

apart from Caio and his mum I mean

eel's picture
eel's picture
eel Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 5:39pm

In the 3 CT events Kelly and Caio surfed this year:

Kelly - 25th, 3rd, 3rd (last, semis, semis)
Caio - 25th, 25th, 25th (which is last, last and last)

Caio is a bottom of the rung tour surfer.

lost's picture
lost's picture
lost Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 9:15pm

Kelly's pool result is highly questionable. He should never have made it past the first round. The judges got caught up in the whole Jelly in Jelly's pool thing.

Pipe he was great. Showed what experience and time out their does but still nothing in Gabs or Jules.

Jelly simply picked events he thought he could do well in and ones he enjoyed and used the injury as a excuse to not turn up and others.

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Friday, 21 Dec 2018 at 8:24am

If you are coming of an injury and know the longer it heels the better, would you surf waves you like or go out and surf in shitty waves?

Makes sense he would be tempted to surf in his own pool where also the risk is lower no paddling back out through close outs etc and mostly barrel time.

Or surf at his favourite wave right at the end of the year, when risk of ire injury is least and a wave worth risking things for.

scottishsponger's picture
scottishsponger's picture
scottishsponger Saturday, 22 Dec 2018 at 9:51am

Hi Kelly, how’s the foot?

evosurfer's picture
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evosurfer Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 5:48pm

You know im all for fairness and decency but IMO im really glad about

John John and Slater getting injury cards to compete. They are easily the

most interesting and best to watch if it was my business it would be best

man for the job and that's them.

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 6:06pm

Bens idea above with the 'Golden Ticket 'is the way to go,gives ol baldy freedom to do what he likes and keeps everyone happy.......

tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 6:22pm

Kelly should learn to 'Keep left unless overtaking' , The guy is just sitting in the fast lane in a pimped ride holding up traffic . Being as selective as he is I'm sure he could secure enough starts in his preferred events.

lost's picture
lost's picture
lost Thursday, 20 Dec 2018 at 9:12pm

And idea....

Scrap all wildcards for all events including the injury ones. Have a trials for every CT event and give the likes of Kelly, JJ and others a ticket to trials - if they are good enough for the tour should be able to cruise through the trials.

scottishsponger's picture
scottishsponger's picture
scottishsponger Saturday, 22 Dec 2018 at 9:54am

That’s a great idea. If the system is good enough for Pipe then it’s good enough for the other events

evosurfer's picture
evosurfer's picture
evosurfer Friday, 21 Dec 2018 at 2:36pm

Really lost if they are good enough for the tour. Please

loungelizard's picture
loungelizard's picture
loungelizard Friday, 21 Dec 2018 at 3:42pm

i remember rabbit years ago having just disposed of a wildcard saying "ive surfed against more great white hopes than you can shake a stick at"

dastasha's picture
dastasha's picture
dastasha Sunday, 23 Dec 2018 at 9:51am

Perhaps the WSL should make hairstyle part of the judging criteria