More upsets as Gabs, Jordy, and Jules all bow out at Keramas

Keramas, Bali/Indonesia (Monday, May 20, 2019) - The Corona Bali Protected, the third stop on the 2019 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), is now down to the men’s and women’s Quarterfinalists after narrowing the men’s field in the Round of 32 and Round of 16 today. Pumping waves ignited the Keramas lineup (four-to-six foot, 1.2 - 1.8 metre) waves for another day of big upsets and eliminations. 

Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA), World No. 30, kicked off the day with a massive win over Gabriel Medina (BRA), two-time WSL Champion. The Italian surfer eliminated World No. 5 Medina with superior wave selection and committed turns in the critical section of the big Keramas walls. Medina leaves Bali in 17th place, his worst result of the year so far after 5th place finishes at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast and Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. 

Jordy Smith

“I was so excited to surf that heat,” Fioravanti said. “Keramas finally showed up this morning. The tough part was working out if I should go for barrels or do turns. I made a few mistakes trying to get barrelled but to surf pumping waves like this and beat the World Champ, I feel blessed and am so happy. This is a really big win for me, of course. I’ve had a few injuries and have been struggling with results, but I’m feeling really good now so I hope I can start finding some results.” 

This upset, paired with yesterday’s drama, only sees three surfers remaining in the draw from the men’s Top 10 after the eliminations of John John Florence (HAW), Italo Ferreira (BRA), Jordy Smith (ZAF), Gabriel Medina (BRA), Conner Coffin (USA), Seth Moniz (HAW), Ryan Callinan (AUS), Owen Wright (AUS), and Willian Cardoso (BRA). 

Despite his success against the reigning WSL Champion, Fioravanti fell to Adrian Buchan (AUS) in the Round of 16. En route to his Quarterfinal entry, Buchan also eliminated rookie Mikey Wright (AUS) in the Round of 32. In the Quarterfinals, Buchan will meet Kanoa Igarashi (JPN), who continued his searing form at Keramas to eliminate Brasilians Peterson Crisanto and Jesse Mendes in R/32 and R/16, respectively. 

Peterson Crisanto

Kelly Slater (USA) is the only men’s World Champion left in the draw after defeating Michel Bourez (FRA), 2018 event runner-up, in R/16, Heat 6. Bourez had control of the heat in its majority until a potential priority mistake allowed Slater to stroke into a medium-sized set, which opened up and allowed him some decent time in the tube. Slater came out and smashed a layback snap to clinch the lead and the heat win. Slater moves ahead into the Quarterfinals where he will match-up with Filipe Toledo (BRA). 

Michel Bourez

“I’m stoked because that’s always one of those rounds that you really want to get through,” Slater said. “That’s the money heat when you want to get your ranking up. For me, I’m able to relax once I make it to the Quarters. I’ll be a little bit giddy in the next one because it’s exciting and the waves are good. I didn’t start my day like I normally do today. I got too excited and went out for a surf and missed breakfast and my little meditation. But I know that kind of stuff doesn’t win you the heat. You just have to adjust. So I knew I had to work hard for that one. Michel Bourez had me on the ropes. I knew I needed to get my best score of the year to win that heat. But I’m on the up.  In the Quarterfinals, I’m going to be up against Filipe Toledo and I’m going to need bigger scores to win through.” 

Kelly Slater

Kolohe Andino (USA) continues to impress at the Corona Bali Protected with big airs and carves. Today, he continued his success against fellow Californian Conner Coffin (USA) in R/16, Heat 4. The heat came down to the final minutes with Coffin only needing a 4.16 (out of a possible 10) to advance. Andino smartly utilized his priority to keep Coffin off a set wave with three minutes remaining, which paid off after the ocean failed to provide any additional chances for Coffin. 

Conner Coffin

“I was super nervous going into that heat,” Andino said. “Conner is such a good surfer and I love the way he surfs on the rail so I was really nervous but also just really excited to get out there. I’ve never made a heat at Keramas before so to get that heat advancement straight off the bat then to end up in the Quarters feels really good. Quarters on is definitely a result for someone going for a Top 5 finish or a World Title so I’m stoked to be into the business end of the event.”

Filipe Toledo (BRA), the only surfer left in the men's Top 5, dispatched Ryan Callinan (AUS), currently the highest ranked Australian surfer on the Jeep Leaderboard. Toledo and Callinan have had great battles in recent history with Callinan dispatching of Toledo as a wildcard in France last September. Toledo was determined to avoid a repeat and dropped the highest heat total of the day with a 15.93 two-wave combination (out of a possible 20). The Brasilian Title hopeful moves closer to taking ownership of the Jeep Leader Jersey here in Bali. 

Filipe Toledo

Michael Rodrigues (BRA) took a breakthrough victory today, taking down event standout Julian Wilson (AUS) in the opening Heat of the Round of 16. Wilson came sprinting out of the gates with a display of his trademark, fins-free surfing, but Rodrigues had other ideas and posted his winning heat total under priority. This will be Rodrigues' his first Quarterfinals appearance since the 2018 Oi Rio Pro.

Julian Wilson

“Julian (Wilson) is one of my favorite surfers so that was such a big heat for me,” Rodrigues said. “It feels good to beat him and to be back into the Quarterfinals. I’ve been having so much fun here in Bali, surfing a lot, eating well and good fun with friends so I’m feeling really good. I just wanted to do my job today and that was my job done.” 

Michael Rodrigues

Australian powerhouse Wade Carmichael (AUS) was another standout performer, posting the second highest heat total of the day with an incredible display of rail surfing in the chunky Keramas walls. Carmichael has set up his second Quarterfinal appearance for the year and will take on Rodrigues as one of two Aussie representatives on Finals Day.

“The waves are so sick, I’ve been frothing to get out there all morning,” Carmichael said. “I was so excited when I got out there and got two good scores straight off the bat, then when the waves slowed down a bit I could take control of the heat and run it to the end. Days like this are good fun, just trading waves in pretty much perfect conditions with open walls and barrels. We couldn’t really ask for anything more as competitors at this venue. It’s such an unbelievable day, so I hope it continues and I can make it to the Final and win it.” 

Wade Carmichael

Corona Bali Protected Remaining Men’s Round 3 (Round of 32) Results:
Heat 13: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 12.73 DEF. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 11.00 
Heat 14: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 8.73 DEF. Mikey Wright (AUS) 6.50 
Heat 15: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 13.90 DEF. Peterson Crisanto (BRA) 7.60 
Heat 16: Jesse Mendes (BRA) 11.20 DEF. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 10.33

Corona Bali Protected Men’s Round 4 (Round of 16) Results:
Heat 1: Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 13.67 DEF. Julian Wilson (AUS) 6.77  
Heat 2: Wade Carmichael (AUS) 15.50 DEF. Joan Duru (FRA) 13.87  
Heat 3: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 14.17 DEF. Jack Freestone (AUS) 13.00  
Heat 4: Kolohe Andino (USA) 11.16 DEF. Conner Coffin (USA) 9.67  
Heat 5: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 15.93 DEF. Ryan Callinan (AUS) 13.47  
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) 14.46 DEF. Michel Bourez (FRA) 14.27  
Heat 7: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 11.23 DEF. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 10.80  
Heat 8: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 15.66 DEF. Jesse Mendes (BRA) 5.86

Comments

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Monday, 20 May 2019 at 4:49pm

My fantasy surf team has been decimated.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Monday, 20 May 2019 at 5:04pm

Woah ....did a competitor just announce that he’s actually hopeful of winning a contest ?

Wade , Wade , Wade ......ambition is so uncool .

Best stick to the ol’ reliable platitudes of “ taking it heat by heat “ , “ one heat at a time “ and “ just having fun out there “.

Jokes , obviously. Go get them Wade. Keep ripping and take the trophy , the glory , the money ....the lot.

Maybe “accidentally “ break Toledo and Andino’s legs as you’re strolling through the competitors area for a bit of insurance though.

Billyw's picture
Billyw's picture
Billyw Monday, 20 May 2019 at 9:20pm

haha and don't forget the opponent was "one of my best friends" who "surfs so good"

greyhound's picture
greyhound's picture
greyhound Monday, 20 May 2019 at 9:43pm

What makes Jules an “event standout “ ?
Just wondering.

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Tuesday, 21 May 2019 at 5:40am

I put $$ on a Toledo / Carissa quinella at the start. Looking good so far, but a shame I just jinxed it now

inzider's picture
inzider's picture
inzider Tuesday, 21 May 2019 at 3:52pm

Did chrisanto stomp that slob
In the photo above?
Pretty effing legit if he did

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 21 May 2019 at 3:56pm

Nah. He landed clean on the lip, all intact, but with no forward momentum he got bucked.

inzider's picture
inzider's picture
inzider Tuesday, 21 May 2019 at 4:29pm

I think surf media should adopt the skate protocol of no make no publish.
No stomp no glory
Just keeps shit real

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Wednesday, 22 May 2019 at 4:02am

Good idea!

And falling off, then getting back on your board and riding out does not constitute a make.

Spuddups's picture
Spuddups's picture
Spuddups Wednesday, 22 May 2019 at 4:56am

He he, I found that out at the weekend aye Island Bay.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Wednesday, 22 May 2019 at 7:11am

Does that go for tubes too then?

plops's picture
plops's picture
plops Wednesday, 22 May 2019 at 7:19am

My oath it does

plops's picture
plops's picture
plops Wednesday, 22 May 2019 at 7:19am

My oath it does

daboots's picture
daboots's picture
daboots Tuesday, 21 May 2019 at 7:18pm

John John (vs Duru) and Jordy (vs Mendes) totally robbed... The judging this year, particularly during this comp, has been puzzling to say the least.

poo-man's picture
poo-man's picture
poo-man Tuesday, 21 May 2019 at 8:11pm

I'm not in the camp that says JJ got robbed. i just thought it was close and could have gone either way and Duru was pretty outstanding too. But yeah the Jordy one was puzzling as has been lots of this years judging. i can't see the point in jamming up the scale as thats when strange results happen as theres so many 6s and 7s and virtually nothing above 8. If you're going to score out of 10 then there should be at least a dozen waves a day over 9 after all they're the best in the world.

daboots's picture
daboots's picture
daboots Wednesday, 22 May 2019 at 8:50pm

I agree that it was a close one... but in my eyes Duru's backside wack, while amazing, didn't have the degree of difficulty that JJF's tail high air has. Plus JJF did a couple of extra strong turns hitting the lip while in Duru's wave, after the first snap was all just cutties. But Duru's wave was bigger... Overall I still think JJF had that one

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Tuesday, 21 May 2019 at 9:01pm

Perfect mechanical head high waves with the elite, pretty hard to separate them. Just about comes down to a super subjective personal preference. I prefer those large jordy carves over repetitive backhand snaps, but that’s just me.
I remember in 2013 when it was perfect it was near on impossible to separate them, guys getting 9’s and 10’s all over the place —> long barrel to hack or two, how do you separate that?

peterb's picture
peterb's picture
peterb Tuesday, 21 May 2019 at 9:17pm

Coffin doing a Cram knees-up there ..

old man of the sea's picture
old man of the sea's picture
old man of the sea Wednesday, 22 May 2019 at 9:30pm

Anyone else feeling a vertical backside whack is getting over scored?
They can all do them and it gets really boring real fast when three of the same thing in a row gets 8+
Sure, I can't do it like that, but that's irrelevant and it seems Jordy's man carve gets a fraction of this because it is front side and not 'vert'

Terminal's picture
Terminal's picture
Terminal Thursday, 23 May 2019 at 4:45pm

Yep, agreed the approach is repetitive. They could start doing carving 360s the other way (f/s) for a start...

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Friday, 24 May 2019 at 6:18am

Yep.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Friday, 24 May 2019 at 6:00am

One of the problems with long gaps between contestable days is that there are no new stories for the WSL to run. Thus, the last four days have seen plenty of hype about the upcoming Kelly/Filipe heat - it's almost like there's nothing else worth talking about.

Below is a sample from Twitter alone - I hope the heat is worth the expectation they've set!








lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Friday, 24 May 2019 at 6:17am

In the dream tour days wouldn't they give stories about the lay day activities like the boy's playing golf, fishing, touch footy, doing something touristy in the area etc?

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Friday, 24 May 2019 at 6:25am

At some locations, yes (fishing in Fiji, wildlife safari tours at J-Bay) but I don't think it happened much at a lot of other locations. Or perhaps my memory is a little foggy.

belly's picture
belly's picture
belly Friday, 24 May 2019 at 11:14am

Right now on the WSL app Kelly features in 3 of the first four images / stories, the other is Steph. The WSL even sent me an email (I assume all fantasy participants) posing whether a 12th world title is on the cards.

Terminal's picture
Terminal's picture
Terminal Saturday, 25 May 2019 at 5:10pm

Is it just me, or was Kanoa overscored in that semi? Just watched the reply. No disputing he is a great surfer, but generally all turns less acute and performed in a less critical part of the wave and with less flow connecting them compared to Jimmy. Also, that Miller flip Kanoa did had three points of contact with the board from before it was executed to after he landed it, it's a pre-grab.

poo-man's picture
poo-man's picture
poo-man Saturday, 25 May 2019 at 8:10pm

Yep I'm with you Terminal on that one. I just thought Kanoa was given big points for basically boys surfing. Yes he surfed that 7.67 well but even he thought it was somewhere between 5 and 7 as Strider said. So yep I wasn't quite ageeeing with that one. His 2 waves could have easily been 6.5 and 6 and the whole heat is different. The kelly double barrel was a bit low balled too i thought due to a slight bobble on the cutty but that could easily have been nearer excellent. There weren't many that good all day