Tahiti Pro 2025: Day One
Tahiti Pro 2025: Day One
Brilliant day of high stakes pro surfing at 10 foot+ Teahupoo, only soured at the end by another bizarre, seemingly deliberate, under-performance from two-time World Champ Filipe Toledo. Details of that sorry episode later on.
Full psycho, sheet glass Chopes for the first three heats with the smoke from cooking fires rising straight up in the valleys. No wind. Dead calm. Triple overhead bombs with lips looking so thick as to be almost AI-generated. Italo as the defending champ looked fully focussed for what felt like the first time since he won Portugal. Backless death pits do have a wonderful way of concentrating the mind.
Italo (WSL/Ryder)
Kanoa may feel a little unlucky to have drawn Kauli Vaast in the Opening Round. Riding without a leggy, the Olympic gold medallist (currently ranked 12th on the Challenger Series) looked completely unencumbered by any sort of fear or hesitation to spike bombs on the back ledge. Scoring was a little miserly from the panel - probably just a case of heartburn from the judges still digesting the breakfast of baguettes and spam washed down with instant coffee - but the rides were intense.
Miggy Pupo got tortured in almost mediaeval fashion, put on the rack of an end section death chamber and pitched out of the lip on another almost tow size wave - of course, that definition is changing almost every swell.
Arguably the biggest advances in the sport (using the term reluctantly) are being made in tuberiding at the limit of paddle surfing. In the words of Matahi Drollet from a recent TSJ profile: “There's so much room for progression at Chopes”. Major injustice the two surfers pushing this progression, Matahi and Eimeo Czermak, are sitting in the channel watching. Every major swell now at Chopes is liking watching Everest get summited for the first time, or the maiden four minute mile being run.
Crosby (WSL/Ryder)
Those inside the five had to defend their positions, those outside make attacks from around the periphery. It led to brilliant performances and some epic chokes.
After a slow heat where he couldn't really put down any meaningful marker on the scoreboard Jordy came up against local fireman and trials runner up Teiva Tairoa. There couldn't have been a greater contrast in life positions. How many free boards (or even purchased one) has Jordy had in his career as a pro surfer? Thousands? Tens of thousands? Tairoa looks like he has one, and he's had it for decades. A battered old yellowed thing held together with gaffer tape.
Yet the 35-year old almost purely recreational surfer took it up to Jordy with a clean opener for a 3.10 and then a deep bomb for an 8.33. Jordy looked shot, bru. Ready to be sent home by a guy not even on tour, who history will struggle to recall. Epitaphs for his title capitulation were hastily being scribbled as the clock ticked down. With six minutes remaining the surf turkey in chief took off late on a head down drop and somehow navigated his way through a tube so deep, even looking straight into it he disappeared. Judges rightly threw a 9.50 at it and with his backup 6.50 Smith was through - holding steady on the No.2 position and still a chance to wear yellow in Fiji.
Barron (WSL/Bielmann)
Ethan clawed his way back, this time from a brilliant, albeit losing, performance against Cole Houshmand, who later claimed to be in surf trip mode. The theme of people chasing the waves of their life – regardless of competition - was strongest in the San Clemente squad. Whether from Cole, who has no chance of making Fiji, or Griffin Colapinto who needs to make crucial heats and have other results fall his way.
None moreso than Ethan Ewing. Relegated to the ER against roommate and fellow team rider Seth Moniz, Ewing dropped the cool, efficient approach and got down in the engine room with rusty spanners. He rode waves, almost desperately on a dying swell which threatened to deliver career crushing lulls. Seven waves is almost frenetic activity from Ewing.
The crucial moment came when the pair traded rare bomb sets with completions for both. Riding the latter wave, Ewing kicked out almost on top of the Hawaiian and instigated a vigorous paddle battle, changing his line and effectively muscling the Hawaiian into the impact zone where he was forced to submit and let the Queenslander gain priority. His back-up wave had a point on Moniz and gets him into the Round of 16. Still alive at No 5 with Colapinto breathing down his neck.
Do you remember getting the wave of your life? Or at least chasing it down? Griffin Colapinto after his memorable Round 1 performance stated it was the “reason he started surfing”. He was keen to frame up this Teahupoo event not just as a contest where he could qualify to surf for a world title but as this opportunity the world had put in front of him, which transcended the result and even the whole concept of professional surfing. He described rising to this challenge (he may have described it in more spiritual terms) as “satisfying for the soul.”
I want to make fun of him, but I find myself getting sucked into the Colapinto vibe. It is satisfying to the soul to rise to this challenge and get the wave of your life. Is it a cult? If not now, there's an idea for Colapinto post pro surfing.
Live rankings have Colapinto in 6th position, 720 points behind Ewing.
Kanoa (WSL/Ryder)
Griff and Ewing winning presents big problems for Jack Robinson. Not that he can do anything about it except keep winning himself. The vortex shaman was in full effect today in his Round 1 Heat 8 win against Mamiya and Mignot. A perfectly tapered heat to soothe the jangled nerves of Robinson fans. Four rides, each building on the last to finish with an excellent 8.53. The surf had come down a notch by then and Robinson, if blood tested, would not have had a micron of adrenalin in his system. Up to his nuts in tow waves over the last few days, a clear and willing participant in the “wave of your life” school, there was nothing about glassy 6-8 foot Chopes with declining period and a southerly angle that would have sent even the slightest peak to Jack's resting heart rate.
The problem for Jack will be if they have to run in small, inconsistent conditions, not tow-sized sets, cos he'll gobble that up like the cookie monster.
When Kanoa implodes in a heat, it's usually spectacular. Failing to catch a wave at Narrabeen in a petulant sulk in 2021, a 0.93 total in the Round of 16 here last year against Ramzi Boukhiam that saw Snake in the channel shaking his head. This one today was worse, and with more on the line. It started with a long, long wait for a wave against Mihimana Braye which judges generously awarded a restart despite there being surfable waves. Then they both missed a two-wave bomb set. Kanoa lost his board, went over the falls, could not make a simple tube and ended up with a 2.8 total and getting pitched headfirst on the take-off.
Footage later showed a screaming match with Snake in the channel with wildly gesticulating limbs. That mutual meltdown will be a deeply scarring experience for both. Kanoa likely will get overtaken and kicked out of the 5. Snake loses money and will have to rebuild the relationship.
That wasn't the worst showing for the day.
Toledo's struggles in the heavy stuff are well documented. They must be known and discussed by peers, at least in private comms. It was alluded to today when Toledo paddled, hesitantly it must be said, into a mid-sized set. He didn't knife it and pull in, he kind of hopped down the face and very, very briefly got covered by the thick lip. In the context of the day, it barely rates a mention. Griff, being interviewed at the time, hooted before hollering out “you're hired!” Leo later on after winning the heat said that it was “cool to see Filipe launch himself on that one, which looked pretty solid”. As the best ride of Toledo's two heats this duchessing from peers and broadcasters almost seemed patronising. Judges also seemed to award it a participation medal, before restoring rigour to the scale for Toledo's other rides.
It was a 'just OK' performance. Not great, not terrible. But it did leave Toledo needing to surf again in the afternoon against Rio Waida.
It went from just OK to downright abysmal. Forcing a reasonable person watching to ask serious questions about Toledo's intent. Was he trying to win, or was he throwing the heat to avoid having to surf anymore heats at Chopes? He paddled under a big set to start the heat. That wasn't a good sign. Somehow this widespread fantasy still remains that Toledo will show up to Tahiti on the day of competition and reverse all his previous abject capitulations and start spinning on sets. Today's performance will disabuse all but the hardiest fantasists of that notion.
Filipe (WSL/Ryder)
He handed over priority by catching crappy waves that didn't barrel. A typical Toledo trick. Once, twice, three times. Fans around the world were gasping, kicking cats, yelling at screens. In the booth the response was to dial up the gaslighting. Stace Galbraith is no dummy. He claims to be a surf coach and to have judged thousands of heats and I believe him. Toledo was catching crap and handing over prio, according to Stace, because the sun was in his eyes.
As the slow motion train wreck continued it was merely a case of coincidence for Stace that Toledo always seems to have these bad heats out here. Just a matter of cosmic unfairness. The latest version of ChatGPT was released today, claiming “significant improvements on sycophancy”. I doubt even AI could be programmed to match the sycophancy of the booth when dealing with Toledo.
The days of replacing reality with this kind of fantasy are gone, or should be. They infantilise Toledo, make the booth look like morons, disrespect the basic intelligence of fans and rob the league of integrity. Time to let the man pull an injury wildcard (mental health if needed) when required and sub in someone who wants to be out there. God knows Kelly pulled enough injury cards when it suited him.
Joao (WSL/Bielmann)
At any point Toledo could choose to chill and hang out in Tahiti with one of his Brazilian compadres out here - Joao Chianca would be awesome - and figure this out. Which ones to go, where to sit, what boards to ride, how to put the head down and go. Or the League could put in place stronger measures to ensure these kind of farces stop playing out in full public view. It's not a good look for the sport when a significant proportion of people watching a marquee event come away with a view that a participant is throwing a heat, or at the least deliberately under-performing. That's not how pro sports are supposed to work.
Heat 8 of the Elimination Round on tomorrow and then the Women will get a fun day on an easing swell, hopefully with opportunities to show some tuberiding chops in heavy water further down the track.
The only way the sport will progress is letting them have those opportunities.
// STEVE SHEARER
Lexus Tahiti Pro Presented by I-SEA Men’s Opening Round Results:
HEAT 1: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 14.90 DEF. Seth Moniz (HAW) 12.54, Miguel Pupo (BRA) 11.17
HEAT 2: Kauli Vaast (FRA) 16.30 DEF. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 14.50, Jake Marshall (USA) 11.66
HEAT 3: Crosby Colapinto (USA) 8.60 DEF. Jordy Smith (RSA) 4.76, Mihimana Braye (PYF) 2.83
HEAT 4: Yago Dora (BRA) 13.67 DEF. Joel Vaughan (AUS) 7.60, Teiva Tairoa (PYF) 3.60
HEAT 5: Cole Houshmand (USA) 17.73 DEF. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 16.57, Rio Waida (INA) 7.26
HEAT 6: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 18.00 DEF. Alan Cleland (MEX) 13.20, Connor O'Leary (JPN) 13.03
HEAT 7: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 13.33 DEF. Joao Chianca (BRA) 12.83, Filipe Toledo (BRA) 10.16
HEAT 8: Jack Robinson (AUS) 15.23 DEF. Barron Mamiya (HAW) 8.43, Marco Mignot (FRA) 5.80
Lexus Tahiti Pro Presented by I-SEA Men’s Elimination Round Results:
HEAT 1: Jordy Smith (RSA) 16.00 DEF. Teiva Tairoa (PYF) 13.43
HEAT 2: Alan Cleland (MEX) 16.53 DEF. Barron Mamiya (HAW) 15.37
HEAT 3: Mihimana Braye (PYF) 7.50 DEF. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 2.80
HEAT 4: Joao Chianca (BRA) 15.33 DEF. Connor O'Leary (JPN) 11.67
HEAT 5: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 15.07 DEF. Seth Moniz (HAW) 13.00
HEAT 6: Marco Mignot (FRA) 9.27 DEF. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 7.83
HEAT 7: Rio Waida (INA) 12.17 DEF. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 3.17
HEAT 8: Jake Marshall (USA) vs. Joel Vaughan (AUS)
Lexus Tahiti Pro Presented by I-SEA Men’s Elimination Round of 16 Matchups:
HEAT 1: Jordy Smith (RSA) vs. Kauli Vaast (FRA)
HEAT 2: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA)
HEAT 3: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Rio Waida (INA)
HEAT 4: Jack Robinson (AUS) vs. Marco Mignot (FRA)
HEAT 5: Yago Dora (BRA) vs. Mihimana Braye (PYF)
HEAT 6: Cole Houshmand (USA) TBC
HEAT 7: Ethan Ewing (AUS) vs. Alan Cleland (MEX)
HEAT 8: Griffin Colapinto (USA) vs. Joao Chianca (BRA)
Comments
Add Gilbert Teave to the Eimeo and Matahi list.
Doesn’t seem to make as many as the other two but he goes and gets to the bottom of some huuuuge ones.
Reckon you went lightly on Fil too..
Filipe Toledo's problem is clearly psychological and not physical - but if he does not want to address the issue, no amount of coddling from the people in the booth or patronising praise from his peers is going to help him get over his phobia of getting killed at Teahupo'o.
I sincerely hope he does, but it is getting late in the day - would be a sensational story if the Cowardly Lion can (eventually) overcome his fears, doubts and demons and charge Chopes harder than anyone.
Totally agree john .
Be careful - agreeing with ANYTHING uttered by the World's Most Obnoxious Seppo Wanker may bring the wrath of the ENTIRE Swellnet constituency down on your head,
Wear a helmet.
stop leaning on 'seppo', haha.
it has nothing to do with that.
nothing to do with your being published.
little to do with exposing vulnerable communities.
and little to do with exploitation.
just come good, bloke, I'm sure you have it in you.
do it for the swellnet, better swellnet traffic,
which has been your referenced crutch.
It is just a matter of Joel Fleischman getting to know Cicely, Alaska.
It is not ill-will. It is just what happens,
as you would know with your background,
in being expert at entering new communities and making strong and meaningful connections.
surely, how you've carried on here, for months now,
isn't how you would behave if an indo community wanted more from you?
Everyone reading this has pulled back on waves & regretted it. I did at Greenbush 10 years ago. As a punter, you always get another chance to sack up & push yourself . But as a pro, at Teahupoo, those chances only come around once a year. Toledo is running out of time. Look closely at the photo of Fil - he is feigning injury or some kind of discomfort to try to deflect from the fact that he cannot get to grips with his fear at Teahupoo. Was he there prior to the event working on all this? If not, why not?
Flip arrived only two days prior, apparently.
don't know if he got wet, or where he was prior?
anyone know? (..great write-up, fave line:
"there was nothing about glassy 6-8 foot Chopes
with declining period and a southerly angle
that would have sent even the slightest peak to Jack's resting heart rate.")
Next year will be filipes 14th year on tour. There is absolutely no excuse in the universe that can justify his actions. He simply just doesn’t have the balls
Yes the days of feeling for old Fil are done, hes cooked mentally and should excuse himself from the room.......hes had plenty of time to try and come to terms with his fear of Chopes .......maybe he has tried but ya cant keep blowing smoke up his arse ...Stace should have said something other than the sun was in his eyes blabla.........hes not invited next year.....unless he has a reincarnation of pride.......
I definitely think chucking a sickie would've been the best option for Fil over actually turning up.
That's Hall of Shame stuff.
Pretty obvious to anyone watching what he was up to.
Fils heat and the pulse recap was all I got to watch at work lunchtime. What a dichotomy and defs tanked it. The bloke was south of the decimal point until the last couple of minutes.
The commentators were worth listening to to remind us why they should be muted. It’s like they weren’t even there and rabbiting on about something else. To watch a 2x world champ go down like that should be manna from heaven to a sports journo. Report em to Mediawatch for undeclared paid commentary
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players"
There is no harm in the commentary booth being kind and euphemistic about their friend and colleague, Filipe, and his performance at Teahupoo. They are just a travelling troupe of entertainers.
The viewers are free to form their own opinions and comment and they know there will be no shortage of that.
Agreed Wally they are all in it together but I see it as sports not entertainment and yes you’re right it’s a show and it’s gotta make money.
I was watching a really significant champ have a huge meltdown event on a day of the best surf and tube riding we’ve seen all year. That’s what makes this whole scenario outstanding.
Fwiw many other sports are ruthless in their commentary no matter where their allegiance lies. That’s theatre and entertainment too. As long as it’s called like it is
Maybe he wasn't throwing it. Maybe it's genuinely the best he can do in those conditions. Either way, I'm glad I missed the heat and look forward to the day they manage to sell the broadcast rights to some media company so the commentators can speak freely.
On another note, that pic of Joao is truly fucken awesome. Saw that live and did not appreciate the scale of it.
Joao was awesome. His presser after he won was incredible too.
I'm sorry he missed the cut today.
Did appear that Fil wasn’t making much of an effort, but the heat was in the worst conditions of the day and it was surprising to see how Rio, despite growing up on barrelling left hand reef breaks, also struggled to get a wave in the second half of the heat.
I don’t know if it was the sun, but both surfers were struggling to read the conditions.
Fuck me dead, watch where they sat, how they moved, what they did with priority, nothing to do with conditions, Fil was embarrassing.
haha just watched that heat this morning.
All i can say is, Rio must have been stoked to have Teahupoo to himself for half an hour.
How goods pro surfing!
Nice Steve.
Fil. I’m in the camp who wants (ed) him to go well in the juice……..but, no amount of ‘nearlys’, wishing or ‘good try’s’ are enough at this point. I think instead of focusing on it, we probably all just jog on. Unfortunately in the tour’s new iteration, I doubt he’ll be challenging the pointy end again. And that’s ok if he’s ok.
Let’s get on with the charging. Gee Griff deserves his spot in the final 5 doesn’t he?
Big Kanoa, he can melt. Wonder how it was at the dinner table with Snake tonight?
Let the women shine Woz.
With the old is new format next year, he could sweep the comps at small waves and right hand points and win before pipe.
I guess it’s possible but he’ll still have to surf cloudy and chopes. Pipe has 1.5 x points loading which will keep crew in it mathematically also.
Watching this year the general surfing level across the board is so high, Fil isn’t the foregone conclusion he used to be in the small waves either.
People hoping to see Flip do well, are acting out of kindness and a bit of humility as i think we all recognise the immense weight he must be living under with his shortcomings in the juice, Not something to criticise people for who are coming from a good place. Appreciate your critique of him, and he deserves it all, but criticising those who hope he can rise up from a human perspective is a little bit off.
I think it's pretty obvious to all that without doing the work there will be no progress, but do wish better things for little pip. Can't be easy for a man to bear that kinda load.
Other than that, good article.
Just on the comfortability of Robbo, i saw him on one wave putting his hand up to the spit and letting it blow through his fingers as he emerged from a pit. That's next level comfortability at chopes.
I want to see him rise up to.
There are Tahitian kids who would kill for the opportunity to surf their home break, and win some much needed money.
If you aren't prepared to do the work to get competent out there then let those kids have a go.
It's not like Pip needs the money, or the accolades.
I'm just sick of the pretending and all the deceit around it now.
Water is wet, the sky is blue, women have secrets... Flip's shit scared of heavy waves, Kelly should have retired after that Pipe win...
haha very nice @sprout!
Well put SR.
cheers mate, although i think my point was overlooked.
All G.
Looking forward to tomoz.
Kind and correct words never missed. Hoping to see the ladies get stuck into the juice personally- and waves give them a good platform that separates the skill sets
Cheers mate. :)
The break out of the word ‘comfortability’ was the true star of the day. SR running with it
“People hoping to see Flip do well, are acting out of kindness and a bit of humility as i think we all recognise the immense weight he must be living under with his shortcomings in the juice, Not something to criticise people for who are coming from a good place. Appreciate your critique of him, and he deserves it all, but criticising those who hope he can rise up from a human perspective is a little bit off”
SR, 100% agree. Let me repeat. I agree with you…last time, I agree with you.
Usually when I agree with you you think I am having a go..so
I agree with you.
Well said!
haha thanks @roady.
I read it twice just to make sure though ;-P
on a good day, @sr, jack has it all in the palm of his hand..
Ken oath @base.
Andy Irons was absolutely terrified of Teahupoo. Almost paralysed with fear. Mark Healy is credited with helping him overcome that fear and the rest is history.
Fil on the other hand.........zero interest. And that is why the comments section today was filled outrage. Deservedly. The WSL and industry need to publicly address the issue too. STop sugar coating it.
It's not even that he's shit scared, it's the fact he denies it, that he "doesn't have anything to prove". I was gunning for him to pack one but just admit it (with words, his actions are plain to see) and we'll all move on.
Yep. Surfings all about stepping over the cliff moments,...we all have to take those steps at certain points to progress. Flippys missed a key step that's a requirement of being a 2 time lion hearted world champ. Gonna rub us mere mortals up the wrong way to be sure.
I agree. Own it and move on.
Over the rhetoric of I want to see fil succeed. He’s won 2 world titles without competently being able to surf solid reef breaks. It’s obvious no attempt has been made to overcome this. If you don’t go you’d be better off not even show. The commentary after his overscored 6 was pathetic. It makes a farce of Wsl and strips all legitimacy from a world title.
What are people actually suggesting the WSL do about Toledo? We can all see he's not up for it but what rule can WSL make that would prevent it from happening? Would everyone commenting be arguing the same thing about someone like Steph Gilmore who spent 15+ years on tour and never had a go in similar conditions?
I reckon if he wants to show up every year and surf, he should be able to. It'd look worse if he avoided it completely. At least he's willing to take his medicine and paddle out.
Maybe they could make the format at Tahiti like Pipe format for next year? Start with a bunch of (maybe 8?) wildcards in the first round and see how deep into the draw they get. That way you'd get to see them surf multiple heats and would easily pick off those who can't perform.
Agree that Steph can’t surf backdoor barreling breaks but neither can 2/3 of the current crop of female surfers despite how WSL spin it. Steph changed female surfing during her career with her style and rail surfing. Fil however has won 2 titles in a time where pretty much all other male surfers can surf solid barrels both front and backside. He’s an anomaly and not a good one.
Started watching from the start when I got home from work, and seeing Italo in that first round and comparing what I saw watching FT heat, it makes you really you wonder about the Olympics. Hands down, I would give up my spot if I knew I wasn't up to it and knew the alternant was more much better equipped. It's not about me, but for my country.
True on that front NB. Fil has skills, brilliant skills. He could be good out there and will wake with cold sweats of 'what if' like many of us do and don't want our kids to do. Anyway from all accounts I've heard he's a cracking guy and id rather be known for that than a great chopes charger (although I sometimes debate that).
I do agree but he couldn’t have given the spot to Italo. The qualification was tied to his name (being in the top 10 and one of 2 of his country). I bet if he had given up his spot, the ISA had determined who was next in line. It would not necessarily have been Italo
I think it would have been Gabe then Italy could have qualifies via ISA like gabe did
yeah i just caught up with the first few heats and boy was it banging........lucky Fil wasn't in that first couple heats ........never would have caught a wave.......it was heavy and mean looking and hats off to the guys that charged it especially Italo.........That wave he got would have been a 10 any other heat imo...and i thought Kanoa had a good dig that first heat he had ....scored a couple of good barrels ...just melted in the elimination round .....Hope the girls put it on tomoz.
Its too difficult to understand Fil. He did have a go in the juice today albeit not pulling straight in. Maybe he has forgotten how to do it. While there were a couple of larger waves, that final heat looked like crap surf. Hard to tell with the camera shots?
?si=FKAFWfvFwddd7lveJeez Shep. Talk about peaking at the right time. From "Backless death pits do have a wonderful way of concentrating the mind.” to “Miggy Pupo got tortured in almost mediaeval fashion, put on the rack of an end section death chamber” to “The days of replacing reality with this kind of fantasy are gone, or should be. They infantilise Toledo, make the booth look like morons, disrespect the basic intelligence of fans and rob the league of integrity.“ fucking bravo mate.
Ha ha Gra. Shakespearen perhaps. That first heat was Gladiator stuff by the minute. You could see the judges holding back scale because of the need for room with the slab after slab unfolding. Pupo charged and got floggings, italo made it look easy. Rest intermittent highlights - fark i wish it stayed like heat 1 all day not just for viewing but so it was decided by surfing not who had priority etc at right time. How good is chopes.
Watched the Kanoa implosion live, it was truly awful. Even more bizarre is that his performance in round 1 was actually pretty good, he gave it a proper crack. Total brain snap of a heat, that’s going to haunt him for a long time I reckon. He was in the Huntington Changas last week, probably not the best warm up for a crucial last event. Reminds me of the Danny Wills and Mick Campbell sand dune training for the Pipe Masters in 1998.
Not sure what you do if you’re Jake Patto. How do you fix that kind of nuclear grade meltdown?
Hug it out.
Goodwill Hunting style.
It must be admitted that Filipe's chicken-outs does provide more activity in surf forums than, say, a JJF world title. If I were a surf writer I would be pretty pleased with such performances. Lol
indeed.
for a good laugh you can go to beachgrit and read Maurice Cole reminding everyone that he was a coward long before Pip.
There's been some pretty long convos in threads when there's actual surfing going on.
I reckon people like it. Maybe not-surfing gets similar hits, I don't know.
No going to lie,
Not surprised with fils display or lack of
It just that his biggest enemy is "Father Time"
Not too long from now his body will seize
He'll still have the mental abilities to see himself surfing they way he does. It just his body will bow out.
It's a condition called
" fear of surfing over shallow reef."
Some suffer , some don't , time will take it all away .
Yet he might be stuck at the traffic light one day an just crumble....or wake in the still of night to the sounds of thundering chopes or cloudy.
Fil does not have reef break fomo.
Has he ever surfed the ments
Probably not .....
Shipsterns nada .
kelly had the malady you describe, when he was at shippies.
with very, very good reason..
Kelly also had the malady when Cloudbreak got super huge during that contest long ago
And was totally honest about it.
He said "I'm not feeling it, it's too much for me today"
and it was never mentioned again.
the same Kelly who won the Eddie?
I have a different opinion. One of the most watchable heats this comp was the Fil heat. It is riveting to watch him struggle so much. We already have 28(?)ish guys who are charging it is pretty funto watch one that is scared out of his mind deal with it. Also, Cole, Grif, Vaaast, Italo, Jaoa, Jack, Al, etc were on fire today
Also, Canoe was sending it I don't know what happened in the 2nd heat I don't think he wasn't willing to go he just seemed to fall completely out of rhythm.
Nice name , I enjoyed it much also and kanoas melt down
Imagine the steam inside snakes brain
It was fascinating and I watch but also listen to the mental gymnastics the commentators were performing to try and justify his performance. Would be so much better if they were allowed to just commentate what they see. They don’t have to be crazy harsh. But at least say clearly Felipe is not all all interested. The congratulations on the kiddie waves was pretty sad
I get it, WOQ role in surfing culture, he's not owning the fear etc but I did think 7 paragraphs is a bit OTT.
Al beat Mamiya in one of his pet events and although often touted as a final 5 aspirant doesn't consistently post results in performance waves and now will likely not finish in the top 10. Final 5 is gone but points accumulation problem will remain.
Fil has 2 world titles (silent Asterix or not) and doubt Mamiya ever will.
For sure, Mamiya has an issue in performance surf.
Whats WOQ?
My morning dislexia (not that I can spell that) for Waves Of Consequences, sorry about that
that was fun, @belly, like a wordle.. after much consternation, I decided it was a misplaced 'woke' reference that didn't work, spelled in way that trendies do it.. like 'ghey'..
'waves of consequence' makes perfect sense. damn.
hahaha, no probs, I should have worked it out.
That asterix for Filly just got a whole lot bigger after yesterday , in fact it should be 2 asterisks !
Yesterday's meltdown in the elim heat was massively cringeworthy for a supposed 2 time WC .
Imaging showing someone not familiar with Pro surfing that heat and saying " yep that guy - twice world champ " .... What !!! , it would be like Max Verstappen driving at half pace and letting you and me pass him at Monaco ..
We've all said it before , but its a huge indictment on the WSL that the system to decide world champion allows FT to win twice and yet be totally inadequate in heavy reef waves . They have all the resources in the world to create a legit tour where heavy water results must be acheived and yet we have that . Looks like it is now changing for the better , but the years of Trestles deciding the world title will not be looked upon favourably in future .
I agree 100% and unfortunately for Toledo, with the Final 5 being consigned to an historical aberration that asterisk will only grow larger with time.
Especially if his performances in heavy water keep being the focus and reminding people of it.
The commentators are muzzled. They are not to make any negative comments. If you happen to personally know one of them they will tell you confidentially
Like a previous comment, Kelly admitted it at CB when it was big and nothing more was said. Fil wont and instead puts on shameful displays thinking we surfing fans are stupid. He would get a lot more respect and understanding if he simply came out
Look at all the claiming at 3ft Burleigh this year along with the disrespectful Brazilian fans who showed no respect to Julian at all. Low point of the year for me when I was there watching it live
I think Fil will pull the pin and retire now. His fear is getting worse, more obvious and will not go away and he wont admit it or work on it like Mick, Jordy and a host of others have done.
Goodbye Fil, I hope you enjoy your retirement and thanks for the fastest surfing under 4ft I think I have witnessed
The commentators need to take a lesson from State of Origin commentary. No pandering there.
Its professional sport. The surfers choose to be athletes in competition in full view of the fans. All the talk of being gladiators is silly if they can't cop the shit that comes with poor performance.
Imagine Chopes being surfed in front of the MCG crowd of Collingwood supporters. Nowhere to hide nowhere to run. Now that that would be fun. Especially if Dennis Commeti was commentating.
Just noticed the WSL sent out there email about Day 1 and guess what....
They have put a photo of Fearlipe on the email in the only wave he got, the 6 pointer...Trying again to deny the obvious and whitewashing facts again...,. Geez I hate this WSL bullshit....
Is this really worth all this discussion?
A surfer is fearful at heavy dangerous waves on his backhand.
Ok then.
Coincidentally he’s been the premiere small wave surfer of his generation and has been gifted a few world titles because the Woz chose to have them decided at a wave that suited him.
Time to move along.
yes, it is.
i was impressed with his efforts in the first heat, could clearly see he was shoulder hopping but he took some massive drops.
i HAD to watch his second heat to see what he'd do.
it did not disappoint in that he did disappoint... sitting so far on the shoulder it was clear he'd never get a score. it was mental viewing.
Lots of discussion about Fil which I get.
What about Miggy? Was his performance in Rd 1 not the antithesis of Fil's? Another meter toward the channel and his 'end section death chamber' may have been wave of the day. And his determination to go on the one he was pitched on showed ultimate courage. He was clearly shaken after throwing his jersey at Strider, yet he gets back on the horse and scores a nice nug in the dying minute.
Warrior performance that together with Italo's dominance in Heat 1 should have made every Brazilian, nay every surfer, proud. Take a bow Miggy.
Philly cheese.
Good advertising,
Peel back the wrapper and find that it’s
Way to soft and leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
Some waves need a perfect line and time to discover.
Italo put the time in Tahiti, 10 days of studying the locals surf & this reef pass.
Toledo made a heavy drop or three. Scars still sting.
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Great waves & entertainment
Any surf company that makes wetsuits with foam body armour has a marketing opportunity, if Tahiti gets chunky next weekend.