Florence Out, Bourez In, Journalist Confused
OK, some context:
Last Friday, the Woz announced that Gabriel Medina is pulling out of the upcoming Tahiti Pro to be replaced by Nathan Hedge.
Many thumbs up and shaka emojis followed yet no explanation was provided. Such as, why is a 43-year old surfer who hasn't competed on the CT for eight years and is currently ranked 114 on the Challenger Series suddenly catapaulted into a CT contest?
That would be information fans would like to know, no?
It took below-the-line comments to explain what the WSL couldn't: That Hedge is sponsored by OuterKnown, who also sponsor the contest, therefore he was accepting the sponsor wildcard spot that opened when a seeded surfer drops out.
OK then, that's settled.
However, just a few hours ago, the Woz again hit the socials informing fans that, like Medina, John John Florence has also pulled out of Teahupoo (bung knee apparently). This time it's Michel Bourez who's replacing the injured surfer, and once again no reason was given why Bourez was chosen.
Bourez fell off tour last year and has placed 73rd in the two CS comps he's entered this year. So why does he get a start in one of the most coveted comps on tour?
Why not Matahi Drollet? Eimeo Czermak? I'd add Kauli Vaast to the list but he just won the trials so scored the sole main event position reserved for trialists.
Perhaps I could ask, why not offer two places for the trials finalists? That'd be Vaast and Drollet. Both young, both worthy.
The lack of info led me to the rulebook, proving that the work of journalists is more important than ever. Turns out Bourez isn't technically a wildcard but a 'replacement'.
Let's turn to Page 13 of the Woz Rulebook:
Rule 1.08(a), if a Surfer that has qualified for the CT decides to relinquish their seeded position in a CT Event as a result of retirement or injury, the Office of Tours and Competition will select a replacement (“Replacement”) and the Replacement can be used to fill a maximum of one (1) seed spot (“WSL Replacement”). The Office of Tours and Competition will select the WSL Replacement in its sole discretion who will be eligible for replacement spots for CT Events prior to the Mid-Season Cut. The Office of Tours and Competition will select any other Surfers necessary to fill available seed spots at Events (“Event Replacement”) in their sole discretion.
'Sole discretion' being the operative term in that passage.
OK then, that's settled. Question answered. Any lingering feelings you may have about the lack of explanation, or even worse, the lack of transparency, can be directed to the Wozzle's Office of Tours and Competition.
Comments
What’s the confusion?
USA corporate shitfuckery answers to no one and everything is expendable on the journey to the financial goal. Integrity is heavily implied in promotional material but is always given a wide swerve when it gets inconvenient.
It tells you everything that they don’t care if you know full well that they’ve got a finger on the scales and the whole tour is a pisstake reality show. Americans are culturally wired to believe that the veneer means more than the substance.
Think of the tour as a surfing version of Love Island where the actual wave riding is the equivalent of scoping the fuckability of the contestants and the heat outcomes / storyline is the excuse to link the bikini shots
A brilliant and scathing observation. You know the WORST thing I realised reading your comment was that I actually had that “yea….I know” feeling. Like I had slipped back into the matrix and was happily eating my steak and red wine.
Sad that it is so normal now for the holy dollar and marketability to be king that you assume that is standard practice. What a hoax.
I still confused as to how Clay Marzo gets a gig in the final of the RC Cup without surfing a wave in his previous heat let alone let alone this cluster fuck.
The WSL not exactly winning the hearts and minds of the viewer.
Neither replacements are good business or marketing decisions
Yeah and he won it.
oh well, thats John for the year.
This whole post cut tour has been a bit of a fizzer, apart from EE at J-Bay
Yep.
Poor swell hasn't helped, nor has the lack of JJF or Medina, but it just feels like the new format hasn't worked.
Surfing is not like other sports. The tour has a huge variety of waves which means that the surfer in first place at the end of the year has conquered across all conditions. The idea of crowning a winner based on a few heats at Trestles doesn't sit well with most (anyone?).
For those of you who have my mobile number, can you please refrain from ringing me so as to ensure I don’t miss Dirk or Kelly’s call.
You just never know
I've just spent last half hour or so navigating a couple sites trying to find Borez post heat loss interview (and failed), where he pretty much said this could be his last year. He lost, but surfed pretty bloody good on the.. ahem.. small stuff.
Tahiti would be a pretty fitting swan song for this legend of the sport, me reckons. And fair enough considering other wild card choices this year.
...No?
Half an hour of your life never to return remigogo!!
Oh crap I made a mistake.
I'd been speaking of the 'Panda'. William Cardosso. Which of course I often, and in this case, confuse with Bourez.
Got you thinking though ay?
Ha ha , in what world is Hedgey the best choice for a " replacement " ??
Surely there's a heap of young upcoming chargers either on the CS or with some serious form at Chopes , Joao Chianca springs to mind
Thats right up there with Tia Blanco as a wildcard ( twice ? )
WSL - We Select , Losers
Isn’t JJ out on his boat sailing?
Was JJF ever turning up? Find it hard to believe he was in and rings Jessie today saying ‘oh, Jess knee’s still a bit niggly’……….*sound of Ivan reeling in a hefty tuna in background*………’oh that, that’s just one of the physio machines Jess’.
So it’s just Kelly and Hog sponsored by OK then?
Thought Owen Wright would have a legit WC claim as the defending champ?
Otherwise it’s a real shame Matahi isn’t getting a slot. Would be great to see him up against the top seeds.
A big drop into the unknown or....
WSL have called the sponsors, re-read the rule book & compromised.
To create some real 'drama', how'about the US Govt & unions trying to stop performers doing a play about the working man
Apparently some media analysts believe we plebs have the attention span of 16 seconds........... "There is a race to the bottom" for shorter, quicker, journalism, music & adverts, etc.
If this is true go to 7.49 in this video; or hear the whole discussion by Ted Gioia, an American music critic and historian; author of eleven books, including Music: A Subversive History, The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire, The History of Jazz and Delta Blues. He is also a jazz musician and one of the founders of Stanford University's jazz studies program.
BBB> that 'Future Of Music" vid. was the best thing I've watched in a long while. Thank you. The brain is percolating new thoughts; which is a relief from the thought that one day the WSL will try and sell me a NFT doll of KS, with OK branding on it that I can pat during the tense moments at the Teahupoʻo contest. > RR
Beato's a legend! Him clapping out time signatures in 'what makes this song great', and his air drumming, are so good lol.
Thanks BBBird, that's amazing stuff and well worth the time to look. Nothing at all like the WSL shitshow....
Maybe Bourez gets in cause he rides firewire boards
I think Michel is a great replacement, he charges, he's a local and he is the most humble, supportive amazing man with good kamma..they all look up to him and rightly so
There was a time....yeah, yeah, old bloke's lament...that wildcards or replacements were used to blood younger surfers. Keep cycling the talent pool, give 'em a run on the big stage, and let viewers enjoy the rise of the next generation.
I understand that MB is worthy, but the same could be said for every legends heat the Woz has run.
Agree - it’s madness. The Hog decision even crazier. Having made a big deal of a mid season cut and the final 5 these post events cut events are turning into a real joke. There is only 5 guys in the mens that this even means anything to (places 3rd to 7th) who could make the 5 or not. The rest of the field is now novelty at best or just don’t give a fuck caus’ they are starters for 2023 anyways. By all means run a few WSL novelty events and ask who ever you want but keep the CT events based on a earned place - results and rankings.
Totally agree Stu - refence Mick winning Bells as a wildcard, Joel at Jbay. Groms that went on to be world champs. How about another one gets a shot??
Surely the wildcard should go to Bob McTavish?
He single handedly invented tube riding when he started the Involvement style of surfing. Hog may rip but he’s a bit of a Johhny cum lately as far as historically deserving figures goes.
Bourez should be reserve in case the chief who welcomed The Mutiny to Tahiti is unavailable.
I laughed.
or Bob's mentor, inventor George Greenough.... passing on his ocean knowledge by....
deep tube riding with a hefty camera on his back in '69
"designing fins to be in control when airborne" & blew the next generation of surfers into the future of the shortboard revolution.... sorta where some are now... on 5' 8" surfboards
Some links can be lost & some are still functional
https://indoek.com/article/george-greenough-deep-tube-riding/
surfin' deep 52 years ago
I’ve got a old FireWire board somewhere, a OuterKnown cap (freebie - who could afford a $388 flannel shirt ?) and a WSL sticker on my board (not really but can draw one with a sharpie). My vaccination status is vague, I’m a conspiracy guy and I made it all the way to the semi final of the local board riders comp once. Im a little over weight but have a photo of me almost in a barrel at Chopes on a 3 foot day in 2002 (I fell by but the photo doesn’t show that)…… So what I’m basically saying is I’m good to go when the next ‘don’t give fuck surfer’ outside the top 7 drops out. Wildcard me up baby. No explanation needed.
Your all over thinking it, quite simple 2 hats one full of goofies other full of naturals. One goofy drops out hand goes in the goofy hat pulls out replacement. etc. no need for any more conspiracy's.
The forecast must be for crankin' swell... anticipate more withdrawals...
Injuries Stephen, we call them Injuries here at WSL fantasy
I likes me a left-field wildcard, personally.
Got any good suggestions ? Joel Tudor for a laugh ?
Nah, happy to go with whatevs mate
Alex Knost, natural born charger, ahem.
Does anybody who surfs actually buy Outer Known gear?
Must be doing well financially if they do.
Buy it on sale and it's not really that bad. A good quality garment is usually worth the investment. Whether OuterKnown is good quality though, I couldn't tell ya. But I bought a few fancy $100 flannels in 2010 which I still wear regularly now and they're as soft as the day I bought them.
Better options out there for the kind of money OuterKnown charge, I reckon. But don't agree that good clothes aren't worth the cash.
Totally agree. In my opinion it should be like Celebrity It’s a Knockout and have special guest stars like Ugly Dave Gray and Jeannie Little. It’d be great fun.
Except the whole premise is it’s meant to be a sporting competition which builds its credibility off a structured pathway the athletes can follow to success. The Liam O’Brien example demonstrates that the WSL holds the competitors in contempt and the rules are arbitrary.
Look, I personally don’t give a rat’s arse if they deviate from their own stated determinations at all. Make it more entertaining for me at the expense of the competitors by all means. What I don’t understand is why that still pretend to be limited by any rule book at all. If they’re going to inject an entertaining wildcard why not go the whole deal ?
The wildcards list should ideally read like the guests on the Muppet Shiw.
Ozzie Ostrich for the wildcard!
What about exhuming the remains of Captain Cook and sending them out there in a pine box?
Ozzie Ostrich! Oh god. More puppets!
I wonder if Her Royal Highness The Queen would accept the invitation. She could be towed in, in deference to her age and status.
Great idea but no way Kelly would allow someone to take the oldest surfer on tour headline away from him…..well maybe if it guaranteed he got through a round
How long before Mrs Ziff gets seeded straight into the finals?
They could pit her against Robbie Madison on his motorbike. Fuck it…make it a teams event and have Robbie towing Fonzie who pulls in through the bowl and then jumps a shark in the channel.
The Queen?
It's France mate!
They hate England.
The ski would be sunk, rainbow warrior style, before it got out of the harbour.
... which would guarantee clicks and coverage! The Woz needs out of the box thinking!
..I'd suggest that Evil Kenival on a motorbike out there would top the lot-but someone's already done that..
The KON would’ve been a more worthy wildcard.
Her Maj charging Chopes, bahaha ... that's one for Macca.
So OuterKnown is for rich old white guys? Seems a fatally flawed marketing strategy. Add to that the slap in the face to young Tahitians and any CS dreamers and then the long list of rookies KS has personally cleaned the tiles with, even add that kid on the stairs at Bells who he trounced in an impromptu arm wrestle. Way to trash your brand with the youth GOAT.
John is still in the heat draw.
WSL are hideously slow to update things like their app, draws etc. I’m pretty sure JJ was never coming to this event anyway (he’s sailing somewhere out there).
Not sure how all this works but Mikey Wright was a great example of how it could work
Nathan is the perfect stand in for John John. Unless, of course he is on the same yacht supposedly heading to Fiji.
I think they approached him but he demanded that he be allowed to have a gopro in his mouth at all times, and have his Onlyfans and BetOnline URls shaved into the sides of his head.
Ha ha ha
Day before waiting period starts and John is still in the draw.
It’s been updated now. Interestingly so has the whole draw - eg Everyone shuffled around. Now Kelly has Hog in his opening heat. Can’t think of another sport where a competitor has been able to personally choose which surfer he comes up against in the first round. Conflict of interest much ?
They would have shuffled it around as Hog wouldn't directly take JJFs place in the seeding, so he would have slotted in at the bottom of the seeding (hence he's vs Toledo). And Hog knows how to stuff a 10 pointer out there so you'd think Kelly would want to avoid him, especially if it's heaving.
Had the pleasure years ago , 2009-2010??..went wave for wave at a punchy beach break on the goldly with this bald dude who was absolutely rippin .. occasionally asking how’s that one .. didn’t realise it was Nathan hedge.. until I heard a few grommets talking about him.. I cannot believe that he’s in a CT event in 2022 .. at 43
Owen Wright - he is in Tahiti on holiday, former chopes winner - ffs ???
I am a massive Owen fan in big left-handers... one of the best shame he had to.... oh well
Owen was one of the surfers verbally pretty unhappy with the whole mid year cut - WSL ain’t bring him back anytime soon
Dude is seven years younger than Slater, good to see them blooding some fresh talent
Ha ha ha
Apparently a super nice guy, legand and still rips but this ain’t about Hog it’s about the ridiculous nature of wildcard and replacement picks. Liam O’brian qualified for CT but didn’t get a chance because of injury and has done well recently at CT level….a way more obvious Choice.
Love to know how much influence kelly has with the WSL .. ?? A fair bit by the looks
The fact he blatantly flaunts the injured rule to decide which contests he wants to surf, is a sponsor of an event and get make a call like Hogs…..you would have to say plenty of pull still.
Jeez that's a lot of OK stickers.
One things almost certain - he will have better board than mate and benefactor Kelly.
Having ranger about the ridiculousness of wildcard picks….I hope he actually smokes Kelly and puts him out early.
Well, at least Felipe Toledo has not withdrawn, feigning a shoulder injury - with JJF and Medina out, maybe he sees an opportunity to grow his reputation in waves of consequence.
Spot on lost ..robbo for the win
Not to be ghoulish or sexist in any way but it's going to be very interesting to see how the WSL deals with the women surfing Tahiti for the first time in over a decade.
Will the Pipeline precedent hold and women surfers dictate what conditions they are willing to surf in?
No Moana Jones-Wong in the draw. She's clearly the best Woman tube-rider in heavy water lefts in the world and just proved it at Pipeline.
To my mind that puts an asterisk against the womens result from the get go.
After Padang, I reckon Erin would give Moana a run for her money.
You'd think Vahine should be fairly right also
Padang is an easy take off only gets serious in the middle section, there is nothing easy about Chopes.
Easy to a degree, Erin has good barrel style and sense. She is only 15. With her Hawaiian base and obvious barrel savvy, I would bet she would have a red hot crack at Chopes and be comfortable out there in no time.
It’s unjust the way the women surfers haven’t been given an opportunity to free surf Chopes in order to develop skill levels. So sick of the patriarchy holding them back.
Just seen on WSL Insta feed that Toledo is out with a pulled heart string and Larry Blair is replacement.
Ha, will he ever live it down I just don't get it. The fella has oodles of talent if I were him I would just park there for half the year and learn it he is getting paid to surf it.
Haha! Gold DSDS. Didn't the bearded baby suffer a badly sprained tattoo in the last event too? Geez, that "storm" looks a bit limp these days.
Steph Gilmore in heat 1.
Is there any footage available of Steph backhand tube-riding?
Has Michel ever got a good result at chopes? Jeremy Flores would have been a better replacement if looking to use an ex-CT surfer.
If only Laurie Towner .....or the young' guns both M&F looked good in a bikini to $ell ....
lucid, or P.R. dreamin....
"just go with. it. or panic..."
P.R. or " Public relations aims to create or obtain coverage for clients for free"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_relations
https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwynne/2016/01/21/five-things-everyone...
P.R. alt. definition.... Parasite .....(Korean: 기생충; Hanja: 寄生蟲; RR: Gisaengchung)
"Mind Control: How Parasites Manipulate Cognitive Functions in Their .... Hosts"
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00572/full
The Macabre World of Mind Controlling Parasites
Neuroparasitology could shed new light into the neurological basis for behavior and decision making
"Imagine a parasite that makes an animal change its habits"
https://neurosciencenews.com/mind-control-parasites-8932/
Short story with bong
Long form film
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasite_(2019_film)