Hawaii's Albee Layer wins world's first - no, the world's second - wave pool event
More than 2,000 spectators turned out on Saturday 19th September to see the world’s first ever stadium-style surfing event, Red Bull Unleashed.
The final eight riders went head-to-head at Surf Snowdonia’s artificial wave pool, a revolutionary lagoon which opened in August 2015 in North Wales. Crowd favourite Albee Layer (HAW) became the first ever Red Bull Unleashed champion, after a string of spectacular displays carried him to victory over the plucky Billy Stairmand (NZL).
Athletes and spectators revelled in the unique man-on-man duel concept, which saw pairs of surfers go head to head, wave for wave, in a best of five format. The unique stadium environment meant that the audience was less than ten feet away from the action, paving the way for a new era in competitive surfing.
As opposed to traditional half hour heats, there are no second chances at Red Bull Unleashed. Surfing heavyweight Jordy Smith (RSA) who was amongst the spectators said, "You both have an equal opportunity, and there's no two ways about it, the best surfer always wins. You can't afford to fall so you really have to walk the fine line between pushing it to the limit and pushing it too far.
"The crowd's right above you, as close as you can possibly get to someone on a wave," said Smith, "some guys thrive off it, others don't.
“It's an arena for those who can feed off the energy of the crowd."
Layer, who notoriously does not compete, couldn't help but beam with pride. "I didn't know what to expect coming here," said the Maui local, "but it's been incredible. Surfing so close to so many people, music playing, heaps of energy in the air, to get the win is crazy. If more events were like this, I'd do them!"
Red Bull Unleashed Results
Final
- Albee Layer (HAW) 3 def. Billy Stairmand (NZL) 1
Semi Finals
- SF1. Billy Stairmand (NZL) 3 def. Jack Freestone (AUS) 0
- SF2. Albee Layer (HAW) 3 def. Mitch Crews (AUS) 2
Quarter Finals
- QF1. Billy Stairmand (NZL) 3 def. Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 1
- QF2. Jack Freestone (AUS) 3 def. Kai Hing (AUS) 1
- QF3. Albee Layer (HAW) 3 def. Jayce Robinson (GBR) 1
- QF4. Mitch Crews (AUS) 3 def. Ian Crane (AUS) 1
Comments
Beautiful repetition - similar to the spectacle of Gary decked out in fresh gym lycra and doing perfect push-up after perfect push-up.
And if the likes I get on my workout videos on my facebook page are anything to go by, this format will be a massive international hit.
Looks like surfing s ready for the Olympics, Had to laugh looked like the sea-breeze came n at one stage.
".........massive international hit?" If they are the best waves the pool can produce I would be thinking more along the lines of bankruptcy! And as for it being a spectator sport I would think it has about as much marketing potential as competitive knitting, I mean the same small relatively fat wave over and over again? Can't see much drama in that but each to their own. The whole concept makes the WSL look like a blue chip investment.
When are they going to ramp the power up, 1.8 metre waves are possible aren't they ?
"...world’s first ever stadium-style surfing event" ? My ass! I remember reading the results of a wave pool event many years ago, around the 1980's? I think. I'm pretty sure Tom Carrol competed in and won it. Can ayone confirm? Couldn't find it on Google after a quick search.
You're right! How could we forget the 1985 Inland Wave Championships in Allentown, USA?! And yep, it was won by Tommy Carroll. I've corrected the title to fit the history.
PS: It's 'arse' not 'ass'.
Yawn
That's two yawns. If this is the best Red Bull can come up with; that is a whole heap of corporate rhetoric (and footage to match), not unlike most of what WSL feeds the world, then, zzzzzz.
Knit one, pearl 2 - oh damn it, just stick the needle in your eye! A cynic might start spitting blue chips.
Yep concur. Awful.
Why bother fucking boring as batshit rubbish small and totally unchallenging
dirty and substandard waves. I get it its a JOKE and its on us.
Andrew Shield instagram- a pic of a young Heath Joske in a wave pool
now that's a wave pool wave
Ocean Dome Japan .
.........drove past it a couple of years ago. Shut down, bankrupt!
That would be the best waves it could produce.
BTW. Met a guy who surfed it, he said he was amped on it after the promo vid but said in reality it was super gutless and real disappointing and a rip off, i think he said when open to the public its also not at the same size/power as promo vid and expect when comps on.
I didn't mind watching that. Heard from Billy that he was pleasantly surprised by the wave and it actually had a bit of push to it. Isn't Albie a jaws charger? Remarkable ability that guy
I hope webbers wave pools greatly exceed this dribble
All we have from Webber Wave Pools so far is ...............................................................
River surfing.
Despite the opinions expressed above, I would say you just glimpsed the future. This is where the masses will consume surfing and where the big dollars will reside. Controlled canvas, continuous action, up close cheersquads, sound, lighting and atmosphere. A product you can direct,package, produce and put out without the delays and imprecision of the current pro model. Signage space in the lineup, man on man truly becomes wave for wave competition and a venue that spins dollars 24/7/365. The engineering will improve, the waves will improve and it will be embraced by all.
Lets hope so then the true believers can have real waves in a real ocean with no rubber necks. I will certainly embrace it if this happens. Just imagine all the Euros stay there surfing their wave pools in summer and skiing on their mountains in winter. Just need to set up a couple of monster ones in Brasil and the job is done. Bali might just be worth going to again.
Well it will have to. I was on the beach at Pipe when John John won the triple crown,
Mick clinched the world title and Kelly won the contest WIN, WIN,WIN now that
was atmosphere and entertainment this is rubbish.
That's 3 yawns and another thrown in as well + the water colur is nice shade of septic tank brown.
Nirvana for mid coast surfers
Haha. Nice one.
Surfing will need to get a lot more radical if this is every going to be interesting.
Agree with adam 12.
This is the future of corporate surfing.
Every point he makes is 100% correct.
Lets hope they spring up everywhere and the REAL surf becomes less crowded
She's closed ...again....got a hole in the pond liner.
I'll just leave this here....
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/surf-snowdonia-close-…