Hot tub highlights! - video
It was called the Future Classic and yesterday's mock comp was a glimpse over pro surfing's horizon. Competitions, training, Olympics, all now have a wavepool future, yet what it means for everyone else is still to be determined - but people are having their say.
The day was a dry run for a bona fide competition in the pool. A chance to iron out the bugs before a live webcast. As the WSL said: "Engineers pushed the new foil to the brink [it broke once during the day]. Judges learned what it's like to remove wave selection entirely out of the equation. Broadcasters learned how to live with a well-defined tempo, and marketing gurus had their heads spinning thinking about the possibilities."
In each heat, competitors got two shots at the right and two at the left, with the best surfer progressing. When the day was done Gabs Medina and Carissa Moore topped their respective fields. Meanwhile the WSL editors cut this li'l highlights clip for the keen and the curious.
Men's Final Results:
1 - Gabriel Medina (BRA)
2 - Filipe Toledo (BRA)
3 - Adrian Buchan (AUS)
4 - Kanoa Igarashi (USA)
Women's Final Results:
1 - Carissa Moore (HAW)
2 - Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
3 - Tyler Wright (AUS)
4 - Johanne Defay (FRA)
Comments
This kinda makes me think of the 'training wave' you used to be able to play on Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer.
so many great toobe rides, my head hurts
ya don't surf well.... do ya. yknow , i liked guy smiley when i watched sesame st,... when i was a child. is it possible for a puppet, using a muppet's name, to change/ grow up .......... within the swell.....net. i think that,..... it is very, very possible.
Wow - video game sh*t !! After reading so much online about it yesterday I honestly can't see how people can take negatives out of this/wave pools. Guess thats the internet for you.
Hats off to Kelly/Webber and anyone else in the fake wave game. Pretty stoked I get to see it in my lifetime! If it isn't your cuppa' that's fine - but this game changer needs to be appreciated IMO. Pits on tap... yes please!
There are pits and there are PITS!!!!
In the same vein I don't see or hear of many alpine international athletes emerging from the snow boarding centre in Dubai. Definite novelty plus value.
Game changer..... meh whatevs.....
Hot Tub Time Machine.
They need an advertising/marketing campaign something along the likes of...this?
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frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
WOWZERS!
You could get pissed and go surfing without drowning. I like it.
Judging is tough enough with obvious wave selection errors, this will be a scoring nightmare.
Say it loud! I'm pro and I'm proud!
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frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
That shit had it going ON!
After the kidz pack up the pool toyz.
Maybe the grown ups can have a bash.
Surf just Surf.
When are these pros just going to give up backhand that's my question, no need for it.
You a switchfoot , Bob ?
Same level of competency either way ?
Yes I am, I don't go back hand too much unless the wave is real fat. The leash can be a lil annoying at a peak.
Back in '70's (pre leggies ,as Switchfoot bob alluded) most surfed switchfoot - 60's more so!
Even took off that way, fair to say few ripped but could perform all moves to the beach.
At contests we also judged switchfoot highly even for learner surfers. (I assumed all still do)
[FACTCHECK] bodybasherz mostly ride backhand either way to personify rail length to suit changing wave .Ranging from 8mm to 8ft in less than a sec every second. Alas this cheeky face to face freeflex rail riding surrenders down line vision .
Where as forehand basherz surrender speed control for wider vision. (Just blink to change)
Considering basherz need speed for infinite trickery...backhand railriding is default setting.
I'm with Switchfoot bob in that more wave engagement rewards untold pure pleasure.
If surfing follows it's bretheren
Switchfoot will become standard
Every world class skateboarder and snowboarder is switch stance shredding on the regular
Anyone who surfs there too much might never surf their local mediocre beachbreak again. Groms who grow up surfing that quality might like the ments or jbay but may struggle with motivation faced with lesser waves.
It will be interesting to see how the impact of surf pool pans out. If they are good enough they might not send a wave of surfers to your local beach as some fear. Two perfect days at macaronis didnt inspire me one bit to chase mediocre waves back home.
Wonder how the wave changes if you affect/ alter the speed of the wave train ? Also the left is the reverse of the wave train? Not as much footage of the left ?
surfing is hard there is no doubt about it I body boarded for ten years prior. I'm in western oz n loved the barrel, in bodyboarding u switch the way u hold the board, also from a young age I grew up next door to a couple of mates n played bball and cricket by tying our favoured hand behind our back n have left or right handed games which awakened the other side of our brains. I continued to do this through each skill I have learned. Anyone can do it I think stretching and time based practice is the key.
I froth on surf trips when someone wants to surf a left or a right, I laugh n say the hollowest one ha ha
Wa seems to have its fair share of switchfooters.
Well it's the land of the left n most peeps are natural, evolving is the key.
Anyway I keep a low profile this is my first social media rant session, I like the wave pools I think they are great Kelly's is a dream,my utmost respect goes to him and his team.
Thankyou.
go Bob go, ya killin it. ya need a good old fashion.... pat on the back. great, honest, comments.
regards.
Thanks Lukas nothing like a pat on the back to keep me chin up!
no worries mate, just don't get too honest, cause stu & the baker's dozen won't print it on swell net.
Roger that
MR has some short clips on his insta.
Not even Doc and the DeLorean could see this one coming. Fair play!
it's all good mate, let's make a big train, it's all about water displacement, it's not rocket science.