Watch: Felipe Toledo and the freedom
Here we are, pre-season, time for the pundits to weigh in. Everyone got a look at John John recently when he scooped a brief Superbank swell, Gabby appeared in a short small wave clip, and here we have the other fella favoured to challenge the title this year - Felipe Toledo.
While JJF struck out in the real thing, Felipe sought a Superbank facsimile - La Libertad in El Salvador, where he could spin his on-the-lip or above it act.
With Keramas now on the tour, Fiji off it, plus the addition of the wave pool, Toledo's stocks are rising. To say nothing of 2019 where the lack of Pipe plays straight into his hands.
Comments
I love his surfing. Fast, exciting, electric are a few words that come to mind. I’ve got $50 on a Toledo / Carissa quinella paying $2000. In saying that, I still think JJF will sneak home in another close one, as he seems focused on dominating, and obviously has the track record, and Toledo has only managed one top 5 finish. I think Toledo needs another year to sort out his consistency issues, ie learn how to win ugly. Totally agree the venues are falling in his favour. I got the feeling JJ hates the pool...
Toledo always struggles in heavy lefts - but with Cloudbreak out in 2018 and Pipe out in 2019 things seem to be falling his way...
Don’t reckon he has got the headspace or the all-round game. Carissa finished well in Hawaii but always does - she hasn’t been as good throughout the year recently. Johnny again and maybe Steph.
To much repetition of same move
Boredom sets in pretty quickly watching this clip
Guy can surf just needs to stay on the wave a bit more and that last hack could have been 2 manoeuvres with a rebound (picky bastard aren't I). The airs are a bit monotonous even though they are amazing (the three in a row was silly stuff). If he can go right all year could go close and he is my fave zilla at the moment.
Gary would be a little disappointed if Felipe had a world title with a “never won when pipe was on the tour” asterisk.
Whilst he’ll never win a rig of the year contest, lil’ Phil is having a decent crack at upping his game in heavy water and Gary reckons he may even break through with enough time.
Gary respects people who identify their weaknesses and legitimately put in the hard yards to cover them (as ADS did too). Gary respects it more than pure talent that feels entitled to a title.
Bloody Mexicans.
They need to be looser, not ramping.
They need to be looser, not ramping.