2023 Tour Schedule Leaves Fans Cold
Schwack!
Close enough to the sound made when the Woz slapped its fan base today with a cold fish in a wet sock.
In August last year when they released the 2022 schedule, a pal, very high up in the documentary filmmaking world in the UK and who loves his pro surfing texted: “Thank God, no more of that corpo kook pond.”
Well, the corpo kook pond is back, and the Woz (or the main sponsor) is reneging on its three-year G-Land deal, much like they did on the three-year Outerknown Fiji deal. Both of 'em only lasting a single season and proving yet again that taking the Woz press releases and contract announcements at face value is a game for pure suckers.
We knew we were getting buttered up for a Trestles Finals Day. Too much smoke was being blown onto the dancefloor after the last tune for them to pull the glitter ball down without another go around. Despite the pre-emptive hype strike, the Woz has managed an impressive feat with the release of the 2023 Schedule: they've pissed off absolutely every surf fan on the planet.
Reaction has been swift and universal.
Cold fury.
Disbelief.
Mockery.
Not even a single surf shill in the normally compliant “partner” surf media can manage to come in behind the announcement with anything more than the most tepid sarcasm.
The best I can come up with as balance is that my memory failed me and Elo didn't outright lie about the Tub being taken off tour for good. I could have sworn he had ruled it out but when I found the presser he had in fact hinted it would be back in 2023:
"Surf Ranch has been featured on the CT calendar since 2018 and we'll be taking a year off from the basin in 2022. We will continue to innovate with the world's best artificial wave technology and we are excited for a return to our wave system in 2023 and beyond.”
Damn.
The Tub now comes in as the first post-cut comp. Imagine how exciting that is going to be? With the drama filleted off the carcass at Margarets we'll be back to watching that train roll down the tracks, knowing exactly what is about to come. Oh well, at least we will get into the time capsule to the era when Kelly used to be over-scored.
While we are on the bright side of life, G-Land off tour is a win for the recreational surfer who wants to post up in the jungle for a spell. Any contest hype will quickly fade away and it'll be back to the hardcores and a few unwary Euro kooks who quickly realise it's not a wave to learn on.
Normally a presser on the upcoming tour schedule has a little sizzle to the steak. Some kind of treat to present to surf fans. Not even a smoke and mirrors legend like Elo could glitter up this dried out turd. The presser was reliant entirely on continuity and stability. Not very sexy concepts but better than going broke, is how I read it.
Jessi Miley-Dyer was proud of the women being fully combined with the men, despite the fact it clearly disrupted Elo's stated objective of running post-cut tour events on a single swell cycle. She said, "I'm proud to confirm that 2023 will continue to see equal events, venues, and prize money with this fully combined schedule.”
Elo played his one trump card, qualification for the 2024 Olympics at Chopes: “We will further strengthen the sport through next year's fully-combined Championship Tour, which will also qualify the first 18 athletes for the 2024 Olympic Games."
Continuity is not quite there though. Missing in action is the second and third leg of the three-tiered Tour. Last year's tour schedule announcement came with a live birthed Challenger Series – not all of which managed to survive. France was noisily dropped. Memory-holed in the Pottz tradition (i.e no mention, as if he never existed) was the November event scheduled for Piha in New Zealand.
I Google-searched in vain for any announcement that the event had been postponed - as it was in 2020 and 2021 - or scratched for good. Nada. Just disappeared.
Quiksilver's parent company Boardriders is struggling, and recently dropped the French CS event. It's likely they will pull also the pin next year, realising the shine and PR of a Challenger Series week does not compare with a fully-fledged CT event. With no Quik CT events on the books either that would be the first time since 1988 that Quik, one of the main surf industry sponsors that kept the lights on through the Dream Tour of the 90's and 00's will be completely absent.
Tourism bureaus - and I'm looking primarily at QLD here - will likely re-evaluate what the suits call Return On Investment after the CS at Snapper in May. A rainy week in May may have been an entertaining watch for us, but it's a far cry from the end of summer bacchanalian festival that used to pump up Coolangatta with cash during the Quik Pro. A Challenger Series event just isn't the same draw and yet still costs loads to run because you have to get through a massive field.
I cannot see the Challenger Series being a sustainable enterprise going forwards at its current scale.
There are simply too many mouths to feed and ticket clippers taking a cut on the way for that tour to survive. If the whole world had the generosity of the Aussie taxpayer, maybe. As it stands, not a chance.
Remember this?
Looks like Elo will go out on his knees, a supplicant in the sporting desert, cap in hand praying for succour from an indifferent American public.
Meanwhile the integrity of the sport he is steward of slowly withers away with him.
// STEVE SHEARER
Comments
Rebel tour.... anyone got Greg Normans number?
have been saying this for years surely there is a rich surfer who could fund it out there ! arent us surfers a bit rebellious anyway ? it is perfect , i used to get super excited for events now i cant watch it
while i agree with the sentiment, no one in their right mind would fund this garbage business. it costs about $3m to run an ASP/WSL event and with the highest viewer numbers ever being JJF vs Kelly at chopes in 2014 and most of the girls getting sometimes only 1000 viewers its just a money incinerating machine. Jessi miley dyer can be as proud as she wants but the reality is the womens tour is a joke. i will quote former UFC champion rhonda rousey "im the highest paid fighter in the UFC, because i bring in the numbers" its that simple. go woke, go broke. the girls suck.
I personally think there is way more upside to the women's tour than the men's at the moment.
Girls are ripping. Guys trying to out cook each other using the same ingredients.
Oh and the RR quote... we are all getting the same clip sent to our reels mate. Time to get off the phone.
Guys aren't ripping? Tell that to Jack and Ethan I thought there was some amazing surfing at JBay between those two and it is only a 1 or 2 girls looked any good at pipe and Chopes whereas the guys were crazy good.
yep. hangin tomatoes been on the crack pipe i suspect.
couldnt disagree more, theres only a few girls pushing the envelope and other 75% are surfing to half of their capability and the judges are continuously rewarding them therefore discouraging progression
totally agree wavie. the girls blow.
girls are ripping?! two girls rip, carissa and steph and lets be honest steph couldnt land an air rev if her life depended on it. there is a new group of groms that will displace both of them, erin brooks, sierra kerr and of course caity simmers, but to say the guys are all the same is just not true. there is a reason filipe toledo tests all kellys new models on the sly. talent recognises talent. not sure what you mean by the ronda rousey comment. she would get smoked nowadays by just about everyone in bantamweight. but whatever.
Totally agree about the new group of girls. They do rip and will make the rest of the tour look stupid in the next few years.
Sally fitz getting a wildcard sums up the WSL in 2023. A joke.
What's this about toledo testing slaters new models?
yep for sure. its the sharpest progession in world right now. all are very good on skateboards and the wave pools have helped them a lot. yeh apparently toledo tests all slaters prototypes as they are similar size/weight and kelly knows toledo is the best technical surfer on tour. kelly himself has mentioned a number of times this is the case........anyone here care to confirm? and yeh sally fitz. she has improved a lot in the last few yrs and her air game is better than a lot of the top girls. so its not a terrible appointment but its pretty lame too.
Far out it doesn’t take much to fire up a bunch of fragile blokes.
Exactly my point about the upside with all the future talent and progression on the women’s WSL.
All good boys. Happy paddling!
wait so your deliberately provocative and then you say its easy to fire people up. okay. let me guess you ride a SUP? didnt explain the RR quote either?
Not sure my original post was overly provocative big man
I thought your opening comment was pretty funny but what you got against Rothman?
Nah it was just an incorrect statement acknowledge you cooked it.
No one cares about women’s surfing. The girls we care about are the ones paddling on their Instagram with their bums rising from the ocean like two beautiful Hawaiian islands. Their disjointed surfing is incredibly boring. Them getting paid the same as the men carrying them makes them even more difficult to watch. Females as a group are less competitive when it comes to surfing. The female free surfer is where there’s marketability, selling lifestyle. Woke movements are literally the antithesis of reality and truth. That’s why they need a loud whinging “movement” to force their nonsensical whims. If women were generating money, there’d be genuine incentive to pay them more. I’m fairly sure women ballerinas make more or equal to male ballerinas… you know why? it’s Cus they’re actually good at it.
Equally no one cares what you’re old disgruntled and fragile arse thinks or says.
Jamal Khashoggi has it.
It's 1300KARMA.
okay i have to ask. what do you mean by this comment philo. and yes i know jamal was an MBS dinner time entertainment.
Haha, I like it!
Products and services should be consumer driven. If there are enough like-minded people out there, a rebel tour could quickly be established. Especially considering how easy and low budget broadcasting to large audiences has become The surfers are the players and there's plenty of quality playing fields out there and each playing field has tourism agencies rubbing their hands together waiting for a CT event (or rebel tour equivalent) to come to town. Surfing is an elitist sport that most global brands would fall over to be associated with so the sponsorship fruit is low hanging too. The current tour is a tired, fat cat monopoly that does not do fans or potential breakthrough new talent surfers full justice. In time the market will eventually decide its fate. Basically if fans don't want tubs, they'll have to scrap them or face a tour that promises to avoid them. Ocean Surf Tour. There you go.
Geez is he trying to destroy pro surfing?
Yawn.... Happy re Gland though...
Elo is wearing a waistcoat with pointy lapels. Says it all, really.
Always been a sharp dresser.
he’d have to be a massive coke head
Definitely a massive cockhead.
call of the comments section. well played.
Then why can’t he relate to all the former pro surfers ?
Is that him? He looks like the Devil from Neil Young’s Greendale
Uh-huh, it's him.
Bit of a shape shifter is old Erik.
Strewth. Time for mutiny
Looks like Christopher Hitchens
Is that Elo?
If it is then I congratulate him on turning it all around.
Surfing’s a source , man. It’ll change your life.
Haha, the’ Devil Wears Prada’, …..the male form! What a Dick.
Elo is reading this like, you know what fuck you guys and fuck the tour. Pro surfing is over.
MMMOOSS (Must Make Money Out OF Surfing Somehow) guru:
pro snooker vibe
Better call Saulogan.
At the Paley Centre for Media.
So non-inclusive.
Apropos of nothing at all: five years ago today, the first contest in the tub, the Future Classic, was run.
What a weird day that was. The Woz, and more than a handful of surfers, thought this was the antidote to surf comp uncertainty, and it'd be as big of a spectacle as the 2015 tub unveiling was.
Wave by wave it became clear that belief was flawed.
Not for many Stu.
Founders Cup in May of the next year had the best and brightest surf journos staggering cheer-leaders-on -bacardi breezers- drunk on KSWC Kool-Aid.
Nick Carroll was one of the worst offenders.
This from his wrap (he is taking aim at me with the jury is out comment, if you hadn't worked that out)
"Reading one story following the Founders Cup finals day, I almost laughed out loud. It stated: “The jury is out”. The statement just seemed so ridiculous. It reminded me of Surfer magazine saying “the jury was out” concerning the Thruster, in 1982, a year after every surfer in the world had got a Thruster. What jury? Five thousand people just paid actual real money to watch a surf contest on site, hours from any actual surf spot! 206,000 people watched the finals highlights package on Facebook! God knows how many watched it elsewhere, via the multitude of opportunities waved before them by the WSL’s almost surgical marketing team."
"This whole thing was a huge win. HUGE. "
" It’s done. It has immense momentum. Who can’t see the pool as part of professional surfing’s future? The Founders Cup was the critical turning point the WSL needed. They’ll be fully convinced now of their direction and will pursue it with all the considerable energies at their disposal.
Kelly’s deal with the WSL on this thing is no doubt back-ended to the max — the more pools they build, the more he earns. He’s rich right now. I think maybe he had best prepare to be very rich indeed.
But meanwhile, the monster is loose, the ship begins to career down the slope, and it seems inclined to take on shapes not necessarily in the original plan."
Yes, none of that has aged well, five years down the track.
Nick wrote. Elo wept. Both came ... maybe even simultaneously.
Thing is that it appears the repetitive boredom factor it’s not just restricted to Slater’s pool. I can’t think of any of the current artificial waves which would offer better viewing. All reduce surfing to the uncharismatic technical aspects like street skateboarding competition.
Regarding pro surfing, if you're in the opposite camp to Nick Carroll you're probably doing alright.
He has always loved a lot of words to add spice to what was simple riposte...a little bit of piss and wind. Hope you two don't live in the same town love to be a fly on the wall when your both at the pub!
Wouldn't that be something to witness - a feisty tête-à-tête between Steve and Nick.
Actually, if someone has a podcast, get these two on to discuss the current state of pro surfing.
Always up for that.
I'll talk to Blakey next time I see him.
fk yea . id watch that .
ha maybe both in the commentary booth at the tub .
oh the drama !
Smack down! Nick is a seductive writer at times with his exuberant riffing but he’s inside the tent and a sell out. You’ve got more truth Steve.
The problem with the surf industry has always been that the whole thing - and this goes for the above article (subject) too - is it’s a trick puppet show designed to furnish the surfing lifestyle for those on its payroll.
Trying to pigeon hole surfing into a conventional sport category like golf is so dumb. I’d rather be surfing an empty 2ft 10 second beach break than watching any surfer anywhere.
Geez, I'd like to smack Elo with a cold fish, preferably one that's frozen solid.
Disappointing but hardly surprising.
And when it's all dead in the water, it'll be because no one understood and he was just 'ahead of his time'. What a farce.
this ain't fukn tennis
Tennis is probably more fun to watch, and the overall broadcast quality miles ahead.
Bobby knew.
Christ, Wozzle commentators could definitely take tips form tennis commentators with regards to restraint and self-control.
The loud cowabunga drawl as the default died decades ago, if it ever was actually alive.
Smoke on the Dance floor and glitter on a dried turd. You’d have my vote for some type of surf literary award.
Trestles was one of the least interesting events on tour before the finals concept started.
With the introduction of finals, it became the least interesting event.
With the re-introduction of the wave pool event, it has now moved up one place to second least interesting event.
This comment wins. Still laughing.
Snapper, Bells, Margs, Portugal, France, J-Bay, Cloudbreak, Teahupoo, Pipe, Sunset. This is the list cunce. I hope someone has the balls (and money) to run something different to that pathetic excuse for a tour that the 'genius' of Elo has put forward.
Yep this is it! Just lock em in and build em up. Farrrk all this chopping and changing!!
The whole thing died with that cut off final 5 b.s .....i mean whats the point of it all really....killed pro surfing and probably a good thing in the long run but i did like watching it when it was more of the dream tour a few years ago than what its become.......nightmare tour
great write up Freeride.
At least the women and Flip won't need to go to Chopes next year to get dialled in.....
err except if they want a gold medal at the Olympics
oops they are going there....
Do the WSL even read the feedback they get? Aside from there own corpo mumbo jumbo, is there any positive feedback about this? How can a organisation continue to alienate there fan base?
This is the best they can do with limited funds and a dead duck of a tour or should I say shrivelled turd.
The Dream Tour is dead. The Financial Reality Tour is replacing it. Still, there are some great venues and the whole thing has never cost me a cent.
yep. sums up my view well.
Yo, I Really enjoyed all your writeups freeride... heaps cool take on things.legend..
But I'm going surfing instead of watchin and paying any more attention to this "league?".. been a fan of the live comps since the early dialup dodgy live streams (Asp) and absolutely hilarious commentary... Sad to see it go down this path..I find it hard to stomach how scripted and whipped the live commentators are..and throw in the cut / yawn surfing in baldys pool/ top 5 chop , decide a champ at a beachy... mate I've had fun but I'm done watching these wsl comps ruin something rad..
Me too!
Yeah it’s lost it’s way. I’ll prob have a look if the waves are on. It’s in the blood but they have managed to somehow remove the value of a world champion . It just doesn’t seem to mean anything anymore with the number of events and the contrived cut off .
Surely Everyone’s Mate Starkey can construct something to bamboozle the jaded fans back into submission. Or is he working for the ATP now?
Still hanging onto the equality brag when reality is twice the men have the opportunity on the world stage and then the chosen few women only have to surf half as much to make it to finals.
WSL 2022 > 10 Comps > Women make 440/31% appearances (vs) Men make 960/69% appearances
Elo's Insta Couch Queens command 24% higher appearance fee.( $ 7,345 to boss an empty lineup! )
WSL Pure "Comp Equity" kicks sand in the face of brutal unjust "Comp Equality"...(Example!)
https://publish.purewow.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/01/differen…
WSL Signature Tune : (Baby won't you mind my KASEBERGA beach ensemble!)
The first time in a while I haven’t made time to watch the final. Why did they swap with pipe
The pool? No, not the pool, please no, not the poooool. Aargg. Ok ok I'll talk.
(the Wedge would be more entertaining)
When I was in Bali, all eyes were on mentawais after a stint in Uluwatu, according to surfers I talked to, mainly euros/South Americans. The only people keen on g-land were Aussies and they all said it wasn't that packed.
I think the fear of that spot becoming overcrowded is overdone.
Further more I don't think the pro tour is at the forefront for blowing up spots. It's YouTubers. Nathan Florence is wayyyyy more influential in that regard than the whole pro tour.
JOB, not my cup of tea, gets many more views every single week than the finals got for the tour this year, by hundreds of thousands, I think there was 10k on the English stream and 10k on the Portuguese.
So boring that the surf ranch is back. What I care more about though is that the WSL is going to continue holding an event in a country where women are regularly sentenced to prison for suffering a miscarriage, and abortion is illegal even in circumstances of rape and incest - El Salvador. Is Elo a hard right wing republican? I wonder how many of the women on tour know this is the law in that country. And I recall the surf there being pretty average at this years event too
Whoa! I didn't realize that PB. What a tone-deaf bunch of fuckwits at the Wozzle. Right up there with their bullshit greenwashing "one ocean" garbage while cutting down trees to access contest sites.
You do realise this is the case again now in much of the United States? It ain't just El Salvador that may be seen as backwards. So much for 'woke.'
Screw the tour. Go surfing instead.
15 out of 52 states. Insane
Then ditch Trestles AND El Salvador.
Double win!
The new tour froth factor - absolutely zero.
Having a VAL SUPer in charge explains everything about the WoSL.
Is there anyone in the WSL who has at least half a brain.
Listen to your audience people .
Surfing needs a Natural Selection Tour. 3 events, invitational with full industry backing, whatever they can afford to give. Where is surfing's Travis Rice? Dane, JJF, maybe even Medina? Anyone? Anyone?
The NST is an invite only tour, it heavily favours one person.
There is no clear channel for entry/ invite.
Its basically a demo at 3 locations.
Yeah, nah.
Lefts?
Pipe- mostly surf back door unless it’s massive
Portugal -closeout either direction
Margies- if you want above a 5 best not
take the left
Rio -crappy beach break that mostly favours rights
The pool- doesn’t count
Tahiti-the only certain left
Trestles- unless you’re boosting giant airs no points
Someone higher up definitely doesn’t like going left. Also El Salvador was surely a massive flop, why are they returning?
Punta Roca is an amazing wave. It could easily redeem its self. A consistent Lennox/winki style wave.
I saw some novelty event of FB the other day in France. Night time, lights, fluro and neon everywhere plus a pumping beach party by the looks of it. If you are going novelty (tub) or sub-par (trestles etc) May as well go the whole hog like that event and make surfing a side show.
Reminds me of a song-“put your head in the oven, pour yourself a gin, turn on The Days Of Our Lives__”.
Just replace “Wagga” with “Wozzle”
I wonder if the Woz will try another contest format at the Tub? It's a possibility.
They've had a few hit outs there so they know what works, and more acutely, what doesn't work in that environment. They also had a year off. Why? What was that about? Are they simply going to return to the Tub, same as it ever was?
Could it have been time to test and work on a new format?
Also, they released their latest Rules and Regulations book last month and Chapter 8: Wave System Event Rules is missing. It's a ghost chapter. Mentioned in the table of contents, page number listed, but flicking it to it you find one blank page.
It was like this in the last rulebook too.
For mine, that says the format for the Tub isn't set in stone yet. It can be changed. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if, come May, we see the format tweaked to try and make it more entertaining.
Possibly.
I think the format is the best thing about it, tbh.
The leaderboard, and double cut is great.
I'd like to see them try that in the ocean.
Hope you're right Stu and they can find a tweak somewhere that makes it more exciting but the trouble is, 9months out and we already know what moves they're going to do !?
I honestly don't mind the tub.
Give surfers 4 waves each.
Best two scores one right one left.
No leader board, nothing fancy.
Just full street cricket style.
You lose the ball (fall)
It goes down the drain game over rover!
In contrast F1 announces a record breaking 24 race calendar for 2023.
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.f1-announces-24-race-calenda…
The Drive to Survive looks to sit squarely with the WSL.
Having followed F1 from the late 80s through to when they ruined it in 2006, it weirds me out how popular F1 is now.
I agree can't believe golf people watch it seems miles away from that though I suppose none of them get their hands dirty like the very old days - just jockey's.
Nothing to look at here folks move on.
What a pack of whining wankers you guys have become. Be grateful there’s a tour at all. Most of those spots are capable of excellent waves.
Core fans having an opinion about the way the pro tour for their favourite sport is run is a big part of what keeps said sport interesting.
If you want to be spoon fed whatever comes down the line, maybe just stick to watching the Olympics.
Nah. Core fans need to get a life. It’s a fucking business bro not fantasy fulfillment.
Right.
So it's a business that is apparently shunning its core audience in an attempt court casual observers.
Take that idea to shark tank and get laughed out of the room.
Nah. Core fans need to get a life. It’s a fucking business bro not fantasy fulfillment.
Of course it’s a business…..but the business is entertainment. If the fans aren’t entertained, there is no business. The fans aren’t recalcitrant children who won’t eat their veggies, they’re the bread and butter of the WSL and if they don’t watch the whole shitshow comes to a screaming halt.
If the core fans “get a life” then Elo will be called into Ziffy’s office for a Please Explain why no cnt is racking up clicks on their productions.
Geddit?
" A well-known customer success law, the Pareto principle says that repeat customers generate revenue that is nearly 16 times more efficient than one-time customers. The potency of 80/20 is that 20 percent of a group is responsible for 80 percent of the sales. So, if you can retain customers or make them more than one-timers, the chances of revenue earned is more."
https://www.smartkarrot.com/resources/blog/pareto-principle-80-20-rule-…
We are the 20%.
Exactly!
I might start rocking a 20%er patch on my wetsuit
LOL 20 % SURFER !
I like it . pretty much where I'm at in life !
ELO has spoken...
This is the kind of corpo crap I imagine coming out of ELO's mouth. Weird Al nails it.
Keep winding it up.
if they cut back on free trips to family and friends and corporate freeloaders and keep it to surfers plus 3 team members only ( coach,/PT caddy)
everyone else pays to play.
live stream thru internet or get a FOX Sports type deal
start on The Gold Coast FEB / MARCH nice Cyclone swell
ells at Easter
month break then off to
Fiji and Tahiti
September /October 2 indo contests
2 month break then finish in Hawaii with 2 contests
relegation at end of year on points to the QS and only get from QS if you win 2 or more contests
that makes about 8 locked in contests per year with room for a couple of swell chaser contests in Europe or the USA
Girls do exact same at same time men and womens tour have maybe 24 worlds best comp surfers each
most cost are water safety /jet skis use cameras and equipment and staff with the local governments supplying some infrastructure like marquees Compounds with security and power supply
not a big ask for a DREAM TOUR
i know there will be haters but it needs to be about surfing performance 1st then money 2nd
Those massive structures they build seem to be areas for hangers on inc. and block the general public viewing. Could save a fortune on those - they seem pretty empty most of the time
This is idea that we need to look outside surfing to find true talent (out of the water) to run the tour and chair surf companies is something that seems to keep popping up and it irks me to no end.
How many times have we got to watch kooks from outside our sport be ushered into the tent with much fanfare only to see their 'paradigm shifting' ideas fall flat because they don't really understand what makes surfing great.
It takes years of dedication to learn how to surf, to understand the ocean. For this reason, outsiders are never going to grasp the skill level at play in the upper levels of surfing. To them it's never going to be anything more than a few mildly impressive moments amongst a lot of boredom. Short of introducing animals into the lineup to spice things up, surfing is never going to make the jump to mainstream popularity.
The tour won't work until it's back being run by a surfer. They can engage all of the consultants they want to package the content and beam it out to the masses if they want to keep chasing the dragon but only a surfer can properly coordinate the surfing pro tour. It's kinda embarrassing for everyone involved that we even need to say it.
Agree 100%. Apparently, all you have to do is buy a SUP, some spray tan and teeth bleach to be the WSL CEO.
And, you should also run Oprah Winfreys Network for a few years just to make sure you really think your fan base is as dumb as dogshit.
Ha, ha I always thought that but you put in into words. Well done.
Haha! Yep, that too
Talking about 'hangers-on' within the WSL. Can someone please tell me what benefit the viewer gets from Laura Evener and Dimity Stoyle. Is Laura just the party girl vlogger and Dimity the official night time WSL events coordinator?
I enjoy Laura commentating. Dimity not so much.
Also has Sally fitz really got the wildcard next year?
As long as Harvey Norman are paying she’s surfing
Does anybody know what Laura looks like I always thought it was cousin it's sister under there?
In fairness Ryder - Laura charges harder than you or I ever will. I'd rather her than that ear splittingly cringe seppo longboarder Shannon
Sweet dreamz WSL
I agree that the schedule is disappointing, but if they luck out with the conditions it could still be great. Not like there aren't some fantastic venues still in the list.
Consider yourselves lucky, surfers. Bodyboarding doesn't even have a world tour anymore... and when they do have random comps at world class locations, the winner's prize money would be lucky to cover their flights to get there.
The WSL is probably going to get worse, not better. Appreciate what you've got while it lasts.
OR.... ditch the whole thing and run a series of Grand Slams like they do in tennis. That would be interesting.
I don't like it, but i'm still going to watch. Except for the pool.
I’ll even try to watch the pool despite the knowledge that I simply cannot endure it. Maybe it’ll be watchable this year with Cote on the mike hyping the competitors? Maybe not.
If the WSL is struggling for sponsor support they should focus on the big money non-endemics. Wonder if they’d approach Marvel with the concept of promoting their latest movie by dressing the surfers up as superheroes? I’m not saying that a soaking wet cape will improve the surfer’s tube riding abilities but desperate times call for desperate measures. Maybe Disney will throw in a few dollars if Griff Colapinto surfs in a Mickey Mouse outfit or Toledo dresses as the squirrel from Ice Age?
Big Pharma could sponsor it. Pfizers top 5 waves of the day. Moderna miracle wave of the event.
Contests could get jabbed live on camera. Kinda like the haviana wave they had in Brazil that Strider got hammered on. They will need an ambulance on stand by for both.
Are you kidding DSDS? Cote is the creepy uncle at the BBQ dressing like a 16-year-old, trying to do his best cool-talk with the kids. Maybe he could start the Prince Phillip Cup on the outer reef at Epstein Island?
Prince Randy Andy I think you mean.
You're right Seeds - Andrew the sweaty nonce
WSL a victim of the forever restructuring corporation- an ever changing executive and board, and with this their mark on the tour for ever changing. The tour had reached nigh on perfection, just like the surfing , yet this emerging tradition was destroyed by itinerant executives and their itinerant agenda - the perpetual corporate restructure.
Does surfing actually need a world champion?
just a peoples world champ, JJF
One would think with all the great numbers ELO has been promoting and the success of "Make or Break", the WSL would want to make a banger of an announcement for the schedule for 2023 with new venues, new formats or a combination of both, but apparently not.
Not a single surfing fan worldwide at any level has welcomed swapping the Surf Ranch for G-Land.
I’ll happily not watch the tub as price paid for an army of gronks not watching G Land. Sounds fair to me.
For all the whinging most of us will watch it....and there will be fantastic surfing and fantastic events.
Bring on Hawaii and their winter season. Some great non wsl events coming soon.
I don't and will continue to not watch it, aside from when the tour comes to town at Bells as it's down the road, something to do over the Easter break.
There is so much continual surf content out there, 99% of the the time far better conditions, than what the WSL offers up. Competitive surfing just does nothing for me personally.
Agree, but if anything I think that just shows that we are dedicated fans!
oh well, will check surfcams when swell is on and watch free surfing for a few mins i guess. business always seems to kill sport. definitely no joke
Straight away there are 4 comps I won't even bother to tune into (Portugal, Tub, Rio and Trestles).
Using the current venues, what about:
Start at Bells in April
Finish at Pipe in Jan
December for Sunset would work. Margs, J Bay, La Lib, Tahiti all stay the same and just shuffle the other events to suit.
FWIW I do like the jeopardy of the mid season cut, but the finals format is dire.
Kinda sucks...but on the flip side i guess its kind of good that they are slowly killing pro surfing.
Yep that's a positive Indo
I'm feeling tepid about the whole shewozzle.
Do people still watch this WSL tour stuff?
The Electric Light Orchestra, Artie Ziff and the Cheesecake Enthusiast have conspired in the most despicable way to triple-team the sport of professional surfing - against its meagre will I might add - in a way that would land people in jail for life if the WSL was a person and not a "sport". Meanwhile those with the power, money, and influence to change things sit idly by, waiting for it to implode, because they're too intelligent to step in now. Why put any effort into saving a sinking ship when you can just pillage the wreckage later at no cost. And what of the huddled masses? They temporarily wail and gnash their teeth...destroying keyboards as they go...and then...lose interest as the care factor plummets toward zero. If this colossal clusterfvck can leave us with one lesson it's this. Pro surfing is just like our collective opinion - it doesn't matter. And never will.
To be honest I didn’t even know there was a WSL comp in El Sal at all this year. In touch am I.
"Schwack!
Close enough to the sound made when the Woz slapped its fan base today with a cold fish in a wet sock."
I like the the tub and am out of touch with most surfers, it's better than most surf spots and only rich or pro surfers can go there...Can see it a positive as it's not luck of a good set with priority coming or unlucky like Marzo's first heat at Padang Padang this year.. really would love to surf the Ranch, i like it but will never afford it.
Would also like to surf Lowers but don't think it's ideal for a final day..Lakey peak as suggested would be better or playgrounds/Ments somewhere.
Seems stupid all these pros youth days dedicating their lives to a year on tour to get cut off if not going well before the cutoff's.
Seems like they might lose sponsorship dollars and possible CT event top 3/ possible win dollars.Spending the rest of the year just bumming around or being a pro free surfer instead.
The cutoff is a worse idea than lowers as a finals day.
Guess top 5 event on finals day at Pipe or anywhere similar would be an exciting finals day though, to clinch a world title from 5th rank etc.
September is far too early to finish the tour for the year.Start and finish at Pipe seems best.
No -
Cloudbreak
G-land
Instead back again to -
The Pool
And finals @ Trestles
Bobby's Tennis Tour is here
Modern Pro surfing is mostly boring corporate rubbish run by car salesman types. Alot of robotic ugly surfing. The point break of surf movies. I'm going home to watch the green iguana, big Wednesday and morning of the earth.
The Pooluwatu Classic
Over the last five years we have all watched the dog poo that the WSL is slowly dry out.
No more does it glisten in the morning light or sparkle in the glow of a golden sunset.
It has truly become the fabled White Dog Turd that dares you to lick it.
Yet it only leaves a bad taste in your mouth when you watch it, and to be subjected to some American commentator who's name even rhymes with turd is the crumbled white dog poo icing on the cake!
Seriously where is the fun?? Barton Lynch or Luke Cederman(Raglan Surf Report)would make the down times between sets fun and still give informative commentary when the waves are being ridden.
Have you ever looked at how many people are actually watching? No wonder the sponsors are pulling out!
Time to pull the chain and flush the lot and start again.(Pull the plug on the TUB too, drain that bath and change the water, too many Kelly pubes in the water.)
You reckon Slater has the most millilitres of piss in the Tub than anyone else?
Does anyone wonders how Andy Irons would react to this surf competition era?
Nah
'Looks like Elo will go out on his knees, a supplicant in the sporting desert, cap in hand praying for succour' - from a surfing sportswashing Saudi Shark? This Woz made for you.
#surfingsmoreyourgame #vision2030 #pif #f1$650m #synergies
no snapper :(
Thumbs down for the wave pool. Boring beyond belief for comp surfing. I want to see the best surfers in the world on the best waves. Add back Cloud break and Gland. Perhaps extend the event windows to get premium conditions.
I think most of the girls are ripping, and well worth watching, good they mix the heats between men and women. They should be at Pipe amd Chopes as it will extend and progress womens surfing.
If WSL gets too far removed from what t audiences want to see we may see a breakaway back to core surfing in the future similar to the Liv golf tour, let’s hope so.
Ever since the name change to WSL the tour has gone backwards imo, I've been watching less and less to the point I only go watch in person at bells if the surf is decent. Other then that I'm not interested anymore unfortunately.
I'd rather watch a free surf tour where the winner is based on how much fun the surfer is having and the prize money is spread out evenly to pay for everyone's trip and accommodation. This is the tour all of us are waiting for
The tour would still be fine if the format in the way of finals day was stopped.....and the wavepool didn't get a start. It's boring despite what the WSL is promoting and if the Number 1 surfer doesn't win then it is even more of a joke.....I still watch the normal contests but the finals day while at Trestles can bugger off imo.
Also why doesn't the challenger series follow the same finals day format? Then you could let someone from 46th place clinch a spot on the tour.Heaps Good.
100% agree.
Still love (and watch heaps of) the tour, but hate the finals and wave pool (particularly the finals).
WSL Longboard Tour is having a stop at Bells in late Aug/early Sept next year