Andy Irons won the world title for the 2nd year in a row by winning at the Pipe this afternoon. He also won the Triple Crown for the 2nd year. Kelly Slater came in 4th at Pipe. Aloha, Kokua
I saw it. Slater just couldnt find a decent wave unfortunately.
Quite possibly as a result of the four guys in the water vs the usual two, if it would have come down to that. We’ll never know. Like this year’s college football BCS. Point is that the City and County of Honolulu caved in to the pressure of the day-to-day Pipe surfers to run four-man heats to speed up the contest. The finals, at least, should have been man-on-man though. The event had lots of excitement, although it was less than good classic Pipe conditions. The biggest irony is that those local Pipe surfers who cried the loudest about waves, are the last ones themselves to let anyone else get any.
Howzit Tubedog, and your point is? Aloha, Kokua
Sorry, thought it was clear, looking back apparently it wasn’t. (Late night) If you want to eliminate all doubt about who is the best, a one-on-one format allows for that better than a four man heat. More waves to go around, less hassling, so more of a chance for each of two finalists to show what he’s got that day. Most other ASP events have gone to man-on man, right? OK, then the point is that the Pipe contest tried to run man-on-man heats, but Randy was denied by the City and County of Honolulu, who caved into pressure by the Pipe regulars who wanted a shorter contest so they wouldn’t miss out on waves, crying “no fair- us regular recreational surfers will be shorted on waves” when in reality these same handful never let anyone else get waves. If we allow this to happen, what’s to stop this from happening at every ASP contest site? There is already attempts to curtail the Trestles contest, perhaps the other most visible, good-wave contest. These top events help the surfing industry, and man-on-man heats at these top events at least help build the excitement. If you want to allow the best contests to be diluted in favor of a handful of local surfers for a day, that’s fine, that’s an opinion I can see if you are one of the locals who would benefit. You just may not know for sure who might be the best, head-to-head, and that’s less than a fully satisfying outcome.
Howzit Tubedog, the reason the locals wanted the 4 man heats was so more locals would have a chance to surf in the contest not to shorten it so they could get back in the water. I listened to the finals live scores and Slater caught a lot of waves but not high scores, his final score total was 9.60 and Andy’s was 15.16. The other finalists were Austrailians and they placed 2nd and 3rd. It just was’nt Kelly’s day to win. Go to http://www.aspworldtour.com/ to see the scores for your self. Aloha, Kokua
Kokua- "Rarick said his attempt to get a waiver allowing one-on-one heats for this year’s Pipeline Masters was rejected. In compliance with City & County of Honolulu rules, the Pipeline Masters is running four-man heats this year. The City and County rules have nothing to do with dictating the number of local surfers. Obviously from this article below Rarick wanted man-on-man. Aside- From this and the FCS/Vector Fins thread, I need to ask did I step on your toes? I have had nothing but respect for your past threads but You seem quick to want to debate- I’ll respectfully dialogue but I’m perplexed -these two issues are documented in print from the very sources themselves… From The Honolulu Advertiser Dec 17: But for all the talk about the Irons vs. Slater battle, the two surfers can not meet one-on-one at Pipeline. In compliance with City & County of Honolulu rules, the Pipeline Masters is running four-man heats this year. At every other World Championship Tour (WCT) contest held around the world, the surfers compete one-on-one. “We’re used to man-on-man competition and I wish the importance of that could be respected,” Slater said. “I don’t think it’s right to surf under one format all year, and then have to change when we get to the end of the year in Hawai’i.” As Irons puts it: “Different tactics come into play in four-man heats. There’s a lot more hassling for waves; it comes down to things other than just surfing.” Rarick said his attempt to get a waiver allowing one-on-one heats for this year’s Pipeline Masters was rejected.
Jeez, I for one, am going surfing.
Howzit Tubedog, You haven’t stepped on my toes, But as one who works and judges contests here on Kauai, I’ve judged all sorts of finals, 6 man, 4 man and 2 man and you do what you have to do and in the end the best man wins. Do you live on Oahu and got to see the contest? Kelley had more waves in the beginning of the heat than the other three so there was no problem as far as getting their quota. I don’t think the city and county of Honolul should be the ones to make the rules for a world contest tour, but since Sonny wasn’t around to keep them in line they did it any way and what’s done is done. Maybe it’ll be different next year.Have a good surf, I’m out of the water for a few days with a terrible cold. Aloha, Kokua
How do these events help surfing? Most surfers today over the age of 25 could care less who wins the world title anymore.
How do these events help surfing?? First, these events highlight the development of new maneuvers, which often require new materials and manufacturing to keep up. So demand stimulates advancement of maufacturing, sales, and R & D. So unless you’re are still riding a wooden log, you’ve personally benefitted by riding I assume at least a lighter weight 50’s style tanker, if not a (Simon Anderson designed competition inspired) thruster. Not to mention the sales of beachwear and accessories, followed by the availability of surf travel, forecasting services etc to help market products. But good luck trying to stop things where they are, or “back in time when things were better & less crowded- but let me use the new technology though please”.
I saw it. Slater didnt catch good waves. It really came down to who lucked into the best waves. This year it was Andy, Props to him for winning the world title. Let me just say though most people will agree Slater is still the best surfer in the world and came damn close to a 7th title. Even Irons calls him the Michael Jordan of surfing. Also keep in mind he was close even though he missed a contest that possibly could have solidified his lead…but thats only what ifs. Take nothing away from Andy, he won it fair and square. But Slater is STILL the freak of freaks.
Tubedog, I agree there was a time when competition helped, but that is my point. The current state of competition is stagnant even with all the new moves. The average surfer cannot ride the modern pro surfboard, so that really stagnates the average surfer on anybeach USA. If the tour itself were not so closminded to what people ride it would be much more interesting. Why do you think many of the kids prefer longboarding, old style single fins, or fish? Because the hype has reached such a high level of bullshit they even see it for what it is. The average surfer just wants to go surfing. Remember when all the pros bitched about riding fish? Why should it matter? By the way on the modern surfboard it’s Geoff Mccoy who gave Simmon the planeshape.Simmon put three fins on a Lazor zap outline. AS for the surf clothing companies and the so called surf lifestyle, they both have been made up and hyped to get people to think that all of us surfers talk alike and wear the same clothing so they can sell it to the mall children in Iowa. I would say the single worst thing to happen to surfing is the birth of the so called surf style clothing. the modern kids have no identity of their own so they want to take on some created identity of Volcom,Quiksilver, Billibong, or ETc. which all give off the image of scowling attitude filled, druged out spoiled punks. I see an add with Bruce Irons shooting a needle into his arm and blood running down over his surfboard. If thats the help contest and pro surfing give, no thanks. I think what was happening in the early eighties pro tour was cool because new board designs were coming out and there was alot of experimenting with shapes going on. With the rise of clothing sponsors came the need to package an image and a surfboard that can be mass produced. I will bet the average prosurfer rides within a half inch the same dimensions as the next pro as a whole. The creativity and fun has gone from the pro tour and many kids opt for taking out an old 75 challenger to the modern 6’2’’ 11.5x18.5x13.5 thruster. Pro surfing is boring, even with great surfers like Slater and Irons,and others. Machado riding a single fin has become more interesting than Andy beating Kelly for the world title.
Damn you said the truth in that mouth full!!! I went shopping for my daughter today at Tilly’s ----- anyway you really said it .thanks
send what you said to all the mags to print–this generation needs a wake up call --it really is as boring and contrived as you say!!! BORING GENERATION OF SCOWLING CLONES
Howzit atom tan, sounds like Rob is putting some style into his surfing by using a single fin board.Aloha, Kokua
What’s with all the soccer mom’s in H2’s with volcom stickers on the back window lately? The guys I know that actually surf don’t put volcom stickers on their cars. Must be some sort of a middle-class image thing: implants, bleached hair, collagen, tanning salon, tattoo on the ass, naval ring, starbucks in hand, H2, volcom sticker…Such lemmings!
I agree with Atom Tan, and also believe that a major contributing factor to the boringness of the world tour was when they got rid of the trials events. These events gave the local underdog the chance to mix it with their hero’s and it even kept the pro’s more on their toe’s because they usually didnt know the local hottie and the advantage of his home break knowledge. I saw many a local shreader knock off a major contender, it is this sort of underdog drive that leads to researching a better way and why the eighties had such advancements. KR http://groups.msn.com/MyKRSurf/krcomweb.msnw
I remember the Pro Class trials and local boys surfing way into the main even. The pros that the mags had been hyping hated Hawaii, where some of the local boys could make them look tame. I look Back at Dane Kealoha,Cheyne Horan,Gary Elkerton, and even Luke Egan. Those guys were clearly the best surfers day in and day out during their eras, but none won the world title. Cheyne won 5 out of twelve events in 82 or something and still did not win. Dane got banned from competition and lost his seed because he surfed in Hawaii. Surfers see the inconsistency in judging and simply begin to not take the whole thing seriously and look elsewhere for inspiration. I would say Joel Tudor has as much influence than does Slater today.