Over-Head Aussie Sets Pace & Calls for Style: JJ Tears Drug Aware Margaret
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| John John Florence tearing up Margaret River Australia Drug Aware getting deep and barreled |
If you are one of those that yawned and fell asleep last year during those Aussie Hours then this year your heart sure was pumping.
Over-head waves at WSL Australian Leg -start of the 2017 WSL CT Tour set the pace and the stage for something out of this World. The best thing of latest WSL Surf news is that Competition Surf watching is Fun to watch again!
On April 8 WSL -and the rest of the Surf World was talking about the incredible showdown at Drug Aware Margaret River. John John Florence was in everybody's mouth...and well deserved.
But the Australian Leg is not over...on April 11 WSL warned that a new swell was about to hit and an early start was set for Rip Curl. The best of the best are already there...but first what just happened at Margaret? Australian waves broke hard and installed a tear show.
On April 8 Sunday -final days, Quarterfinals were minutes to kick start. The Sun had not broken out of the horizon when free surfing warm up sessions were on their way. The not lucky but talented 8 riders which were on for history where firing up their engines.
Toledo, Wright, Andino, Freestone, Bourez, Adriano de Souza, Jordy Smith and John John Florence. The morning was chilly the break was massive. All riders up known to perform well at medium to large swells. They suited up and got their gear ready.
By the time the Sun departed the horizon line the gun went off. Just like in Round 4 overhead waves broke hard in the open and dangerously in the inside...Shallow-Coral-Dangerously in the inside.
What came down was International News. John John set the bar high at Margaret. No one can get enough of talking about what he did and it is a good thing when a style comes on so hard through an event. It is beautifully inspiring to watch. John John was part of a bigger story, the leader of it but part of it nevertheless.
Quarterfinal Heat One clock ticked away...
Freestone and Wright took on a rather slow Quarterfinal match up. Few waves were ridden as Margaret switched on and off big. Freestone had the upper hand and things could have gone differently if Wright would not have completely tore out his fin losing balance in the best wave of the heat. Change of equipment and all the heat was over fast for Wright who finished it off with a smile. When Wright found shore he saw Florence dressed in red jersey standing...a look crossed...a yellow jersey that would shift hands.
If last week everyone was talking about Wright´s incredible miraculous recovery then this week everyone is talking about JJ´s unbelievable style and that is the World of Surfing today...incredible things do happen...but then Heat 2 of the Margaret Quarterfinal happened and it was also incredible...from the start incredible. JJ up against Bourez.
The horn had barely gone off when people stood up cheering from the beach...John John was on one of the few barrels which Margaret pumping decided to give that day. He barreled in deep, saw a clean exit and began doing his thing. People called it the New Era of Power Surfing...some say it was because he grew up in this type of difficult waves...others just held their breath and waited until he completed that wave to simply say: WOW!.
It was so clear that there was no arguing, John John´s flow, relaxed style even when carrying high speed and moving through messy wave conditions, his layback snaps, his Mach 1 carves, hacks and finish up earned him above 9s on every heat. He did it over and over and over and over again. He did it so often that riders began to see where the Judges were giving points and so the imitation game began.
Bourez -another talented big wave rider drew blood at that Quarterfinal, and played his game with strength. Wave after wave they took things hard. Bourez could not find scores above the 8s but Heat 2 of Quarterfinals was perhaps the best to watch on that Sunday Finals days.
Heat 3 came in with two monsters on the charge. Toledo which usually tears it up in other type of wave conditions was looking comfortable, firing and ready, and a New 2017 de Souza who is just fun to watch. While scores given out to both riders did not reach the 7s that heat was a thrill. Toledo surprised de Souza in a last minute ride and took a deserved place to the Semi finals. He would face Andino but Andino was yet TBD for the Semis...he was up against another Monster...Jordy Smith.
Andino-Smith-Heat 4 of Quarterfinals was also from the start a shocker. Andino just like John John found one of those few big wave barrels which Margaret gave that day. He rode out with a 9.17 after riding that wave from start to finish with confidence. Jordy Smith got aggressive on his rides but found himself chasing Andino -something which became unusually of Mr Smith. Jordy Smith is far from over it is evident that Mr Smith´s 2017 Statement is yet to be manifested. It will loud and rough like his unique God willing unchangeable style of surfing.
There is much psychological tactics going on in these Surfing games. Some are unexpected. Andino found flow and control -maturing into a World Title chase this year and took another above 9 score. Sometimes it is all about wave choice. Above the head´s continued to roll in and they would not stop all final's day long.
World Surf League in the report “John John Florence Has Gone Next Level...And Yet There's More” reported…
“Truth be told nobody knew what to expect of John John Florence heading into this season. After his incredible run in 2016 (winning the Eddie, The Triple Crown, and the World Title) he certainly deserved to exhale. It would have been perfectly understandable if the new World Champ took his foot off the gas this season -in fact many expected it from the low-key Hawaiian. Newsflash: it's not happening. Florence is off to a stellar start in 2017. He's already well ahead of his 2016 pace, and he's surfing better too,” WSL reported.
Semi´s was an easy door for Florence taking on Freestone which did not seem to find pace nor rhythm. Pretty soon it became obvious that John John was truly surfing a "League of his Own". Riding a 9.9 and a 9.37 he sent out a signal. During that heat Florence fell hard on the inside shallow reef taking it to his elbow and was left bleeding the rest of the event. After taken care of he was ready for the Final.
Andino-Toledo Semifinal was another symbol of the 2017 Golden Days of the WSL. Toledo is the kind of surfer no one should give his back to. He surfed Margaret extremely well and it was another beautiful thing to watch. Lets face it when us WSL viewers talk Style Toledo is right up there on the top. But like Toledo there is something completely different about Andino...something that just comes on through on every heat he surfs, something which still can not be put into words. During that Heat Andino played it smart and gave judges what they wanted. In this tactical game he overcame Toledo and saw his road to the Final. He was up against John John the man that had already made history. It was like being up against Slater at Fiji's barrels. A priviledge to watch.
The Final came in with a not so unexpected result. Andino at times froze up perhaps shocked at the talent in display by John John. Andino´s final wave air was a statement on of his own. He was not there by chance nor was he there to just sit it out. A little too late but cool sure thing cool thing.
Yes, John John has already been crowned last year but still he found room and much space to improve. Known literally as the best surfer in the World he continues to grow. Why? Who cares why. The result is magic to watch, sheer pleasure. What seems to have changed in John John this year? Where before JJ used to freeze looking out into the ocean, today he surfs wave after wave. Where before he used to make small mistakes, today he rides the wave locked in and clean. Where before he takes his chances in radical risky airs today he is tuned in the craziest power surfing seen. When power surfing becomes as enjoyable as air moves are then one knows something new is happening.
"Can Anyone Stop Florence?" WSL asks...
Are Surfers are out to imitate John John style? That is for sure a road which we -mortals do not want to see. We don't want to see lots of John John´s in the water, one is more than enough. Not that we have anything against his way of surfing actually quite the opposite. But the point is another. Each rider has its own style and that is where the “fun-to-watch” gets started. As true fans of the sport it is the different Styles which makes us tune in.
JJ has found a 2.0 version of his own style and this challenges Riders. What will they do now? There is still much water to go to find out. Lots of water for sure an entire World Ocean of water in fact. Injuries, comebacks, wildcards, weather, waves, legends, rookies...anything can happen.
Like other legends on Tour John John´s reputation for tearing it in all type of wave conditions, offshore, open ocean, power surf, barrels, etc is well established. So it is no longer a matter of doing well in one conditions and not in others anymore. Riders are today forced to be integral.
Each rider has his own Style. Toledo, Jordy Smith, Andino, de Souza, Medina, Slater, Fanning, to name just some...these are pure Style riders. They are each unique in their own way of Athletic Performance. Training, hard training, gear, personality, experience, wave riding, wave conditions adaptation...it becomes a spíritual thing.
Thank God us watchers there is just one John John out there in the water...sure thing...he set the bar high...challenged and inspired...but the pack is still hungry and they are out for the World.
“His surfing at Main Break was pure artistry. The twisting and torquing, the snapping and carving, it was simply beyond anything else we've seen, not just from Florence, but from anyone, ever. With his win, Florence has already re-claimed the yellow Jeep Leader jersey, and just in case you didn't get the message this week, he's got no intention of letting off the gas,” WSL reported.
"Wilko won the first two events in a row last year, so we all know what can happen," Florence said from the podium. "I'm just going to keep focusing on myself." If that's the case that spells trouble for the rest, because a focused Florence is going to be very hard to stop.
Aussie waves, right? What a show!
Bells beach up next...the rest of the World to follow.
