WSL: Tahiti Like Life- World Tour on Riders Terms

Photo by Damien Poullenot at Teahupo'o.

WSL Trestles is about to come and Riders will fight for domination but before Trestles came Tahiti…

It doesn't take 10 foot waves breaking in perfect blue and green waters in Tahiti for a WSL Stop to take the high ride. This year´s Tahiti PRO was unlike previous. The skies were mostly covered, the sun blackened out by fog and clouds. Rain and winds and strange breaking. Much like life the Ocean gives what it has to give and those who ride try to make the most of it.

You can complain about the weather and conditions of life and ocean or you can make the most of them and take the thing to the next level. WSL top riders did that and more, they put on a show beyond the break conditions. How do we know when something special comes from a Stop? When things are altered by it. Tahiti conditions -described by some by less than perfect where perhaps perfect in more than one way.

By the time Tahiti was over there was new Ranking Leader wearing the Yellow Jersey and Top 5 and Top 10 contenders saw newcomers to the short list of the World Title Race.

This World Tour at WSL has been agitated. 7 Stops saw 7 different winners. Tahiti was taken by Julian Wilson -truly deserved. Medina fighting to the very end gave a spectacle. Medina was on a rocket tear but saw a bitter end take away at the final by Wilson which turned the situation around with patience, consistency and high end technique.

WSL ran a all-in-one-day Final Day. From Round 4 to Round 5 to Quarters, Semis and Finals a full of action unfolded. Tahiti surprised everyone which said they knew the Tahiti Stop. When some looked for barrels clean it threw up into the canvass strange looking waves, some barrels, some worth going to turns, sun, clouds, rains and winds. It was crazy weather which gave way to crazy contending.

On August 13 WSL reported that it was Julian´s Wilson “True Grit” which lead him to the win of the Billabong Pro Tahiti.

“Showing the grit, skill and determination of street fighter, Julian Wilson came back from combination to defeat Gabriel Medina in an epic Final at the 2017 Billabong Pro Tahiti.”

Medina´s and Wilson “street fight” kicked in from the very beginning of the start of the heat. The two race-paddled to gain the deep spot and ride the first wave for priority and points. The paddle out was intense, the first wave came and both were dangerously close to one another. Medina known to control the deep spot and first wave was rattled by Wilson´s strong position.

Medina´s first wave was a top gear situation. If anyone found speed during the event and if anyone was truly barreled during the event it was Medina. However, Wilson's response was a demonstration of sheer technique. Rapidly he chipped away the points turning a combo situation in full reverse. WSL explains it better to the detail for the books...

“With the swell turning a more southerly direction on Finals day, Teahupo'o was looking a lot like the end section of Fiji's Cloudbreak. Rain squalls and morning sickness turned to smooth conditions and slate gray skies as the day went on. Semi-consistent, overhead set waves focused on the point during the Final. In typical Medina fashion, he jumped out to an early lead, putting Wilson into a massive 17.87 combination and needing two big scores with time ticking away. Wilson started his comeback with a late, airdrop-entry-to-tube ride that scored 9.23. He was back in the heat. After Medina caught three straight closeouts, Wilson found his opportunity. Typically, the Brazilian puts his opponents under intense pressure, squeezing the life out them like an Amazonian Anaconda. But he left the door just ajar for Wilson this time, and the Aussie exploited it. With five minutes remaining, he stroked into a solid set wave, pulled into a deep tube and emerged after the spit. For his effort he was awarded a 9.73. The score was more than enough to seal the win, he'd saved the best for last. Amazingly, Wilson's last two rides of the Final were his two highest-scoring rides of the entire event. Call it clutch, call it mana, call it whatever you want, Wilson was now a Billabong Pro Tahiti champion. With his victory, Wilson jumps to No. 5 on the Jeep Leaderboard, while Medina moves up two spots to No. 7.”

“Wilson is the seventh different event winner on the 2017 Championship Tour, a season already full of enough twists and turns to fill a mystery novel. His comeback win against Medina was another unexpected turn of events in a season chock full of cliffhangers.”

Who else was in top performance at the strange Tahiti game? A whole pack of hungry wolves. Jordy Smith, John John Florence -both battling for top ranking position, Wilkinson -trying to hand to keep on the yellow jersey, Kolohe Andino on a magical inspiration ride, Owen Wright, Dantas and Duru all saw Quarterfinal points and results.

The rankings shook again at Tahiti now Jordy Smith which has been on a 2017 Manifesto Demonstration took the lead and the Top of the Jeep Leaderboard. WSL explains that the last time Smith was on top of the ranking it was J-Bay waves which were hitting hard 2011. Later Jordy Smith would give up the position fight due to a serious broken ribs injury. Whatever the case and history Smith is ticking 2017 constantly in pace and rhythm.

WSL says it takes a World Tour to crown a World Title. Nice words but what they actually imply are incredibly inspiring. A fleet of Athletes tour the World an entire year, facing airplanes, airports and jet lags, hotels and laydays, hard training and discipline, press pressure and sponsor races, dealing with health issues, injuries and gear issues, facing all kinds of climatic disturbances and ocean conditions they do this while flying from one culture shock country to the next. While some veteran may assure to be settled in to this kind of lifestyle the WSL World Tour is without a doubt one of the most extreme sport disciplines in the World. For all it demands and requires for all it gives to athletes and viewers and for all the sacrifice it feeds on it is just a magnificent monster on display.  

It is in this stage that goes in and out year after year that Jordy Smith has found a pace a rhythm. Now leading WSL assures that “Smith seems to be operating from a different playbook this year”.

“After surviving years of injury-plagued seasons, he's surfing smarter, harder and better than ever,” WSL says.

John John -now with a World Title on his belt is another of those who has found his pace throughout 2017. Always high up -very high up in the ranking his discipline and consistency and perseverance is unique. John John Florence has been shining bright all year long.

“John John Florence may not have won the Billabong Pro Tahiti yesterday, as many expected him to, but he went home with the contest's other most coveted honor, the Andy Irons Most Committed Performance Award, for the second time in his career. Florence's win was a fitting tribute to Hawaii, and a reminder that he may not be No. 1 right now, but his connection with the ocean is unwavering,” WSL reported.

But it is not just JJF and Wilson who are into the 2017 pace. WSL explains that seven events different winners have made this year´s CT World Title wide open.

“Not since 1992 has the Championship Tour race been this wide open,” WSL adds. The top 5 and are separated by very short distance points. With each event win worth a 10 thousand points and still Trestles, France and Portugal and Hawaii to go there is an open door for anything to happen.

“The top seven surfers are now wedged between a points differential of just 8,850. The top four are even tighter with gap the between Owen Wright in fourth and Smith a paltry 2500 points. Of the seven only Gabriel Medina hasn't won an event in 2017. While the numbers reflect the quantitative breadth of the race, the qualitative factors of the group are what add a real sense of excitement and change. With Kelly Slater moonbooted, Fanning disconnected and Parko relaxed, these seven represent the future of the sport,” WSL kicks it.

Medina is breaking into the leading pack. …coming in hard since taking third place in J-Bay and taking a Final appearance in Tahiti Medina now ranks in 7th and is in the World Title talk.

What is coming is Trestles and the European Leg Stops these unlike Hawaii will be dominated by power surfing and air-game if the ocean decides to pulse hard. These are areas in which riders like Toledo, Florence, Medina and Smith play hard. If it comes down to turns and carving Fanning, Wilkinson and Andino, de Souza will excell. But all top ten are such versatile in their own surfing style that they will handle anything the ocean throws at them. Like things went down in Tahiti.

Requalification, World Title, last chances, rivalries, new and old….the distances travelled. Trestles opens, Europe follows, Hawaii awaits.

Another year...WSL World Tour...Tahiti...the Ocean...unpredictable and beautiful in all conditions...like Life. Riding it on your own Terms?