What a wild wild day. CRAZY. Sharks in the lineup, water patrol almost getting capsized by a 10 foot set, heats re-surfed. John John still pending on Fantasy Surfer even though he’s been knocked out. What!? Where!? The day couldn’t have been more eventful. Scroll down and enjoy the read. We got everything for you right here.
Julian Wilson vs Michel Bourez
Michel is like that friend who’s a bit of a tweaker. He’s unpredictable, highly passionate at times, docile at others. He’s responses to stimuli are purely based on instinct. It’s all systems go! If there’s a lip, lets bang it! If there’s death defying floater on the rocks, WHY NOT!? And thus his surfing is often times bewildering. When it comes together, Michel’s a genius, blitzing waves from start to finish. Every tree trunk turn could be filmed, and placed in a Kai Neville film cut up to an obscure punk rock band from Russia. When it comes together that is…
Julian on the other hand is that predictable friend, passion is a word he struggles to pronounce, he’s soft spoken, enjoys limited amounts of social interaction and always arrives on time. He’s response to stimuli, measured, calculated. His friend gets into a fight at the bar, he call’s the manager, he witnesses a thief, he notifies the relevant authorities.
Today Julian won his heat doing what we all expected, clean, flawless, sterile surfing. Sometimes it feels like he get’s scored more for the linking of turns than the turns themselves. Michel on the other hand had foam frothing from his mouth due to the crazy levels of excitement pulsing through his veins. He could barely concentrate enough to land a single turn. The point is, perhaps Julian could exchange some of that judicious approach for Michel’s zeal, and we might’ve just had a heat on our hands.
Wilson. Sterile. Textbook. Image: Thurtell
If It’s Not a Full Roat You Can’t Gloat
Doesn’t Filipe wanna make you wanna put on James Brown, turn it up real loud, and get groovy with some early 70’s dance moves, do the splits, stand back up, and belt out “It’s a Filiiiiiiiipe World!” Filipe had the unfortunate event of drawing two point break gurus in Jordy Smith and Julian Wilson. Masters of flow. They could collectively write a thesis on how to link turns and sections with speed power and flow and invite Mick Fanning to be a guest contributor. Filipe probably thought to himself, “How can I possible beat these two point break academics? I know, I’ll take to the skies.” And take to the skies he did, landing two massive full rotators. Not even a the water safety flying threw the lineup trying to dodge a 10ft cleanup set was enough to stop the high flying antics of Filipe Toledo.
Jordy Smith. What a Man.
Jordy Smith has been forced to endure two heat re-surfs. Somebody PLEASE tell us! What does the big man have to do to get through a heat without thy righteousness calling a re-surf. Okay, that’s a bit dramatic, both re-surfs seem pretty fair. When a man in a grey suit shows up, best you exit the water and it might be advised that you call the heat off. Even if Jordy is leading the heat. And when the WSL cut Conner’s foam ball battling multiple section pit into a simple in and out and awarded him a 6.93 when it should’ve been a nine. It’s only fair that the heat is re-surfed. At the expense of Jordy yes, but when has life ever been fair? Sometimes being a man requires you to climb mountains. Sometimes life throws you a curve ball, and it’s not about the curve in the ball but rather how the individual at the other end of the pitch deals with the spin. Jordy rose to the occasion over the last two days. He showed us and the world that no matter the obstacles he’s willing and able to rise to the occasion. And that’s what world title holders are made of.
Jordy Smith. Showing great fortitude today. What a man, Image: Ewing
Gabby on Fire
This just in: Gabby is On Fire! Somebody call the fire department, Gabriel’s coming in hot as hell. J-Bay’s a particularly difficult wave to surf on your backhand, and there’s only been one right foot forward surfer to win out at Supertubes. Occy, and that was way back before you and I were born, in 1984. Like Jordy, Gabby has allowed the wave to be the real hero. Allowing the wave to dictate the turn. And what’s important, is Gabby hasn’t held back. He’s not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, and with step dad Charlie hanging out on the beach in that black bomber jacket and a continuous scowl, he’d better pin those sections. Gabby’s also a great backhand tube rider, when the other goofy footers have pulled into pits, it’s looked like a scene in Snakes on a Plane. The passengers are just holding on for dear life, hoping and praying that they make it out alive. But the GM, he’s looked different, no snakes on a plane here, just smooth, easy, calculated pit management.
Ain’t no snakes on this plane. Image: Ewing
And finally, to conclude, there has been much debate regarding the John John, Frederico heat. Was Frederico’s 10 point ride deserved. Here at Zigzag we think that the judges boxed themselves in, forcing em to give Frederico a 10 when it should’ve actually been a 9.5. Anyway. Why isn’t JJF under the eliminated box on Fantasy Surfer? Is the heat under review by the powers at be? Who knows. All we know is JJF isn’t eliminated on FS.
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