Rip Curl Pro Portugal: Day 2
Rip Curl Pro Portugal: Day 2
Imagine the worst day ever at Duranbah, except with 14° water, breakwalls festooned with industrial cranes and holding sheds, and a nagging side/onshore wind blowing across what James Joyce referred to as a “snot-green sea”.
That was pretty much Molhe Leste today, venue for a full day of competition for the women and productive in the the sense that the field was whittled down to eight Quarter-Finalists. The men's Elimination Round was also held with four surfers eliminated: two wildcards, Mignot and Chaves, and two tour surfers, R-Cal and Gentil. Gabriel Medina - sitting in 26th spot on the rankings and desperately needing a good result - squeaked through on the strength of a single 7.83 ride.
In terms of pro surfing being justified as a “bait” for increasing the tourism economy of a region, I do question whether the Supertubos event in early March pays its way. I'm as suggestible to marketing as the next punter and not a single moment of the event since it has been moved to its current slot has provoked within me even the faintest desire to board a plane to suit up in Portugal.
Know what I mean?
“Yeah, where's my 4/3 and twat cap, I'm busting to paddle out in freezing cold, onshore, brownwater 10 foot closeouts; what’s the cheapest flight to Lisbon, babe?”.
I'm sure Peniche is a delightful town but surely this event has to be more of a deterrent than an attractant? Someone please tell me I'm wrong and why.
This comp belongs in October - the Northern Hemi Autumn - where it used to be, but as a Challenger Series showcase, possibly in conjunction with a French event.
The logical play is to cross the Pacific from Hawaii, set-up shop on the Goldy and let the field run wild in some trade-swell point surf, have an actual surfing contest instead of seeing who is lucky enough to find a corner that offers two turns.
Go from the Goldy to Bells - Margs can join Supertubos on the Challenger Series. Then go from Bells to Indo in May - doesn't need to be anything remote, Ulus works fine - for the cut event.
That's a far more balanced opening half of the tour which offers a more even playing field where we actually get a chance to see the field surf and not struggle to even find a scoring wave.
Tyler Wright barely scraped past an injured Brisa Hennessy yet had an emphatic Round of 16 win over Alyssa Spencer (WSLPoullenot)
Like Tyler Wright. Last heat of Round 1 against Brisa Hennesy and Sally Fitz. I was shocked to learn Brisa has never won a heat in Portugal and to compound this poor record she copped a board in the head and withdrew injured with more than ten minutes remaining. Still ahead of Tyler though who needed a 2.21 to surmount Brisa's measly 5.67 heat total. It took Tyler most of those ten minutes to scrap into a small one-turn closeout to tap the lip for the requisite mid-2. Grindy is the word, I believe.
At least she found a wave. Sally Fitz, one of the greatest grinders the surfing world has ever seen, and I mean that as a tremendous compliment, was unable to even register a second scoring ride in her Round of 16 clash with Tatiana Weston-Webb. A single mid-5 score was all that Sal could find out there after thirty minutes of scrapping around.
Tyler seemed to turn a very ordinary start to the season around in her Round of 16 heat with rookie Alyssa Spencer with a three-turner in the opening third of the heat gaining a straight 8 - the first excellent score of the day. It didn't look like excellent surfing straight off the eye, but Jesse Mendes was adamant it made the grade and judges agreed with him.
After the Women's Opening Round the Men surfed their Elimination Round with Gabs finding form, avoiding elimination and now facing Miggy Pupo in the Round of 32. Not so lucky were wildcards Joaquim Chaves, Marco Mignot, plus Ryan Callinan, and Ian Gentil (WSL/Diz)
What to make of Tyler..?
Like the rest of the Wright family, hers is not a straightforward journey through life. On the glass, Tyler shared she now has seven screws in her head, as well as the visible metal braces, which were inserted after doctors expressed the opinion she "should not be able to do what she does" based on brain scans and anatomy. The screws were implanted to help her breathe. Apparently she was chronically under-oxygenated and semi-suffocating all the time. Tyler described the subsequent effects as “life changing” and said she was the “sanest she's ever felt” although the screws caused her to have a concussion before the season started. She described intrusive thoughts as a problem for her during heats and, in effect, having to install and train a whole new way of operating based on healing her nervous system. That's a lot to deal with, so all the best to Tyler.
Rookies got knocked. Alyssa Spencer gone, Sawyer Lindblad went down to Caz Marks in the highest-scoring heat of the day where both surfers got some wedges off the wall. Excellent rides were notched from Caz with eleven mins to go (four good turns) and Sawyer as an answer back with seven mins to run, inexplicably missed by the webcast and not shown even as a replay.
Caz Marks slicing laterally in the brown water of Molhe Leste (WSL/Poullenot)
Look, it was solid, 70% strength, meat and potatoes backside surfing from both surfers. That, as it stands, is considered World Championship standard. An anomaly considering where the actual bleeding edge of performance surfing stands from the women.
None of the rookies, or pseudo-rookies (India Robinson, Sophie McCullough) are above the cut line and none of them have really offered much more than QS level surfing so far. Of the rookies, Lindblad looks the most likely to make the cut.
There's a clear gap opened up between the front-runners and the rest and the two leading female surfers in the world right now, Pickles and Caity Simmers, even though both got knocked today. Both looked good on the waves they caught but could not find anything offering multiple turns. Of the other front-runners, Betty-Lou had the wave magnet on and made her first heats in Portugal to come up against Tati Weston-Webb.
Bettylou was one of the few to shine at Molhe Leste (WSL/Diz)
No clear form guide is possible as we are likely to head back to Supertubos where luck of the draw will be the main factor. Maybe Tyler, as her just showing up and getting in the water seems a minor miracle, and if that is the case, it would not take much more in the way of divine providence to secure the victory.
// STEVE SHEARER
MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal Women’s Round of 16 Results:
HEAT 1: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 12.06 DEF. Molly Picklum (AUS) 8.43
HEAT 2: Tyler Wright (AUS) 14.33 DEF. Alyssa Spencer (USA) 7.50
HEAT 3: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) 14.17 DEF. India Robinson (AUS) 9.50
HEAT 4: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 13.43 DEF. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 5.50
HEAT 5: Caroline Marks (USA) 16.60 DEF. Sawyer Lindblad (USA) 15.84
HEAT 6: Lakey Peterson (USA) 12.24 DEF. Isabella Nichols (AUS) 9.76
HEAT 7: Luana Silva (BRA) 12.07 DEF. Caitlin Simmers (USA) 11.07
HEAT 8: Johanne Defay (FRA) 10.67 DEF. Sophie McCulloch (AUS) 7.50
MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal Women’s Elimination Round Results:
HEAT 1: Caitlin Simmers (USA) 11.90 DEF. Lakey Peterson (USA) 11.07, Francisca Veselko (POR) 7.07
HEAT 2: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) DEF. Luana Silva (BRA) , Brisa Hennessy (CRC)
MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal Men’s Elimination Round Results:
HEAT 1: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 14.80 DEF. Jake Marshall (USA) 11.46, Joaquim Chaves (POR) 10.33
HEAT 2: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 14.76 DEF. Matthew McGillivray (RSA) 12.97, Marco Mignot (FRA) 10.83
HEAT 3: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 13.00 DEF. Deivid Silva (BRA) 12.44, Ryan Callinan (AUS) 10.36
HEAT 4: Rio Waida (INA) 12.67 DEF. Liam O'Brien (AUS) 11.13, Ian Gentil (HAW) 9.2
MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal Women’s Opening Round Results:
HEAT 1: Alyssa Spencer (USA) 11.03 DEF. Isabella Nichols (AUS) 10.00, Caitlin Simmers (USA) 6.14
HEAT 2: Sophie McCulloch (AUS) 11.76 DEF. Molly Picklum (AUS) 10.34, Luana Silva (BRA) 6.44
HEAT 3: Caroline Marks (USA) 10.50 DEF. Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 8.83, Francisca Veselko (POR) 8.67
HEAT 4: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) 14.03 DEF. Sawyer Lindblad (USA) 13.80, Lakey Peterson (USA) 10.10
HEAT 5: Johanne Defay (FRA) 10.33 DEF. India Robinson (AUS) 8.43, Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 7.56
HEAT 6: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 11.00 DEF. Tyler Wright (AUS) 5.90, Brisa Hennessy (CRC) 5.67
Comments
give me the ABB any day of the week over that garbage. WSL need to take note and grab Stace & deadly for their commentary team ASAP.
Unscripted interviews also added to the fun.
Sorry Steve, your ideas about the first half of the season make too much sense. Sense is not a language the Wozzle understands.
Makes perfect Sense Steve.
Dont understand why they Split Portugal & France.
Thats like splitting Margs & Bells into 2 different halves of the year.
I'd like to visit, mostly for those little custard tarts. There is decent surf, from what i can gather, just not where the comp is. And yeah September-October mo betta. Haven't watched any comps there for a long time.
Spent 2 months staying in Peniche and Ericeira in Sept/ Oct in 95. Heaps of waves around the place, got pumping Supers and Coxos as well as some other fun spots. Usually found a spot out of the wind somewhere and always seemed to be swell.
Great night life on weekends and beautiful friendly women and cool locals back then.
Had a great time.
Not great stop for WSL tour however, but would love to get back there one day, guessing like anywhere its changed heaps.
Did notice Tyler was taking off behind the peak. Which is the best possible scenario for taking off out there.
Great to see the wozz get through some heats.
Geeze, some of the competitors take off half way down the wave.... if you are on the CT you should be there to win people..........
On a side note i watched a YouTube video with cal Robson. Geeze he's gonna hurt himself lifting all those weights.......crazy
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/i-ve-got-seven-screws-in-my-head-...
Fark she’s painful.
She is certainly dramatic and interesting. A quick
Google search show “maxillary palatal expander“ as fairly common form of braces to help expand the cleft to allow room for teeth. Usually done in kids under 16. Seven screws in the head make it sound way more dramatic than it is and the unconscious thing nah. Screws would be in the cleft and jaw.
Under oxygenated and semi suffocating all the time... pugs and french bulldogs get that same condition ... inbreeding?
Semi-suffocating is a bit of a stretch. Sounds like Tyler’s interpretation of what she heard the doctors say then put a bit of mayo on it. I genuinely think her struggle is real for her, would benefit from a good psychiatrist, psychologist and some perspective.
you're defs right about the second day not making me want to book it to portugal (the first day though, woof!).
i've been to peniche twice - once supertubos was almost flat and clean as a whistle, the other time it was 8-10 foot brown onshore slop death. both times though the other side was pumping, the food is nice, you're close to other cool shit and the town is cozy as (even in the pits of winter). despite what this surfing event is showing you, FR, it's definitely worth a visit
Watched ABB for two full days absolutely awesome action packed great commentary..watched one minute of this event last night..was like going from an action movie to the antiques, Roadshow
Bang on sean....Haa
ABB Burleigh was one of the greatest entertaining comps EVER, hands down.
As for the tourism, the appeal is consistent surf, cheap European country, women, food and a very obtainable visa for someone in my situation. So I've thought about it.
Australians are incredibly lucky to have good, if not consistent surf everywhere. Some of the best, clean beaches anywhere in the world that I've been and we have Indo and the South Pacific on the doorstep for getting our fix of groundswells (I'm missing them ATM!). So it's no suprise that Aussies aren't keen to go too far when we have it all here. Lucky country indeed, however you slice it.
Wonder if many kids are watching the Woz and going, I'm going to do that one day?
I'd be nervous being someone who's committed lots of money, sweat and tears to professional competition surfing and is about 18 right now..........just can't see it going anywhere decent.
About 9 months since ELO got booted and not an utterance of his replacement? What is that saying?
ELO seems to still be in the business, a quick hit of his Insta shows him recently mentoring a group of so called “Pipeline Entrepreneurs “ … must be teaching the next gen of CT surfers from Kansas City how to sit on the boil at pipe
I think Gabby needs a few more stickers on his board. I can still see some white.
Unlike poor Ian Gentil's board... 100% white, not a sticker on it
Look I've been here banging on and bagging Tylers post heat interviews with yous wankas since day dot. Pretty much the only thing we've collectively agreed on is how annoying they are. I stand behind my anonymous online somewhat constant cowardly criticism. However -7 screws be seven screws you little bitches.. In saying this a confirmatory scan would have been a nice touch from Tylers P.R crew and add a ere of irrefutability to the whole saga.
Well probably not a good time to reveal my own weakness but sometimes Leroy breathes in water while surfing and it leads to real or perceived difficulty in staying alive. It must sound like an asthma attack to anyone nearby (there never seems to be any body near by) and anyway it lasts for about 2-3 pretty awful kinda scary minutes. So far no sets have landed on me going through this ordeal and fingers crossed I don't need 7 screws in my head to alleviate this issue.. This condition ramped up after a land locked year of constant vaping, going about in a cloud of emotions and toxic vape smoke, just in a pity for myself really.
Feels like karma. Feels like little wee bit of karma maybe.......... If Leroy has to get seven screws in his head people will comment. They will say- ' that dudes got like seven loose screws in his head.- 'Nah actual real screws n shit'
Leroy is this the Sanest you’ve ever felt? Or the Sadest? LeroytheSadoMasochist has a nice ring to it
just shit.
i don’t dislike this event but agree they are probably not getting the timing right
i’m bleeding for rcal
gabe took it on and i liked it
The Australian Boardriders Battle was such better viewing over the weekend.
Lets be honest though about the ABB - not great wave/ and the entertainment really came from the format including the big run up the hill.
Dunno, think I've seen the worst day at Dbah a few times... and again. Get what you're saying tho..
Nice tour suggestions Steve, good stuff. Uluwatu so much variety and consistency of good surf for a Championship tour event, great infrastructure there too. And yeah, Margaret River certainly works much better with four person heats. It would be one of the tour’s best Challenger Series events, providing some serious juice for a proper challenge…
Thanks for your write up Steve.
Unlike Tyler, I was suffering a lack of oxygen to my brain when I saw her interview at around midnight. Thanks for clarification of what she was on about. Wish Tyler all the best also.