Kieren Perrow will no longer don the jersey. Meet the full-time ASP Commissioner. Photo: ASP/Cestari
2013 is done and dusted and, with 2014 on the horizon, the ASP is looking to implement some change. Now full-time ASP Commissioner, Kieren Perrow is making a change looking forward.
In 2014, WCT and WQS rankings will be completely separate. This means whatever points a surfer earns in a WCT event–the fast-approaching Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast, for example–count exclusively for their WCT point total. The same goes for their campaign on the WQS–Prime and Star points won’t count towards anything other than a surfer’s World Qualifying Series rankings. This is part of the new ASP that will take effect at the beginning of 2014–a mere month and a half away when the Quiksilver Pro kicks off (March 1-10).
The change stems from what Perrow says the ASP has had in mind all along. “The tweaks and alterations that have been made to the technical aspects of the sport over the past several years have been done so with one guiding principle – create a fair and balanced platform for the world’s best surfing to be rewarded,” said the Commissioner in a recent ASP press release.
Looking forward, Perrow’s change will affect the process of qualifying for the 2015 ASP WCT, the year after these changes take effect, but the ASP Top 34 structure will remain the same.
In 2015, the ASP Top 34 will be comprised of:
– Top 22 finishers on the 2014 ASP WCT rankings (best 9 of 11 WCT results)
– Top 10 finishers on the 2014 ASP QS rankings (best 5 of all WQS results)
– Two ASP Wildcards
New to the 2014 season is Deputy Commissioner Peter Mel who will serve alongside Deputy Commissioner Jessi Miley-Dyer.
With professional surfing changing up locations on the men’s tour (the addition of Keramas and Fiji), adding an event to the women’s tour (Trestles) and implementing the latest change, are we one step away from seeing a change in judging–a point of contention with many from the 2013 season?
Read more about the ASP and the World Tour on www.aspworldtour.com.
