Filipe Toledo is not shy about his feelings when he’s unhappy with WSL judges. The two-time world champ wasn’t happy with them Thursday when he got out of the water following his Opening Round heat at the Surf City El Salvador Pro, posting one eight-point ride and stacking a lucky number 7.77 on top of that to advance straight to the Round of 32.
“With all my three waves I thought I was over eight points,” Toledo said after his heat. “Especially on my last wave. The variety, the speed, the air in the middle, the blow tail at the end. So yeah, I don’t know what else do I have to do to get bigger scores. I wish they (judges) can go out there and do the same thing.”
Ouch.
We’re never far away from a surfer on tour having something to say about the judges. If it’s not Toledo today, it’ll be somebody else tomorrow or at the next competition. But it’s fair to think Toledo’s frustration is also boiling over and building up as the year progresses. In February, Toledo collided with a WSL photographer mid-wave during the Surf Abu Dhabi Pro. The collision undoubtedly left some scoring potential on the board in a critical heat against Kanoa Igarashi.
“Following an unfortunate collision at the end of Filipe Toledo’s last wave and after consulting with the judging panel regarding the final score on the right, the commissioners office has made the decision to stand by the result,” explained the WSL. “Per the head judge’s ruling – Filipe’s final turn would have added between 0.2-0.5 max if completed and that would not have changed the final result of the heat. As a result, there will be no re-surf of the wave.”
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To his credit, Toledo took the incident in stride and instead focused on the reality that nobody was hurt. He publicly acknowledged that Igarashi “deserved the win.”
In 2023, Toledo took sides with Italo Ferreira and Gabriel Medina in calling out WSL judges for a perceived bias — something then-WSL CEO Erik Logan didn’t take a liking to and responded in kind by scolding the athletes like they were children.
A version of Toledo’s message in 2023 translated from Portuguese to English said, “I am a surfer, original and rooted, who grew up among real surfers, and fairness has always been one of the main points in my experience. That is why I feel tired,” he wrote. For the love of the sport, I continue strong and steady. And now, I feel happy to see the posts of Gabriel Medina, Ítalo Ferreira, and many others, who can still adhere to the idea that what we seek will always be the evolution of the sport, with justice and transparency.”
He added, “We want nothing but what is fair. Nothing but what is rightfully ours. We need our voice to be heard and respected, because, after all, we are the protagonists of all this,” and, “Finally, I hope that everyone, family, friends, fans and sponsors, understand my position on this situation and are supporting me in the best way possible!”
Thursday’s result and a controversial contest two years ago may be mutually exclusive, but athletes being frustrated with scores and the people who decide them are probably never going away.
Drama sells.
