WSL/Kristin Scholtz
I’ve watched a lot of WSL broadcasts over the years, but last week I decided to actually attend one in person for the first time. Rising at the crack of dawn, I hit I-5 and headed north from Encinitas for San Clemente, resisting the urge to scrap my plans and just paddle out for the dawn patrol at home. I parked my car at San Onofre with the hope I could snag a few waves there after the contest (I did) and made the trek up the beach past the military base, Churches and Middles to the small village of tents that made up the contest area. That day I watched Round 2 of the Hurley Pro, and I would end up returning for Finals Day. Here are five things that stood out to me:
1. Seeing the surfers in person is awesome, both in and out of the water.
Photo: Shannon Reporting
When I arrived at the contest area I was immediately taken aback by the scale of the setup. I didn’t have expectations but there was a lot more going on than I was prepared for. A Hurley store sat on the left of the walking path, breakfast burritos for sale at another booth. Rob Machado popped out of the friends and family area and Jordy Smith sat perched above in the contestant zone.
Meanwhile, the guys were ripping in the water and seeing it from the beach was a testament to the level of surfing human beings are capable of. All the contest webcasts and videos I’ve watched over the years didn’t prepare me for the awe that comes with seeing Filipe Toledo take to the air with such ease, or watching Jordy go vertical and thrash an open face. Seeing Kelly jog by on the way to his heat, spying John John drifting around, I felt just a tad star-struck.
Speak of the devil…
2. Kelly is still the king.
WSL/Sean Rowland
Aside from the local boys, nobody generated as much buzz from the crowd as Kelly Slater. The guy is 44 and still winning contests, but his overall popularity might be even more impressive. I witnessed a grom that couldn’t have been more than eight-years-old pulling on his wetsuit and checking with his dad when Kelly’s heat would be so he’d be back in time to watch. The guy transcends generations. Every turn or fall of his elicited an animated response from the crowd at Lowers. The fact that he is ranked fifth in the world is pretty incredible, considering his slow start to the season and his absence in Rio. He never ceases to amaze.
3. Tanner Gudauskas’ run was a great story.
WSL/Sean Rowland
The local boy making it to the semifinals was really cool and the support for him during his semifinal heat against Parko was contagious. The whole beach was going nuts on every turn, and he came really close to making the final. But my favorite moment from Tanner came after he was eliminated. He and his brothers simply sat among the fans on their hometown beach to watch the final.
“That was fun,” was the first thing out of Tanner’s mouth.
4. A healthy Jordy is a dangerous Jordy.
WSL/Kristin Scholtz
John and Gabriel take notice: Jordy Smith is officially back. It wasn’t that long ago that we were talking about Jordy as a legitimate World Title contender. After some injuries it looks as if that time has come once again. The South African was in form for the entirety of the Hurley Pro and beating Filipe Toledo (who looked unbeatable) in the semifinals was a hell of a statement. He’s now fourth on the Jeep Leaderboard and some big results on the Euro leg could settle him firmly into the mix heading into Pipe. He has the all-around repertoire and the wow factor to really have a shot.
5. I’ll be back next year.
WSL/Sean Rowland
I knew I would enjoy myself but something about being in the thick of the surfing community resonated with me more than I expected. The surfing, the cheers, the sun, the sand; they were all a pieces of the puzzle for one big stokefest. I can’t wait for next year.
