Well, the 2015 season has been anything but normal, and the first few days at the Hurley Pro were nothing different.
The WCT surfers were gifted with perfect overhead sets breaking over the famous cobblestone bottom of Lower Trestles – cleaner and bigger than usual for this gem of a wave. The unique conditions created a perfect canvas for the world’s best to paint their masterpieces, and they sure did.
After surfing the Labor Day weekend sets with record-breaking crowds, the ‘CT surfers were all just thankful to share Lowers with only two other people out in the lineup.
Kelly Slater kicked off the first day with fireworks, dropping an 8.00 on the first wave of the contest.
The best part of the morning heat though, had to be the WSL commentators frantically speculating on Slater’s board. This has become somewhat of a theme when the 11-time World Champ surfs a contest. Since parting with his longtime sponsors, Slater has been spotted riding basically anything and everything from normal PU to new EPS models with weird shapes and sizes.
But the logoless, stickerless board Slater rode on the first was and still remains a big secret. Even in his post-heat interview, he wouldn’t provide any other info.
“It’s a 5’10” epoxy and it feels great,” Slater said.
While the booth focused on Slater’s board choice, the overwhelming favorite to win this event, Filipe Toledo, tried a new board for himself.
Off to a shaky start, Toledo completely whiffed it on his first turn while Adrian “Ace” Buchan laid down some heavy backhand carves to grab the lead early.
“This is a brand new board. It’s a three man heat, no one loses, so it’s an opportunity to get out there and test some new equipment in these conditions,” Todd Kline said after speaking with Marcio Zouvi of Sharpeye surfboards about Toledo’s strategy.
While Toledo tested his equipment, Ace stayed consistent and grabbed a confident win over the fast-paced Brazilian and Brett Simpson, sending both to Round 2.
In Heat 4, Hawaiian Rookie Keanu Asing started out swinging. With 20 minutes still on the clock, Asing had already found two solid scores putting himself in the lead.
Everything was going Asing’s way, but with 30 seconds left on the clock World No. 3 Owen Wright, using priority, dropped in on a juicy right-hander and just went to town. Wright probably throws more water out the back than anybody on tour, and that’s exactly what he did to earn an 8.67 and the win over a very confident Asing.
Then came World No. 1 and 2. Mick Fanning was first to flex his muscles and let’s just say after this performance, Chuck Norris will be calling for surf lessons. The guy was on fire; so fast and smooth, he could do no wrong. The wildcard and U.S. Open winner, Hiroto Ohhara, held his own against “White Lightning” but Fanning was in a league of his own, and he is definitely the one to beat.
Adriano de Souza finally won a Round 1 heat, looking very comfortable against Adam Melling and local trials winner, Ian Crane.
The same can be said for the hometown hero, Kolohe Andino, who grabbed a victory after swapping the lead with Josh Kerr and Matt Wilkinson in their Heat 8 match up.
But then, the unexpected happened.
Heat 10 hit the water just like any other. Gabriel Medina, Fred Pattachia Jr. and Bede Durbidge all paddled out frothing over the waves they were about to get. Things started off quickly with Medina posting a 9.00 and Freddy P backing it up right after with an 8.90. Both destroying the right on their backhand attack.
Then the webcast jumped to an interview Ross Williams had with Freddy P the day before. It touched on his career and lack of motivation at his current stage in life. There was definitely a strange feeling coming from the heat after that. It was this amped up feeling of celebration and just love for surfing.
As Strider Wasilewski was just ecstatic, commentating from the water, Medina and Durbidge battled for second priority as they paddled toward Freddy P who was sitting on the peak by himself.
With no one in his way and a good sized set approaching, Freddy P positioned himself and went for it.
He dropped so deep that the lip crashed on his back as he comfortably glided to the bottom. Setting rail he caught up with the wave and found the pocket to blast his first turn. Right back down into a bottom turn, he went rail to rail and his second turn was out of this world, throwing buckets of water into space. He took that wave all the way to the inside, throwing three more man turns and finishing off with a committed close-out lip smacker. The only thing you heard from the commentating booth for the rest of the heat was “I have chicken skin right now,” and after the 10 dropped from the judges, I joined them.
A perfect ten put him in the lead over Medina.
There was a little over four minutes left on the clock and Freddy P had something up his sleeve. Medina went to stand up on a wave and Freddy P dropped in right on him. Both went straight and they high fived and shared some kind words I can only assume.
As Medina paddled back out, Freddy P was greeting his family on the rocks. With a lei and the Hawaiian flag draped around his neck, my first thought was “This guy is parading around like he won the whole event already!”
And he had. The Hawaiian surfing vet decided then and there what he had been contemplating for the last six months. Freddy P announced his retirement from the World Championship Tour.
It was the complete opposite fashion to Hobgood’s retirement plan. Freddy P told no one; there was a lot of foreshadowing, but no one knew he was going to go out like this. With a perfect ten, the highest heat total of the day and even the Round 1 heat win, Freddy P hung it all up right then and there.
“For me and the ‘CT, This is it. I just need to step back and slow down,” Freddy P told Todd Kline. “I don’t want to say I’m giving up on my dream because I’ve lived my dream.” Freddy P continued, “I just hope everyone can understand.”
It’s a bittersweet end, but it couldn’t have happened any better. Congrats on an amazing 11-year career, Freddy.
