For this year’s J-Bay event, we’re trying a new format of delivery. The hope is to make your contest preparations a little more streamlined by putting everything in one place. Sure, it means that the full preview will be have to be completed in stages as the information becomes available, but it also means that … Read more
Kelly Slater – IN We’ve said it since J-Bay; Pipe is where we’ll likely see him return. Some called for an 11th-hour entry at Portugal, but they were wrong. Pipe is the biggest stage in surfing, and Kelly loves a spectacle. Will the come-back event prove a successful one? That’s between him and the fates, … Read more
We have a great final ‘notes from the line-up’ interview this year, with Meo Pro finalist, Santa Barbara native, rail surfing connoisseur, 2016 ROTY hopeful and Jordy Smith’s new best friend, Conner Coffin. Conner has taken time out of his Hawaiian winter to talk tour life and fantasy surfing over the past few weeks. Some … Read more
Here is the draw & updated wildcard/injury replacement info for the Billabong Pipe Masters 2016 (8th – 20th December) INJURIES Owen Wright and Mick Fanning will again be OUT. Bede Durbidge – IN Bede will make his first WCT appearance in 2016 at Pipe. He competed in both Haliewa and Sunset, and while he only made one heat, he seems … Read more
Maybe it’s a recalibration now that Pipe means nothing for the 2016 title chase. Maybe I’ve been sadistically revelling in the cruel twists and turns of the qualification dance, with failure threatening tour surfers like the shears of Atropos. Maybe it’s just been the appeal of quality of surfing in good waves. Whatever the cause, … Read more
This data uses the 2014/2015/2016 results and gives a slight weighting to 2016 form within the projections. Many of the less experienced surfers (less reliable data) have skewed projections due to their averages being heavily influenced by this season’s results and having no previous experience at this event. Italo, Wiggolly and Asing have only one … Read more
The Winnner Destiny: has there been a more over-used word in professional surfing these past 72 hours? Maybe it’s just my jaded world-view, but destiny is a bullshit concept that serves to undermine the true elements that lead to success (like focus, hard work, talent and maybe a bit of good fortune). Destiny Attained was … Read more
The post-France-pre-Portugal window is always pretty tight and the deadline is looming, so we’ll cut the fluff and jump straight in (although the WSL has decided to write up a nice little pre-amble, if you’re into that sort of thing): Conditions France and Portugal offer pretty similar conditions parameters, so the modelling will be fairly … Read more
Hi there folks out there in Stats Land. We’re super stoked to be able to share with you today the insights of an elite level surf athlete who has spent a lot of time surfing with – and against – the best surfers in the world. He’s a Euro local and a barrel hunting machine. … Read more
*Please note that wildcard Frederico Morais’ data is based purely on his scores from the 2015 Portugal contest (in which he was a quarterfinalist) and his AHS for the 2016 QS season. His projections are not entirely reliable for this reason. This data takes the 2014/2015/2016 results into consideration and give a slight weighting to … Read more