“My wave was shorter and his was longer. So much so that while I was back outside, he was still riding his wave.” – Gabe Medina takes to social media to demand a re-surf, Neymar Jnr reposts it and shit hits the fan.
“No re-surf. Caio was in the lineup first, further down the beach, and was rightly awarded priority.” – The WSL’s response was delayed, but emphatic. Gabe is still yet to reply.
"The fact that people are giving Caio a hard time shows they don't know what they're talking about" – Kelly Slater on the response, that included death threats, to Caio Ibelli.
“It’s a shame that you got people from where you’re from shaming on you. Where I’m from we support our people no matter the cause. Everyone’s chasing a dream and we don’t forget that at the end of the day they represent our hometown, our country. Both parties should be respected. Don’t hate on the athlete, hate on the game/the system.” – Ibelli’s missus Alessa Quizon weighs in.
“But I don’t care about any of that, because Toledo, Jordy, Italo and Kolohe got through, the title will go to Pipe, and the B-grade yawn-fest that has been the 2019 world title race might just turn into an epic blood-soaked shoot-em-up after all.” – Seabird Brooks, on the money again. Thanks to Medina’s brain fart, the race is going to Pipe.
I think it was that l accepted that this guy was taking over and there was not much we could do about it. I beat him a few times in the beginning, then he had not just mine but everyone’s number. Time to retire boys.” – Martin Potter, flashbacks to a Bells handshake with Kelly post Bells Finals loss in 1992.
“One of our great rivers, the mighty and beautiful Clarence, is currently under serious threat. I have a special place in my heart for this corner of our watery planet and I know that many other surfers, river folk and beach people out there feel the same.” – Filmer Nathan Oldfield who has teamed up with Rasta and Dan Ross to try and stop a copper mine in the Clarence River catchment. You can sign the petition here
“The big hog is a 10’4” made for me by my shaper Chris Christenson. Chris worked with a naval hydrodynamic and aerodynamic engineer to come up with the design. They ran about 75 different computer simulations of what this nose layout with its huge beak would do in big waves.” – Jaws legend Ian Walsh talks to Tracks about a gun made from carbon that could change big wave surfing forever.
“Oh My God are you kidding? I just won. In France!” – On his 15th attempt Jeremy Flores tries to wrap his head around his win at the Quik Pro France.
“He’s notoriously competitive, which he mostly keeps under control in conversation—he likes a laugh, and can even be self-deprecating—but if you happen to disagree about something, however minor, and you want to argue the point, I got the feeling that he would dig in and argue all night. The guy does not like to lose at anything.” – William Finnegan, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Barbarian Days, riffs on Kelly Slater from the latest issue of Tracks.
“The speed combined with flow on the thing is crazy! Taking a super fast, chattering high line into a speedy carve boosted by the twin fins, leaning on that long rail to get the most out of it, is nothing but pleasant!” – Christian ‘Wispy’ Barker waxes lyrical on his mid-length twin-fins.
“We realise, Rip Curl, our baby has grown into an adult recognised all over the planet and we are proud that we have created one of the world’s great brands.” – Claw Warbrick and Doug Singer on their sale of Rip Curl to Kathmandu. Turns out that “baby” is worth a cool $350 million dollars.
