South African World Champ? * Headline can be uttered in an Austin Powers voice. “Who throws a shoe, honestly?!”
Straight off the bat, Trident will graciously, accept and heartily congratulate affable Brazilian Yago Dora on his maiden World Title. Also Miss Molly Picklum, bringing back some Aussie pride for her Women’s World Title. However, as we had precisely zero female South Africans on the Women’s Tour, (wags finger in admonishment), let’s get back to the Men’s side.
Dora. Well done. As a member nation of BRICS, nice. The screw foot had an impressive year on tour, impressive throughout but gained momentum mid to late season. Thankfully, the mid-year cut and this final five foolishness ends next year. But imagine winding up as Number 1 in the gold jersey then having some upstart (Colapinto, Smith, whomever) snatch it away at the last moment would seem a little unfair. Yago did the work all year after all. So Molly Picklum and Yago wore the gold jersey in the finale, and both maintained their Number 1 ranking for their respective Women’s and Men’s World Title. As Molly may say, “fair dinkum”.
Eye of the Tiger.
After that preamble, let’s dive deeper into what it may take for a Saffa to take a World Title.
Trident must just interject with a stat of the last decade plus of the WSL Men’s Winners. Since 2014, with Gabe Medina taking his first Title, followed by a now somewhat forgettable Adriano da Sousa, Brazilians have almost won every World Title since. That’s more than a decade. There was only one man standing in a Brazilian clean sweep. One Mr John John Florence.
Trident mentions this only to remind our fellow surf fans in the US, Australia and beyond that Brazil has all but dominated the sport lately. In case you were stranded in Antarctica for the last ten years or something and weren’t aware of that fact. Dora may have beaten Jordy (without even facing him in a heat thanks to Colapinto klapping Jordy in the penultimate heat of the day). Still, Trident feels Yago is, as we say here in SA – a good oke. Yet Brazilian fans seem to have forgotten all their World Titles. Heaven help any surfer of any nation beating a Brazilian in a heat. They’ll either cry in the streets or issue death threats. Bugger their so-called passion and energy. Brazilian fans insist on whining like faulty drones covered in mosquitoes that all surfing judges are biased against them.
Which brings us to the point about judging full stop.
Yes, surfing is a subjective game. Personally, Trident couldn’t give a hoot about some twirly little air reverse a junior ballerina may aspire to. But. BUT. Yago Dora’s backside full rotation in J Bay was insane – and a statement the man was superhuman. And this was the same compo, on his home turf, that Jordy’s campaign went a little sour.
We’ve all watched the big bru compete for years. And it gives Trident both comfort and extreme frustration to mention that Jordy in a heat is like us: always looking for the best possible waves instead of sniping for decent, scoring insiders. It happened in a Trestles final against Toledo. It happened in his unceremonious exit from J Bay against talented French iconoclast Mignot. “Ah, Monsieur Smith, eat my garlic scented wave spray, oui!”
Another slow heat, at least waves-wise in Tahiti against local wildcard (and Olympic Gold winner) Kauli Vaast resulted in an early exit from Chopes. Sure, Vaast was clearly a Teahupo’o fiend and knew the wave better than the schedule of his bowel movements, but Jordy looked a bit disinterested. Not scared at all, but just like a man distracted. Like he was thinking about when raking the garden later or whether or not he had left the oven on.
South African World Champ? Jordy rules. End of.
We’re not dissing the ou. Not at all. In fact, we’re simply frustrated with him. ‘Coz Jordy should’ve had at least one World Title behind him already. Possibly more like 3. Jordy focussed is a thing of beauty. His surfing is to be admired, respected and above all – feared. Sure, Cloudbreak favoured goofy footers, and Jordy’s only heat produced a solid scoring wave. However, with no backing score to back it, Griff finished him off and went on to the final heat. Of course, only to have Dora out score him all the way. Right at the bitter end Colapinto had a vague chance to take the heat and Title with a lovely barrel. Which shut down on him. Anyway, back to Jordy.
Unlike most of us at our day jobs (unless we’re a brain surgeon, airline pilot or nuclear power station engineer), the odd lapse in concentration might be overlooked, forgiven or even unnoticed. However, that momentary lapse in concentration in sport could cost the game. Or match. Or heat. And a World Title.
More to come in Part Two.
