But we are an accommodating bunch, aren’t we?
Last week was one of the busiest weeks in Gisborne surf-wise for a long time.
With the National Scholastic Surfing Championships at Makorori Beach following straight after the Primary School Championships, it was grom-central all over the coast.
All of Gisborne’s young surfers put on an awesome display, especially the scholastics team, which finished a super-close second place — up from fifth place last year.
Bay of Plenty claimed the tightest ever title race at the Scholastics, defeating Gisborne by 75 points.
As Gisborne Boardriders Club’s surfing development manager Kelly Ryan told me after the competition, “Second place gives us something to work towards”.
They had a young team, all of whom would still be eligible to compete next year.
With both competitions locked in for Gisborne next year, our surfers have every chance to go all the way.
The next Gisborne competition could potentially be the Mike Lewin Shapes Surf Competition, on hold indefinitely since July waiting for a weekend with the best waves possible.
However, with the criterion being at least a “7/10 day at Wainui” it has been hard to line up a worthy session with a weekend. Who knows, maybe this weekend will be the one.
On the other side of the planet, the men’s World Surf League Championship Tour (CT) is heating up.
After Brazil’s Gabriel Medina took out the French stop at Hossegor, and Jordy Smith (South Africa), who was leading the tour going into the event, was knocked out in Round 3, the title race has been split wide open.
There are eight world title contenders: John John Florence (Hawaii), Smith, Medina, Owen Wright (Australia), Matt Wilkinson (Australia), Julian Wilson (Australia), Adriano de Souza (Brazil) and Filipe Toledo (Brazil).
With only two stops to go, at Supertubos in Peniche, Portugal, starting this weekend, and the Pipe Masters on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, in December, myriad results could give the title to any of those surfers.
Defending champion Florence (Hawaii) is in pole position and can claim the title if he wins in Portugal, provided Smith finishes lower than fifth.
To put it simply, though, if you are a Florence fan you want him to win in Portugal.
If you are a fan of any other contender, or just want it to all to play out on the North Shore, you will be hoping Florence does not make the final.
A solid pulse of swell is supposed to kick in for the opening day in Peniche with the action to get under way in the evening (NZ time).
It should stay in the overhead to double overhead range for a few days with some absolutely pumping pits a certainty, which should make for some excellent viewing.
The women’s CT has also been thrown wide open after Hawaii’s Carissa Moore took out the French event.
The final stop is at Honolua Bay in late November, with several surfers in the running for the world title.
Gisborne’s best hope at making next year’s CT is in Ricardo Christie, who will need an epic end of the year if he is to rejoin the dream tour.
Christie sits in 20th place on the QS with 10,950 points but will need to finish the year in the top 10 (with at least 20,000 points) at the year’s end.
He can qualify from outside the top 10, but only if surfers above him also qualify by way of the CT.
The next big competition on the QS is the Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa, Oahu, Hawaii, starting on November 12.
See you out the back.
