Surfing 'Colosseum' to decide world title

IT is almost as if it was scripted.

Coming into the European leg of the men’s World Surf League Championship Tour it looked like South Africa’s Jordy Smith or Hawaiian wunderkind John John Florence had the world title in the bag.

After Smith buckled in France the surfing world was certain 25-year-old Florence, who relishes such heaving beach breaks as Supertubos, would have it all wrapped up in Portugal.

Then out of nowhere came Gabriel Medina, shooting up from eighth to a close second to Florence, and within striking distance of a second world title, after winning the French and Portuguese competitions.

Now we have a real competition on our hands at the Pipe Masters at Pipeline, on the world-renowned North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, the most fitting venue for the CT finale.

Described as the “Colosseum” of surfing by three-times world champion Mick Fanning (Australia), the Pipe Masters is where dreams are made and shattered.

It is where world titles are won and lost, and where surfers re-qualify for the CT, or are shelved back to the dreaded Qualifying Series.

As one of the heaviest waves in the world, it also makes for some great viewing.

There are four world title contenders heading into the Pipe Masters, which begins on December 8.

Florence and Medina are the main contenders while Smith and Australia’s Julian Wilson are long shots.

Here are some possible scenarios (as provided by WSL) —

If Florence finishes in first or second place at Pipe, he will clinch the 2017 world title.If Florence finishes third or fifth, Medina will need a first to clinch the title.If Florence finishes ninth, Medina needs a second and Jordy Smith needs a first to clinch the title.If Florence finishes 13th or 25th, Medina needs a fifth, Smith a second and Wilson a first, to claim the title.There is really only one thing we can all agree on — we want the surf to be huge.

Meanwhile, Gisborne/Mahia surfer Ricardo Christie’s CT 2018 dreams also come down to Hawaii.

This weekend the 3000-point-rated HIC Pro is set to get under way at Sunset Beach.

Having grown up on a diet of solid Mahia walls, historically Christie has done well in the big, solid, right-hand reef breaks on the QS.

His win at the Martinique Pro in April was in such conditions, and his ninth-place finish at the Vans World Cup at Sunset Beach in 2014 propelled him into the 2015 CT.

The next big competition on the QS is the 10,000-point-rated Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa starting on November 12, before the QS event of the year, the Vans World Cup at Sunset Beach, begins on November 25, also offering a maximum 10,000 points to the winner.

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).

Only a surfer’s top five results count so Christie will need three more big results to secure a place in the 2018 CT. He can qualify from outside the top 10 but only if surfers above him also qualify by way of the CT.

Bringing it back to Gisborne, what a Labour Weekend for waves, eh?

Sure, it was nowhere near as perfect as we all psyched ourselves up for it to be, but some of those bombs coming through on Sunday afternoon at Wainui Beach showed exactly why that beach is so famous.

It was pretty shifty but there were the odd nuggets coming through, and plenty of standout performances (and bails) going down.

This weekend, on the other hand, is looking awful . . . small, onshore, rainy — yuck!

That said, there will definitely be a few waves around, with the best bet tomorrow morning, and who knows, maybe we’ll get something unscripted.

Those entering the Gisborne Boardriders Club shortboard competition at eight tomorrow morning will surely be hoping so. Entries can be made on the GBC website, and close today at 5pm.

See you out the back.