ASP Admits Calculation Error Prematurely Crowned 2011 ASP World Champion
Will the Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco still crown the 2011 ASP World Champion?
OCEAN BEACH, San Francisco/California (Friday, November 4, 2011) – The ASP has admitted that, due to a calculation error within its rankings’ system, the 2011 ASP World Title has yet to be officially decided and that Kelly Slater (USA), 39, was prematurely awarded his 11th ASP World Title on Wednesday.
“Our rankings’ system is designed to split tie-breaks based off of seed points,” Renato Hickel, ASP World Tour Manager, said. “Kelly (Slater) and Owen (Wright) tied at best nine of 11 results, so we went to best eight of 11 results and the system gave it to Kelly based off his higher seed position. We were operating under that assumption and created the ASP World Title scenarios based off of that. This was a mistake. In the end, we’re responsible for this and should be held accountable. We apologize to our fans, the surfers and to Owen and Kelly.”
Moving forward, Slater must win one more heat, either at the Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco or at the following event at Pipeline in Hawaii to confirm his 2011 ASP World Title. For Wright to remain in the hunt, he must win both the Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco and the following event at Pipeline in Hawaii.
REVISED 2011 ASP WORLD TITLE SCENARIOS:
- If Kelly wins either Round 4 or 5 (one more heat win) in San Francisco, he will confirm his 2011 ASP World Title.
- If Kelly fails to win another heat in San Francisco, Owen must win this event to send the 2011 ASP World Title race to Hawaii.
- If the race goes to Hawaii, Kelly must advance out of one heat to confirm his 2011 ASP World Title. If Kelly fails to advance through a heat at Pipeline, Owen must also win this event to stay in the 2011 ASP World Title Race.
- If Kelly fails to advance out of another heat this season, and Owen wins in San Francisco and Pipeline, the two will tie at best of nine, eight, seven, etc. events, and the 2011 ASP World Title will be decided in a “Surf Off”.
Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7:30am to assess conditions for a possible 8am start.
The Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco, Stop No. 10 of 11 on the 2011 ASP World Title Series, will be broadcast live on Fuel TV, Livestream.com and live.ripcurl.com
Surfline, official forecasters for the Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco, are calling New NW swell will build through the day on Friday and be strongest in the afternoon, with solidly overhead surf. Those waves fade throughout Saturday, although the morning will still be fairly solid. Our next swell will move in over Sunday afternoon and will be strongest Monday and will be a little smaller than the Friday afternoon swell. Variable onshore wind will prevail over the next few days, although there will be periods of light wind and relatively clean conditions.
For additional information log on to www.aspworldtour.com
Comments
Category: All ASP News, ASP World Tour News
“Unique” Pipe Format, Isn´t that another mistake??? why do you worship so much the hawaiians? You call them a country, and in the title/carrer decider you ASP bow to them and change the format permitting more hawaiians to enter the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. It would be more honest instead of more locals, if someone with triple crown chances had a spot at the pipemaster, remember julian wilson last year???
It doesnt happens anywhere in the world with anything wishing to be called a sport.
regards
william
Congratulations Champ, and all WCT competitors for showing such grace under pressure. Rip Curl, worst webcast ever.
It wasn’t a calculation error. They got the math right. A tie in points could happen. But the ASP rule book is clear for the World Tittle.
Rule 6.05
“In the event of a tie for the World Title at the end of the Surfing Season, the tied Surfers will have a “surf-off” during the final Event which will have the format determined by the Tour Manager.”
But what ASP did was use the Rankings rule to decide the Tittle. If there is a tie the rankings then Rule 6.06 applies. But the if there is a tie for the title Rule 6.05 applies.
Rule 6.06
“Subject to Article 6.05, for all ties at World Tour, Prime, Star, WLC, LQS and World Junior Events, if there are any ties on year-end rankings they will be distinguished in the same manner that ties in heat tabulation are distinguished (i.e. instead of determining the break by the best 9 Events, use the best 8 and then the best 7 etc). If Surfers have equal places and therefore an unbreakable tie, the final rankings will show them as equal but for seeding purposes the prior year rankings will decide the tiebreak.”
Should these rules not be modified to punish said surfer more harshly for rather choosing macking fiji over a sanctioned contest, or where valid reasons are not produced to the parent body for absenteeism. Were it so, Slater would drop a 13th and 5th, the now-show deemed inconsequential and only his best 8 counted, not 9 which Owen Wright would justifiably count. This adjustment would render the title race more open and 50/50 than it currently is – lets be honest here, betting odds for OW taking title must be through the roof. Fining is merely a slap on KS’s wrist.
Yep, they still have it wrong. Assuming OW wins the last two events, Kelly needs a 5th in SF or a 9th at Pipe; that would be TWO (2) heats in HI ASP. Everybody makes mistakes, and I don’t have any problems with the ASP, I’m just a fan. Who I really feel sorry is the Champ, how embarrassing; the hat throw, the long long carry up the beach, the countless thank-you’s, the AI connection, the speech, etc. …… Jeez
In my opinion, the way to solve this is to bring Renaldo in the commentary booth with the champ, Renaldo says “yep, we royally goofed and by we I mean me (he is in charge, no) they have a laugh and a hug it out, and get back to surfing.
Because of the unique Pipe format, Kelly begins with a minimum 13th place in the seeded round.
Way to go Rip Curl, nice Title ceremony. Hand the champion a broken mike and throw him on stage all alone.