ASP Top 34 Determined for 2012
Kolohe Andino (USA), 17, will join the elite ASP Top 34 in 2012.
BANZAI PIPELINE, Hawaii/USA (Monday, December 12, 2011) – With the completion of the 2011 ASP World Tour, the ASP Top 34 have been determined for 2012. This elite group of surfers will contest for the 2012 ASP World Title, starting on the Gold Coast of Australia in February.
2012 ASP TOP 34:
1. Kelly Slater (USA)
2. Joel Parkinson (AUS)
3. Taj Burrow (AUS)
4. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
5. Owen Wright (AUS)
6. Adriano de Souza (BRA)
7. Julian Wilson (AUS)
8. Jordy Smith (ZAF)
9. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
10. Michel Bourez (PYF)
11. Josh Kerr (AUS)
12. Damien Hobgood (USA)
13. John John Florence (HAW)
14. Mick Fanning (AUS)
15. Jeremy Flores (FRA)
16. Heitor Alves (BRA)
17. Miguel Pupo (BRA)
18. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
19. Kieren Perrow (AUS)
20. Bede Durbidge (AUS)
21. Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
22. Brett Simpson (USA)
23. Adam Melling (AUS)
24. Kolohe Andino (USA)
25. C.J. Hobgood (USA)
26. Tiago Pires (PRT)
27. Jadson Andre (BRA)
28. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
29. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
30. Dusty Payne (HAW)
31. Travis Logie (ZAF)
32. Taylor Knox (USA)
33. Kai Otton (AUS) *surfer wildcard (next on the ASP World Rankings)
34. Yadin Nicol (AUS) *surfer wildcard (injury)
1st Alternate: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
2nd Alternate: Willian Cardoso (BRA)
3rd Alternate: Chris Davidson (AUS)
4th Alternate: Thiago Camarao (BRA)
The newly-minted ASP Top 34 will compete at the opening event of the season, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast from February 25 to March 7, 2012.
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
Comments
Category: All ASP News, ASP World Tour News
@bernardo and ASP,um bernardo i dont know if they r open to suggestions or maybe there just slow.There are so many stupid scores being pulled out every heat,just let the guys surf and come out with the official scores after the heat is over,give the guys in the water an idea of who is leading etc with maybe a lighting system or low to high rides but not with pulling out stupid official scores each heat,annalise the best waves with the recorded footage and show everyone how you scored and who won, make it a spectacle,thats my suggestion.And if you ask me bla bla i would have as many of the best surfers there in all events but its the boring system and judging system that devides so many surfers and viewers with the tour.I think its great that the locals at Pipe could compete with the tour guys but the tour should be more flexible and more imaginative with how events,qualifiying and the scoring is done,maybe im just dreaming.The surfing is always awesome but the whole system is unimaginative.thanks
ASP or anyone:
Why did Kolohe receive WT points @ pipe for his wild card spot? Pretty sure i heard Pottz earlier in the year commenting on how wildcards do NOT receive any points (just cash & the experience)
This is true. Event wildcards do not receive rankings points as we want to prohibit event licensees from potentially “buying” one of their surfers a spot onto the tour with opportunities as wildcards. However, at the Billabong Pipe Masters, the ASP was given two wildcards which we then gave to next in line on the ASP World Rankings. The ASP Top 34 agreed that these two surfers (Kolohe and Willian) should be awarded rankings points for their efforts. Hope that helps.
@ bernardo,Alex L and ASP,just because the hawaiian locals did not win Pipe doesnt mean anything they beat the top rated surfers to get to the quarters and they out surferd most of the top ranked guys,as the surf was pumping.Medina has big future he actually has alot of power and uses his rail well,kolohe qualified for the tour but his performance at pipe was not high standard,yes good that they qualified and if they can prove themselves in DREAM waves on the Dream Tour then great.My point is that there r so many great surfers out there who could easily be winning events but its the boring qualification system and the old dumb boring judging system that does not show case what surfing has to offer,the tour and the judging system is old and boring,bring it into the future faster so all the best surfers can show there stuff in the best conditions with a futuristic imaginative system,without grerat surfers being let down by a boring system and a silly judging system.
good point, but surf good in movies and free surfing is one thing, competing in high level is a diffrent ball park. I guess that ASP is always open for suggestions to improve their sistem (they should…).
The ASP has a new crew of humble kids with a bright future! Medina is Kickin A%$ and taking numbers!But, so are Kolohe and John John. GUYS, WELCOME TO THE FUTURE…we have to accept that we’ll be seeing these names for many years to come…all the doubts will wither away, as they did when Kelly proved every critic wrong after his first world title.
The beauty of it is: Think of what’s to come in terms of competition if these young guys can keep the power and flash the new stuff! AWSOME.
Kolohe is ranked 24 and medina is ranked 4 and they didnt even compete at chopes jeffreys etc thats pretty weird makes no sense.Invite the top freesurfers in the world to every event and let the small wave tricksters battle the qs primes and if they can prove that they can win in DREAM waves then cool.
@antman that just happen in hawaii…..all suuuper locals lost in the quarter finals (in good sirf conditions). same as Medina. the only difference is that Medina surf pipe few times in his life. Go as Kelly if medina should not be in the top 5…
1. Dane rips but obviously not interested in competion surfing circus – all the more power to him – makes his own mind up.
2. Medina is by far the best brazilian surfer I have seen yet and will be a champion IMO – remember he only just turned 18…
3. As much as I am a Parko / Taj fan just dont think these boys will ever get to be no1 – be happy for them to prove me wrong but dont think their mental game is up to it.
4. Hopefully 2012 Fuel TV (in Oz) broadcasts EVERY comp live – PLEASE!!
5. Tips for 2012 – Kelly (if he bothers) / Medina / Owen (makes it look to easy thats the reason gets robbed by judges) / Jordy – 1 of these 4 will win WCT next year… there you have opinions of the day.
if owen didnt get robbed at brazil last year maybe he would have won the world title and taken the glory of boring slater but its just 1 of a million reasons why the whole tour system and judging has to completely change its old and boring.
So Adam how is Medina not better than Dane? The kid has two world tour victories against ZERO of Dane’s besides Dane’s best result which I do believe is a quarter final is trivial to Gabriel not to mention that Dane is almost old enough to be Medina’s dad. So maybe you should try to put aside your personal boy love for Dane and see the truth
Adam is a buggyboarder and like boys…..he is worried about Medina`s underwear.
dane is 26 kook and people actually like watching him surf . medina is just the best of a bad bunch (brazos). medina was hanging inside on the shoulder at pipe , and don’t say its because hes only 18 jon jon is only 19.
ahahahahhhaha Medina shut yr mouth twice and will do it again…..Occy said that his was surfing great at pipe and that he reminds him Rob Machado….JJ LOST in the quaetr finals at pipe, same as Medina. the difference is that JJ surf pipe every day and Dane end up as just another good free surfer, sorry quicksilver.
@Rob Zen. yeah! It really should be better to see Bruce, Dane and JOB scoring 5s in the heats. What a thrill!!!
Hey Stupid EGO big wave surfers!!
Tennis has SAIBRO, GRASS,FAST FLOOR.
SOCCER – barcelona and Santos has to play in cold temperature in Japan
Sail – places with strong winds, soft winds, big waves, small waves
and surf – teahupo, Rio, Hawaii, Portugal – small waves, big waves, giant waves
the best surfer is the best surfer in any conditions and sorry LIAN MACNAMARA, the money made the tour and nobody works for free or will you be one step enables the sponsor in Cape Verde???
bye
Its not about all big waves its about the best waves.The qualification system is in mostly shit waves,so the best free surfers in the world do not want to grind it out in shit.Invite the best free surfers to all events rearrange the whole system and judging system and yes if medina and kolohe etc can stay on the tour in high quality waves then good.Medina is great surfer he actually has a bit of power, he was scared and dodging sets at pipe but i think he can be a great all round surfer and if theres lots of small waves on the tour he will do very well but kolohe was embarrassing at pipe considering he will be on the tour he is great in 2 foot shit but in great waves his probably should be ranked 1000.
MATT-BOYOLA-MEOLA WON THE INNERSECTION CONTEST DOING TRICKS IN REALLY SMALL CONDITIONS…YOU GRINGOS DONT KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. SLATER IS BALD, BECOMING
OLD AND SICK OF WAITING SOME OTHER AMERICAN TO TAKE THE LEAD. IF THERE IS NO
OTHER AMERICAN/HAWAIIAN TO REPLACE HIM, PLEASE STOP WITH BS AND LET THE SPORT FLOW.
SAIBRO = clay in english
@CNS just because wildcards arent winning the events doesnt mean they should not be there,there r so mant great free surfers out there who could rock up to any event and completely be there with the main guys but the whole system the scoring system is dumb and old.I think alot of the greatest surfers would want to do competitions but the way the whole system is done is old and boring.
Antman and Liam that’s just rubbish, 99 percent of the best surfers in the world are now on tour. JOB got whupped at cooking Pipeline in his own backyard,if he wants to prove that he’s still one of the best he needs to come back and win the thing next year,but i doubt that will happen,he’s been surpassed.These Hawaii dudes are highly overrated,good surfers come from all over the world.Thank God Travis got the wildcard at Chopes as he actually made good use of it.Whenever Bruce gets a wildcard he loses 1st round and scores less than 5 points,Andy would be disappointed.
The world champ should be the best guy in all different types of conditions not just in perfect waves.In that regard NO ONE can argue that Kelly is the man and a worthy champion,the next year will be the best in pro surfing history all the best surfers are there(Dane is not one of the best surfers on tour,he’s a way better free surfer)Nuff said!
My rant:
Jordy needs to pull a finger out,he’s turned out to be a major disappointment.Leave the model at home and focus on ya surfing Jordy,stop being a wuss you’re a pro surfer, get some fire under your ass and move back to Durban where you can spend enough time in the water to improve instead of running after crumpet in CT.
From South Africa
i dont know about 99% of the best surfers in the world r on the tour i dont know where yu get that figure from.The problem is is the tour is a boring system and the way to qualify for it is boring and the scoring system is old and dumb.They have only just now in 2011 thought of putting up a score board which still doesnt improve the bogus scores being pulled out.Jamie obrien was dominating with his technique just because he didnt win doesnt mean anything and theres plenty of free surfing guys in the world who can surf against any of the world tour guys,but its how the judges want to look at each heat and judge each wave.Theres so many heats won and lost because of an old dumb system.Until they really bring the judging and the whole system into the future and really make it spectacle its never gonna be recognised as a mainstreem sport.
Right on
Jordy needs to pull his finger out??? he was in real contention this year until he broke his ribs, The tour is great and lets face it if you don’t like the formula you can buy one of Taylors vids instead.
We all know how great Dane is but he just wasn’t interested so he’s gone, to say that Bruce should get a wildcard is just mental, he dropped off the tour because it wasn’t for him??? he doesn’t want to be on tour and if he does he can do the QS like everyone else or should people get special treatment because their relatives die?
The people on here that are moaning are the sort of people who go to a surf camp and ask for there money back when it goes flat, the guys on tour are the best “Competetive” surfers in the world its as simple as that! I actually know a couple of the top guys on the tour and I’m telling you they aren’t just good they are super human.
We all know that Dane is a radical surfer. Some people think of him as being too cool for school. But hey he is human and he has his own life to run. You wouldn’t like it if someone judged you for doing what you want to do in life. Yes he is a pro surfer but that doesn’t give the general public the right to start bashing him for his decisions he makes in life. keep surfing Dane and doing the things YOU love to do. Man I can’t really remember Rasta getting this much slack for giving the tour a miss and just go free surfing. Is it the US media machine wanting him to be on tour so they can have a potential world champ to write about when Slater moves on. Is it the ooohhh he has a drug problem issue? Leave the guy alone, he chooses his own path.
Why has Kai Otton received a wildcard? I surfed with him at Manly last weekend and can most definitely assert that he is not WT material, in fact his surfing level is merely of a good amateur competitor just like his buddy Dian Neve. The ASP seems to insist in assisting some of these mediocre surfers so they can be on tour longer, I dont know why, it might be nationality favoritism (typical)
So far I think the world ranking is working but if ASP does not give Medina Rookie of the Year Award they will be signing their own death sentence. Medina beat 30 of the WT surfers when he was given a spoon to fight against swords! being on the WT gives you an unmatched advantage as far as points are regarded, judging by what he did surfing 5 events only it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that he would be a world title contendant had he surfed the whole year.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the ASP manipulates results against Gabriel next year, for sure there will be a great deal of psychological pressure and I would hate to see his career destroyed by commercial/ethnic interests.
If Gabriel does not get Rookie of the Year the ASP should strip one of Tom Curren’s world titles ( the one he beat everyone coming from round 1 of the trials) since he wasn’t ranked against high seeded surfers at the time right?! so that means his world tittle is void?!!!! think about it!!!
Julian wilson is a cool kid and a great surfer, but there is no way he is not thinking “that kid beat me having half of the opportunity I had he is the award should be his by right! if a get because the ASP managed to find a loophole I am going to feel bloody embarrassed”
@liam mcnamara
Haha. I just love these kinds of comments. There’s always someone who says that the guys who are out of the tour are the best.
Pipe 10 ft – Bruce, JOB, Dane. Everyone lost.
Teahupoo 10 ft – The highlights were Flores, Logie, Monteiro, Simpson, Wright, Matt, Kerr.
Portugal 8 ft – Adriano won
Surprise? According to people like you they are not good in big waves. They are “air guys” or just go well in small waves. Stop living in a fairy tale. Your heroes are not so good. There are many best surfers. Do not be impressed by perfect waves in videos. What matters is the moment of truth when things go live. And your heroes always fail in the moment of truth.
McNamara – you are right – Dane is wasting away, sooner than later…Logie and Flores are champions; they have the mental focus and ability to perform under tremendous pressure in the arena of truth
Where is Brendan “Margo” Margiesons wildcard kooks!
Parkos year to shine baby
he definitely deserves a title already and so does taj
Hey Guys, we have no idea what is inside each mind, Dane, Medina, Parko, Slater, Adriano, Taj, Fanning, John John… What we know is that all of them surf much more than anybody here. Surf is their life, what bring food to their house. All of them are in the WT because they showed the world they were capable to be there. If Medina will or not be as many times champion as Slater or if Dane will have his career ended soon nobody knows, anything can happen. We all know Dane and Medina are both fu,,ing freaks, they do things very naturally that other people don’t. But surf is not only this, and talking about world tittle is a different thing. Off course, winning 2 events in his rookie year specially after mid year rotation says something, he is a freak… But let’s calm down and watch the show! Some guys said in this forum that Medina made Dane obsolete, I am a Brazilian, but I think it is wrong, Dane will surprise you many times still in this life bróda! Other guy said that all of them are friends in the tour, well, it is not 100% right but this is the spirit… Let’s clap our hands to the champion, doesn’t matter which nationality he is, who will be the champion??? Time will tell us! Let’s stop judging Brazilians, Hawaiians, Americans, we are all surfers and enjoy the same thing. Each one of us have our favorites, talking about style, curves, airs or tube rides, but we should also respect the others who are not our favorites… They are all fighting for survival anyway! PEACE GUYS! All the best! SATIVA LOVER!
Well done Travis
Julian Wilson slipped into the top ten his rookie Year. Julian is the perfect example of what kind of surfers should be on tour. Surfers that can do it all!
Airs, charging, tow ins, fluid powerful turns. Jamie O can do it all too! Dane is red hot, but let him the surfer that he wants to be. He’s a true surfer! Hes got soul!
HE’S SO(UL) FULL OF SHIT…
What about Taylor Knox?..still hanging in there… If each event on tour was held in prime 6 star locations would Taylor be higher up the rankings or would the younger generation fill more of the top spots? As for Dane, lets respect his decision to do what he wants. And as for Medina placing higher than Owen this may fuel both of them to raise their performance for the title. This can only lift everyone’s game and be great for next years tour.
@ antman: well….if the hawaians are so good why they stop on the quarter finals at pipe??? pipe master is the only contest that ASP give a chance to 40 locals to prove they are good at their own place….lots of crap talk, hawaians were VERY incompetent.
Kelly Slater, the best surfer of all times, said that MEDINA will win a BUNCH of world titles. is that not enough? go tell him his wrong!! u know abt surf comp better than him for sure, don`t u?? ahahhahahaha crap talk will not stop him. but u can keep trying
one world ranking its not working at all, just look one knew face on tour and all the old kooks still hanging in there, not good asp you have it so so so so wrong right now
What are you talking about? I agree the one world ranking is not great but not for the reasons you gave. One new face!!!? Try 5 or 6 new faces, Medina (sitting at no.4 which clearly shows 1 world rankings failing) ,Andino & Florence (to mention a few) who are all teens (17ish I think). That hasn’t happened since OCCY in 84.
That’s what’s good about opinions, everyone’s entitled to one. See, I like where they’re going. True, there weren’t many changes, but if you look at the 2nd and 4th alternatives, they both made it from the QS’s. The system is still in its infancy and I’d expect more changes per rotation when it’s fully implemented.
Just had a look down the list. Name one guy on it who you could go up to and tell them to their face they’re a kook and not get laughed off this planet. Your talking about guys with the sack to risk their lives throwing themselves into death pits at Pipe and Chopes.
One world ranking gave us John John and Gabriel, 6 months early, lighting up the tour.
John you have it so so so so wrong right now.
It’s working – places so much pressure on the WQS and WCT for guys to perform – it was a stale tour before, and sure it has problems, but the pressure is there and guys are going all out as every event matters…even the 6-star events are gathering better competition – nothing is perfect, but this rotation is better than no rotation
Bemmy should have applied for Kai’s injury wildcard
I’m not too sure about this one world ranking system. Medina above Wright? There is no doubt he is an amazing surfer, but he only competed against the worlds best for half the year.
dear god has the world gone mad….medina is a horrendous turner of the board yeh he can throw airs but his turning is below QS standard…also i think most brazillians have that crap dis-jointed turning style how can these clearly inferior turners be classed in the same grade as ur fanning’s or parko’s….asp one world ranking is ruining our beautiful sport we’ve allready lost one legend(bobby martinez)how many more have to follow?
Couldn’t agree more. The points calculation needs an overhaul
Pedro, YOU are a legend, in your own dull twisted world. The same one Bobby inhabits.
Pedro, you are so racist/biased to the point of been blind! What you are saying makes no sense at all! Just think for a second you dumb: How can a guy that wins of your beloved Parko ON RAIL has turnings below QS? So what you are saying is Parko is below. Furthermore Parko after lose from Medina said: “is one of the most talented human beings I’ve ever seen”. Kelly says Is one of the best surfers in the world, that will win a bunch of world titles. michel Bourez right in he’s twitter “Medina is a freak!”. So HOW can he be ruining the sport??? He’s ruining your KKK small minded surf world, because for the media (just ask Shea Lopez), most of surf fans and the WT guys he’s a sport genius.
Yet he beat 30 of them even though he was on a point disadvantaged system, I guess that says something. Maybe ASP should keep Medina on the Prime events point system for next year so the world tittle race fair
13 Aussies qualified – yew !! I’d like to see events being made mandatory… with Kelly basically saying he may or may not turn up, not fair on the guys looking at wildcards/alternate entries.
Dane is the man!!! He does not need the asp the asp needs him!!! He is the best , most humble and also the most classic guy in the surfing world.All i know is that there are plenty of the new guys on tour who might have the tricks(but tricks are for kids)! At least 50% of the top 34 have a lot of work to do if they ever want to be a threat for a world tittle! Lets see what the younger guys (besides john john) will do when they are looking at a 10ft Teahuupo wave coming at them and everyone is in the channel yelling go! Or what kind of tricks will get them thru a heat at places like Bells,Tavarua or Pipe for that matter! For the most part the wrong guys are making the tour because the majority of the primes and 6 stars are run in crappy waves! Until the asp gets there act together and gets waves that mirror the WT for the prime and 6 star events ,Then the top 10 guys will always be the guys fighting for the tittle, end of story!!! P.S Give J.O.B a wild card for the tour and you will see some action.
good comments,we all know who are the best surfers in the world guys like jamie obrien and other hawaiian surfers etc and a tonne of aussie free surfers just give the great surfers wildcards in every event.There definately are not enough great surfers on the tour.And sunset should be a bla bla dream tour event the guys on the tour should have to justify there surfing in waves like that.I think there should maybe be snapper rocks france trestles but thats enough small waves on the tour we need great waves Pipe,Sunset,Gland the tour is just a tour its not proven that they are the worlds best surfers its bogus and the scoring system is bogus.If medina and other small wave specialists doin airs awsome as it is do more WQS events the BLA BLA DREAM TOUR should be a dream tour in dream waves,if those guys cant do well in great waves bad luck but its not about that as its about money.
@ antman: Look back over the Pipe results & count the # of non-tour surfers who even made the semis over the last 10 years. The WT has the best all-around surfers in the world. The only time locals get the better of the top 34 is when wave selection (like Pipe this year) is tricky. In other words, with very rare exceptions, given an equal wave, the WT surfers will outsurf every other surfer on earth.
I agree with Liam on this. Case in point, this past pipe event. All the new qualifiers with the exception of John John and Julian were lost out there. Medina did well but he dodged sets and caught in between waves therefore, getting lucky to have gotten that far. The problem with the events is definitely too many small wave venues. The ASP really needs to get the tour back to being the “Dream Tour” by making sure we have a diverse mix of venues. The fact that New York has appeared on the schedule again is comical. Sure, waves were “fun” for the last one but any day at a real spot would be just as good if not better. The make up of the venues has a direct reflection of the ratings. If no change to venues, what if the ASP created a tier system for points based on the event venue’s degree of difficulty of the spot? That would definitely even the scale a bit. Teahupo’o, Pipe, Fiji being 3 star grade offering the most points/prize money, Snapper, Bells, Jeffrey’s, France and Portugal being 2 star and being the bulk of the events and finally, Rio, NYC and Lowers being 1 star. So, most difficult to easiest to perform. If you can do it in the QS why not on the WT?! You’d be surprised how the playing field would change. Also, make it required to show at each event unless injured to ensure everyone shows at the lower tiered events.
Medina, John John, and Kolohe are here to stay. It’s time for these top 10 guys to move on and make room for a new generation of rippers. Be scared Kelly! (and don’t do commentary any more at ASP events; your overly critical, judgmental, and sound like your gods gift to the world.)
Lian? is that you?? hahahaha, what did you do for the surf history??
i know that you had a lot of fights with brazilian surfers in Pipe. Only this.
ohhh, i know that you try to do aereals manouvers for all your life in little rock points days but never complete one….
stay in your island and stop say BS. Bye
but JOB would surf up to the waves, if there are good and pumping he has a chance (how did he do at big pipe this year? nuf said)and if they suck so will he, if he is so nasty why cant he make it on his own, no disire
The first 2 days at pipe were going off and the locals dominated! the final day was pretty bad and it came down to a lot of luck.The locals did not have the luck and it is what it is ! Kieren is a mad man and deserves to be a pipe master but it would have been a much harder task for him if the final day was better!
@Renato .Thanks Renato!!! I have never got into a fight in my life with a brazilian at pipeline ! I have many brazilian friends! All the top Brazilians are good friends of mine.The north shore deals with a lot of kooks who come and think they can disrespect the locals and this is why we have problems! There are kooks from all countries who get in trouble for not knowing the rules on the north shore! There is localism at every surf spot in the world and it is important to protect your home breaks! I dont have anything against brazilians or anyone from any country so when you talk shit make sure you have knowledge of what you are saying! Hawaiians have in the past and will always dominate the north shore and if you come here and know how to act then you will have no problems!! mahalo liam
Why some of you think Dane would apply for an injury WC is beyond me! He deliberately skipped events so we could focus on scribbling with crayons and making inappropriate towels. Or is there a special allowance for psychological injuries?
@ Stewart: I agree the guy rips, but now Medina, Kolohe, John J, even Taj and Kelly can do everything he can do in heats & more. The “generic” surfing world (I assume you mean contests) now rewards progressive surfing. I’m just saying: Dane may be relevant now, but do you really think he will be relevant in two years when guys in heats will blow away what he can do? Quik signed him to six years at top $$$: do you really think he has six more years of relevance off tour? I doubt it: he’s not a charger like BI, he gets hurt all the time doing airs, and numerous guys can already surf as good as him in heats.
i think your jealous cause you cant punt.
dane will not be relevant if the world tour consists of small waves and awarding crappy tricks.As crappy tricks are done by teenagers in small waves.
@CNS you’re off your head. Dane is the best surfer in the world and will be relevant for the rest of his days walking on this planet. No one comes close to the shit that he does. Period!
Dane is gone….and will be working in Mc Donald`s soon.
both, Dane and Medina are freak surfers, and I`m quite sure they don`t give a f…. for this kind of conversation….most of the surfers on tour are friends (americans, brasilians, ozzys, hawaiians….) let`s just enjoy their show!
Medina has stated that he wants to be world champ (my bet = next year). I think all these guys realize the tour is the only way to a decade or (much) more of relevance & fat paychecks. John John will be a multi-millionaire while JOB goes paycheck to paycheck (in five years – welfare check to welfare check): that’s the difference between surfing the WT & being a “free surfer.” Taj Burrow could have been just a free surfer, but his career would have been over five years ago (are you reading this Dane?) if he was just traveling & doing airs. Not to mention, he makes ten times what he would have made off tour.
@ Joel: Dane either did not apply or the ASP didn’t buy one or more of his “injuries.” How does that taste Quiksilver? Medina has made Dane obsolete.
@CNS dane rips and his blog is epic and his focus on life gives quiksilver more marketing and advertising than him doing comps, your probably still stuck in the generic surfing world..
dude, how can you compare medina with dane??? come on? medina is a great surfer but still has a lot to give this year or the next. Dane was awarded 2nd place in the surfer poll this year without even surfing competition and almost no free suring on video.
At least medina is safe from the horrible “brasilian style”(jadson andre,etc), he rips!
duuuuuuuude……hahhahhahahhahaah
Ok, a little extreme there from CNS but I believe if Dane and Medina both stay on the their current paths his preemptive prophecy may be born out in time.
No doubt Dane is a genius and if he doesn’t want to compete good luck to him, no quarrels.
However, his initially refreshing schtick is already starting to go a bit stale. Once the indy style blog and live ‘real music recordings’ with his girlfriend have been seen and heard a few times it becomes apparent that it’s predictable and to put it kindly amateur.
Yea, watching Danes moves on a surfboard is mana but watching reruns on a blog will never match the expectation, excitement and passion of seeing him slinging it with the big guns.
If they both stick on their current trajectories, in 5 years I see Medina changing the surfing world order and Dane as a shoulda, woulda, coulda has been, dropped by Quik and hangin’ with his bros back home.
This is certainly not what I want to see. One of my highlights of the year was his grab rail bottom turn in Hossegor against De Souza. The style, swagger and extemity is Curren, Occy and Slater rolled into one, pure magic…… but it was BECAUSE he was in a contest the moment was so special.
Interesting the most popular posting on his blog was the Trestles event in 2010 with the Stranglers soundtrack. Brilliant filming capturing the vibes and the surfing AT A CONTEST. Love them or hate them, theirin lies DRAMA!
“Medina has made Dane obsolete” –> Hahahahahaha wow, you really are tripping! I can’t beleive you just compared Medina to Dane! And besides the fact that he is the best surfer in the world, what @Stuart said is 100% correct. No one is gonna buy a pair of Gabriel Medina boardies…
wat about Dane? he was injured most of the year…
Dane did not apply for the wildcard.