As it is known, most of the top WCT surfers didn’t make it to Brazil. Many of them alleging injury problems. Watching the first round heats I started thinking about the absence of so many top surfers.

I began to imagine the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament without the presence of the top players, or the Formula One without 30% the top drivers. Do you think this kind of thing happens in these sports?

If it doesn’t, what’s the reason? Could it be the money involved? Could it be the heavy fines to punish these attitudes, or maybe there’s more professionalism in them and the entity that guides them.

The nine-time champion Kelly Slater, the great phenomena of our sport, didn’t come either. With all his history, it’s hard to understand this attitude. Coming from an ordinary surfer would be easy to understand but from Kelly – who knows what’s going on and certainly knows the difference between an event with or without his presence, and he weight of his name.

I know about all the fatigue and how he must be fed up with so many events, but if he’s still there chasing world titles he should attend all WCT events.

Would this be a protest by the surfers because of the prize money? Kelly’s presence would be important for him, his sponsors, the Brazilian surf market, and mainly to the fans he conquered in Brazil along his career.

Last year, when Taj, Kelly and Mick were still fighting for the title, they were all here. This year the title has already been decided... I’ll place a question: What kind of commitment do the surfers have with the ASP and their sponsors?

Do you think that behaving this way they’re going to get higher payments? What do marketing managers of great companies (outside of surfing) think when they see the elite and the greatest icon of the sport not attending an event of the WCT?

See you guys.

by Paulo Kid

who knows doggie, who knows.

Hmmmmm, interesting thought. Or maybee it is'nt to do with the cash at all???

I think they are over KS winning and have returned home to sook!
The guy's that have pulled out of that event don't need the money
and are over the travel,It all sounds good traveling the globe,but trust
me i would much prefer to be at home with my family!

Select to expand quote

62mac said...

I think they are over KS winning and have returned home to sook!

Can you balame them?

I've got to say though I'm kinda over him wining as well just no point in watching. He needs to take a page or two from lance and retire for a couple years and come back again.

Parko was surfing D-BAH last week on a SUP having a lot of fun.

The whole WCT is a crock. just a marketing tool for the company. If you want questions answered ask the marketing managers.

Ah, their all a bunch of overpaid sooks........I feel so bad when I pick up a surf mag and see the homes these brats live in....too comfortable and no hunger. its about this time of the year the surf mags publish articles about how Parko realises whats to do to win the title, pftt proof in the pudding.

I'm all with beast. Why else would you pay fifty bucks for a t shirt with a logo on made in some sweat shop for about 2 bucks.

Corporate greed sums it up best.....

Oh well there's my 2 bob....for what its worth.

Parko & Fanning were here for Occys book launch, not much of an excuse to me....
KS should have just been there I think, as he has won the title its his duty to the tour and Quicksilver, he is the major draw card and people go to just watch him.

What is needed for the WCT is more prize money, the amounts havnt changed and infact in some cases got smaller, if the prize money got bigger and the sponsers put less money into personal sponsership they would have to do all comps and will try harder if the carrot to dangle is bigger. Check out what prize money Mick Fanning won last year then check out what 10th & 15th place got for the year, you might be suprised

barb, good points! i live, surf and know the life these guys live (gold coast)
Surf for a living, all drive cars supplied (free) live in the best homes with all the modern cons,get invited to all the corporate days,have paid managers,they just rock up and the massive team behind them take care of business!They dont spend a god dam cent at home or on tour!

My point is.prize money means (pocket money)

Iam not paying out on the tour guy's but the corperate giants!

They go around the local boardriding clubs giving 2 hotties bogus sponsorships to attracked all the other groms to buy and wear their gear!

mac

pro surfing is pointless and irrelevent. it actually does more harm to surfing than it ever does in any way of a contribution.
pay it no attention and hopefully it will go away quietly.
buy knock off surf clothes from markets and indo back streets, hit the corporations where it hurts.

Select to expand quote

theDoctor said...

pro surfing is pointless and irrelevent. it actually does more harm to surfing than it ever does in any way of a contribution.
pay it no attention and hopefully it will go away quietly.
buy knock off surf clothes from markets and indo back streets, hit the corporations where it hurts.

Typical pig headed attitude doc , some people actually like to see the best surfers competing against each other in the best waves. If you dont watch it someone else will.

the best or the most marketable...?

call me pig headed, but hasn't pro surfing and its marketing circus done more than its fair share to crowd out surf spots with 'no-idea-johnny-come-lately-image-before-substance-kooks'....?

those that like to watch 'the best' competing against each other in 'the best' waves usually, tend to play with themselves a little too much.

Select to expand quote

theDoctor said...

the best or the most marketable...?

call me pig headed, but hasn't pro surfing and its marketing circus done more than its fair share to crowd out surf spots with 'no-idea-johnny-come-lately-image-before-substance-kooks'....?

those that like to watch 'the best' competing against each other in 'the best' waves usually, tend to play with themselves a little too much.

Typical pig headed resonse, ever heard of the Olympics? The best from around the world to compete at one event?? So the millions of people that watch that are playing with themselves? I think you need surgery to remove your hand from yur c@ck, clown!

hmmmm... is surfing in the olympics...?

ever been to indo...?

seen the locals rip it up there..?

was there during the search this year and boy let me tell you, those kids rip just as hard if not harder than the pro's...

ever watched riz or bol, the kill it compared to a lot of pros.
but reality is brown kids don't sell board shorts.

pro surfing is an irrelevant w@nk... much like your self

Select to expand quote

theDoctor said...

hmmmm... is surfing in the olympics...?

ever been to indo...?

seen the locals rip it up there..?

was there during the search this year and boy let me tell you, those kids rip just as hard if not harder than the pro's...

ever watched riz or bol, the kill it compared to a lot of pros.
but reality is brown kids don't sell board shorts.

pro surfing is an irrelevant w@nk... much like your self

If thats the case and you think it is (you must be brain dead) why are there Brazilians ect there they must surf ok and they are brown?? U seem to know alot about something that you dont watch?? Yes ive been to Indo and surfed with the locals and yes they rip, no doubt. Its not their skin colour that stops them from being its the indo government, Ive personally spoken to these guys about this when I was there last year. Sad but true.... Nuff said I think, have to go for a **** now

Dropped in here this morning by accident, saw 62mac and thought I was over at SUP.

Doggie, I think you will find that the most marketable tennis players as well as the golfers won't go to events unless they are paid an appearance fee and a pretty large one at that.

A few years back one of Aus' best golfers wouldn't come home to play cause he was not given an appearance free and the same went for one of our best tennis players a few years later.

Regards Rod

Select to expand quote

boardbumps said...

Dropped in here this morning by accident, saw 62mac and thought I was over at SUP.

Doggie, I think you will find that the most marketable tennis players as well as the golfers won't go to events unless they are paid an appearance fee and a pretty large one at that.

A few years back one of Aus' best golfers wouldn't come home to play cause he was not given an appearance free and the same went for one of our best tennis players a few years later.

Regards Rod


You make a good point there Rod and I do remember that, Tiger Woods has also done the same thing, we are talking about pro surfers who dont get paid like Golf & tennis players per tournament & the prize money is a lot more. I was looking @ the ASP web site and I get paid more than 18th place I think. Thats a bit rank from the point of veiw a pro. If they had to earn their money by competing they wouldnt do this, this is the point I was trying to make.

Cheers Rod for your input, regards the dog!