I wonder if they will have a shark patrol. Might be a few uninvited guests with front row seats. Big Col might not get the boost for tourism he is looking for.
Congrats to the lads at SWA and all else involved to the Masters to a WCT event again, this is awsome for WA.
You guys have to get over yourself, Doggie is right, there are few 'secret spots' down there, especially not those mentioned, I surfed windmills with 20 guys out over 15 years ago, before they built shopping centres all over Dunsborough.
Its up to local knowledge of wind, swell direction and size, plus a rugged 4wd that gets you waves in that part of the state.
I can always find empty waves when I am back in WA.
Personally I am not that impressed with Margies getting WTC status, less so because of the tourist side of things, but because Margs is a good wave but not a great wave. I like surfing it when I am there, but I wouldn't travel across the world to surf it, which is kinda what I think the dream tour should be about.
^^^^
well, its a better wave than new york or brazil! Are you sure its a dream tour?
I reckon its good thing to add margies to the tour - adds the potential for large waves in Australia on the tour, rather than just the usual hawai stuff!
Also will sort the men from the boys and the tour will see something different to the usual air reverse crap.
Chances are high with a decent waiting period that they will get some solid surf.
Not sure how much more value we get with a upgrade of status as they have an existing rule that top 34 had to do at least two prime events so many of the top surfers were coming anyway.
The bad part will be for the next level surfers as this takes away what would be considered one of the better events in terms of wave quality size.
It will also be good for the kids in the Sth west to see their heroes
And also for the local businesses
Maybe not so good for local surfers during the period but it is always busy during the original QS comp anyway
I don't see much relevance in the pro tour to be honest. But these days if its good for buisness it seems like its good all round. Who cares if kelly slater and the pros feast themselves on waves here. I would prefer to watch it on tele and have it some where else.
I watched the 09 Classic which is the other comp run by the local board riders
Dave Mac, Antman and Jake Jackovich in the final. (apologies to fourth person)
Jake took out the final and the locals only final so a big day for him.
Slight onshore but 6 to 8 and both the lefts and rights were great.
To see in real life how hard off the bottom and straight up these guys go at a thick lip is amazing.
I think unless they get completely skunked in the waiting period they will get some good to great solid waves.
At the right size the rights I think become a powerful high performance wave. The left ranges from a wave thats offers no lip to a great long wall and even barrel and then once it gets up in size becomes a serious big wave.
Best spot from audience and for consistency point of view.
Now all we need is a commercial sponsor rather than the government ie us the tax payer paying for it.
If you think about the infrastructure needed to support the whole wct circus it becomes clear that nowhere else around the area could handle it. And after seeing the rubbish and destroyed dunes/vegetation in china, Portugal and no doubt everywhere else they go. I would be glad if there is no back up venue.
I don't think Margies is a particularly good wave to watch high performance surfing at any time. It looks fat from the hill I reckon. I do surf it and I know its not fat, but it is a bloody powerful lump of water (who was it who said it is like a container ship coming in and turning sideways at you) and I think it is the sheer grunt that limits the high performance aspects.
Next to Margies, most of the other waves down here are pussy cats.
I disagree about main break and high performance.
As I metioned previously the final I watched at the Classic was high performance.
I think it sorts the wheat out from the chaff.
Even the finals I watched at the classic I watched the pro - junior and then the opens. The difference was huge with the open guys going straight up rather than the young guys who were not able to jam it as hard on their bottom turn.
Then look at Melling and Ross in the year that Dan Ross took it out and again the level of committment was amazing.
Then you have the two waves that Josh Kerr rode to grab victory over Taj which was as new school as you could ever see.
I think as long as they get some size its a great venue and with a decent waiting period I reckon they will score.
