Coast’s world absence
With rivals leading, where have all our men’s surfers gone?
IS Australia – and the Gold Coast – losing its grip on world surfing supremacy and in danger of being overtaken as No.1?
Since the era of Kelly Slater, Andy Irons, Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson, the Brazilian storm is now the dominant nation having learnt from Australia’s domination that has long included Gold Coast.
According Gold Coast world champion Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew in a story titled The Slump by Nick Carroll, the younger generation have lost hope because there’s not enough highly rated world qualifying events in Australia.
Back in 2003 we had half a dozen Gold Coasters on the world tour. Now Jack Freestone is flying the flag solo.
Currently rated 25th, Freestone will need to score a major victory or qualify via the World Qualifying Series (WQS ) to stay on the tour.
Earlier this month he placed second in the 10,000 Ballito WQS event and he is sitting in 14th on the WQS.
Burleigh’s Liam O’Brien is Gold Coast’s next highest rated in 55th with former world tour competitor Mitch Crews in 92nd spot.
There is no easy road with only the top 10 in the WQS to qualify for the world tour.
Brazil’s two-time world champion Gabriel Medina is back with renewed vigour and confidence after smashing JBay against his fellow Brazilian goofyfooter Italo Ferreira.
It was the first time two Brazilians on their backhand have battled it out in a final at JBay. Mark Occhilupo was the last goofyfoot winner in 1984.
Thriving on hot chocolate drinks and croissants for breakfast, Medina might not be the prettiest surfer on tour but he sure surfs harder and faster, as do his compatriots Ferreira and Toledo. Let’s face it: the Brazilians are the best surfers in the world right now.
They are fiercely patriotic and stick together supporting each other.
Australians can learn much from their passion, hunger and getting the job done.
California’s Kolohe Andino has taken the lead and is USA’s only hope but will have to pull out all stops at the next event Teahupo’o. Medina is defending champion and known for fighting back late.