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The 2023 Surf Ranch Pro wrapped up this morning, ensuring what’s already considered a controversial event became even more contentious. Surfing superstar, Gabriel Medina, launched a missile at the World Surf League (WSL) via his Instagram, shortly after the men’s final. Medina and the wider Brazilian surf community were in an uproar over the judging towards some of their nation’s surfers throughout Finals Day. Their statements were particularly fierce in relation to Italo Ferreira’s close loss to Griffin Colapinto in the Final. The WSL’s social media comments section has been lighting up with thousands of barbs from enraged fans who feel they have been let down by the judging system. One of the WSL’s posts has amassed over 5k anger-fuelled comments, which is not exactly the kind of engagement the surf organisation is looking for. Today’s reaction follows on from Bells, where Medina and the Brazilian fans questioned the judges’ interpretation of the Jacko Baker and Filipe Toledo heat.
Below’s a translation of what the three-time world champ shared on his Instagram today to his 11 million insta followers after the Final between Surf Ranch Pro champ, Griffin Colapinto and runner’s up Italo Ferreira.
“Dear WSL, please understand the importance of this discussion.
Surfing has been my life and my love for this sport is unconditional. I have put all my heart into and and want to leave a beautiful legacy one day when I look back at it.
However the surfing community, especially in Brazil, is mesmerised with the poor clarity and inconsistence of judging for many years now, but lately it has been even more shocking.
It is quite clear that judging is now rewarding very simple surfing, seamless transitions and have taken critical turns in critical sections off the criteria. This is very frustrating and is stagnating the sport.
Fans and sponsors will not accept this to continue and will in a near future be drawn away once all they want is equal and fair judging to the sport.
Also, important to note that many coaches and managers have had the opportunity to speak to WSL after heats/events to ask about PROGRESSION and VARIETY in the criteria and the lack of reward for this space. The response given by them is always quite defensive by giving poor examples to illustrate THEIR point.
WSL needs urgently to clarify judging and apply equal and fair judging to save the progression of the sport.”
This was quite a respectful way to voice an opinion about your frustrations with the current judging system. Unfortunately, not all surf fans were as measured as Medina. Some posted death threats to Ethan Ewing, who bowed out to Italo in the semi’s. Sincere or not these kinds of sentiments have no place in any forum. The Aussie world no.4, who defeated Medina in the Quarter’s in another close contest, shared this message on his insta story.
We can almost guarantee that Griffins’ DM’s would be uglier. Anyway, we’re sure there is more to come from this melodrama. We’ll keep you posted.
Just a reminder that it’s just people surfing in a pool at the end of the day.
