It seems like Tahiti just happened, so vivid are the memories and the wave visions forever etched into our brains. Kelly blew it wide open again, as he tends to do when he finds the rhythm, and the record books took another few knocks under the champ. Still, can’t dwell on the past either way, we’re looking forward and the next port of call is The Hurley Pro at Trestles.
We’re going to dive right in, and see who’s looking the goods right now.
We reckon that Mick Fanning is going to be the man at this event. He is having a nonchalant year this year, and it seems to be working for him. Rated 10th, he will qualify for next year if he decides to rejoin the 2017 tour, and he’s the event’s defending champion. The pressure is off, but the fire is still there. He loves Lowers and he has a polished approach to the wave. Trestles is also a place that, should it have just a little size, one can win without going to the air. It loves power, and it loves a bit of spray, both of which Mick owns.
The South African stop-starter Jordy Smith has also had a good year so far, but he is hungry for more, and he loves a bit of Lowers. He has shown the world that he can win here before, and he seems to thrive at events that are busy. He’s also smarting over the John John JBay thing, and a loss to Ace in Tahiti in the 5th round. If Jordy finds his groove at Trestles it will be his contest.
Could Kelly Slater do the unthinkable? Is a 12th title in his sights? Stranger things have happened, and he has proven beyond a doubt that he still has it. If he does do well at Lowers and finds good ole KS in B/W at Lowers form, then he might just run away with this whole thing and become Kelly Sla12er. It’s not unfeasible at all. Imagine that.
If the swell stays small, as it could easily do at Lowers, then Filipe Toledo could be totally unstoppable. The man performs the biggest and most radical air moves on the tour, and totally kicks in when it is really small and gutless. I can already see him spinning, flipping and turning around in the air to score a few ten-point rides along the way in small right-handers. He will be dangerous at Trestles, and he has openly and continuously declared that he wants a world title badly. It’s all about the hunger.
Wiggolly Dantas made the quarters last year at Trestles, and he will be looking to go further this year. He probably doesn't have that much of a chance, but we called him for a big result in Tahiti and he bowed out in the second round, so at some stage he has to come good. He rips, and he has similar hunger to Filipe. In JBay he was so hungry he scared grown men as he prowled around the contest area.
Gabriel Medina knows how cool it is to be a world champion, and he loves the adulation and associated glory that comes with being a champ. He’s also found that path that he has traveled along before, and is well versed in the rules of engagement over a yearlong battle. Gabby wants to be the flavor of the month again, and his determination is akin to Adriano’s and we all know what happened there.
John John Florence gets a nod here due to the fact that he is on top of the Jeep Leaderboard and has been on fire of late. The thing is, if the waves are bad, small and weak, he is going to struggle to stay interested. Unlike former Hawaiian world champ the late AI, JJF seems to be laid back and relaxed and only comes to his own when the waves are barreling and serious. It's not a bad thing, not a bad thing at all, it’s just that Trestles could be the very opposite, and he just might struggle to find that interest. Having said that, if he has his mind set on a world title and is hiding his hunger behind that relaxed demeanour, then this event could all but cement it for him.
Finally, we have the legendary Matt Wilko. He seems to have lost his mojo. We all do. I just hope he finds it again because when he is winning, having fun and the center of attention, the world of pro surfing is a way better place for it.
