Turns take the day!
The waves were not very good for the Surf City El Salvador Pro final’s day, no not very good at all, but the sun was shining and Chris Cote was speaking and our choosing is unchill when combined with our begging. The World Surf League gonna World Surf League, after all, and to expect more is to be a silly goose.
The day began, anyhow, with crackling tension cutting the Central American air. Namely, would there be riots if Griffin Colapinto, who hails from the United States, once again beat the best small wave surfer on the planet, Brazil’s Filipe Toledo, for the second time in as many years?
Before we get there, though, Caroline Marks defeated Tyler Wright in the women’s final and was very excited, splashing the water vigorously etc. Wright, who seemed to be on a runner at the end, floated to the flats and appeared to injure herself.
It was not mentioned by the booth for fear of saying something true.
Important advertisements cut off the start of the men’s final, spicy stress lingering. But you certainly recall the insurrection at Surf Ranch wherein Colapinto beat Gabriel Medina setting off a series of wild open letters that appears to have culminated with World Surf League CEO Erik Logan going into the witness protection program.
Strider informed the audience that Toledo gifted Colapinto inside position at the start of the heat and was challenging the Californian to beat him directly. “Above the lip surfing,” was to be the bar.
The world’s current number one did, indeed, paddle first and slid his board around then bonked his head. He was rewarded with a 4.00.
Toledo stayed on rail for his opening wave, slapping and tickling down the line. He was rewarded with a 5.17.
Peter Mel called it “Paced and cruisy.”
Corona beer celebration.
Colapinto went next, going down in the middle of the wave after a fine first two turns. 4.23 put him into a tentative lead. Under priority, he went again going to the sky but became unstuck and Kaipo Guerrero sounded nervous.
Tide talk.
Strider then speculated that Toledo was hurt after Colapinto caught yet another but, almost on demand, the King of Saquarema went to he air and knocked some turns. Mel continued to describe the possible injury as “cruising.”
The two went back and forth, back and forth until Colapinto caught the first proper wave of the day midway through the heat, carving and slashing, punting and pumping, and took the lead.
The judges seemed scared to offer scores.
Tyler Wright’s injury was revealed to be a bruise.
Toledo then caught a wave and made angry turns and made hyped faces at the end. Pete Mel went berserk. Kaipo called it excellent. It was a 9.00 ride and catapulted him into the lead. I will like to know what our JP Currie feels about that.
Back and forth they continued to go, Toledo staying on rail, Colapinto taunting the air gods.
He did not land and was thrust into the dreaded Combo-land.
And that was at. Riots in Rio averted.
Henry Kissinger back off call.
Complete wrap soon.
