“I don’t know what else do I have to do to get
bigger scores. I wish they (judges) can go out there and do the
same thing.”
The world’s best surfer in waves
two-and-a-half-feet-and-under, Filipe Toledo, has launched an
unprecedented attack on the WSL’s judges after easily
winning his opening round heat at the El Salvador Pro.
Two-time world champ Filipe Toledo, who turns thirty in a couple
of weeks, scored the highest heat total of the round, 15.77,
beating Italo Ferreira and Griffin Colapinto for first-day
honours.
“With all my three waves I thought I was over eight points,”
Filipe Toledo said in his post-heat presser. “Especially on my last
wave. The variety, the speed, the air in the middle, the blow tail
at the end. So yeah, I don’t know what else do I have to do to get
bigger scores. I wish they (judges) can go out there and do the
same thing.”
Giving judges hell ain’t new to Filipe Toledo.
Two months ago in Abu Dhabi, Toledo collided with the WSL’s
official photographer Thiago Diz on his penultimate wave in his
round of 16 heat against Kanoa Igarashi.
Toledo had been having a shocker and the collision, on the
meaningless end section, took out a fin. Thiago looked freaked out
by the hit and Filipe lit up at everyone, Thiago, the man, judges,
injustice etc.
“This display of lack of empathy was
shameful, unforgivable sportsmanship,” wrote Matt
George.
In 2023, the legendary surf coach Glen ‘Micro’ Hall described
Filipe Toledo, Gabriel Medina and Italo Ferreira as having “victim
mentality” when they cried over their losses at the Surf Ranch
event.
The previous year in El Salvador, Filipe was beaten by the
Californian Griffin Colapinto, which resulted in Griff getting “violent, gruesome
threats” and Filipe’s daddy Rick wading into the mix
claiming, “We really hope that something will be done, and that
this will change, as it is becoming unbearable to see and hear the
things we are hearing. during the events, I am embarrassed for the
others.
The sport’s judging has long been an issue with the Brazilian
world champs, Gabriel Medina, Filipe Toledo and Italo Ferreira, a
legacy, likely, of the country’s obsession with soccer, a sported
noted for its participants to easily dissolve into tears.
“Filipe is a really good kid and an incredible surfer,” said the
WSL’s Renato Hickel. The WSL is very fortunate to have someone of
his caliber on Tour and he is constantly progressing the level of
surfing in the live arena. It’s disappointing when we have to pass
disciplinary action for any of our surfers, but that behavior is
not acceptable for the sport.”
