Can John Florence’s Coach Save Mikey C’s QS Dreams?

Teahupo’o isn’t the only professional surf contest that is setting the internet ablaze this week. 

In both Stab’s Slack threads and online comment sections, the anticipation is palpable for Mikey Ciaramella’s return to the WSL Qualifying Series. Even a certain former coach to CT stars has signed on to help our Editor in Chief. 

Yes, Ross Williams, former coach to John John Florence, is giving (un)solicited tips to help Mikey achieve his grand ambition: making a single heat at the QS2000 in Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica. Set waves, lip taps and fist bumps are in, straight from the Haleiwa leadfoot himself.

And it looks like it’s going to be a legit pulse from August 13 to 16. 

“I’m going for double digit points,” Mikey tells Buck on this week’s episode of The Drop. “I think that if I put up 10 points or above, I will feel like I did my job, and I hope that means a heat advancement as well.” 

Though the BetOnline odds haven’t dropped for Garabito yet, the heat draw has. I can only imagine what the coaches of Sebastian Mendes, Ross Adams and Raul Rios are telling them before they paddle out. Probably something like, “Just don’t lose to the Stab guy.”

As much as we appreciate the supportive comments online, maybe what Mikey needs is a personal nemesis who doubts him. Which brings us to Ronny Nelson and Kelly Slater.

In this ep, Mikey and Buck relive the WSL’s heat of the year, in which a semi-retired 54-year-old parachuted over reef (twice) at unruly Teahupo’o, then head-butted two 9-point rides against Gabriel Medina. Tough go, Ronny. Check more reactions from the surf world here, and be sure to forgo obligations to watch Kelly’s next heat versus Jack Robinson when competition resumes.

More topics discussed: SEOTY contender Michael Dunphy joins the judging panel at his home break in New Smyrna Beach for the Ep. 6 premiere of Surf100. He and Yadin Nicol watch Zeke Lau, Dimitri Polous split peaks on the grindiest challenge thus far, which decides the first of two finalists. Another step closer to $100K. 

On the topic of money, our investigation into a $24 million plan to remove eight local businesses for a lifeguard hub at Shark’s Cove on the North Shore has been divisive, to say the least. Proponents say this is what many local residents want and will greatly improve public safety. Others see it as a blow to the regional economy. Time will tell what transpires. 

Also not to be missed: A quick plug on how Paul Evans put Serial to shame with a multi-part deep dive into cocaine washing onto the beaches of southwest France and its ramifications for the surf world. More episodes from Stab’s first premium-only series are dropping soon.