Coach Recommends Shoulder Separation And Newborn Before Every Event

Julian Wilson just won the Quik Pro Gold Coast 2018 over Ace Buchan in an all Australian final. Julian’s 9.93 in the opening minutes set himself up for a World Tour victory a mere seven days after his wife, Ash, gave birth to their first child, Olivia Madison Wilson.

Six weeks prior to the final, Julian ruptured the AC joint in his shoulder leaving it separated and still healing during his heat today. Despite letting set waves roll over the top of him and letting himself be swept to the jetski from the Kirra keyhole the other day, he still managed to slot himself into the best Kirra barrels of the final.

A 7.50 backup was enough to keep an eager Ace Buchan in second position, although Ace managed to slip into a sneaky double barrel after the section closed out on Julian further up the point. 

If Julian had a coach were certain he would be prescribing sufficient injuries and a constant supply of newborns.

The women also gave heavy Kirra a crack and Lakey Peterson deservingly came out with the win. 

The finals day contained Kirra switch ups, potential ill-decisions, injuries and even a delay inducing technical fault. 

Here’s a quasi-detailed, often hazed recollection of today’s events:

The two Champs, Lakey and Julian. Photo. Sloane/WSL

Overnight anticipation 

Coolangatta arose to a significant increase in swell from the east. We’ve been anticipating a shot of large surf from ex-tropical cyclone Hola, and last night it showed around dark. We sipped a few Corona’s, envious of those pulling into dusk tunnels; but not jealous of the few who suffered fins to the back due to the Snapper ant farm.

The night continued into the town, but I put a lid on it relatively early anticipating both the Kirra switch and a tonne of lines compiling along the Superbank. Others weren’t quite as wise and followed through with an early morning endeavour stumbling home to a serious lack of sleep space.  

Instead of rising to my 6 am alarm, footage of the WSL commissioner scanning the point at Kirra woke me with a cellular buzz. Yesterday’s prediction rang true; the Quik Pro was moving to Kirra.

We blasted a coffee, flew by Coolie for a little bit of Bircher and then received a message that the comp was on hold. But, as far as we were aware, it was pumping.

Technical issues caused the delay

As it turned out, the delay wasn’t due to a scarcity of scorable tubes, it was due to a WSL technical issue. The WSL webcast team was struggling to connect the camera to the broadcast truck and they weren’t about to start finals day without a live stream. While the camera crews struggled for over two hours to resolve the technicalities, pros such as Griffin Colapinto pulled into what would have easily been 8+ point rides.

At 9:30 am the belated Quarters kicked off, a little rain gave Morgan and myself a light sprinkling and we came to the conclusion that Kirra’s spectating experience was nothing compared to the perches at Snapper.

Two quarters rolled by. We missed half of the waves. We headed back to Snapper to watch from the comfort of the Surf Club’s air-conditioned room on the TV. 

Snapper was “the best it’s ever been!”

At the Rainbow Bay Surf Club, around 10:30 am over half the locals were slowly starting an early session on the sauce and many of which we’re ropable over the commissioner’s decision to ditch Snapper. One local of “20 years” approached us exclaiming it was the best Snapper he’d laid eyes on. The conversation was unprovoked. As he rattled away an eight-foot wash through swept everyone from behind the rock to Little Marley, so I thought it was verbal vomit. 

I was wrong.

Nick Vasicek and Mitch Parkinson also stated it was the best they’d seen and they were out there. Joel Parkinson stepped off into what Conner Coffin said was the best barrel he’s ever seen and even Kai Otton had Kolohe Andino stoked on a behind-the-rock keg.

Kirra was obviously firing, but was Snapper potentially better?

Griffin Colapinto is Rookie of the Year material

Griffin has been on a tear this whole event, coming off the back of his Triple Crown victory and Qualification Series domination.

You couldn’t ask for a more threatening start than coming up against the reigning World Champ and a recently sober Mikey Wright but Griff served the two of them in lumpy Snapper.

His next obstacle, Joel Parkinson–who racked up the highest heat total thus far against Patty G the day before. Parko wasn’t in form but he’s never an easy feat at his beloved Snapper Rocks. But yet again the Californian kid found himself in the next round sending shockwaves into camp Kolohe.

He faltered against the eventual winner in his Round 4 and then again in the Semis, but managed to take home the only 10-point ride in the Quiksilver Pro and set himself in the third slot.

From the heavy tubes of Kirra to the playful lips of Snapper, in one event, Griff proved he can shake it in a variety of conditions with the World’s best.

Oh and Tomas Hermes blew minds. He may be predisposed to the old aeroplane arms, but the rookie has a deep bottom turn and seems to squeeze in four turns were most can merely manage two. 

Lakey Peterson gave Kirra a nudge

After enduring a stifling semi-final stint on Kirra groyne, much to the dismay of my poor pale skin, I returned to the house and locked in for the women’s Semis. Honestly, I was stoked to see the ladies getting amongst it, Kirra was seriously heavy despite being sand bottomed and I probably wouldn’t paddle out.

Some of the heats were slow but both Lakey Peterson and Sally Fitzgibbons packed some tubes.

Lakey dominated the final against a young Keely Andrew and proved that whilst the girls may not be flying through caverns the size of Mr Wilson they’re not averse to a few late drops and flat bottomed barrels. 

Lakey isn’t afraid of a little duck and drive. Photo. Cestari/WSL

Observations and musings

The sun is hot, I’m on the commissioners side with the move to Kirra and the judges set the scale well with Ace’s first tube of the day.  

A surfer was momentarily swept into the competition site in Julian and Griff’s Semi, the jet-skis and lifeguards helped a man to shore at Greenmount and Wiggoly Dantas hurt his knee. 

And despite being out of the comp, Steph snuck a 10-point ride during the 1:30pm lay-time at Kirra. 

The competition ended way too fast – I was hoping for a few lay days – and now the tour and everyone else in town will be settling in for a potential blow out pre Bells.

If sub-par descriptions and personal accounts aren’t quite your preference then you can always head over to the heat-analyser. If pictures tell a thousand words I’d hate to imagine how much better a video is. 

Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast Final Results:
1 – Julian Wilson (AUS) 17.43
2 – Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.10

Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast Semifinal Results:
SF 1: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 10.00 def. Tomas Hermes (BRA) 9.17
SF 2: Julian Wilson (AUS) 13.77 def. Griffin Colapinto (USA) 11.66

Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast Quarterfinal Results:
QF 1: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 13.50 def. Owen Wright (AUS) 2.50 
QF 2: Tomas Hermes (BRA) 8.73 def. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 7.33
QF 3: Julian Wilson (AUS) 14.44 def. Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 10.00
QF 4: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 16.43 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 12.44

Roxy Pro Gold Coast Final Results:
1 – Lakey Peterson (USA) 15.67
2 – Keely Andrew (AUS) 5.67

Roxy Pro Gold Coast Semifinal Results:
Heat 1: Lakey Peterson (USA) 11.00 def. Malia Manuel (HAW) 8.33
Heat 2: Keely Andrew (AUS) 7.50 def. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 6.77

2018 WSL Men’s CT Jeep Leaderboard (After Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast):
1 -Julian Wilson (AUS) 10,000 pts
2 – Adrian Buchan (AUS) 7,800 pts
3 – Griffin Colapinto (USA) 6,085 pts
3 – Tomas Hermes (BRA) 6,085 pts

2018 Women’s CT Jeep Leaderboard (After Roxy Pro Gold Coast):
1 -Lakey Peterson (USA) 10,000 pts
2 – Keely Andrew (AUS) 7,800 pts
3 – Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 6,085 pts
3 – Malia Manuel (HAW) 6,085 pts