Newcastle’s Twisted Harmony Of Pain

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Tragedy and agony in Newcastle right now. A million cuts, each one more torturous than the last. Hard to watch, harder still to look away.

The race to get to the tour often feels more gripping than the tour itself. The journey, rather than the destination, as they say.

Anyway, let’s get to it: Round of 32, heat 3. Everything’s on the line for the world’s favourite Brazilian son, Mateus Herdy.

Three minutes left. Mat’s in third, needing something better than a flat 6 to advance. If he makes it through, his spot on tour all but locked. If he doesn’t, it could be the same heartbreak, the same arrow stuck in his chest for the fourth year running.

A wave rolls through. He rises, pumps, then eyes the section. A backside full rote into the flats. Stomps it. He knows it’s the score. He stands tall, breathes, and then crashes back into the water, probably letting out a scream under the surface that’s been building for years. He surfaces flexing.

Finally, after clawing up the cliff for years, only to have some cruel, unseen hand peel his fingers off and knock him back down, the path looks clear. He begins to pull himself up.

But then, out of nowhere, a black cloud rolls in. The sky goes dark. The temperature drops. Another wave appears, and Alister Reginato strokes in, hits it twice. He needs a 6.3 to leapfrog Mateus. 

The heat ends. The camera zooms in on Mat as the score drops. The last judge holds like he’s getting pleasure from the suspense. Then, the score comes through. A 6.33.

Mat drops to his knees, hands clutching his head.

You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.

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It’s worth noting that only 2 of the 5 judges thought Alaster did enough to get the score. A minority opinion, yet the law of averages doesn’t bend. Should this be a point of contention in the judging system? For a detailed breakdown of this very scenario, move here.

Worth a debate, but for now, Mateus is stuck, stranded in 9th place, eliminated, frozen on 19,660 points. Above him, everyone’s locked in. Below him, LOB’s even more vulnerable, and just behind, Levi Slawson and Dmitri Poulous still have a shot. Both need two more wins, at least the semis, to leapfrog him and LOB.

And, if you’ve got room for more bad news today, Jacob Wilcox, after taking the opening CS event of the year, has been nudged out of the top 10. He won’t make the CT this year. Cal Robson advances, slides into the top 10, and takes the qualification spot.

Spots 1 through 8, including Oscar Berry, Morgan Cibilic, Sammy Pupo, and George Pittar, are locked in. We’re almost there. More as it comes.

Place your bets for next round here.