Surf100’s Grand Executioner Picks His Lowers Champs

Place your bets here.

Lower Trestles is about to run. And, for the first time in four years, the winner won’t automatically be crowned World Champ. In fact, after Fiji, we’ll have finally exited the strange purgatory of the “Final Five” era — where one-day performances determined season-long legacies. 

Never again, please.

This year, Lowers is just another stop. And the first one post mid-year snip.

Forecast? Pretty decent. The swell bookends the window nicely. “It’ll definitely be overhead, it’s not going to be a grovel fest,” says Nicol, who moonlights as both Surf100 judge and Lowers-based swell clairvoyant.

Hallelujah.

For the title contenders, it’s time to gently upshift into third gear. For the mid-tier surfers still clinging to World Tour relevance: just another warm-water wiggle at everyone’s favorite skatepark wave.

Oh, and Slater’s back.

Yes, at 53, Kelly is still built like an ox and sharp as Medina’s Gillette razors. Will he ride the Stab in the Dark winner? Considering it’s been loitering under a desk in our Byron office for weeks — probably not. 

But wouldn’t it be poetic to see him grab a 15-year-old Black Beauty, square his shoulders, and give us one last reel of Black & White nostalgia?

Anyway, here’s Yadin’s Betonline.AG picks for the win.

Women:

Caity Simmers, Caroline Marks, Gabriela Bryan, Erin Brooks — aka 33% of the draw, and all capable of swinging a knockout.

Men:

Cole Houshmand, Joao Chianca, Filipe Toledo, Italo Ferreira, Yago Dora — and yes, four of those have the Brazilian flag next to their name. You do the math.

Place your bets here.