The 2015 World Tour lineup looks tight

Here are some things that you might find interesting about this year’s tour. There were two rookies in 2014 and neither of them re-qualified for the 2015 world tour. This means two nights before the first event of the year kicks off, Dion Atkinson will attend the ASP banquet and receive the award, then go home. There are two wildcards handed out each year by the ASP. It’s typically assumed that these are injury wildcards. They are not. The ASP rulebook states “two male wildcards are to be selected by the ASP Commissioner’s Office for the Surfing Season.” There were four people fighting for the injury wildcard: Alejo Muniz, CJ Hobgood, Tiago Pires and Glenn Hall. Social clutter has had mixed reactions. On Stab’s instagram account, @liteoffshore wrote: “It’s time to give up that spot for a contender, you had a great career but it’s time to hang up the jersey.” CJ has just uploaded this to his social media perhaps in response to all of the talk: “@asp @wsl reported I received a Wild card to compete on the 2015 WSL tour. “DESERVING : do I even deserve the wild card? No I don’t think I deserve anything. It’s not a fun place to be asking for a hand out. Yes I understand the next generation is here and there not going anywhere. But just as I feel Kelly Slater from his generation still has what it takes to beat these kids. I feel like Mick, Taj Parko, and myself and the others from our generation are still very relevant and we have what it takes to mix it up with the kids at any stop on tour. “THANKFUL : words can not express the gratitude I have for this opportunity if you would of told me as a kid I would be on tour for 15 years I would of told you your crazy I’ll take one year. “REALITY : yes I’ve been struggling with the fact that I might not get the wild card and this is how my career might end. I’ve been kicked off tour before and re qualified, I’ve won a world title / CT events, I’ve had million dollar contracts, I’ve had no contracts, I’ve owned a surf shop, I’ve closed that surf shop. I own a brand I try to help my friends who like me would die for this sport. I’ve walked in your shoes “INJURIES Yes every single person on this surfing tour deals with injuries and set backs and it’s in those moments when we find that resolution that makes us great (Dusty Payne HI this year). When I got sucked over the falls in Tahiti this year trying to do something I love and received a concussion was that the reason I lost to Bede in my following heat? No, I lost because I didn’t have what it took on that day to beat Bede. Potts was saying kudos for getting back out there and catching another wave after that wipeout but the truth is I didn’t know where the hell I was at. “STORY : I don’t know what my story looks like but I try my best to be who I am and embrace that story. I love Jesus and love my surfing brothers. I will continue to freely sacrifice so my dreams can come true.” Before the Hawaiian leg, Julian Wilson was on the cusp of qualification. After his mind-blowing performance, a Pipe Masters title and a triple crown, it’s obvious that Julian perhaps needs the pressure heaped on to perform. Heading into Hawaii, Jules’ spot on the tour was looking dicey. “It was playing on my mind that I might not qualify,” said Jules, currently back in Oz celebrating at The Beaver in Bondi. “All I want to do is surf and compete and I would’ve been so devastated not to be on tour.” Want to know about the new faces? Brazilian goofyfooter, Italo Ferreira, qualified without breaking a sweat. Massive airs in tiny waves is what he’s known for and he also has flips on lock. If you had to compare him to anyone else on tour, think Jadson but without the proven tube prowess. Keanu Asing is from Oahu and he’s the newest Hawaiian face on tour since Seabass. Keanu is like a modern-day Shmoo and is a worker. Also pretty cool is the fact he dates 23-year-old UFC fighter, Kailin Curran. Ricardo Christie is now RVCA’s first ever world tour surfer. He’s also the first Kiwi on tour since Maz Quinn. “He’s the guy who got a start on tour after Julian Wilson went loony tunes in Hawaii,” a source told Stab, after Julian double qualified on the tour and WQS. “He’s gnarly, can do big airs and he really owes Julian a big Christmas present.” So, here’s the 2015 WSL Tour: 1. Gabriel Medina 2. Mick Fanning 3. John John Florence 4. Kelly Slater 5. Michel Bourez 6. Joel Parkinson 7. Jordy Smith 8. Adriano de Souza 9. Taj Burrow 10. Josh Kerr 11. Kolohe Andino 12. Owen Wright 13. Nat Young 14. Julian Wilson 15. Adrian Buchan 16. Bede Durbidge 17. Filipe Toledo 18. Kai Otton 19. Miguel Pupo 20. Sebastian Zietz 21. Freddy Patacchia 22. Jadson Andre WQS Qualifiers. 23. Matt Banting (new face) 24. Wiggolly Dantas (new face) 25. Adam Melling 26. Italo Ferreira (new face) 27. Matt Wilkinson 28. Keanu Asing (new face) 29. Dusty Payne 30. Jeremy Flores 31. Brett Simpson 32. Ricardo Christie (new face) Injury wildcards. 33. CJ Hobgood 34. Glenn Hall And, who’s out? Alejo Muniz Aritz Aranburu Dion Atkinson Tiago Pires Mitch Crews Travis Logie Raoni Monteiro ****