The (Insert company) Pro, G-Land

“What we saw over the last 10 days is as good as it gets. I don’t care what anyone says, it takes good waves to be able to perform and show people how rad this sport is.” – Luke Egan, Victory Speech, Quiksilver Pro 1997.

In 1997, Quiksilver ran the third and final Quik Pro, Grajagan, held on the coastline of a nature reserve on the southern-most tip of east Java. In 1995, it was the first Quik Pro, G-Land that set the true concept of a ‘Dream Tour’ in motion. The late 80s and early 90s saw a growth in events based close to metropolitan areas, but the Quik Pro, G-Land took a step away from that. Its emphasis was on quality waves, rather than quality crowds. It was civil unrest that saw the contest’s cancellation in ’98, the welfare of the top 44 in too great a question to justify going ahead. In 2001, the event was re-scheduled but, as before, civil unrest again saw an end to plans. In 2002, the Bali Bombings reaffirmed the ASP’s decision. “They were both expensive non events,” said Quik’s Rod Brooks at the time.

Last year, the ASP confirmed with Stab that Quik had sent a scout team into the jungle, to G-Land, with the aim of deciding whether an event could be held there. But nothing every eventuated. Without sponsorship from a major company, it’s impossible to run a WT event, especially one that comes with the difficulty of a remote jungle location. But the ASP wanna make something happen during the two-month break now facing the top 34 – this morning, they posted this prompt on their website:

“We’ve just wrapped up the third event of the 2011 ASP World Title season in Rio de Janeiro, and the world’s best surfers will now embark on a nearly two-month mid-season break before their next stop in South Africa in mid-July.

“So, this begs the question, can the ASP feasibly approve another event to be slotted into this time period? Absolutely.

“And, a second question, is that a proper time period for another reefy lefthander – G-Land, perhaps? Absolutely.

“So, we’re just putting this out there, but the ASP wants to go back to G-Land. We want to see another sick lefthander on the schedule for the world’s best surfers to tear into. So, ask your grandmas, pool your paper route money, write your local board shop, stage a sit-in in Orange County, hop on Facebook, Twitter, whatever, and let’s get this campaign going.

“BRING G-LAND BACK!!!”

For one reason why the event shouldn’t be held in G-Land, just read the first line of travel advice for Indonesia on Smartraveller.gov.au: “We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Indonesia, including Bali, at this time due to the very high threat of terrorist attack.” Sure, it’s out in the jungle, away from the tourist hustle and bustle of Kuta, but with official advice like that, imagine the insurance costs. What kinda publicly-listed company’s gonna touch that (let alone pony-up the $2mil to run the event at this short notice)?

As of typing this, the article’s had 823 recommendations. But what do you think? Is G-Land the place? Or should there be another event added, but held elsewhere? And should that elsewhere be a left?