Who’s In And Who’s Out? Jake “Snake” Paterson Analyses The End Of 2016

A poor forecast at the end of 2016 resulted in the opening round of Pipe resembling Snapper. In the end however, Kieren Perrow made the right call and the event finished in good waves… apart from the final. 

Let’s talk 2016 in review: John John won everything blah blah blah… He won the World Title, the Eddie, the Triple Crown – needless to say he had an amazing year. But the story behind the story was who’d win Pipe and at the end of the event, who would stay on tour and who would fall off. Also, on a sidenote: Hats off to Michel Bourez, he just joined the very exclusive club of winning all three events in Hawaii. In this club are Michael Ho and the great Andy Irons.

What a cut throat business pro surfing is? It’s impossible to explain making the cut in writing, so, to make a long story short: Kanoa killed it and gave a spot to good buddy Zeke Lau and in the process knocked fellow Californian Nat Young off. 

Now, let’s start at the top and work our way down. First off, what a shit final! Doesn’t everyone wish there was a WSL rule that in a final with no ride over five points for the whole heat, it should be a do-over? I know I do. 

The surprise packet–for most people no doubt–was Kanoa Igarashi. I’ve worked with Kanoa for a few years now, and it came as no surprise to me. Kanoa is a freak and has stayed at Pipeline for the past six winters or so. He knows the wave, surfs well out there and his result is no shock. I bet Kelly can’t believe he lost to a 19-year-old kid from Huntington Beach in four-to-six foot back door! I gotta laugh, it reminds me of the ’98 Pipe semis. (Editor’s note: In the semis, circa ’98, Slater got dusted by a young Bruce Irons who went on to the finals. Bruce then surfed against Snake; Jake won with a wave he caught seconds before the buzzer) 

For me, the main points were: 
– Toledo getting a ten then losing to Bourez was pretty crazy in round five.
– Connor Coffin not getting the score against Kelly in dying seconds of round three was bullshit. 
– Ottz should have announced he was going to retire so his tour mates could have chaired him up the beach. 
– Jordy finishing second in the ratings. Which is just a reminder if you’re not first you’re last!
– Nat Young fighting to stay on tour and losing to Jordy with a heat total of 16.17 in round five.
– Ryan Callinan taking out Medina! It’s about time that kid showed up, he rips. 
– Kolohe finishing fourth in the ratings after an injury and a third place finish at Pipe. Keep an eye out for Brother for the 2017 title race. 

Here’s who got booted off tour in 2017:
Nat Young, 23rd
Keanu Asing, 24th
Kai Otton, 28th
Matt Banting, 28th
Davey Cathels, 30th
Alejo Muniz, 32th
Adam Melling, 33rd
Ryan Callinan, 34th
Alex Ribeiro, 35th

New faces for 2017:
Connor O’Leary
Ethan Ewing
Frederico Morais 
Joan Duru 
Leo Fioravanti 
Ian Gouveia
Zeke Lau

Here’s who’s coming back next year:
John John Florence, 1st
Jordy Smith, 2nd
Gabby Medina, 3rd
Kolohe Andino, 4th
Matt Wilkinson, 5th
Michel Bourez, 6th
Kelly Slater, 7th
Julian Wilson, 8th
Joel Parkinson, 9th
Filipe Toledo, 10th
Adriano de Souza, 11th
Sebastian Zietz, 12th
Josh Kerr, 13th
Adrian Buchan, 14th
Italo Ferreira, 15th
Caio Ibelli, 16th
Mick Fanning, 17th
Conner Coffin, 17th
Stuart Kennedy, 19th
Kanoa Igarashi, 20th 
Wiggolly Dantas, 21st
Miguel Pupo, 22nd
Jeremy Flores, 25th 
Jadson Andre, 26th
Jack Freestone, 31st