Would Leo Have Beaten Mikey In The World Tour Surf-Off?

Can you recall the Leonardo Fioravanti vs Mikey Wright wildcard drama that emerged late in the year of the Italo, the lord’s year of 2019? 

‘Twas a different time, one in which the term “viral content” would have been most hastily applied to a dolphin video on the WSL’s IG. You’d be forgiven for having removed the wildcard feud from the forefront of your consciousness since then. 

To refresh, the result was a three-event surf off. Both Mikey and Leo would have been given wildcards into the Australian leg of the CT, which consists of the first three events of the year, and whoever finished ranked higher would have been on tour for the rest of the year. The other would be told to kick rocks and/or be given more wildcards as the season progressed and people got injured. 

Imagine, for a moment, the battle that could have been if not for this lousy pandemic. 

Anyway, here’s a look at how Leo was surfing throughout the peak of the drama last season in Hawaii. Tubes, turns, airs — you’d be pressed to find a chink in his armor. After winning what will be regarded as the largest professional surf event of 2020 in the form of the Sydney Surf Pro (QS 10000), Leo spent an extended amount of time confined in Australia and is as fit as he’s ever been, surfing his best, etc. 

Would it have been enough to oust Mr. Wright on his home turf? Perhaps 2021 will provide us an answer.