Filipe Says Fuck The Haters, Packs A Teahupo’o Bomb!

If Filipe Toledo wins the 2018 World Title, it will not be the incredible performances in Brazil, Africa, or presumably Lemoore that define his breakthrough season.

No, it will be the wave below, caught at Teahupo’o on Saturday July 28th, two whole weeks before the start of the Tahiti Pro. 

Ya kidding!

You might remember about a week ago, when I laid into Filipe for actively avoiding heavy reef waves in his extensive training regime. 

After referencing the 2015 Title won by Brazil’s most determined little plumber, I boldly declared:

[Filipe], it’s okay to lack natural talent at a certain aspect of the sport. It’s even okay to be scared. But what’s not okay, especially if you want to raise that golden goblet come season’s end, is to sit on your hands (or your board) and hope for the best.

At the time those words were written, Stab had been given intel that in the gap between Jeffrey’s and Chopes, the flying llama would be visiting family in Brazil, followed by hitting the Waco wedge, followed by winning the U.S. Open, after which he would finally make his way to Tahiti, a mere three days before the event was set to begin. 

Who couldn’t love this guy? Photo: WSL

Some context for that last statement: Over the past nine months, we’d been in contact with Filipe’s sponsors and agent to set up a special project for my favorite Brazilian. Essentially we wanted Filipe to get comfortable enough in heavy surf that he would earn results at Teahupo’o and Pipe and thusly secure a Title. 

The methodology was simple: we would bring Filipe to Tahiti alongside Bruce Irons, who using the same snide remarks that propelled brother Andy into the heroic side-slip tube of 2000-whatever*, would force Filipe to turn on bombs. Tuberiding skills were a distant secondary concern. To me, it was most important that Filipe learned to go.  

After much hemming and hawing about TV shows and family drama, I was told that Filipe couldn’t make the trip work before the 2018 event. This crushed me, both as a creator and a fan, so when I found out Filipe wouldn’t be going to Tahiti until three days prior to this year’s event, my disappointment hit rock bottom, resulting in that article. 

Talk about second-hand PTSD.

But then just a few days ago, one of my coworkers received an invigorating email from someone close to Fil essentially stating that he went to Tahiti early. 

This sent a pleasurable jolt up my spine.

Not only did the message stroke my wounded ego, but it implied Filipe was being sneaky in his Tahitian strike, proving just how desperately the daddy-of-two wants the crown. 

Then today, to the surprise of pretty much everyone, Filipe dropped the wave. 

Whether or not Filipe made out of this cave is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is that when this terrifying lump approached the lineup, something in Fil’s brain switched and told him to go. No Bruce necessary. 

Filipe will now win the 2018 World Title and we’re all better for it.

*You won’t regret clicking here.