Senior Editor
Staff

The Inertia

The new year of the new World Surf League capped off the first day of the first stop on the Samsung Galaxy Championship Tour. While conditions weren’t anywhere near as good as they were last week, Snapper still showed a bit of what she’s really capable of. With waves in the 3-4 foot range, conditions at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coastwere contestable, at least.

The first exciting moment came in heat three, when Fred Patacchia took out both Kelly Slater and CJ Hobgood. “I’m just happy that it’s a new year,” Patacchia ​said in a WSL press release. “We get to start all over again from zero and show the judges and the fans what we’ve been working on in the offseason. I was able to pick off some pretty good waves out there and show what I’ve got. It felt great and I feel strong physically and mentally. It’s only Round 1, but it’s a good start.”

Of course, John John Florence made his presence known, pulling down the first nine-point ride of the year in the fourth heat. The Hawaiian seems to have his sights set on the title this year, more than any other. “I learned a lot last year,” he said. “It was so inspiring to watch Gabriel win. I think it really pushed all us younger guys.” John John sits in third place in the rankings.

In one of the greatest underdog stories of the day, tour rookie Matt Banting took out world champion Mick Fanning. Although Fanning was able to surf his way to a 9.73 on his last wave, it wasn’t enough. Banting showed what he’s capable of, and with a whole year ahead of him, it’ll be exciting to watch.

Heat six saw two Brazilians face off against each other, with wildcard Dane Reynolds struggling in the conditions. Gabriel Medina and Wiggoly Dantas basically surfed against each other, while Reynolds floundered. Medina showed his wave knowledge, picking off the biggest and best of the heat, and eventually finding a 9.50 for the win.

Not-so-dark horse Dusty Payne proved once again that he’s a force to be reckoned with. After his incredible performance at the Triple Crown last season, Payne is back and looking stronger than ever. “I’ve been watching all morning and the guys making it through the heats are on the bigger waves, so that’s what I tried to do,” Payne ​said in his post-heat interview. “I want to be on this Tour for a long time. Hopefully I’ll be here as long as Kelly’s been here. He’s a huge inspiration for me and I want to have a long and successful career like him.”

Watch all the heats on the WSL’s Heat Analyzer, and be sure to tune in for live action on WorldSurfLeague.com

 
Newsletter

Only the best. We promise.

Contribute

Join our community of contributors.

Apply