WSL Finals Day Recap: Key Moments & Results
Summary of the Article: WSL Finals Format – A Retrospective
this article discusses the recent decision to discontinue the WSL Finals format in professional surfing, analyzing its successes and failures. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
The Good:
Increased Drama & Tension: The Finals format successfully condensed the entire season into a single,high-stakes day,creating a more compelling narrative than titles clinched through others’ losses in remote locations.
Memorable Moments: The format produced emotionally charged World Title wins for surfers like Steph Gilmore, Filipe Toledo, Caity Simmers, Yago Dora, and Molly Picklum, elevating their performances and creating iconic moments.
Potential for Excitement: The author suggests a potential loss of the dramatic, one-day finish that the Finals provided.
The Bad:
Inconsistency in the Women’s Division: The Finals format often didn’t reward the most consistently dominant surfer in the women’s division. Surfers like Steph Gilmore and Caroline Marks won titles despite not being ranked #1, leading to controversy.
Carissa Moore’s Disappointment: Carissa moore felt she was unfairly denied two World Titles due to the format, and many believe it contributed to her retirement. Even Steph gilmore acknowledged Moore as the “real world champ” in one instance.
Disputable Winners: The format inherently allowed for the possibility of questioning the legitimacy of the winner, as the final result didn’t always reflect the entire season’s performance.
* Location Issues (Trestles): The choice of Trestles as the Finals location was a important flaw. While a good wave, it didn’t adequately test a surfer’s versatility and favored certain styles (the “Toledo effect” – referencing Filipe Toledo’s success there).
Overall:
The article argues that while the WSL Finals format brought excitement and memorable moments, its flaws – particularly the inconsistency in the women’s division and the limitations of the location - ultimately led to its demise. The author suggests the format’s inherent potential for dispute was a fatal flaw.