“I know it’s not going to happen, but I’d love to see Hedgey and Kelly in the final at Teahupo’o this week.”
That’s what I wrote in this space a couple of weeks ago, and yes, I was right.
It didn’t happen. But it wasn’t that far off!
Last Friday on the ferocious Teahupo’o reef off the Tahitian village they call the end of the road because that’s precisely what it is, some magical things happened, and not just the sunlight bouncing off the squalls and lighting up the backdrop of majestic volcanic mountains.
I’ve said this a couple of times this year, but last Friday our time was one of the most incredible days of professional surfing in nearly half a century of watching them, on site and on the ever-improving media platforms.
Well worth the effort of the 3am start.
There were a number of reasons for this, but seeing as I’m old and so are these particular protagonists (well, relatively) let me recount the old guy story first. Hedgey and Kelly, of course.
The former a much-loved but wild Narrabeen pro surfer of 43 summers whose glory days were considered well behind him, and who had just come off a long alcohol rehab; the latter the world’s greatest surfer who at 50 already has one tour victory behind him this season (at Pipe) and was a solid chance at backable odds to surprise in waves of consequence at Chopes, given that he’s won the event five times.
After almost a week of poor conditions, the contest starts in waves that are only marginal, but Kelly, Hedgey and world number one Filipe Toledo catch a break when it is called off before their opening round heat, already in the water, can start.
The next morning in better conditions, the old boys make Fil look like a kook, which he most certainly isn’t. Kelly is masterful and relaxed as he cruises into the third round, while Hedgey looks comfortable but goes to the elimination round, where, with the whole shebang on the line, he barrels his way in beautiful conditions to a near perfect 9.43 to send Toledo packing.
By the time the round of 16 hits the water the surf is a pumping double overhead with the odd wider set even bigger. There are pits to be had and Kelly finds them to beat hard-charging Connor O’Leary with two excellent scores. Next up, Hedgey’s colourful cameo looks certain to end in the ruthless hands of the next world champ in waiting, Margaret River’s Jack Robinson. With a bit more than five minutes left, it seems to be following the script, with Hedgey needing two nines to break out of a sickening combo.
It’s a Friday arvo at Narrabeen and although I’m in Noosa, I can almost smell the beer-soaked pandemonium at The Antler as Hedgey’s mates will him to make a miracle happen. (The old Narrabeen Antler was knocked down and replaced by the Sands decades ago, but it’ll always be the Antler to me.) It’s impossible but Hedgey drops late into a massive bomb, freefalls down the face and seems to dig a rail as he turns behind a curtain of spray.
It’s all over. No, wait. It’s not! Here he comes flying out the other end clenching his fists.
The boat crowd watching from the channel goes berserk, but the job’s not done yet.
Hedgey turns and paddles back out with fierce determination.
Another set looms and he pounces without priority and adds a middle eight to his high nine to win by less than a point as the buzzer signals the end of the heat.
The swell has dropped significantly by next morning but it’s finals’ day.
I sleep in until 5am and miss the men’s quarters, but pick up on replay that Kelly is right in this, taking out Yago Dora to progress to the semis. Sadly though, Hedgey’s dream run is over when he can’t find a backup for another excellent barrel. A heroic fifth.
The first semi-final between Kelly and local wildcard Kauli Vaast, who is a brilliant young surfer and knows every piece of coral on this reef, promises to be the ultimate old versus new showdown.
Instead it’s an embarrassment, not to Kelly who has nothing left to prove but to all of us who actually thought he could punch the age barrier in the gut one more time. Outsmarted, outsurfed, the GOAT comes in with a shrug and a solitary point on the board.
Is it the end for Kelly Slater? Of course not, but it might finally be the beginning of it.
Meanwhile there’s still a final to be run, and it’s a doozey.
Kauli Vaast is 20, smart, eloquent, modest and a surfer who combines technical genius and flair. In other words, we haven’t heard the last, but on the day he is gunned down by superior barrel riding from one of the unsung heroes of the tour, Miguel Pupo of Brazil.
Lately in the shadow of younger brother Sammy, Miggy turned it on right through this event to win his first WCT after years of trying. Not a dry eye on the Brazilian Storm boat in the channel.
Next week I’ll talk about the intriguing women’s return to Chopes after 16 years, and look at how next month’s WSL final series is shaping up.
FOOTNOTE: On deadline last week, the age divisions of the longboard divisions of the Australian Titles at Port Macquarie were still running, with several Noosa competitors in the mix. Better late than never, I can report that the evergreen Peppie Simpson took out the women’s over 60s, while Noosa’s only Barbadian surfer Wally Allan made a couple of longboard finals, having already won the over 40s logger. Great work, guys.
