Leaked WSL Finals Day Criteria Mocked Amidst Season-Long Judging Controversy

Ever since the 2023 Surf Ranch Pro, and the controversy that followed, a bullseye has been aimed at the WSL’s judging panel.

“The surfing community, especially in Brazil, is mesmerized with the poor clarity and inconsistence of judging for many years now, but lately it has been even more shocking,” wrote Gabriel Medina after a contentious loss to Ethan Ewing.

Others (Brazilians Filipe Toledo and Italo Ferreira) followed with their own disapproval of the judging criteria. And the critiques continued; allegations of “rigged” and “unfair” and have been lobbed during nearly every event since Kelly Slater's wavepool.

And so, ahead of the WSL Finals Day, it’s no surprise that the judges want to make the criteria crystal clear for competitors, informing them on exactly what they’re looking for.

In the leaked document above, partially edited for comedy, the WSL has revealed that criteria before the event window kicks off on September 8th.

It reads:

“Lowers is a high performance wave that offers multiple sections and ramps in both directions allowing surfers to perform a wide variety of maneuvers. Innovation and progression in conjunction with a surfer’s utilization of speed, power and flow are key factors to the higher scores. Lowers I the location to see the levels of high-performance surfing pushed.”

What they're looking for? Airs. Innovation. High performance.

Think: Gabriel Medina’s inverted air reverse on the Lowers left from 2021.

But, to add a bit of levity to the ongoing judging drama of the 2023, the account above redacted some of the criteria particulars, instead adding some comedic alternatives:

“Aggressive pelvic thrusting after turns.”

“Going really fast in the flats and doing a big chop hop.”

“What your favorite Radiohead album is.”

Yeah, amidst the judging controversy, the mysterious firing of Erik Logan, and the dogshit wave curse, it seems like people are ready for 2023 to be done and dusted.

Maybe even the WSL, too.

Just a few more days…

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