waterman league teahupoo?

[sylvano]

Hi everybody,
anyone knows what's happening in the Tahiti contest?
Did it happen?

[Honolii]

I think Blane had said in an earlier post that it wasn't happening.

[supmaui]

[val]

looks like fun

[Dwight (DW)]

Is a movie being released? I don't get it, what's this clip promoting?

[watermanleague]

Hi all. Just to answer your questions, we just held an exhibition event in Tahiti. Twelve of the greatest stand up paddlers spent two weeks in Tahiti on two charter boats courtesy of The Moorings. We had a variety of adventures sailing around the island and in the last days the waves were on our side and we scored classic Teahupo'o.

The whole trip was shot in high definition and we have some incredible stand up paddle footage.

We will post all the rides online so the winner of those competing can be decided by the audience, interactively.

Meanwhile you can see a trailer at this link: http://watermanleague.com/index.php?option=com_seyret&Itemid=4&task=videodirectlink&id=27

And for more information go to our site www.watermanleague.com.

We will be bringing you more news shortly.

Aloha to all from the Waterman League

[Strand Leper]

Watched the trailer.  I don't want to be a nagative nellie (quoting Ned Flanders), but man that music was cheezzzzeee.  We get it.  It is dramatic.  Maybe you can show a few more waves so that people will understand the drama and the consequence rather than pulling music from a battle scene in Kingdom of Heaven or something...   

Next... really, Hawaii is a team but the mainland guys are on the International Team... really... seriously?  I don't want to go off on the whole HI versus USA thing, as HI gets and deserves a little bit of deference in this whole surfing thing... because they kind of invented it... but really... Chuck is on the international team? 

Last, on the fighting over a beer can underwater... talk about homosexual overtones...

I know that a lot of money has been spent and people are putting their reputations and savings on the line for this gig... I just think you are missing the boat in the initial roll out... and you are continuing to set yourselves up for serous mockery frmo the laydown set. 

My free advice... likely worth what it cost.

[goatman]

I'd prefer to see a normal contest personally. Also why not open it up to all comers via a trials event if you really want to see who the best SUP surfers are.

I find it strange that the Aussies only have one representative as well. Whole thing lacks credability if it is supposed to be the best SUP surfers on the planet.

[watermanleague]

Hi all, thanks for your comments and please keep them coming. All feedback is appreciated.

I wanted to clarify that this was an exhibition event. It was not a world championship competition. We want to showcase  stand up paddle as a sport, at its best and answer to the certain critics who have been  questioning  our place in the ocean and our capabilities of taking on  the best waves in the planet.

Our riders came from Hawaii, mainland US, Australia, Europe and Tahiti. The majority of the athletes were indeed from Hawaii and from Tahiti. As an exhibition event aptly named the 'Contenders', it is aimed at introducing  us  to a number of  phenomenal riders both as athletes and as the people they are,  and to let us judge for ourselves, their abilities,  their different riding styles and where they can push this sport to. 

With regards to world tour competitions, there has to be a fair playing ground where the best athletes globally have the opportunity to be involved. We are working with local event organizers and people within the industry to identify those athletes to kick off the tour in 2010.

Meanwhile, we hope that through this event and the media production, we can bring positive attention to our sport.

[cloclo]

I can't wait to see the vid !!

At first this "event" was suppose to clarify the judging criteria, what can you tell us about that ? Have you discused about that with the riders ?
For exemple we saw many guys not using their paddle to get barreled, how are you going to judge that ? what about the criteria between Shortboard style/longboard style ? etc...

[Jon E.B.]

At first this "event" was suppose to clarify the judging criteria, what can you tell us about that ? Have you discused about that with the riders ?
For exemple we saw many guys not using their paddle to get barreled, how are you going to judge that ? what about the criteria between Shortboard style/longboard style ? etc...

Cloclo has asked the 'Golden Question'. I have seen different SUPsurf judging formats, but it all comes back to longboarding when implemented. I say that it is time for the creation of a shortSUP (or just shortboard style) division, as it is quite difficult to judge the two modalities against one another.

[Strand Leper]

I say double bonus kajillion points if anyone can pull off the patented foot on the paddle in the barrel move in a death pit pioneered by our own John E. B.

[Supperson]

Like to see more surfing and less hype

[DavidJohn]

I like it.. I like it all.. I'd buy the dvd.. Will there be a dvd?

DJ