Following the Quiksilver Pro New York, the sixth event and midpoint of the 2011 season, the ASP has released the new Top 34 surfers who will compete in the second half of the season.
In 2010, the ASP scrapped its two-tiered system of a World Qualifying Series and World Championship Tour for a One World Ranking System. At that time, the tour went from 44 to 34 surfers to maximize the amount of exciting surfing to reach a larger audience. It also forced the World Tour surfers to keep their ratings points up by competing in several Prime and Star events, raising the profile of these events.
As Renato Hickel, ASP World Tour manager, reminded us last week, this is no longer a "cut-off," as it was in 2010.
"It's a mistake to compare last year's cut-off with this year's rotation," said Hickel, "Last year we cut numbers, from 45 down to 34. This year, we'll simply apply the World Rankings at the point of rotation to select the new top 32, plus two wildcards, forming the new top 34 for Trestles through to Pipe. Big difference."
This rotation means that lower-ranking World Tour surfers will invariably be replaced by top surfers who qualify. The highest ranked surfer to join the tour from his results in Prime and Star events is Gabriele Medina, of Brazil, who comes on in the No. 16 slot. Other newcomers are Brazilian Miguel Pupo and Aussie Yadin Nicol, although Nicol is recovering from an injury and will not likely compete until Hawaii.
Staying alive are Taylor Knox and Tiago Pires, who were on the bubble going into the New York event. Aussie Adam Melling, plus CJ Hobgood and Gabe Kling, both of Florida, found themselves on the wrong side of the rotation and will have to start the road to requalification if they're going to get back into the Top 34. Hobgood has been on tour since 1999 and was the 2001 World Champ.
2006 Rookie of the Year, Bobby Martinez also falls from the tour after some poor results and failing to show up for the Billabong Pro South Africa and Billabong Pro Tahiti. His now famous Quik Pro New York round two webcast rant, directed at the new ASP system, got him disqualified from that event last week. He likely will not be playing tennis on his new found free time.
36 surfers will compete in each event, including two wildcards. The current alternates are currently former tour surfer Travis Logie, of South Africa and Hawaiian Freddy Patacchia, who gets the injury wildcard. The next event is the Hurley Lowers Pro, Sept 18-24.
NEW ASP TOP 34:
1. Kelly Slater (USA)
2. Jordy Smith (ZAF)
3. Owen Wright (AUS)
4. Mick Fanning (AUS)
5. Taj Burrow (AUS)
6. Jeremy Flores (FRA)
7. Joel Parkinson (AUS)
8. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
9. Bede Durbidge (AUS)
10. Michel Bourez (PYF)
11. Adriano de Souza (BRA)
12. Julian Wilson (AUS)
13. Damien Hobgood (USA)
14. Josh Kerr (AUS)
15. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
16. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
17. Kieren Perrow (AUS)
18. Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
19. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
20. Jadson Andre (BRA)
21. Heitor Alves (BRA)
22. Chris Davidson (AUS)
23. Brett Simpson (USA)
24. Dane Reynolds (USA)
25. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
26. Daniel Ross (AUS)
27. Yadin Nicol (AUS)
28. Miguel Pupo (BRA)
29. Dusty Payne (HAW)
30. Kai Otton (AUS)
31. Taylor Knox (USA)
32. Tiago Pires (PRT)
33. Travis Logie (ZAF) *surfer wildcard (next on ASP World rankings)
34. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) *surfer wildcard (injury)
1st Alternate: John John Florence (HAW)
2nd Alternate: Adam Melling (AUS)