Objective – based on facts.
Subjective – based on opinions, feelings, or emotions.
There are no facts about competitive surfing. Every wave ridden is judged and attributed a score in comparison to the last wave ridden. The first wave of the day, or even the first wave of the entire event, is going to be in comparison to what the judges saw in the freesurf before the horn sounded.
We’re humans. We have expectations, hopes, favorites, tendencies, biases, feelings. I personally believe that the judges do their absolute best to set all of this aside when throwing numbers. At least one can hope.
The criteria is in place to try and take the subjectivity out. It sets parameters and gives an idea for what the judges are looking to score. Speed, Power, Flow – you know, the cliche shit. The WSL is supposed to communicate with the surfers what they are looking for each individual competition day, because we all know that the conditions and the surf changes all day, every day, everywhere. It should be well understood by both parties (surfers & judges alike) what kind of surfing is being rewarded each day.
I’ve been hearing and reading a lot about how the main job of the judges is to ensure the “right” surfer advances. I completely disagree. If the judges are only choosing a winner and a loser, why even throw scores at waves? Couldn’t you just let the heat be surfed and at the end of the 30 minutes decide a winner based on who they feel should move on? In my opinion, the job of the judges is to score each wave correctly. As correct in their 100% honest, unbiased opinion as they can. Meaning that they are strictly scoring the wave and the surfing and the criteria. That’s all. The scores themselves should decide the winner.
It’s a tough gig, no doubt. And the spotlight that surrounds the WSL can get pretty hot. Probably feels like a microscope under there. Like that scene from Toy Story when that neighbor kid is torching his toys with the magnifying glass..
Here’s what I’ve recently found under my Hand Lens..
Lucca Messinas’ wave was deemed incomplete, while Jordan Lawler’s was complete, in the same event. It feels like the judges are just as confused as us fans.
And how about the WSL admitting to their mistake in how Nat’s wave was scored – only for Nat to fire back saying that how he understood the situation was that his wave was missed, and not mis-scored. The comment section on that post alone is worth your time.
So, what say you? Could you be a sanctioned WSL judge? Should we start throwing our own numbers out during events? Live, communal scoring anyone? I’m open to ideas. I can’t speak for the Wozzle though.
Until next time. Cheers.
hwilsin
Drew Stanfield