Poor Marco Mignot. I hope someone called the cops; he just got robbed. Completely hosed.
I’ve rewatched the Final at least 4 times now, and I will not be talked out of my opinion – Mignot should have beat Cleland and won the US Open.
I don’t know if it’s a matter of industry favoritism, a chance at history being made (first Mexican surfer to win the Open), I’m really not sure what happened, but I’m convinced they got the wrong result.
Mignot pushed so much harder on all of his turns. His surfing was much more dynamic. Cleland probably threw a lot more water on his turns, but he’s a bigger dude, that’s to be expected. He really wasn’t pushing through his turns, he was kind of slapping the lip line. Maybe this is why the scores were so close; I can understand how live at the beach, Cleland’s turns might have looked a lot more powerful. Live on the webcast, however, was completely different. Even now when I watch the replay I can’t understand how it was so close.
All 3 major turns on Marco Mignot’s first wave were better than any single major Al Cleland had during the entire final. It’s easy to underscore the first wave of the heat, so a 7.33 was fine for me. Cleland’s 6.0 is where I thought the first mistake was made. A check turn (where he bobbled at the bottom), two foam climbs, and a weak finishing turn should have been much less than a 6. The actual number 6.0 is fine, but the fact that this ride was only 1.33 points less than Mignot’s first does not sit right with me. The last buzzer beater shouldn’t have even been close because this number should have been lower. It put the judges in a tough spot.
The next mistake was Mignot’s 5.27. I get it, smaller wave, not really a set. Still, the nosepick reverse he pulled on this ride was more difficult than anything Cleland did on his 6. So give Cleland the check for Speed & Power, then give Mignot the nod for Flow & Degree of Difficulty. These scores should have been closer. Of course everyone has their opinion, so I could see some preferring Clelands and some preferring Mignot’s between these two waves, but it should have been closer. Of note – whoever the Hawaiian judge on the panel was, had Mignot over Cleland as well (5.5 for Cleland, 5.8 for Mignot).
And of course finally, with the judges really slammed in a corner, the buzzerbeater comes. It’s tough to not give the score. Again, I get it. I work events. I know how the hype and excitement and just everything happens. I still thought there was no way they gave him the score when I was watching live. It’s tough though, because that wave had to go higher than his 6. He surfed it better. But it shouldn’t have been nearly that close (6.70) to Mignot’s 7.33. I was actually shocked. I still don’t understand. It must have been the live factor, being there on the sand. That’s the only thing I can put it to, that Clelands turns looked bigger and more powerful in real time.
Another thing that I am speculating happened, because I’ve witnessed it first hand multiple times – is the Head Judge telling the judges what number was needed. So say Cleland kicks out of his wave, chest pumps, obviously the horn went, everything is happening super quick – then the HJ quickly says “okay, he needs a 6.61, what are we thinking? Did he get it? Did he do enough?” Little small questions and phrases that influence the decision of the judges in the direction that the HJ is feeling.
Like I said, that is complete speculation. But I have seen that happen. In my opinion, as soon as the wave is done, the judges need to throw down the very first number in their head without anything else being said or put to them. Then they can watch the replay to compare it with any other waves and adjust the score from there. Still, at that point, I don’t think they should be informed of what the surfer needs. I don’t think they should be deciding at the very end who wins and loses. The main job of the judges is to score the waves as fairly as they can, to the best of their knowledge, ability, & experience. I’ve said this before, but the numbers should decide who wins. Otherwise why even throw numbers? Why not just decide a winner and a loser?
Last side note – the WSL releases media after each event. Looking through the photos of the Men’s final, there are only 2 action shots of Cleland, and not one of Mignot. That’s interesting, no? The beach is littered with photographers snapping off shot after shot. They pay multiple guys or gals to shoot every event of the year, but they ended up with 2 photos from the Final? Weird.
Don’t get me wrong, I am truly stoked for Al Cle. I was down there a few days with my grom, he signed a poster and was genuinely cool to myself and the kid. It’s rad he won. I just wish it didn’t happen like that. Leaves a weird feeling in my gut since I really felt Mignot should have won. That’s why I feel for Marco. If he ends up not making the CT by any margin, I blame that heat right there. That’s a difference of 2,200 points. Last year, Deivid Silva (#10, last qualifier for Tour) was ahead of the next 3 on the list by less than 1,500 points. So let’s not act like that can’t happen.
There are still 2 events left in the Challenger Series year, so it’s about to heat up. Gouviea just locked in his spot for the CT next year, so that leaves 9 more slots. We’ll get into that soon. I just wanted to talk about that final. Still super heavy.
You watch it here and let me know what your thoughts are. Drop a comment below.
Cheers,
hwilsin
Drew Stanfield