ASP Ends Midyear Cut
Controversial Rotation System Deactivated for 2012
With the deactivation of the midyear rotation in 2012, Gabriel Medina (BRA), 17, will be a mainstay amongst the world’s elite throughout the whole of next season. Photo: ASP
COOLANGATTA, Queensland/AUS (Wednesday, December 28, 2011) – The ASP Board of Directors has voted to deactivate the midyear rotation in 2012, citing scheduling uncertainties as the primary reason.
“This has been an extremely challenging decision for us to make,” Dave Prodan, ASP International spokesman, said. “We believe that the 2011 rotation brought in some incredible talent that proved they deserved to be amongst the world’s best with their performances throughout the back half of the year. However, the instability of the ASP schedule (especially in 2012) makes the concept very difficult to manage. Where would we schedule the rotation? How do we ensure there are fair and balanced opportunities in every rotation for surfers to qualify? As we have been since our inception, we are a sport governed by the surfers for the surfers and it is in this spirit that we have voted to deactivate the midyear rotation in 2012. We believe this decision is best for the upcoming season and we will continue to discuss the future of the rotation within the sport.”
The motion to discontinue the midyear rotation was initially tabled and supported by the surfer stakeholder group, headed by representative and 2012 Billabong Pipe Master Kieren Perrow (AUS), 34.
“The midyear rotation worked out better than we could have imagined this season, but looking ahead, the surfers feel that it will not have the long-term effects desired for the sport,” Perrow said. “This is felt by the majority of the surfers from the very top of the ASP Top 34 to the qualifiers in the Prime and Star events. What we have created is a system in which the very best surfers in the world are currently within the ASP Top 34, but the process of getting there is becoming disorganized. We don’t want that and the decision to not have the midyear rotation in 2012 is the best thing for the sport.”
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
Comments
December 29, 2011 11:04 am
(Quote 1) “The fact that beyond-green Brazilian rookie Gabriel Medina won two events right out of the gates – or the probability that media darling Dane Reynolds will have to work much harder if he ever decides to rejoin the sport’s elite – is moot” (Matt Pruett, Surfline). (Quote 2) “When those subject to bureaucratic control seek to escape the influence of existing bureaucratic apparatus, this is normally possible only by creating an organization of their own, which is equally subject to the process of bureaucratization” (Max Weber, German sociologist)
December 28, 2011 11:11 am
B. Mar is probably the happiest Jiffy Lube Employee in Santa Barbara right now!
December 28, 2011 6:32 am
Terrible move. If they do this and dont change the score points of the events, there will be no renovation.
All a CT surfer has to do now is run two or three primes and pass two heats on any WT event (even Dan Ross can do this)…
Terrible move. They are killing the new generation in favour of guys like Kieren Perrow and Kai Otton.
Terrible move.
December 28, 2011 6:19 am
Predictable juridical reaction to the scaring “Medina effect”… Reinforced firewall against exotic (non-blonde) menaces.
December 27, 2011 8:52 pm
good move. Too bad Bobby was the victim of a questionable call like this….wonder if he is still playing tennis, or getting ready for some 6 star primes??
December 27, 2011 6:20 pm
Someone call Bobby for a comment!
December 27, 2011 5:33 pm
Great decision. It takes allot of talent and work and luck to get on the WCT… To not be given a full event year to get adjusted to it didn’t seem fair to me. Actually, it takes rookies about two years to really figure it out out. The bigger problem is bias, which is very very difficult to avoid, since the scores are subjective, and the pressures are many. I accept all of that, in my enjoyment of watching great surfers shred great waves, live, online. It’s just awesome for me. I’ve learned allot from the best in the world. Stoked.