Dungeons Reaction

Mike Schlebach, as good as anybody at Dungeons. Photo Alan Van Gysen/Red Bull Content Pool

The South African surfing world has been hotly debating the recent decision to cancel the WSL Dungeons Challenge 2015. Many surfers, including former professionals, administrators and icons, have taken a stance on one or other side of the debate, many with some passion and emotion.

Vice-president of the WSL Big Wave Tour Gary Linden said he was surprised at some of the statements made by the Cape Big Wave Trust (CBWT) who listed reasons why they had unanimously voted to veto the event, but admitted it was true that the plan in 2015 was to allow only four locals at events on the Big Wave Tour (BWT).

"But once I got word that this was not going to be acceptable to the locals at Dungeons, we reviewed internally, and I proposed personally to Barry (Barry Futter, spokesperson for the CBWT) that we would allow for six locals and a wild card to make seven South Africans. This was before the meeting where the vote was taken. I offered to come to Cape Town and meet directly with the group in the hopes of responding to all concerns and coming to an acceptable resolution for all. The response was that I would be wasting my money. After the news of the vote, I again offered to personally address the concerns by coming to Cape Town and meeting, clearly indicating that there was significant room for negotiation. This offer as well met with the same response as the previous and at that time we decided to cancel having the event.” - Gary Linden

“But once I got word that this was not going to be acceptable to the locals at Dungeons, we reviewed internally, and I proposed personally to Barry (Barry Futter, spokesperson for the CBWT) that we would allow for six locals and a wild card to make seven South Africans. This was before the meeting where the vote was taken. I offered to come to Cape Town and meet directly with the group in the hopes of responding to all concerns and coming to an acceptable resolution for all. The response was that I would be wasting my money. After the news of the vote, I again offered to personally address the concerns by coming to Cape Town and meeting, clearly indicating that there was significant room for negotiation. This offer as well met with the same response as the previous and at that time we decided to cancel having the event.”

“Personally this was very disturbing to me as I had been the Director of Big Wave Africa for nine years and since the last one ran in 2008 I had been searching for a way to get the contest back. Keep in mind that it is extremely difficult to find anyone to put up the type of money needed to finance an event of this magnitude and this participation cannot be taken for granted. The benefit to the big wave surfing community far outweigh the negatives and I feel the loss of this opportunity to be tremendous. The current means of qualifying for the Tour heavily favor the locals where events are held as this is a direct path to compete. There is in place as well our #PROVEIT video submission qualifying program from which the top 6 are invited to compete in our Qualifying event. James Taylor (right) was selected and although the actual surfing event did not happen due to lack of surf he is in good position to be invited to some events this year.”

Linden said that no negotiation or clarification “was allowed to be considered. The WSL was given a 100% NO”.

A majestic wave about to unload as top local Andy Marr guns for the shoulder in 2006. Photo Charles Didcott/Red Bull Content Pool

Bill Sharp, General Manager for the WSL Big Wave Tour, said that the formula of six minimum surfers had “been accepted at every other key big wave venue in the world”, saying it was never about the numbers of wildcards and "but points back to other issues actually being at the heart of whatever changed the thinking over there."

Meanwhile, social media channels have been running hot with debate, sliced down the middle by a clear division in viewpoints, with respected surfers on both sides pursuing a rigorous discussion about the pros and cons of having the event at Dungeons.

“Even our returning BIG WAVE chargers just in from Hawaii and California / mavericks - were against it and warned of what destruction has occurred in these places due to "events" happening for the wrong reasons. When its done right, with pure and good intentions for all, then let it happen and let all prosper and enjoy the ride:),” said one Facebook comment on a post by Gigs Cilliers about the original article (here).

Brothers in arms. Chris Bertish and Jamie Stirling, 2006. Photo Jacques Marais Media/Red Bull Content Pool

Another one said: "Well I was initially disappointed reading this but understand the reasons now. You definitely don't want crowds and if there's no benefit for Saffer surfers then totally agree with it. Hype & media aren't needed at all. Enjoy it when it breaks."

On Facebook, Grant Twiggy Baker said: “The vote had nothing to do with the number of surfers invited. The WSL came back to us with seven places for South African surfers. Competition is a complicated issue at the foundation of our sport and always has been. As with most things there is no right or wrong answer, only opinion.”

Jonathan Paarman, a big wave pioneer and former Contest Director of the Red Bull Big Wave Africa, speaking from Cape St Francis, did not mince his words when asked to give his opinion:

“I think they are f-ing it up,” he said.

When asked to elaborate, he said: “Look, I don’t know the bigger picture. But I think it’s shortsighted. There has got to be something behind it that I don’t know about. I don’t know what is going on. My straight thought is why do you want an event, and then you don’t want an event. Now you don’t have an event. What’s got your goat up? Why are so many people saying no?"

The last Red Bull Big Wave Africa in 2008. Photo Caleb Bjergfelt/Red Bull Content Pool

Speaking about the unanimous vote, which included younger big wave surfers, Paarman said: “The young kids who voted against it - isn’t it their future, to become big wave surfers? How can youngsters who represent sponsors vote against a surfing competition?”

“Why aren’t the guys running their own events, irrespective of the WSL? It’s up to them to make it happen. Since the Red Bull died, what have they done? They don’t have a champion. There is no rating or ranking. What are they doing about growing big wave surfing besides griping? I just don’t see what they are trying to do.”

One senior surfing official claimed that “the crux of this debacle is the insistence of negotiating only with the CBWT instead of with the registered surfing organisations in South Africa such as WSL Africa and Surfing South Africa”.

Jason Ribbink rides Dungeons in 2006. Photo Jacques Marais Media/Red Bull Content Pool

“Talking purely from a South African surfing perspective”, Jason Ribbink, a pioneer of jetski tow surfing in South Africa with Gigs Cilliers and multiple entrant in the Red Bull Big Wave Africa, said he was “horrified” that there was no event at Dungeons and claimed it was a “very sad day for South African surfing”. He reiterated that he was “out of the loop”, having last surfed Dungeons four or five years ago.

“The first time I surfed Dungeons in 1999, there were three of us, maybe four. The last time I surfed it, maybe 2009, there were maybe 30 guys. There were a lot of guys out there after 10 years of the Red Bull.”

Ribbink said that the CBWT could learn from the JBay situation.

“They (CBWT) are worried that someone with less ability is going to get in. Well, at JBay, every year, at least 20 guys with less ability than Shaun Holmes get into the event. Shaun Holmes has to surf his way in. I am a firm believer in ‘cream rises to the top’. If you are that good, you are not going to be overlooked. If you are that good, and you’ve got the best big wave in the world, chances you will win awards. There are JBay guys who rip that wave, absolutely rip that wave. But they’re not in the event. Local surfers. But they are not qualified, and it’s acceptable.”

“The JBay guys have done it right. You know what, JBay gets super crowded, and gets so much exposure, but the locals still get respected. No matter who comes there. No-one comes there with the wrong attitude because they won’t get waves. The same way, in Cape Town, the locals will get respected because they rip the wave the best. If there are four guys in the event, then its simple. They must get 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th.”

“I was confused with the number seven (in terms of the six slots plus a wildcard offered to CBWT) but to me, even if you have only four in the event, it doesn't warrant a boycott. They have four times a chance to get a result … compared with zero chance.

“Do you think that the JBay locals want to give up their wave on the best day of the year? But they looked at it. I just think it’s about the locals working together with the WSL to make the event. The WSL didn't even have a sponsor but they put their own money into the event.

“Yes, it’s nice to have a lot of surfers in an event. I watched the Pipe contest this year. Hawaii is Hawaii. Cape Town is not Hawaii. Hawaii is where surfing started. Their top guys had to fight to get into the Volcom Pipe Pro. There was one spot to get into the contest. Guys like Makua Rothman, Bruce Irons, and Sunny Garcia - guys that have been surfing Pipe their whole life. They had to surf a six man or an eight man heat and only the winner got into the contest, and that was only a four-star WQS contest. “

Ribbink said he totally agreed about “keeping the kooks out”.

“If you look at what’s happening at Mavericks. A lot more guys are doing it. But at the end of the day, everyone knows where Dungeons is. It’s not a secret. The ocean is there for everyone to use. Obviously, you have got to respect the locals. If you paddle out there on a day and the locals are in the water, it’s like anywhere else, like paddling out at JBay or at Pipe. The less local you are, the more you wait for your waves.”

Free session early September last year. Photo Grant Scholtz

“So some local guys came back from Hawaii saying that they made a name for themselves, and that’s great, but the fact that they believe they are better than some guys they might put on WSL? To me it’s egos. To me, the WSL have a system of getting people into these events. Makua Rothman was a wildcard into the first event. He has won the world title. So whatever the system they have, it seems to work.”

“But I really do believe the guys have totally shot themselves in the foot as far as benefits for the sport. I am just horrified that there is no event at Dungeons. I can understand having a committee to facilitate the event, but I can't understand having a committee to hinder progress.”

“At the end of the day, you can say the XXL is the benchmark and that’s the fairest way, judging by video or photo footage, but if you claim to only surf big waves for the enjoyment and because the mountain is so beautiful and you don’t want to compete, you shouldn’t participate in the XXL, because that’s a competition.

“In those early days when Jonny Paarman, Gavin Rudolph, Mike and Shaun Tomson and those guys went to Hawaii, they went to show the rest to the world they were a force to be reckoned with in big, serious waves - waves of consequence. In those days, those were the heaviest waves in the world. And they did. They proved their point.”

Ribbink said that as South Africans, we were in effect saying to the world: “We don't want the best surfers in the world to come here so we can prove to them we are the best. We are too good for anyone to come here. Unless you do this, this, and this, we don’t want your money. I would say, when you look back at how it was done in the day. People still talk about Jonny Paarman (right) in Hawaii to this day about the way he attacked the wave at Sunset. He went there and he attacked it.”

With or without competition, that kind of respect earned kinship and bonds that transcended nationality and creed.

Paarman said: “Big wave surfing is not just about competition. It’s a lifestyle. You make friends. You show hospitality. You travel and stay with friends you made surfing big waves. The overseas ous are going to say ‘if you reject us, then what happens when you come over to our spots? We reject you'. It just plays against us. It just makes everything worse.”

Ribbink also spoke about this aspect.

“Friends will be forged between these young guys surfing big waves and the mates they make from Hawaiians and Californians coming here? That’s how the whole Red Bull thing created all the friendships, like Twiggy and Greg Long. That’s how it starts. Suddenly you are more welcome in Hawaii more than before, and you are looked after by this guy because you looked after him.”

“You talk about a brotherhood. The brotherhood is not just about Cape Town. The brotherhood is a global thing. I don’t look at a Cape Town thing. I look at a South African thing. I am not looking at just one element of big wave surfing.”

“The fact that they want to come to Dungeons is such a compliment for Cape Town and SA. And we are standing all over it. In the same breath, we are saying ‘but come back next year’. What I don’t understand is, what will be different next year? If you don’t want to be part of something, don’t be part of something, but sitting on the fence and saying ‘lets see what happens. Do they need us or do they not need us?’. I just don’t understand it.”

“To me, you are lucky you live in Kommetjie because you get to benefit 364 days of the year, but for one day an event that benefits South African surfing, and brings the best big wave surfers to Cape Town? Is that so bad? There will be some little kid that’ll get to watch it and get into big waves from a young age. It’s benefiting. At the end of the day, it’s benefiting. I can’t see the negatives, apart from it’s crowded for one day and maybe some guy in America saying “gee I want to go to Dungeons on a surf trip”.

“I don’t think you have that worry. You know what, if someone wants to surf Dungeons, then let them because it’s not a very inviting wave. It’s not Supers on a five foot day. And Supertubes is as crowded as it has ever been. Whether the WSL runs or it doesn’t run, it’s still the same. They have one event there, and they’ve accepted it.”

“To have no international big wave event in South Africa is sad. It’s an absolute embarrassment to the sport.”

“I have had the benefit of surfing that wave for many years with nobody in the water, towing it with no-one in the water, just basically having the best of it, and I have seen it exposed internationally. The "damage" has been done. It’s already exposed. Just look at the Internet and see all the pictures and videos. Every time a local submits an XXL entry they are exposing Dungeons. Do the SA public not want to see another Twiggy. Do they not want another kid to rise up and become a hero? The contest has no negative impact that I can see. Maybe I am missing something. From their points, I don't see what it can be. Maybe I am blind.”