I think the whole priority disc thing is an embarrassing hark back to when pro surfing contests were run from tents.Legion wrote:Nick, what are your thoughts on the Ace/Gabby thing? Ace said the priority disc was red before his wave and after he pulled out and pointed it out to Gabby. Luke kind of glossed over exactly what colour it was and when but admitted the guy controlling the disc made a mistake implying Ace was right. Gabby lied during his interview and said it was yellow. I personally think it should have been re-surfed, given Ace was clearly rattled and blew the rest of the heat. Fcuking debacle.
Priority should be tracked electronically and announced the same way. Not by some poor bastard up in the judging tower turning a metal pole with a bit of coloured wood attached to it.
The management of information during heats is kinda farcical really, I mean the surfers have to rely on some beach commentator guy reading out scores and remaining time at some point when he gets sick of the sound of his own bullshit long enough to notice the surfers waving their arms around? what the FCUK?
How about this REVOLUTIONARY idea, a large electronic scoreboard with faces both out to sea and back toward the spectators, reading out priority, time remaining, and top scoring rides, along with what the guy in second place needs score-wise in order to take the lead???
And have that info matched on screen during the broadcast?
So everybody knows what's going on?
There is in fact such a scoreboard but it is a third party operation and is used only infrequently at events. And it doesn't carry a priority indicator.
Anyway, whatever went on in Ace's and Gabriel's heat, you can trace it back to the dumb arse metal pole twirling method of calling priority, and frankly, these days, there's no excuse for it.