Photo: ©Scott Winer www.ScottWiner.com
Kelly Slater knows a thing or two about Cloudbreak.Kelly Slater was interviewed by The Australian about the decision by contest organizers of the Volcom Fiji Pro to not run the contest at Cloudbreak during a massive swell that produced waves measuring nearly 50 feet.  Organizers did run a total of two heats before calling it a day, and then a massive crew of big wave specialists took control and provided a display of big wave surfing dominance that was broadcast on the contest webcast.

Photo: ©Scott Winer www.ScottWiner.com
Kelly Slater Cloudbreak.When Slater was asked whether the marketability of the majority of ASP World Tour surfers was damaged since the spotlight was stolen by big wave surfers not on the tour, Slater gave a rather surprising answer.

Photo: ©Scott Winer www.ScottWiner.com
Kelly Slater Cloudbreak."These (big-wave) guys and these swells need a good platform that supports what they're already doing and someone to really document the whole lifestyle and help these guys out more,” Slater told The Australian.

Photo: © ASP/ Kirstin
Cloudbreak.The Australian also revealed how the decision took place to determine whether or not the contest would run during the massive Cloudbreak swell.  The vote came down to ASP Head Judge Richie Porta submitting the lone yes vote in favor of running the contest during the huge swell, with Contest Director Matt Wilson and a representative of the surfers voting against running the contest that day.

Photo: © ASP/ Kirstin
Cloudbreak.“At the end of the day, we (the ASP) have taken a hit, obviously, for the (World Tour) boys not going in the water,” Porta told The Australian. “It was a loss for us.”  Porta did give a lot of credit to the big wave surfers who took over surfing the heavy Cloudbreak waves.  “I was really impressed with the 20 to 30 guys who flew in for that surf,” continued Porta. “They’ve got the best coverage they’ve ever had. And these guys are putting their lives on the line. I was rapt for them to get the coverage that they well and truly deserve, having millions of people watching.”

Photo: © ASP/ Kirstin
Cloudbreak.It remains unknown who exactly was the surfer representing the pros who voted against running the contest during the massive swell.  Taj Burrow, who would have been one of the two surfers in the next heat to run, said there was a general consensus among the surfers not to compete the rest of the day.  "I was scared," Burrow told The Australian.  "I'm pretty sure the surfers felt like we just didn't have big enough boards. It was just this really weird, unorganized moment. In the meantime, the big-wave guys were out there going nuts and a lot of us felt we'd just watch them."

Photo: © ASP/ Kirstin
Cloudbreak.Burrow wasn’t the only tour surfer who didn’t want to surf the humongous Cloudbreak waves.  Kai Otton, who surfed one of the two heats to run before the contest was finished for day, endured a heavy wipeout during his heat and was happy he didn’t have to go back out to Cloudbreak.  “That was the next level,” Otton told The Australian.  “I haven’t had to hold my breath like that before, and by the end of the day, the wave that got me was a nothing wave. The waves at the end of the day were huge. There were 20 guys out there, and they were the best big-wave surfers in the world.”

The mystery as to who the surfer was representing the tour isn’t the only perplexing aspect of the controversial day.  Matt Wilson, who is employed by the ASP as a Regional Director, was technically working for contest sponsor Volcom and not the ASP since the Contest Director reports to the organization sponsoring and organizing the event.

Kelly Slater added that a conflict of interest can arise when the Contest Director is employed by the sponsor and not the ASP.  "We should have a single contest director for all events hired by ASP who works closely with the people who know each spot best," Slater told The Australian. "We have seen cases where contest directors can run based on conditions that suit their friends/sponsored riders best. It's human nature. We need someone at arm's length."

Regardless of whether or not the contest should have run during the massive Cloudbreak swell, surfers were out there performing some of the greatest big wave surfing in the history of the sport.  Big wave legends Greg Long and Grant “Twiggy” Baker commented that they strongly support Slater’s sentiments about the ASP supporting a big wave tour.  Below are recent video highlights from the epic day at Cloudbreak.