THE CHAIRMANS REPORT – FIJI PRO

“Normally, you’d expect a Kelly Slater vs John Florence final at Fiji. But Matt Wilkinson doesn’t do normal, instead he leans more toward eccentricity to make his mark…” Euro rookies, the coaches, WSL commentary and Wilko then and now… In this report The Chairman aka Glen Drysdale (who watches the WSL from the comfort of his armchair) tells us what we learnt from the 2017 Outerknown Fiji Pro.  — Matt Wilkinson didn’t drop a heat on his way to becoming the 2017 Outerknown Fiji Pro Champion by defeating fellow Australian rookie sensation, Connor O’Leary, in the final. He was consistent, stealth, precise and strategic. He was everything ‘Wilko’ wasn’t three years ago. Eight lay days on an island paradise with unlimited supply of beer would surely have unravelled the steeliest resolve of the Wilko of past. Instead it was a master class of fortitude, focus and adding the fine touches that make all the difference to a performance when you need it most. And now, the ‘Court Jester’ who grew up, is wearing the yellow jersey again, and one gets the feeling, it’s a way more comfortable fit. This time Wilko snatched it from John Florence, not the other way around, and […]