Bruce Irons Set to Leave WCT
“Bruce Irons - It’s hard to say what’s going on with Bruce. The bottom line is he is way too talented of a surfer to consistently be going out in the early rounds. He seemed particularly disinterested in his third round loss to Adrian Buchan at Snapper. How sick would it be to see him go the path of Jamie O’brien and just completely dedicate himself to the freestyle thing? Those two alone are surfing as progressively as any, and would serve as worthy pioneers for a new freestyle movement for surfing.” - March 24, 2008
It has been pretty clear watching Bruce Irons on the ‘CT this year that his heart wasn’t 100% into competitive surfing. When I wrote the paragraph above during this years Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach it was from my perspective as a huge fan of Bruce and his style of surfing. His body language in the majority of his heats this year has screamed that something just wasn’t clicking for him as a competitive surfer. He had the appearance of a caged-animal, someone who was ready and wanting to unleash but was trapped by everything that comes along with being on the ASP Tour. Apparently Bruce has had his fill of the ‘Dream Tour’ and has now made it official - 2008 will be his last full-time year on the WCT. “I’m going back to being a freesurfer,” Bruce says, “It’s what I was meant to do.”
Volcom, having also noticed the energy and creativity being sucked out of Bruce on tour, is fully supportive of Bruce and his desire to go the freesurfing route that others such as Jamie O’Brien have gone. Irons schedule will no longer be dictated by the ‘CT events, instead he will travel as storms, swells, and the opportunities to surf and capture footage of him surfing waves in ways that only he can all over the world arise. “My schedule is to not have a schedule. The schedule is the storms. For so long, I’ve known exactly where I would be at any given time of the year. It’s stagnant. I like change. And it’s time for a change.”
Bruce will be finishing out the rest of this year on tour. With that decision already being made and the ability to now see the light at the end of the tunnel, hopefully we will be able to witness Bruce Irons surfing with his style and vision that have brought him so much success. Bruce was born to freesurf and blow minds doing it. Good for him for making that decision and chasing his dreams.
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Posted by Shaun on Friday, May 23rd, 2008 in Surfing.
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May 23rd, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Good for Bruce and Volcom. There are a few other guys I think would do well leaving the tour for free surfing. Unfortunately there is too much emphasis from their sponsors to be in that limelight of the top 44 in the world when in all reality the better free surfers can get more exposure not being on the tour.
May 26th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Some surfers are made for free surf and the stuff they can do in that relaxed environment is what really pushes the sport. I am stoked to see what Bruce will unleash.
Think about it before a session do you watch a recap of the WCT or do you watch any of the campaigns, momentums, loose change and all the others?
June 3rd, 2008 at 3:09 pm
i just watch some old home vids b4 my sesh to get pumped, cause i rip;)
but yeah, he needs to be off the tour. i keep adding him to my fantasy surf team thinking he will do something but never comes through and i loose points.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:34 am
[...] What this all means is that Kelly is slaying the tour and on target for his 9th world title!!! Bruce Irons is planning this to be last year on the WCT tour opting instead to surf whenever and wherever he [...]
August 30th, 2008 at 5:21 am
For bookies he has been an easy lay for an age. To be honest I think if he going to give it up he should drop off the tour now allowing one of the alternates a crack at least.
cheers
Cam
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