EP 189: Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew - Snapper’s return to the CT in 2025, Standouts from the event, Coolangatta as a World Champ breeding ground, Calling the World Champions heat, and Bugs’ bold predictions for World Champs

1978 World Champion, WSL Commentator, and one of the Founders of the ASP/WSL, Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew joins us for the inaugural episode of The Lineup podcast’s, On The Road Series. The On The Road audio-only format aims to bring you quicker, deeper and better insight by checking in with our commentators and experts on-site at our various WSL events, and airing these episodes as quickly as possible. These are the stories, the background, and behind-the-scenes from the mouths of those closest to the action on the ground. In today's episode, Bugs and Dave chat about the Challenger Series season opener, the Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro Presented by GWM, standouts of the event so far, and how the wave at Snapper brings out the best in everyone’s surfing. They talk about the region of Coolangatta as one of the most potent real world experiments as a World Champion breeding ground, with the location being a home to elite surfers like WSL’s first World Champion, Peter Townend, Chelsea Hedges, Stephanie Gilmore, Mick Fanning, and world-renowned shapers like Darren Handley and Jason Stevenson. They discuss the area and history of the Tweed River Sand Bypass and how Australia is pushing for legislation to protect its surf zones and surf breaks. Dave and Rabbit dive even deeper by discussing Bugs' autobiography, Bustin’ Down the Door, and the incredible documentary of the same name, and how the surfer’s of his generation influenced the progression of our high-octane modern day competitive surfing. Dave and Bugs bring it all together by coming back to Snapper and its integration back into the Championship Tour in 2025, the mindset of battle-hardened surfers relegated to the CS vs the momentum of the up-and-coming regional qualifiers, and calling the World Champions heat between ‘99 World Champ Mark Occhilupo, 2012 World Champ Joel Parkinson, 3x World Champ Mick Fanning, 8x World Champ Stephanie Gilmore, and 11x World Champ Kelly Slater. Finally, they close out the pod by discussing what boards the surfers have been riding, fins being the last frontier, and Bugs’ bold predictions for the men’s and women’s World Champion this year.

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