Pro Surfers Height and WeightSaw

[Nick Carroll]

Extracted from this monthes ASL (Hope ya don't mind NC!)

Forget all that bullshit about having a "low centre of gravity". Tallness has ALWAYS worked well in surfing. Pretty much all the best longboard surfers of centuries back, the likes of Nat Young, Joey Cabell etc, were tall as f**k. It's physics: a longer lever exerts more pressure with greater control and gets a better result. But then along came the short board, and the whole game changed - so radically that only in the past decade has hi-performance surfing style and technique developed enough for tallness to be fully employed. Only in that time have people grown relaxed enough on board to adjust those long limbs without stress - and as they have, they've rediscovered the joys of body length.
So if you're a bit of a stork, don't listen to people who reckon you've gotta be short in order to get the job done. Get out there and rip.

You need to consider whether surfing journalists have a vested interest: a surfing magazine will want more surfers > more boards sold > more people will buy their magazines > more money.

chrisb that's just massively stupid. I don't even think about that shit when I'm thinking about surfing and how it's been done well or badly through the years. The amount of free advice I've doled out here over the past four years should be testament to that, for christ's sake.

My point is that height -- in the normal human range -- is an advantage in the modern surfing era, as it has been in days past. If you're tall and having trouble surfing well, it's got fcuk all to do with the logic expressed in that point, and absolutely nothing to do with my supposed nefarious reader-encouraging motives. Maybe you're just not very good at surfing yet.

[Clif]

Maybe you're just not very good at surfing yet.

[the kalakau kid]

Height doesn't really matter if you've got coordination, fitness & motivation. Short or tall, all body shapes can excel if they really want to. Simon Anderson won the pipe masters ( tall dude) and so did Derek Ho ( short dude). Whats more important for tall people is to make sure they're not riding a short guys board. Sure, it can be done but it will make things harder in my view

BTW - I stood next to Slater when checking into a hotel once and he's no dwarf. 5'9-5'10 or so? Hes' very definitely a fit bastard thats for sure. Great posture too - sign of a balanced physique.

[oldman]

Nick's taken me to task on this before but I still reckon the shorter, squat physique seems to suit better at the top end.

But I accept that is isn't a given, and is much more marginal than many sports.

Qangers comment re the gymnastics team doesnt surprise. Huge power to weight ratio, and guess what, gymnasts are almost never tall bastards, and have incredible balance. Have you ever seen a tall gymnast at the top levels?

Extra height requires greater balance IMHO, just as a factor of physics. Height isn't a barrier, but you will struggle to convince me that it is an advantage.

I have no excuse for my incompetence.

[Clif]

Yes you do. You are old.

[the kalakau kid]

Well theres a few of us that would like to take some comfort in being useless old buggers Clif but Gerry Lopez and others are out there keeping us honest on that count. Age is no excuse.

[RickyG]

Well, I'm tall (6'4'') and surf like crap - so I'm going with the shorter is better line

Seriously, i've always though shorter, nuggety guys surf better on shortboards especially. Of course, there's plenty of exceptions …

[mustkillmulloway]

Seriously, i've always though shorter, nuggety guys surf better on shortboards especially. …

and now with tough times hitting the pro tour and having strech every dollar far as a sponser can

they have the huge money saving advantage

say one pro surfer books a airline ticket....shoves 3 other pro surfers into his baggage

taj will fit in carry on bag

one pays....four fly for free

jeeze...being knee high a grass hopper never looked so good

p.s and another thing...sharks won't bother eating them...i mean one good bite and there gone....midget pro surfers...so lucky

[diggerdickson]

Maybe you're just not very good at surfing yet.[/quote]


Nick tell us what you really think mate, classic, made me laugh

Im 6 foot, not what you call tall, but not a short arse, Im only of average ability at the age of 42 so my surfing has slowed down from what it once was, but I use my height to full advantage through the bottom turn to burying the rail and driving the board back to the pocket, give me height any day over short arses in surfing.

[oldman]

Yes you do. You are old.

Thanks Clif! I appreciate that.

BTW, that distant light in the tunnel coming straight at you is the same one that ran me down. Try to get his number will ya.

There's only one alternative to getting old unfortunately.

Truth is I'm not so old to use that as an excuse, I'm just too lazy to apply myself to the task (which is surely a sign of age)