progression in surfing

[g_u_m_b_y]

will surfing ever progress?
Reading that other thread about occ, and it seems people still aren't willing to fully accept "new" surfing.
I know this has been the case since aerials were first pulled off....
And i do realise that the surfing of julian wilson and the like is widely recognized; but by everyone?

I know that hacks and power surfing are awesome, but they certainly hold their place - no one is going to be doing hacks in 1 foot waves.
Anyways you can elaborate on my badly structured argument/ question.

im too tired to make sense

[kreepykrawly]

Actually this is a very good topic Gumby.

I think this is a great opportunity for another one of KK’s infamous reality checks.

If you’re over 30 you probably err on the side of power surfing and if you’re under 30 you tend to respect air tricks. It’s a “generation” thing. I grew up looking up to power surfers and so I identify more with that style of surfing but younger surfers aspire to air heads.

Personally I have always liked Martin Potters style of surfing>>> fast, Innovative, dynamic and powerful.
That combined with the fact that he could pull off airs on a regular basis well before anyone even attempted them .

I think it’s just a jealousy “issue” after all most half competent older surfers can “occasionally” pull off a powerhouse cutback but they most definitely cannot pull any airs…… no matter what.

On the other hand I’ve seen younger surfers pull off both power and air moves.

Don’t use Realsurf.com to source random samples for demographic profiling
Most people that contribute on here are over 30 and so will always generally support power surfers(because that’s what they are familiar with).

The surfers on here are weathered old prunes while you on the other hand are fresh out of the womb punching airs whenever you can.

Don’t worry about what anyone says on here just keep on practicing you airs mate.

That’s where the future is.

[Grooter]

Paddle, take drop, turn, smooth ride to the end with a few slow turns here and there. Done.

Paddle back out. Repeat.

Never changed in 16 years and don't plan to as I still enjoy it as much as I ever did. But then I'm over 30 too

I don't mind the big wave stuff, would love to give it a go one day, but the aerial stuff doesn't interest me - too much akin to skateboarding and I was never into that.

[Nick Carroll]

It is interesting gumby.

I've gotta say I wonder if the highest levels of modern hi per surfing are now just too far out for 90% of surfers to aspire to.

Just watched that Stranger Than Fiction movie and while I'm not exactly a fan of Taylor S plugging his mates (ie Benji W) ahead of insane surfers who don't play his game (ie Jamie O'Brien), the last few sections in that movie -- Jordy, Dane, Taj, Parko -- are pretty much Out There.

Like who really looks at J Smith's completely merciless power-on air moves, and thinks "Yeah, I can see myself doing that". You can look at it with a fair bit of awe, applause etc but who really feels like they can relate their own surfing to it?

The gap between Start-Up and Top Rank has never been bigger.

[g_u_m_b_y]

I really like the surfing of say andy, parko and jordy and dane for how well rounded they all are - big carves and airs etc.

i think a mixture of the types of surfing is good...
although i cant really do airs, as butts will attest to

[Yuke Hunt]

Nick is right the difference in skill level between beginner and novice is huge. But in saying that, the average level of ability in young surfers today is way above what it has been in the past.
Now for me the barrel wins out above all else. A good cutback comes second and then all the rest.
Aerial surfing has really come of age since it stopped being just a finishing maneuver. It has also gained acceptance in the contest arena and will become a common sight in the future.
You only have to check out the young gromms at Snapper or D’bah to see just how prevalent it is.
The Air is here to stay, but power surfing isn’t going away and neither is style.
Progress, yes i think its progress. Evolution, we move with it or face extinction.
That’s my two bobs worth, now if you will excuse me I have to go and feed the Pterodactyls and scratch my name on the cave wall. The earth is flat and the ice age is coming.

[g_u_m_b_y]

Nick is right the difference in skill level between beginner and novice is huge. But in saying that, the average level of ability in young surfers today is way above what it has been in the past.
Now for me the barrel wins out above all else. A good cutback comes second and then all the rest.
Aerial surfing has really come of age since it stopped being just a finishing maneuver. It has also gained acceptance in the contest arena and will become a common sight in the future.
You only have to check out the young gromms at Snapper or D’bah to see just how prevalent it is.
The Air is here to stay, but power surfing isn’t going away and neither is style.
Progress, yes i think its progress. Evolution, we move with it or face extinction.
That’s my two bobs worth, now if you will excuse me I have to go and feed the Pterodactyls and scratch my name on the cave wall. The earth is flat and the ice age is coming.

oh a good style is everything!!
there is quite a bad surfer up north, but he has such a good style he looks like quite a good surfer!
craig anderson, shaun cansdell and all the other obvious people (curren etc) are good for style.

i wish i had a good style, but my arm has different ideas ahaha

[Beerfan]

Like who really looks at J Smith's completely merciless power-on air moves, and thinks "Yeah, I can see myself doing that". You can look at it with a fair bit of awe, applause etc but who really feels like they can relate their own surfing to it?

The gap between Start-Up and Top Rank has never been bigger.

Yeah but do you think that has something to do with a lot of people ( me included ), who think that mostly cruising and carving ( with the odd sharp one when the wave allows ) is a shit load of fun, and while its not hi perf, or particularly special, is enough for a lot of people to get, as the mags say "stoked"??. I think because of the big gap, a lot more people are just enjoying the fun in surfing, and what's wrong with that?.

[mustkillmulloway]

good topic

this is where my surfing is at



if i had a good surf....i'm happy....if someone was watching

they can save there feelings of my performace i get judged enough on land

if i enjoyed my surfing.... thats all that counts

taken k "jabba" k idea there are two types surfers ( and i don't believe that a age cut off exist) further

one camp cares about how others view there wave riding

the other couldn't give a shit so long their having fun

[AlbyAl]

This thread is actually where the debate is - better than that rant started by WTF AlbyAl and his perverted views on Occy. AlbyAl is a rank controversialist, a nihilist and communist, and wears socks to bed in winter. I ought to know - because I is him!

There is fer sure progress in surfing. As NC says the gap between the hyper performers and even the damn competent recreational surfer is huge now. And so it should be! As surfing creates a professional level, the top guys should be way way up there showing us inspirational stuff. Imagine trying to kick a footy round with the best professionals, or having a bit of a jog with Usain Bolt (World sprint champion) - huge difference.

I also feel that even ordinary surfers can progress in surprising ways should they so choose. Maybe you're happy doing what you do in the waves, but I certainly enjoyed learning to take weight off the back foot and get out the top of the wave on occasion - in me 30s and 40s! Moreover, the newer 'lighter' styles enable better use of crap waves - which what I mostly get in Sydney town. So there.

[kreepykrawly]

The gap between Start-Up and Top Rank has never been bigger.

Multiple factors that contribute to this fact (Jabba hypothesis)

1) A new generation of surfers are starting at an earlier age while on the other hand state of the art muppets are taking up surf school surfing at a later age.
2) This new generation has the support of the family who more likely than not has a family member that surfs and thus encourages surfing. Look you aint gonna be a pro surfer if ma and pa collects stamps.
3) With more money involved in pro surfing more people are willing to invest time and money into their little darlings.
4) Sponsors are willing to replace lightweight boards used in aerial assaults
5) Broken ankles, knees and associated equipment are dealt with promptly by the best of the best medical professionals.
6) Natural talent (channeled in the right direction by the right people)

Without this complete network of support the divide between those that get paid to travel the world and surf perfect waves (lets just call them c-nts for now) and those that have to sit in traffic jams and be yelled at by fat overweight bosses, will only get larger.

[Grooter]

Paddle, take drop, turn, smooth ride to the end with a few slow turns here and there. Done.

Paddle back out. Repeat.

Hope you manage to fit a few shacks in there too, Hatchman.

thats just cruel salty. you know he's from vicco

Yeah I probably should but the problem is I can't be arzed driving that far over to Ringas way or to PI. I like my home breaks too much, I know them well and they keep me happy.

About a month ago out at Flinders I sat mesmerized as I watched an older local on his big longboard pull into wave after wave of peeling lefts and just carve along them so fluidly and gracefully it was like he was totally immersed in it's energy. It was probably one of the most graceful and beautiful sights I've ever seen in the water.

To me that's what surfing is all about, but in saying that I totally respect other peoples different points of view as well.

[Surfin Turf]

1)A new generation of surfers are starting at an earlier age while on the other hand state of the art muppets are taking up surf school surfing at a later age...

I agree with most of everyone's observations but as for air I see that as really a natural progression anyway when you consider that people have been doing similar on skatey's , water ski's, snow ski's (before boarding) etc etc for years and although it's a highly skilled area of surfing to me it's not a great revelation ... tow in boards are the technology I see as clever when you consider that the old way was the bigger the wave the bigger the board, but clearly that philosophy can't work with the size and wind conditions that are being ridden these days .... again amazing stuff but like any sport you can think of it's not a great revelation , it's what was going to happen anyway due to simple limits pushing ... consider skiers who went up mountains and through a stick of dynamite off a mountain to start an avolanche and then took of in front of it to out run it ....

I find the real change is that, baring a few examples here and there, surfing used to be a sport that you took up as a kid and if you weren't surfing by 15 (and 15 was probably late) you didn't ever start ...
now anyone can take up surfing anytime and riding puny dribble on gigantic soft boards is considered "surfing" ... I have read some stupid pieces of lierature stating that learning to surf is something that should be on your list of must do's ... and there's a picture of someone on giant board on a 6 inch bit of white wash in a classic pooh stance ... with a big grin on their face because they can tick "surfing" off their list ...

I can't tick learning to surf off my list yet because I have finished ... so I better keep learning ...

I find it amazing that recently (as if anyone didn't know ... ) I was surfing fast, reasonably powerful waves up to 6' or more over coral reefs and there were people out there who could barely get to there feet ... when I learnt to skateboard ride I don't remember showing up to a 10' half pipe and dropping straight in or when I learnt to snow ski I don't remeber it being on a black run at Whistler ...

the gap between the upper level and lower level is probably so big because statistically at the lower level there would be an excessive amount of people with lower levels of skill ...

I get that everyone has the right to a fair go and if they want to take up surfing then that's up to them ... I'm just saying that it is a change that has occured in my lifetime that I find stands out ...

[Toby Wan]

Just watched that Stranger Than Fiction movie

did the same and I gotta say that its the first surf flick i've watched which I've been genuinely bored of by the end.. it was just punt punt punt..

i'm 26 and still prefer power surfing and general cruising on waves by a long way. - maybe its because i can't do aerials so can't mind surf/punt and can't get a feel for what they're doing..

having said that, i'm still gonna try and do aerials, but i wanna be able to continue down the wave afterwards..

aerials are great and all, but they're more of a finishing move than part of riding the wave per se you don't often see someone pull off a huge aerial then land and tuck into a barrel or start off a sequence of hacks and slashes..

I reckon that's why they're not as entertaining to watch over and over again..

[mds]

fair enough airials are boring when u watch the same ones over and over again....but when they start doing crazy thing like backfips and julian's sushie roll, u cant call them boring if they mix em up...but yea if the section doesnt have powerful/ long arching carves and hacks its boring.

[wanto]

don't get me wrong, aerials are hard and all and the surfers doing them in the movies are extremely talented, but (like others have said) they detract from flow, and flow is what surfing is all about for me.

i'd prefer to see a massive hack in the pocket linking with a cover up or something else, than a single big air reverse or 'passion pop' any day (whatever the fuck that is - jesus, who names this shit).

it's when one of 'those' guys - dane, jordy, clay - link a massive hack with an air that the air becomes worthy of attention. flow.

[Surfin Turf]

agree with wanto and mds ... I like to see the whole wave ridden and I like how certain high level surfers such as (God forbid ... ) Kelly tear a wave up and leave the big air at the end when there's no wall left to destroy ...

these days I steer clear of movies with the "air shows" or fast forward through ... I prefer watching guys surfing really critical stuff , hell take-offs and barrels , and big wave riding ... I can get my head around all the other stuff so prefer to see the guys who are pushing limits and putting their large nuts on the line ... I also like watching something more obscue with some unknown locals ripping up their home breaks ...

[oldman]

will surfing ever progress?

Surfing will continue to introduce new moves, up to a point, but the question of whether that change equals progression is not easily resolved.

Aerials certainly require skill, and if it is added onto all the other possible moves, including power surfing, hacking, tube riding etc then you could probably reasonably argue that it represents a progression.

But if it's just a young bloke who has learned to take off and do airs, and can't do anything else with his board, then that is just a young bloke who can do airs. Ho hum.

I'm with Wanto in that surfing is about flow, but it has many aspects to it. Just steer clear of that word 'progress'.

New tricks should not be confused with progress.