The Outsider: Prologue - The Future
They say the Old Laughing Lady has been here before. She didn't keep time. She didn't keep score.
Neil Young, The Old Laughing Lady.
In the future, sports fans, our global population is expected to grow to 10 billion human beings. California will have 60 million alone. Australia will see 40 million, mostly hugging the coast of this desert continent. Lot of extra mouths to feed, lot of extra bodies hoping to get their share of surfable waves.
I have my escape plan hatched. An old Maccas lunch tray to be used at a small cliff-clad bay that closes out on any size swell. A pure 'straight off Adolf' close-out. Inevitably one of the Malloy brothers or Thomas Campbell will decide surfing closeouts on a plastic lunch-tray is now cool and make a tastefully shot black and white film about it. Perhaps they'll call it Soul Tray: the Rebirth of Cool. When that day comes and I look up at the cliff and see a crowd of bearded hipsters, or maybe by then they'll be pale and naked like new born mole-rats, it's simply impossible to know which way evolution will run, well, when that day comes, I will retire to the Lennox pub with my tiddly-winks set.
But that is all far, far away in the future. We need to look closer to now. To the near future.
Autumn has started to deliver its bounty to the north coast pointbreaks I inhabit and by the grace of God the crowds have been moderate. Mostly, these crowds have been regulated by a brutally efficient hierarchy which maintains order through natural selection of the skilled and the experienced. But this order is fragile and can be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
Whilst surfing one of these high quality pointbreaks a question imposed itself: Would any of these people stop surfing if, say, Billabong imploded, Quik went bust, or the ASP went belly up? Would people actually stop paddling out? Would crowds suddenly reduce in number and ferocity?
Would a surf industry collapse suddenly recreate a pastoral utopia, a modern day Morning of the Earth where each man, woman and child would be free to seek the perfect wave and be alone with their thoughts?
So many gorgeous questions that sober adults and nervous screen jockeys alike delight in wallowing in this cadaverous fantasy and ignore the ticking population time bomb. I'll keep my lunch tray waxed and ready, shipmates, and hope my closeout bay isn't shortlisted for the Search 2030.
But fear not, the embattled ASP has grown fresh legs since Snapper. A series of decisive victories have turned the tide and restored confidence amongst the demoralised ASP soldiers. The first, of course, is the confirming of the Fiji event. One good day at Cloudbreak could be a performance fulcrum upon which the entire year rests. Especially when we consider the second and most important development for the sport. I refer, of course, to the rise and rise of John John Florence. His performance at Maggie River was pivotal, crucial, transcendental. As it was at the Pipeline.
This strangely amorphous man-child who looks like a paper-boy from a post-war American sit-com, and who comports himself with an Oriental passivity in the heaviest oceanic situations can carry an event. He can carry a tour in the way Dane never could. No need for Bukoswki or any jazz inspired post-heat interviews. No need for blogs or chintzy towels. Put the kid in real waves and watch the magic happen.
Understand this, board directors and future CEO of the ASP: this kid has landed in your lap like manna from heaven. Construct your tour to do justice to his once in a generation talent. "How will it affect John Florence?" This should be the question asked by every stakeholder when it comes to designing and refining the Tour. You hear this Evan Slater? Neil Ridgway?
History doesn't often offer second chances of a magnitude similar to the one given by the arrival of John Florence. Don't blow this one by putting him out in shitty urban beachbreak. In premium conditions he will tube ride deeper, fly higher and carve harder than anything seen before or since. Please, future ASP CEO, please be kneeling and say after me: "Thanks be to John." He is your new saviour.
Remember the nameless captain of industry interviewed up at the Quiksilver Pro? Pioneer of one the Big Three back in those yielding Precambrian times when the business soul of surfer-man climbed out of the primordial veggie garden and decided to create companies. "Does this make sense...is it sustainable?" I asked him from the Snapper promenade, taking in at a glance the whole commercial circus. It seems a lifetime ago now.
He gave a nervous little dance in response. "No, probably not."
And it isn't. Pro Surfing needs to stop duchessing public officials to get its hands on taxpayers money as some sort of steam engine to hitch the caboose of tourism to. Ask the good burghers of Barra in Mexico how that one worked out.
Growth is not the answer, right Mr Captain of Industry? That's a rhetorical question by the way. What would MP have wanted? Not quantity, but quality. Shrink the field and shrink the events to two quality days. One accumulative point score day then a day of man-on-man heats during a peaking swell.
To the extent that Pro Surfing marches in painful compelled conformity with the consumer society and its dictates of constant growth it is doomed to suffer. Only when it can become sustainable, low impact, flexible and capable of capturing a new narrative which doesn't aim for the lowest common denominator can it thrive. Pro Surfing needs a story to tell. Connection with the natural world instead of slavish devotion to MMA might not be a bad place to start. It's a vision thing Mr Future CEO. But coarse feet cannot tread these fine carpets we speak of.
No matter, there is John John in Bells Bowl for the first time, or Winkipop if we are lucky. And there will be swell. Those who weren't at Margaret River will feel the chill grip of irrelevance stalking their careers as John John and Kolohe Andino line up for the bowl. Ironically it was the aging Bull, Occy, who looked most current after those two at Margarets. He'll be missed in the Bowl.
And so we stand with Pro Surfing poised for resurrection, thank the Dear Lord, courtesy of a slim-hipped haole raised in the birthplace and crucible of the sport/art.
Michael Peterson has passed, we're all the poorer for his departure. He casts no longer shadow than the one he left over Bells Beach at Easter. Intensity. Mastery. Creativity. Presence. These were his hallmarks. He played it for keeps and so will we. There was murder in his eyes when he paddled out.
Let's get to Bells and get the future started. It's the way MP woulda wanted it. In the meantime, the fragrant breath of Autumn promises to whisper against South Pacific swell at a warm water pointbreak for the dawnie. We'll go ride one for MP.
Peace be with you shipmates.
Comments
Steve, a deeply perspicacious piece, as they say in the classics. I still get goose bumps thinking about JJF's bottom turn on that last wave at Pipe, let alone what immediately followed the turn. Brother? Hmmmm, a lesser talent methinks, no matter the surrounding hype. This will be a pivotal year for Pro Surfing, without question. I still can't see BKS slinking off into the sunset.
PS. What's with that Macca's lid??!!
I wasn't aware of MP's passing. RIP - Good write this. I too am impressed that the industry picked up on a kid from the northshore in the LARGE issue of Surfer years back - JJF must've been about5 and his hair was longer than his body.
How did they know?
Every time I see him and KA surf I think - "and I thought I was pretty good when I was 17-19 years old -in comparison I couldn't even paddle"
What kind of cereal are these kids eating anyway?
Here's hoping the Malloy bros. don't spoil your secret cove with future populations frothing for the newest locale!
talk to Tom Morey or Mike Stewart about maccas trays, they are top fun in said straight handers, I think Tom took some inspiration from them for some invention he had
Shearsie,
first off, this article of yours is a gem, mate, but, there is no shortage of anything but that which reside in your mind.
oh, and tray surfing?... (which BTW, has been around longer than you think), is definitely ghey.
&feature=relatedas ghey as Barry O's complete barnold attempts at straight off adolph bodysurfing.
Sheep....the best in the world, including JJF, also surf incredibly well in small onshore beachbreaks...they do amazing stuff....and...probably 99% of the global surfing population, including you, spend a lot if not most surfing time in sub perfect surf...what's so evil about 1 or 2 events across a balanced dream tour including such a location with a good degree of quality control? -- Even ask one of the dream tours creators in Rabbit, and I think you'll find he has those views...the aerial act of these guys is so brilliant and including such locations encompasses the sport.....and worse than everything, if ASP don't have any city beachbreaks then surf journo's won't have anything to bitch about!
Have you put in your resume for the CEO?
I agree that it's good to see what the highly-paids are capable of in 'regular' surf, but then it's unlikely every single event will fire across the year anyway. That is, you will likely see the pro's in crappy surf somewhere without having to sure up the odds with a city bbreak. Leave em out I say
Hi Ando, I agree with your premise about surf journos having something to bitch and moan about but seeing as they've spent the last 20 years as unpaid cheerleaders it's probably the cosmic scales getting re-balanced.
And I disagree with you re: John John Florence. He grew up surfing Pipeline. He doesn't have the same skill set as someone used to going pump, pump,pump air reverse in shitty beachbreak.
His skillset is far more advanced in solid, barelling reef and pointbreak. Utilising power, rather than trying to generate it in weak windswell. Amazing how many of the top Pros look ordinary in those kinds of waves.
Massive airs, for one can only occur in big ramps, which means solid surf at REAL surf spots. That is the future of progression.
Watch what happens at Cloudbreak and compare it with the Aussie Open at Manly in terms of pure performance. It'll be very obvious where the future of Pro surfing lies.
So, 1 or 2 events held in city beach breaks with some throw away results allowed doesn't encompass the entire sport of surfing? Is highest level surfing only Fiji barrels? Across a balanced tour with some quality control we get a legit world champ? Oh...no...we lose soul. Was Margaret River final day not dis similar to the secondary days at New York? And did not JJF pull some incredible airs on that day? Manly....no waiting days or mobility so why compare...it's not a WCT...not even a prime! Why would you compare it to Cloudbreak? Future of Pro surfing...only charges, big waves....one swell....only elite.....and do I read somewhere that govt backing of events will not last and has no place?....Why not, most sports utilise govt support..events and regions win from such support....They probably win more than sponsors do....Mexico....that was a one year in and out event....of course that won't work - why did the mexicans do it? I don't know....but what of events that have pioneered locations and added hugely to profile of regions and communities....evil thing isn't it! Tahiti...has that community not flourished since an event began there at a relatively unknown location? Would surf journalism would have done better? Peniche....they must have liked their event, they have embraced it and tourism is probably winning...exposure...healthy...good surfing...events...enjoyment for people to watch it live. New York....the community loved it...but right now it hasn't flourished...but it may come back...that whole east coast has surf...and people globally now know it.....lots of winners, not just O Wright pocketing 300 big ones....winners...losers...sport....fun....it's ok....good job sponsors, backers, ASP, surfers....
Ando... What pulls the crowds. F1 or Go Cart racing?
Watching guys doing air reverses in 2' clean waves is amusing for about 10 minutes. In 2' dribble about 2 minutes.General public find this fun stuff for kids.
Show them guys ripping 10' Cloudbreak and their jaws are on the floor!
I,m definitely NOT saying that highest level surfing should not be majority focused on prime waves and heavy waves...that's high priority....what I am saying tho, is I believe 1 or 2 maximum city beach, quality controlled beach break events can also be included --- I think it can complement it because the crowds do appreciate it, the surfers in the main love it and it is an aspect of the entire sport....New York was being written off before it started but it ended up being a great event...super surfing....good crowds and enjoyable web coverage.And the 2 who made the final....had just been in the final at Teahupoo. It worked!
Surfing will, thank Hughie, never be a significant spectator sport. It lacks all the major ingedients. 1. High level global (not just coastal)participation. 2. Inherent, easily understood drama. Waiting for the judges scores is an anti-climax and non-surfers just don't understand anything beyond barrels and airs. 3. Unpredictability. Just when will the event be held? 4. Cannot be held in purpose built stadiums. 5. Even surfers don't support local events. Who (outside the "industry") wants their local break over run by frothing pros and shut to the public for a week or two?
So quibble over the format all you like. It's not going mainstream and (fearless prediction) will probably suffer a relative decline in prize money as the large surf companies increasingly broaden their focus or are absorbed into larger conglomerates.
Never understood regular surfers wishing surfing would become more mainstream. Why? It doesn't take much foresight to see that appealing to more people will see more surfers in the water. As Blindboy says above, however, pro surfing has inherent characteristics that will always disadvantage it. Great.
Stu and blindboy - couldn't agree more. The more difficult and/or inaccessible, the better. And a higher level of difficulty also makes a better spectacle. This is true irrespective of whether the spectator is or is not a surfer him or herself. Cable TV and user pay-webcasts are pro-surfing's future; not so, in this writer's opinion, pro-surfing's present reality of simply being another channel for the flogging of over-priced 'lifestyle' clothing. In this new scenario, sloppy beach breaks just won't cut it; viewers will demand better waves, even if they have to wait for them.
stunet-what to do then? Share the stoke with people who are just starting out? Or bemoan the amount of people in the lineup cos we were onto it earlier?
So Stunet, never understood surfers wishing to appeal to mainstream hey.
What about the best surfers in the world, would they like that Stu? Does appealing to mainstream increase sponsorship value? Should they make more money and service sponsors? Or would it be better if the sport is just restricted to surf media? That would be valuable wouldn't it! And as far as beach crowds go and being an unappealing sport to watch, tell that to the crowds who came and watched Slater win his title in San Fran last year or the crowds that line the beach at Snapper and Bells this weekend or New York last year - people enjoying the sport and the athletes...Not all of them surf either. I seriously don't get it --- and I'm still trying to also work out how Sheep, who attends contests all the time...could possibly ask the readers compare Fiji to Manly??...a wct event to a 6 star -- not even a Prime, city event, I don't get it...Let's compare teahupoo to Middletons Pro Junior while we're at it Sheep.