A salute to the mayor - video
This video is a tribute to the Mayor of Peniche. That's not an epithet by the way, like Jamie O'Brien is the Mayor of Pipeline, but the video is about the actual, voted-into-power Mayor of Peniche. Fella's name is Antonio José Correia, he rides a SUP, sports a gallant 'tache, and he's been the force behind Portugal's sole CT contest.
In 2009 he teamed with Rip Curl to make it a Search event, and then parlayed that success into a permanent stopover on the CT schedule, turning Peniche into a hub of Euro surfing.
It's fitting now that Correia bows out as the WSL hints at broad scale changes on the CT. If the early rumours are to be believed the Euro leg may be scrapped altogether.
For now though, here's some highlights from past events and thoughts from the Mayor of Peniche.
PS: Reckon Tom Tate could ever endear himself to surfers like this?
Comments
If our government leaders of various levels in this country had only a smidgen of his humanity and willingness to work for the betterment of his people, wow, couldn't we have something wonderful.
Crazy waves and incredible surfing in that clip.
Not sure about the mayor endearing himself to surfers though. Maybe the surfers that get to turn up to Supertubes and get paid to surf it with only one other fella out.
Maybe not the locals that just want to surf with less crowds . I couldn't speak for the Peniche locals on their opinion of having an inflatable SUP riding politician selling their waves to the world .
Ask the majority of West Aussies how they feel about their tax dollars being spent on a specific attempt to increase crowds in the water at the local breaks.
And then see how they'd feel about the politician that aggrandises himself as he spends their money.
I have something of an answer for you Blowin. I stayed in Peniche in the winter of '86; I went to there for a short holiday from my long-term stay in Mundaka. What I experienced then was a very small group of local surfers craving for access to any sort of surf culture information. Also, a lot of poverty. I was asked multiple times by virtual strangers to leave my SB, wettie or even a sticker - none of which I could do as I thought I was poor - ha! It might have been 30 years ago; but the GFC has been cruel to Portugal - I imagine when the WSL circus comes to town it leaves behind a wave of prosperity and goodwill in Peniche.
Blowin is as his name suggests....
Nogo - Of course I am , that's why I chose it.
Do you " Not go " ?
Radiation Rules - Yeah , I wasn't sure . That's why I wrote what I did. Maybe the amount of surfers and their attitudes have changed in the 40 years since they've been there though ?
My mate was there last week and reckoned it's a blowout with the amount of surfers / surf schools. I'm not aware of where he went exactly or if it's like that everywhere though.
I could only position my opinion of the west Oz scene as a West Oz tax payer with West Oz mates.