Is the Little Plumber our most inspirational
figure? Will Hollywood laud his can-do spirit?
Last night I watched the film Eddie the
Eagle and tears in my eyes! Have you seen? It tells the
inspirational story of a ginger British man with Coke bottle
glasses who dreamed of going to the Olympics!
He tried and tried and tried many different pursuits, eventually
settling on ski jumping since the United Kingdom hadn’t fielded a
team in decades and he could qualify. The crusty British machinery
was against him, trying to thwart him at every turn, but his
Dunkirk spirit prevailed and he became a favorite of the 1988
Calgary Olympics even though ginger and British and Coke bottle
glasses and last place and poo stance.
Oh of course the filmmakers took certain liberties with the
storyline but I remember watching Eddie soar when I was a young
boy, watched him thumbs up the camera, watched him felt
exhilarated. Anything was possible!
Hollywood sure does love an inspirational sports story because
who doesn’t? The Blind Side and its homeless black teen
who becomes an NFL star thanks to a white family. Rudy and
its short little pudge who plays for football powerhouse Notre
Dame. Million Dollar Arm and Indians (from India) learning
to pitch in the major leagues (of baseball). Etc.
I started wondering who our surf inspirational story is besides
Bethany Hamilton and Jimbo Pellegrine? Who allows are imaginations
to really take flight? Part of the inspirational sports story is
its everyman quality. We can all be heroes!
Bethany and Jimbo are, no doubt, inspirational but not everymen.
Bethany appears to be the greatest surfer alive. Jimbo maybe
too.
Which brought me to Adriano de Souza. The unloved little
plumber from Brazil with a stance so wide architects building in
earthquake zones look to him for revelation. The boy who golden
child Kelly Slater loves to dump on. The tireless fighter that
never took “no” for an answer even when his sponsors fled to the
hills.
The everyman!
Is he our Eagle? Or Rudy? Should we love him more and will we
feel guilty for not loving him more when The Little Plumber Who
Could hits theaters in 2030?
I won’t feel guilty because I wrote this right here but you
will/should.
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The hydrofoil has become one of the most sophisticated
forms of gliding through the water. The feeling of lifting onto a
surface and riding in three dimensions unlocks new experiences and
sensations that one is unable to achieve on traditional boards.
Imagine the feeling of flying over the surface of the water with a
direct connection to the conditions below.
You like the way Lenny rides a wave to the death, flies off the
back of the wave with enough speed to catch the wave behind it?
Yeah, me too.
They’re savage looking things, though.
Imagine getting sliced by that aluminium blade, the razor edge
sawing through the neck like a medieval executioner for whom no
gold coin is offered.
Jamie Mitchell, the paddleboarder turned big-wave surfer, says he knows what’s
coming.
In Jamie’s opinion, someone’s going to get iced by one, and
real soon. In a pretty emotional post on Facebook, he writes:
“So lately I have been asked consistently about my thoughts
on the so called “NEW” foil popularity and haven’t really said much
but, yesterday, sadly, I saw a photo that I knew was coming
sooner then later.
Foils are for open ocean swells, outer bombies and places
where there are no people or very few people doing it together.
Foils are dangerous. Very dangerous. And do not belong in the surf
zone with the masses and general public.
Yes, Kai and and a few talented kids can probably control
the boards amazingly well, but you can’t control other peoples
actions and movements. I see more and more clips everyday of people
trying the foils and I am so scared that someone will pay the
ultimate price and die.
Look at this photo below. If a foil hits you or you hit
someone with the foil it’s going to end badly. I sure hope the
people and companies that are making money off these are doing
their best to educate people about the dangers. I don’t think this
will be the first or last incident unfortunately.
I’m very happy that the gentleman in this photo will be ok.
Please think about your surroundings before you just jump in and
start surfing those boards.”
The surfer in the photo is Yu
Tonbi Sumitomo, a bit of a figure in Japanese surfing. No kook.
Which, says Jamie, is his point.
“He is an experienced waterman that was doing it in the
right way, in the right place and look what happened. Imagine
someone who isn’t experienced or even if they are that are in a
crowded spot! To me that’s a recipe for disaster!”
Look at this guy, says Jamie Mitchell: “He is an
experienced waterman that was doing it in the right way, in the
right place and look what happened. Imagine someone who isn’t
experienced or even if they are that are in a crowded spot! To me
that’s a recipe for disaster!”
In response to Jamie’s post, Yu writes:
“Hi Jamie Mitchell san. This was my bad. Waves are waist to
chest. No one around except me and my father. Had struggle first 30
min. Then I start figure. Had such fun time. Then see what you see
what happen. I been surfing since I was 8. 36 year experience. Your
friend Sean O. is my best friend we made SUP 11 year ago. I thought
foiling is easy. It is easy but easy to turn very dangerous. What I
learn from this is have to be careful. Surfing. Or sup. Or foiling.
Thank you for the comment and hope no one get’s hurt like I did.
Sure foiling is amazing.”
I gotta say, the sell for ’em is compelling. As this surf shop
on Maui writes:
The hydrofoil has become one of the most sophisticated forms
of gliding through the water. The feeling of lifting onto a surface
and riding in three dimensions unlocks new experiences and
sensations that one is unable to achieve on traditional boards.
Imagine the feeling of flying over the surface of the water with a
direct connection to the conditions below. Experience a drastic
reduction in drag and complete silence as you lift your board off
the water and fly. It’s as if kitesurfing meets deep powder
snowboarding.”
I am a terrible cynic. If some human
achievement hews too closely to a perfect storyline then I
automatically discount it. Take Kobe Bryant’s final game in the
NBA. He scored 60 points and I thought, “Yeah right. Totally”
(using my sarcastic internal voice). Or Mick Fanning’s J-Bay
victory. I thought, “Mmmhmm rad” (using the same sarcastic internal
voice but with a touch more condescension).
It just seems too… too… perfect.
In any case, Rory Parker wrote so well about the final day that
I don’t need to go retread that ground but I did read a very
interesting nugget this morning in the Sydney Morning Herald that
is worth discussing. The win puts Mick 5th in the world. Matt
Wilkinson is still 1st meaning, really, Mick is 4th in the world.
The three ahead of him, John John, Gab and ADS, are formidable but
I certainly feel the title would be Mick’s for the taking. Don’t
you?
But this morning I read this:
“I’ve already said I’ll go to Trestles (California) and that
will be my last event of the year,” he said.
“World titles aren’t the biggest thing for me any
more.”
Which is sort of a shocker, no? Or at least a shocker to admit.
It seems like Mick was a born competitor and that the ASP/WSL was
his heart’s true home. Where he would grow old and be chaired into
retirement.
But if world titles aren’t the biggest thing anymore what is?
Has he had a full enlightenment? Will next year find him in an
Indian ashram? Helping the poor in Newark, New Jersey? Running for
political office?
Also, what does Kelly think when he reads this quote? Does he
think, “Yeah. Awesome since you were never going to catch me anyhow
#elevensies.” (using his incredulous internal voice) or does he
think, “What? What? What have you discovered out there?” (using his
panicked one)
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"Let's light it up, let's enjoy it," Mick tells
John.
An act so polished you can see your reflection in
it.
Finals day at J-Bay was a pleasant
surprise.
I was expecting garbage. Because that’s just the way life goes.
Usually.
Glorious surprise! It was super rippable. So much fun to watch.
Enough going on that the surfers could get going on. Some slow
moments but nothing terrible.
And dolphins too!
The day started off okay. Kerr/Slater saw smallish, semi lined
up surf. Not very exciting. Kerr took the win. Kelly didn’t sound
very concerned during his interview.
Medina/Wilson failed to wow as well. Medina started the day off
with a good one, earned an 8.33, but couldn’t back it up. Julian
found two mid range scores, added them together, had point four
enough to squeak through.
Then it started warming up. Bigger, better. Wet dream waves.
Easy as pie to shine for a world class surfer. Toledo surfed well
but Fanning put him down with ease. Mick’s just got his deal down
too pat. White heat lightning speed snaps and whacks and down the
line floaters. An act so polished you can see your reflection in
it.
Toledo tried his best, surfed well, but couldn’t match
Fanning.
The thing with Mick… he obviously surfs for points, but he does
it so damn well. Ridiculously well. Kung fu master who puts his
body in the right spot every single time. And it can get boring to
watch. But sometimes, like today, you remember it’s something
special you’ve stopped appreciating because you’ve been seeing it
for so long.
John John was killing it, laying down gut wrenching laybacks,
stringing together smooth little arcs into the inside. One super
projected frontside rev to the flats. Very exciting.
Kerr looked like he was having trouble warming up. Just a touch
off. Still good, but not good enough to beat the kid. He looked his
age, basically.
JJF sent home the vet, made his second final of the year, and
kicked Wilko’s title campaign squarely in the nuts.
So many claims today. And the guys were paying for them. That
extra couple seconds headed to shore puts them in some shallow
shallow shallow water. A few amusing moments as they flounder into
deeper water.
From his first wave of the semi it was obvious Fanning was
sending Wilson home. Picking better waves, surfing in fast forward.
Dropped an 8.1 on his first wave, a 9 on his next. Then just sat
there while Wilson caught wave after wave and tried to catch
up.
He didn’t and Mick does amazingly well for someone who wasn’t
going to do the tour this year.
Tried and true high speed perfection versus next gen innovative
style. Warms my icy heart, fills my ears with birdsong.
But, sweet jumping jimminy Christ, can they work on the filler?
The cookies and milk break between semi and final was so
boring!
I wonder how much effort Strider and Mel and Blakey and Turpel
and Pottz put into their commentator duties between events? Do you
think they plan out little bits, fill a notebook with talking
points? That’s what I would do. It seems like they just show up and
do it to it. Which seems like it’d be the harder way. Just free
flowing all day long is a crazy challenge.
They’ve got paper and pen in front of them, but it might just be
there so they have something to do with their hands.
After what felt like forever the heat finally got started.
Fanning found one on the inside in the first minute. Crazy
racetrack at the beginning into bread and butter. But it’s good
bread and butter. Like, a crispy warm baguette and some freshly
churned deliciousness.
Florence made it look like shit. Hand drag slash, flowing
reverse, then two point scorers to seal it up. Ross mentions once
again that “it’s a smaller wave,” but is it? The kid from Hawaii is
a foot taller. Maybe it’s a crazy optical illusion!
8.5 slaps the taste of winning out of Mick’s mouth for a moment.
Then he wraps his lips back around it and takes a deep suckle.
Cracks an overhead set into a 9.93. Which is high. Low nine, sure.
Mid-nine, maybe. Oh-seven from perfect? I won’t by that banana.
After along lull John John finally gets his second wave. Hangs
up his first turn, ends it with a toward shore heave. Not the 8.61
he needs.
Next set sees both guys get a good one. Mick does the high speed
down the line flow thing. JJF opts for a big turn to slide check to
close out rev. JJ gets the score he needs but Fanning’s wave get’s
him a bump so it doesn’t matter.
Fanning wins JBay in fun head high surf.
I’d’ve given the heat to Florence. But it was a close thing.
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Those damn brain eating amoeba could potentially lurk
here, here and here.
A week ago, it was reported, here, that Texas’ first
Wavegarden was about to be hit with a lawsuit by local
authorities for being built without attention to “county and state
health and safety codes.”
The problem was, Travis County says NLand Surf
Park is a public swimming pool and, therefore,
has to be filled with chlorine to keep bacteria from exceeding safe
limits. NLand Surf Park says they’re a lake and can skip the
chlorine etc.
BeachGrit speculated the sudden decision by Travis
County to sue was in relation to brain-eating amoebas that had killed a
star kayaker in a man-made river back in June. Who wants kids
dying on their watch?
Happy children, yes, but for how long? asks
Travis County officials.
Now, as announced today, NLand Surf Park is suing Travis
County right back. Countersuit!
Let’s study NLand’s announcement.
As you might know, the Travis County Commissioners Court
authorized a lawsuit against NLand, which was filed yesterday. They
believe our lagoon—which is 45 times larger than an
Olympic-size swimming pool—should be regulated simply as a
“public swimming pool.”
To protect our Constitutional rights, we have
filed a lawsuit against the County, its health department and
the individuals on the Court.
Throughout its development, NLand has focused on building a
state-of-the-art facilities that feature water treatment,
filtration, world-class surfing and
environmentally-friendly practices. Our efforts have accomplished
that goal.
Unfortunately, Travis County officials and the
Travis County Commissioners Court have refused to engage in
conversation. They have not acknowledged our studies or asked
one question to gain perspective in this matter. Instead, they have
tried to inflame the conversation by suggested we could have
amoebas in our lagoon. If they’re so concerned about
amoebas, you’d think they would take a look at the studies or
talk to us about our water treatment systems.
Rather than listen, the County filed a lawsuit
against us. This is just a bad decision for the county, for
its residents, and our employees, including more than 50
teenagers from Del Valle and Cedar Creek who have joined our
team. The Court has the ability to change course and meet with
us to find solutions that work for everyone in Travis County. In
fact, the county health department has the authority to do
exactly that.
Believe us, we would rather be on the water with you than in
a courtroom arguing about regulations.
We still hope to open
this summer and we believe a win-win solution exists for
Travis County, for NLand and for you. If you’d like them to
restart the dialogue, their contact information is below.
