Like nothing you've seen before!
Have you heard of Puerto Rico’s Hector Santamaria?
I mentioned him not three days ago and isn’t it crazy how the world works? I sent Hector’s name into the universe and two days later POW! We get this clip.
Now, there are many talented wave-riders in this world, but very few surfing savants. Before we go any further, I want to clarify what I mean by that.
There is a gray area, at least in my mind, when it comes to defining a “savant”. According to Merriam-Webster, the undisputed power-couple of English vernacular, a savant is:
1: a person of learning; especially : one with detailed knowledge in some specialized field (as of science or literature)
2: a person affected with a mental disability (such as autism or mental retardation) who exhibits exceptional skill or brilliance in some limited field (such as mathematics or music);
In my world, savant is more often used to describe definition number two. Definition one is just a nerd.
That said, not all the people I’d determine as a surfing savant have a mental illness. They were just born with incredible natural talent and an unmatched understanding of the ocean. That characterization relates to neither definition one or two but it’s enough, in my mind, to justify giving them a special label.
So maybe savant isn’t the technically correct word, but it’s the word I’m gonna use to describe a person who demonstrates an unfathomable connection with their surfboard and the sea. A person who was well and truly born to surf.
So, who’ve we got?
Clay Marzo, Kelly Slater, John Florence, Stephanie Gilmore, Tommy Wit and now, in waves that slap just above the pecker, Hector Santamaria! The world’s superior small wave surfer!
Please watch the following video for evidence. Specifically, pay attention to the elasticity of his forehand whip, the cutty-to-air-rev on a legit one-footer (0:50), and the stoopid loops at the end.
Now take a moment to soak it all in. Rewatch if necessary, and really try absorb what you just saw. Hector’s surfing is unmatched.
In a wonderful twist of fate, the above filmmaker included snippets of mortal surfers for reference. Notice how much less connected to their boards, and to the waves themselves, that these poor blokes appear to be. They’re not even bad surfers, but the contrast between their forced completions and Hector’s artistry is striking.
Dare I say that no one, and I will look Filipe Toledo square in the eye when I say this, is more dexterous and innovative in waist-high surf. Hector is a small wave savant and a chi-infused alien.
Kelly Slater, when visiting for the Rip Curl Search event in 2011, allegedly described Hector as, “one of the best surfer’s I’ve ever seen.”
Savant recognize savant.
come for the surf clips, stay for the vocabulary lessons
To be fair the roundhouse was super nice but the air rev was more rev.
That flip ( feel uneasy calling it that) is not functional and certainly not pretty on the eye. Prefer Flynn Novaks version…… saying that also makes me feel uneasy.
You won’t regret it!
this is the future! PRETTY surfing.
I am retarded but can’t surf that good
Pretty insane footie, but not compelling enough for “best” in small wave title.That being said I want to wanna drop acid with this kid…and believe.
Neal you disappoint me with your drug use…you had such a bright future in the golden west division if only Janice could see you now..
Drugs are good for a while.
Embrace them.
Then quit and savour your knowledge.
Ya after shooting up heroin I learned quite a bit..thanks channelbottom
the best!
um hello, single fin master here, real savent to surf
big call
Kelly is none too judicious with calling people “one of the best surfer’s I’ve ever seen.”
Which three adjectives do you think he’d use to describe your surfing?
he said I was his 3rd favourite surf writer.
and funnily enough, I have caught two of the best waves of my life right in front of Kelly. One at teahupoo and one at Winkipop. strange but true.
You dodged my question! I have also caught one of the best waves of my life at Winki. However Kelly might have described it as “desperate, agitated wiggling”. With a nice little tube down the valley though you judgemental bald fuck.
“desperate, agitated wiggling”.
You and the Femme Nue crew, honey.
What have nude women got to do with my six stage bottom turn?
Clay Marzo is surfing’s true savant. Some others just surf real good
Don’t forget about Barney Barron. Kooky as a loon with extraordinary talent. Plus a really kind dude. RIP
Nah bro you’re off the mark on this one. This kid is closer to that Zoltan weirdo kickflip dude than Felipe, Felipe would smoke Hector easy, fuck Chipper and Matt Banting would smoke this guy. Kooky, novelty tricks all aided by that board…… check the foil on it, the thickness under his front foot carries through almost to the tip of the nose. And you are clutching hard calling that a cutty to air rev.
I like you man but you’re crazy!
What’s wrong with being aided by a board. Aren’t we all aided by a board? If not, what the fuck is that thing under my feet when I ride waves. Oh the horror.
yeah, but not like Ozzie is aided, or Droid, when he’s not thinking properly
Filipe would beat him in a comp, but that’s not what I mean by dexterous and innovative
Chipper
Close call but I stand by my Puerto Rican like the US govt doesn’t.
Give me Wade Goodall and his filthy Passion Pop. Boost Mobile Air Shows from the early 2000’s had as much innovation and dexterous as this, can I get a hell yeah for Luke Stickley!
hell yeah
I like calling and shooting my cue ball over my opponents. Striking my ball into corner pocket even if I don’t win. Cause it don’t take me six times to make that shot only once! Impressed but not, maybe more impressed and found myself watching his set up turn. Got my start playing pocket pool, but way to messy..
I guess it’s subjective, but I think he flows better than all those guys. Toledo muscles his way through waist high wave like a crossfit workout. And those flips are fucking sick. Not sure where your coming from.
I’m coming from a place that involves surfing fundamentals, style and function. Those flips lack all of the above. There is not much speed and certainly no bottom turn. I don’t rate them for the same reason Volcom didn’t rate those kick flips. Yes they are flips but they aren’t at speed, aren’t with any flow (rest of his surfing contains plenty of flow) and are barely above the lip.
If surfing is adamant about going down this path of 540’s/720’s, flips, inverted spins and dare I say kickflips, then it has to all come from surfing fundamentals. Speed, bottom turns, power, things like that if we really want the core surfers/surf industry to buy in. If it’s slow and gimmicky it won’t catch on and will be labeled as such…. plus kooky. Case and point Zoltan.
If they are done like Gabbys and Jordy and even that sideways thing Creed was doing then they will have a better chance of catching on.
Fair point. I understand what you are saying and agree about Zoltan. Those novelty tricks are kooky as shit. I’m just pumped on this guy Hector because he surfs small waves good with the right board under his feet. I’m often stuck surfing small waves and seeing him properly flow through turns gives me some needed enticement.
yeah, the backside air he does before he finally lands that flip is much easier on my eyes
I like how he doesn’t have the typical QS’er style.
Fuck off troll.
Tommy Wit?
Tommy witt the San Clemente long boarder! Not to be confused with ex-CT current-QS Australian surfer
Waves that slap just above the pecker! Hector Savant-a-Maria is the future wave pool world champion! The cartel named Outerknown/WSL/Kelly Slater Designs/Kelly Slater Wave Pools must sign him now! What an electric little man.
Yeah but he looks like he’d blow over in a stiff breeze. Filipe would kick utter fuck out of him.
Kind words from a “venture capitalist”