Just like the country song says, “My camera broke down, care
broke down, computer down…” After trying to nurse this season,
tonight the axel on my old car snapped. That and with my
camera down and costly repairs I am forced to make the decision to
shut down the volunteer work that I have been doing in the Ventura
area for the past 31/2 years. I will organize all current footage,
make the remainder instas, and then make a final Insta Movie
#2. Then celebrate all that we have accomplished with one
final party and be gone.”
Of course no one really quits.
And goodbyes are never forever
You might turn your head away from the thing you love. You might
seek other kinks, new adventures, pussies as slippery as freshly
shucked Indonesian pawpaw or cocks of the friendliest red, but you
always return.
Today, we’d like to present Norwell9’s return, which was filmed
on the southern Californian coastline from Rincon to Malibu. The
surfers featured include Dane Reynolds, Lakey Peterson, Griff
Colapinto, Parker Coffin, Tim Curran and so on.
“It represents 10,038,486 views on Instagram in the nine
months,” he says. “But it’s just me having fun with and
volunteering filming the local surfers. In the process, I was at
most of the good days this winter. Please remind everyone that I am
just a monkey that hits record. The true stars are in the water and
on the beach.”
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Ross Williams (pictured bottom left) looking
taciturn.
The unbearable weight of being (a
coach)!
By Chas Smith
"At the end of the day it’s good to eat humble
pie!"
With Filipe Toledo’s win in Brazil we are now
officially… wow I was going to write halfway though the 2018 World
Surf League Championship Tour but we’re only three events in.
Three! Can you believe it? I mean, I suppose we’re really
four events in if we count Margaret River as an “event”
and I think we should because it was certainly action-packed and
the perfect set up for Founders Cup in Lemoore, California where
neither shark nor dolphin swim.
There are, of course, many intriguing storylines.
-Will Julian Wilson hold on to win his first ever world
title?
-Will Filipe Toledo, instead, swoop in and claim his first of
many crowns?
-Will the upcoming Lemoore Classic be as dull as the just passed
Founders Cup?
-Will Uluwatu shine in the spotlight?
-Will John John Florence continue his subpar performance and who
is to blame?
Let’s break this last intriguing storyline down.
-Maybe no one is to blame.
-Maybe John John is to blame.
-Maybe John John’s coach Ross Williams is to blame.
Hmmmm. It is rude to blame Ross, certainly. He does not tie on
the boardshorts nor does he paddle into waves BUT he is coach and,
as such, his entire job is to make John John win. Ross addressed
these concerns on Instagram and let us read.
Johns had a couple poor results this year but it was never
due to a lack of effort or will. Despite all the talk, some
warranted and frankly some due to just laziness in my opinion, John
has been surfing with the same conviction and froth as the last two
years. All these amazing surfers go through their dry runs. It
happens. He had a couple insane rides in his heat today but
honestly I was happier with how well he built to his aggression. He
fought hard for a couple scores which led to him putting the hammer
down. Funny how much John gets scrutinized against his own
potential. He’s had some of the most aggressive and progressive
rides this year and some decent heat totals. Just a couple sloppy
heats in the mix to give him those bad results. It’s a testimony
more to the level of the tour. Everyone rips. At the end of the day
it’s good to eat humble pie. I think it’s made his fire even
stronger. He will continue to draw different lines and push the
sport with integrity. Hoping it will inspire the yarners to do the
same.
A fine post but I have a few more questions.
-Why is it funny how John John gets scrutinized against his own
potential?
-Which of the talk is warranted and which is lazy?
-Is it really good to eat humble pie?
-What’s a yarner?
Most pundits have buried John John’s year, concluding he is too
deep down the rankings for a comeback. The World Surf League’s own
official mouthpiece seems to agree, suggesting people should be
worried. Ross seems unperturbed but being a coach
ain’t easy. The NBA’s Toronto Raptors just fired theirs after he
won Coach of the Year.
A heavy burden. An unbearable weight.
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Steph Gilmore, Brazil winner, hero to little boys
everywhere! | Photo: WSL
Gilmore: “I still want to smash
everyone!”
By Jen See
Y'gotta have a little animal if you wanna win six
titles…
As you all know by now, unless you’re living
under a rock or are getting totally shacked on a deserted island –
which, if you are, what are you even doing here – Steph Gilmore won
the Oi Rio Pro yesterday.
She beat out Lakey Peterson in the finals.
Don’t ask me what happened, I was busy talking to some guy in
the parking lot. Knowing what happened isn’t my job around
here.
A week or so ago, I had the chance to do a brief interview with
Gilmore. I’d driven down to Malibu, because Quiksilver was throwing
a party to celebrate their new store. It was like any surf party
you’ve ever been to. We stood in the parking lot, drinking beers
and telling stories. Unlike most surf parties, we didn’t have to
pass the hat for another beer run.
When I first catch sight of Gilmore, I have a weird moment of
confusion. Is that her or a poster of her? She is after all
standing in the Roxy section of the store. She’s wearing a colorful
one-piece swimsuit as a top paired with skinny jeans. She laughs at
something Caroline Marks says. No, that’s not a poster.
We step outside to get some distance from the DJ. Here are a few
excerpts from our brief conversation.
On changes in the sport since she began
competing:
“I started on Tour in 2007 at nineteen years old. I was able to
have a few years where I competed with Layne Beachley and we had
Rochelle Ballard, Chelsea Hedges, and Sofia Mulanovich. I was
stoked to get a few years on Tour before those women retired.
“The first two years, I had events at Sunset. When I was on
Tour, you know, the women are riding really big boards and sort of
charging really big waves. It was sort of a proving point in that
respect.
“These women were a lot more raw. There was something about that
older generation, because they had to prove themselves from day
one. They were pushing so hard for what they deserved. They had to
do it with an aggression that almost created friction with the
men.
“I think as time went on, you can see a transition where the men
started to see that we weren’t competing against them, we weren’t
taking anything away from them, we are here for the same reasons.
We love the sport. We love what we do and we want to evolve and get
better. It wasn’t taking anything away from them.
“I know a lot of of the older women in those generations are
like, hey man, we worked so hard for what you’re reaping the
rewards of today. But the beautiful thing is, we have so much
gratitude for that and we really respect everything they’ve done
for us.”
On style:
“Mel Bartels, she really used to blow my mind with the tricks.
She was like the one girl, who was like, women’s surfing can go in
this direction.”
“My surfing is pretty basic, you know, I just sort of do, like
what I know how to do. And I kind of, that’s always been, it’s just
solid, normal surfing.”
“Mel Bartels, she really used to blow my mind with the tricks.
She was like the one girl, who was like, women’s surfing can go in
this direction.”
I can’t help myself, and start laughing: Right! You don’t do
anything fancy!
“No, I don’t! I don’t!” She’s laughing now, too.
Every guy I know wants to surf like you, I say.
“But that’s not because I do fancy stuff, I think that’s maybe
because it’s fluid to watch and people love that.”
On being a woman athlete:
“That’s the cool thing about being a woman athlete, we’re able
to have this balance. We can be fierce and have that assertiveness
and competitive drive with each other and then we can kind of
switch out of it.
“We care for each other and we want to help each other out on
Tour and you know, it’s a really special camaraderie between all
the girls.”
On the Competition level on Tour:
“It’s a lot tighter. Every single heat, you could lose. Anyone
can lose. It’s crazy to think Carissa and Tyler aren’t winning
every single event still. It’s a true testament to, all the girls,
the level all the girls are at.”
I get a sudden glimpse of Gilmore, the athlete. She’s a
photographer’s dream and seeing her perfect images and video clips,
it’s sometimes easy to forget what Gilmore has accomplished. Here’s
the woman who’s won six world titles, and still, it seems, wants
more. There’s a determined glint in her eye.
“I love it. I still want to smash everyone and do my best.
That’s why we’re all here.”
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Eddie Rothman: “Stone cold fucking
idiots!”
By Chas Smith
No beachboys, no aloha!
If you have been perusing the news at all over
this past week you have no doubt stumbled upon a story involving Waikiki’s
iconic beachboys losing their concession on the
world’s most famous stretch of sand. A dive operator has,
apparently, won a bid to take over the spots where, for decades,
Duke Kahanamoku and others have taught tourists to surf, swim and
how best to enjoy the Hawaiian islands.
With the beachboy way of life threatened, notable Hawaiians have
jumped in, bringing the story to national attention. I called up
Eddie Rothman for more background and was gifted with his son Makua
Rothman too, who was with his father crafting a battle plan. Here,
without further ado, is the unedited conversation.
Chas: Eddie, Chas Smith here. I need your
help. I need you to tell me about the beachboy situation.
Eddie: Yo, Makua is right here just talking
about it it’s pretty fucked up, bro. Surfers from all over the
world gotta get involved. (to Makua) You wanna talk? You wanna tell
him about it?
Makua: (indecipherable)
Eddie: Because you know I swear when I
talk.
Makua: (silent)
Eddie: Ok so here’s what happened. As far
as I know, the city and county of Honolulu hates Hawaiian people.
The officials. The government. They are against the Hawaiian
people. I mean, really bad. Right after we lost the Duke Kahanamoku
name, even though we’ll probably get the contest back because
they’re caving in and gave it to a bodysurf guy who has a three and
a half hour contest but whatever. For a few grand around here you
can get whatever you want. So, after they flushed the name Duke
Kahanamoku down the toilet, that took us over 30 years to get back,
now they go after the beachboys. The beachboys put in a bid, they
win the bid, then the State of Hawaii opened the sealed bid, showed
it to everybody and then they re-bid it. Are you kidding me? Are
you fucking kidding me? And now these new people. Did you see his
Instagram (Dive Oahu) before he took it down?
Chas: I sure did.
Eddie: So here it is. Our government of
stone cold fucking idiots they hate the local people they hate the
Hawaiians…
Makua: (takes phone) And listen to this.
So, basically, they are taking the history of beachboys which is
myself, Kelly Slater, Laird Hamilton, John John anybody who has
ever made their career out of surfing… you know, modern day contest
surfing was put together by the Duke, you know, this is the Duke’s
legacy these beachboys. This is from the Hawaiian people to all the
most famous people who were ever shown aloha from Elvis to Marilyn
Monroe to any famous person you can think of back in the day, the
beachboys is who took care of them when they came to Hawaii. They
came here to see the beachboys. This is a legacy. This is the core
of Hawaii period. I can’t see why the State of Hawaii isn’t
protecting this as a cultural heritage legacy and extension of
Hawaii. I don’t even know how it’s up for bid at all.
Chas: How can surfers around the world
help?
Makua: We just have to stand up and say we
want the beachboys and we will boycott to show that they are taking
the legacy of Hawaii. This is like a slap in the face to the
surfing community of the world. This is the epitome of what we all
do every day. Everything we do is a spin off of the beachboy
lifestyle. If there’s no beachboys there is no aloha and they’re
giving the permit to some country club donkey who wants the people
to wear country club shoes, collared shirts and khaki shorts.
They’re trying to turn it into some country club fancy group but
it’s Hawaiian, brah. No shirt. I want surfers to fly here to
protest with the Hawaiians. We’re going to be doing some in front
of the Duke statue in Waikiki. Also, there is a petition…
So, do you want to do some good this year? Want to help? Fly to
Waikiki! Tell the bastards that you want the beachboys then rent
one of their boards and cruise it out to Queens. Nothing feels
finer.
I can say, without fear of being overly
dramatic, that professional surfing was on its death bed
after the Founders Cup event held in Lemoore, California. There it
lay, cold and clammy. Its pulse could only be found by distressed
asset management experts who merely shook their heads as they
walked away, mumbling, “It won’t be long now.” The pool was a dud.
It didn’t showcase the progression that the people craved. It
didn’t provide any adrenalized thrill. The only benefit was that
professional surfing could air live for one hour on CBS, a
television channel preferred by geriatrics on their own death
beds.
What a miserable end. And with the tour headed to Rio de Janeiro
afterward it felt as if the damage sustained in Lemoore would
metastasize in the muck and it would all be over. Distressed asset
management experts sighed deeply, knowing the cadaver would be a
difficult one to sell. Maybe Old Navy needs a fun backdrop to their
Scorchin’ Summer Capris campaign? Maybe Bud Light Orange?
But then a miracle happened. Waves, for one, streamed into
Brazil like the country hasn’t seen in decades. Fun waves, dancing
waves, waves that you and I love surfing ourselves and love
watching surfed by professionals too. Little sneaky barrel
sections. Unexpected ramps that launched the Best Surfers in the
World airborne.
And Filipe Toledo, for two. He won the event, beating
Australia’s brave Wade Carmichael in a final that would not have
been the same without him. There he put on yet another show of what
professional surfing can actually be, how much fun it can actually
look. He swished, he soared, he won the event and in so doing saved
professional surfing.
The distressed asset management experts shrugged and moved on
over to see what Rip Curl is up to these days. “I heard they’re not
excited about the possible summit between the United States and
North Korea…” one said as he walked away. “…I heard there’s worries
that, if things go well, a lack of slave labor will hurt the bottom
line.”
