Joel Tudor, the "grumpy local" hero that surfing needs, weighs in on high-performance longboarding!
I called Joel Tudor today and he laughed when he answered the phone. Laughed a genuine laugh that increasingly rare in these horribly fractured times. Laughed when I said, “This is Chas Smith from BeachGrit.” Laughed when I repeated it because my connection was bad.
It made me so happy. So marvelously, wonderfully happy that he appears to practice what he preaches. Slinging outrageous barbs but them accepting them in equal measure because it’s all a funky dance, right? No one can ever take this surfing ultimately serious, right? We’re all walking disasters, right?
Right?
Or to quote Joel Tudor himself, “I make fun of shit ‘cuz I can.’
Amen Brother Joel.
Today I called him because high-performance longboarding is happening at Lowers. High-performance longboarding at Lowers as part of the Relik Longboarding Tour and I was already curious as to his take even before he posted the above photo to his Instagram account.
After he finished laughing I asked, “Is there a future in high-performance longboarding or is on the verge of going away forever?”
He responded, “Well, it’s geared to the region and there is one place in the world it works. Hawaii. It works in Hawaii because the waves are so fast so it becomes functional. The kids in Hawaii…. the kids in Hawaii are radical and they’re caught up in it but it doesn’t work or look good anywhere else.”
It made much sense, the “ride the appropriate board for the conditions” mantra and Joel continued to riff on the value of modern logging without training wheels (I was unsure if “training wheels” refers to side fins or a leash though assumed the former), how it’s not some leftover relic, as it were, but a living breathing expression that today’s youth are stretching, molding, changing. How much fun it is etc.
But back to high-performance longboarding, I suppose I’m happy that it can stick around in Hawaii and also happy that it doesn’t belong anywhere else.
Especially Lowers.
Wanna watch?
Lower Trestles Day 1 Afternoon Highlights | Relik Longboard World Tour 2018 from Surf Relik on Vimeo.
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The footage of the longboarding fans on the beach watching, and the food they were eating was funnier than the surfing!
Id take longboarding anyday over the pool shit , lonboarding is culturally relevant.
Jeezuz, don’t encourage him.
this three line poetry
is getting on my goatry
I’ll upvote you even though I disagree with you.
BG is now the cutting edge for surf journalism related short-form poetry.
The other media outlets are now desperately scrabbling around for a new hook to stay relevant.
getting choked out by danny fuller also works in hawaii.
For just $500 (more expensive than the Michelob Lite Surf Ranch!) you can hang on the beach VIP style under indigo dyed canvas shade eating warm sushi with some of the world’s best knee leash wearers. Considering the WSL longboard tour is a fucking joke (literally its laughed at mostly), Surf Relik is the best game in town unless you can afford to fly to China for Vans next DTI contest. At least in Joel’s contest Nolan might hook you up with a pair of sample size vans. My current pair is blown and I’m still waiting for the invite.
Are they living and surfing in slow mo or is it an effect?
There was one move in real time, but it looked like slo-mo anyway…
I agree.
But they don’t need any encouragement.
Add a few of them and sup and they can fuck any break.
I know no surfers (personally) from either place.
Keep laying it out!
Doing well so far.
Edit: ok found name.
Automatically a bad thing – no.
What’s the word on street?
Be good to see a proper interview with Joel Tudor hes a stylish surfer and seems like an opinionated sort of guy and hes done stacks of interesting stuff! I heard he learnt kung fu so he could take care of himself as he wanted to surf the Pipeline and was nervous he might get bashed by the north shore locals on his performance longboard.
Joel is black belt in Jiu Jitsu.
https://video.search.yahoo….
Please elaborate.
Unsure who you are referring to. I know nothing about this scene. Explain like I’m five.
explain like i’m five is my favourite request haha on my fav t-shirt
I kinda even like longboarding and the only highlight in that video was someone putting what looks like sushi or poke on a tortilla, which is puzzling. High performance longboarding is like Bonga Perkins and whatnot.
besides the lame backside top turn, the rest looked like the normal hot dogging that was done before joel was even born
hot dogging lol, thats fucking old school
totally old school, it felt weird typing it out. I dont know what else to call it. its not shreding or ripping
Should have asked him why he took down that post about equal pay? The one where he claimed it was his idea. Then went on to claim the civil rights of longboarders was the next big issue to tackle. He sure is entertaining but I’d hate to live next door to him. I bet he’s the kind of neighbor who posts notes on your door because the trash can was blocking his driveway.
The hypocrisy and pretentiousness of Mr Tudor know no boundaries.
sometimes ‘dumb cunt’ can be applicable, too.
Siiick, slow motion sushi
Longboard Bonglord.
A log at Trestles
Like a girl with a moustache
Wrong yet compelling
Those were the highlights?
Wait… you watched that?
40 second clip – 5 seconds showing someone in slow mo of a guy doing a poo stanced backhand off the top, a few clips of Tyler Warren and Jared Mell looking very cool lying around on the beach, obligatory food porn shot, and a few shots of guys hanging five way out on the shoulder. Amazing!
Nailed it.
I so regret clicking on that video. My worst nightmare is to be lumped in with that crowd when people find out I surf.
Was it like a hate watch?
It was a hardcore hate watch.
I started with an open mind, but ended with a ‘hate the fuck that I watch’-ed