These five people changed our very landscape!
2018 is almost in the books and this means only one thing. A list. This list, unlike other lists, is better because it is ours and very likely incomprehensible to someone not here, on BeachGrit, every damn day. It is a list for you. For The People.
There are ten most influential surf persons in 2018 and we shall discuss numbers ten through five right now.
10. Ashton Goggans: 2018 was a banner year for surfers calling the police on other surfers and it all began with Stab magazine’s editor-in-chief Ashton Goggans. Without his phoning the Orange County Sheriff’s department after a minor scuffle during a podcast and trying to press assault charges we would never have had The World’s Lamest Surf Assault or Leash-gate. Here’s praying the trend continues in 2019.
9. The Wright Family: Australia’s Owen, Tyler and Mikey kept the surf world titillated and/or confused with confusing injuries, confusing wildcards and more confusing injuries. Never before has one surfer baffled the masses, much less three, much less three siblings. It’s almost impossible that this saga can get any more head scratching but there’s always hope!
8. John John Florence: The world’s favorite surfer didn’t really compete but he did keep us fascinated. From sailing adventures to well-timed video drops to “will he or won’t he” debates regarding The Pipeline Masters in Love Me Tender Memory of Andy Irons, John John made us chat endlessly with no real insight or information. The sort of chatting we love most.
7. Erik “ELo” Logan: The World Surf League President-elect of Content, Media and WSL Studios came in speaking softly and carrying a big stick. Hailing from The Oprah Network, this adult learner stand-up paddler is ready to re-make surfing in his own image and we will be cheering from the lineup. Cheering until the leash on his infinity SUP Blurr V2 pops and breaks our hands and decapitates our heads.
6. Jack Freestone + Alana Blanchard: These two should have been higher but our Instagram is a den of adult learner social justice warriors, not Jack + Alana’s target demo, and didn’t stuff the ballot box like they did for the Surfer Poll Awards.
Stay tuned for numbers five through one!
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“2018 was a banner year for surfers calling the prison guards on other surfers”
Fixed it
“adult learner social justice warriors!” bwahahaha!!! people who have the Inertia and Vox in their top two browser bookmarks.
Ben…your back…let’s have 2019 New Year’s spell check gig….you bring the beverages…First Growths and Premier Cru please.
BTW, do you have a alert on this site when your name is used?
that picture is perfect. a true representation of mature age students of the SUP life style.
one bloke with a shoe tan, friendship band and color coded leggier/ cap combo. clearly in tropical waters and avoiding sun burn, standing as though he has just negotiated a peahi drop.
and chas’ mate in total panic mode in conditions so frigid he doesn’t want to get his head wet. paddle thrown in a moment of “save yourself” survival instinct in the face of an angry sea.
it is amazing how 2 people can check the same lineup and reach such an opposing conclusion. the only thing they seemed to agree on is that the waves are 10 times larger than they actually are.
well done fellas, you make me feel better about myself.
Robert Hughes , Australia’s greatest art critic, sadly deceased, got nothing on you Phatty . ( not to be confused with Robert Hughes who worked on Hey Dad and is currently doing time . )
Australias version of Cosby show.
I love ELo ! The Ziffs are a bit like God , Jehovah and Allah ,untouchable for us mere mortals .But Elo has created a thread between man and god, becoming the patron saint of adult learners , the court jester for the god of WoSuLe and a symbolic “objet d’art ( board ) “ for the happy few ?
Oh this is a solid list so far. But I feel like we really need to get us some ballot box stuffers!
I heard Goggans is going to be a camgirl, taking single fins in the bum and moaning about how awesome Bobby Martinez is.
I heard the same thing !
I put it down at first as just another vicious surf related rumour.
You don’t mention about him lying prone on a coffee table. That’s an important detail that proves independent sources.
Confirmed as factual.
It’ll redefine the term ‘Stab in the Dark’.
Ashton: “I want Chas arrested for assault!”
Sheriff: “That’s not our call. You have filed a report with us. We’ll submit the report along with any evidence regarding the snitchuation to the DA.”
Ashton: “Did you just say ‘snitchuation'”?
Sheriff: “No, but we’ll make note that you just did in our report.”
Ashton: “That’s not right!”
Sheriff: “It’s right here, in our report.”
Ashton: “Will Chas be arrested or not?”
Sheriff: “Probably not.”
Ashton: “Why not?!”
Sheriff: “Well, for one, you promote Stab stories.”
Ashton: “So!”
Sheriff: “Well, that makes you look bad. The DA has seen some really bad Stab stories. I can’t imagine you can make a Stab story look like a good thing.”
If those big noters on SIMA can vote Dirk Ziff Waterman of the Year – who are we to question their judgement ?
I mean, before the speech we were just half arsed wankers, bullshitting and taking cheap shots at the WSL.
But now we’re half arsed wankers, bullshitting and taking cheap shots at the WSL Grumpy Locals !
Dirk and his speech, FTW !
Edit: Or Beth ? She was pure gold.
I’d be good with either of them.
Ok, there was great fun in the awards of watermen and women this year and some legendary surfing and fights.
….but here at BeachGrit, it has to go down as the “you had to be here moments”, when Ben, the I can write stories, and highjack a blog” Marcus took over the site. “I got hired by WSL to write you turkeys off, you fucken losers.
So fucking classic…oh and half the regulars on this site got band.
You missed you first quotation mark in the phrase… when Ben, the I can write stories, and highjack a blog” Marcus (no comma before the and in this case) and completely lost me. What do you mean? Also, “half the regulars on this site got band” should read “half the regulars on this site got banned.”
Now you’re editing??
A little late don’t ya think..
What’s a worm gotta do to get banned around here?
Find a competent drummer and bass player.
I was having a relapse of laughter as I was typing with a smartphone for dummies.
Thanks Chas for making Surfing great again,!
Hey this guy ELO is not too sharp, if voting made a difference, it would be illegal.
That’s very funny, I’ll be sure to credit you when I use it👍
9. Owen Wrights injury happened in 2016
Oh what short memories we all have. Don’t you recall 2018’s edition of J-Bay?
Damn 24hr news cycle
And lack of short term memory.
You know your avatar is the all seeing eye don’t you?
It haunts me.
Our experts say Owens injury is ‘pulsing’
Wot? Like peas or lentils?!?!?
Jon Jones reference went sky high over here
#1 better be Black Girls Surf or OC Insta News.
AI better be number 1
AI or AL?
I’ve said it before and I stand by it. Mangles is the only Albee in my life. No offense to any other albees, but that ship sailed a long time ago for me.
You said and I have agreed with you!!
“Hey Judy look out for that bucket of water” “Hey Judy no bras allowed just white t shirts baby”
Those women were hard-on material big time.
What a fucking legend
He ain’t no Fatty Al ….
https://uploads.disquscdn.c… Also I can’t spell
there was something strange about Alby. it was almost like for every hot girl he shagged he killed a dog. and there were a lot of girls.
He once lived in a town with a pub with no beer ? No wonder Alby was going to the dogs ………
AI and General Secretary Goldschmidt should have a child so we could hurry up and worship it.