Oi!

I truly enjoy the legs that the HBO film Momentum Generation has grown. Legs that don’t get tired. Oh it’s been featured everywhere from The New York Times to The Atlantic to Breitbart to Fox News and now it gets to be on Fake News CNN.

The title of the piece, ‘Momentum’: How Punk Rock Movie Changed Surfing For Ever first seems grammatically incorrect. Shouldn’t it be ‘forever?’ And second made me snort. Punk rock movie. Pffftt.

But then I read introduction and I’m sorry for doing without you but, here, let’s read it together. Don’t worry, I won’t silently mouth the words. I’ll patiently wait until you’re finished.

His upstart surf movie and its punk rock soundtrack crashed through the sport like a barrelling wave and changed the game forever.

Taylor Steele’s 1992 film “Momentum” pioneered a new rockumentary-style approach to surf films, turning a traditionally gentle artform into an explosive experience for the video generation.

Almost three decades later, the multi-billion-dollar global surf industry remains inextricably tied to a film that showcased new stars and inspired a new demographic of surf fans.

“I remember the first moment I put punk rock music to it and it just popped,” recalls Steele, whose film revitalized surfing as a sport. “The surfing seemed to accelerate and pop off the screen.”

For the surfers, appearing on Steele’s camera was a rite of passage, a reputational boost arguably greater than professional competition results. It also heralded the arrival of Kelly Slater, perhaps surfing’s most famous name.

“Being in the film pushed you,” says the Florida-born Slater, who won an unprecedented 11 world titles, starting the same year “Momentum” was released.
“I think the whole filming process definitely made me a better surfer.

Etc.

You know the rest of the story but back to the punk part, I suppose it is a punk rock movie, or at least has a punk rock soundtrack, even though I have never thought of it that way.

Have you?

Do you think real punks, like skinheads and their main antifa rivals, would consider it a punk rock movie?

Much to consider.

OMG!

“Where were you the first time you heard the World Surf League’s Big Wave Awards were going to be held in Redondo Beach instead of Orange County?” is going to the the question every true surfer will be able to answer for decades to come. Very much like “Where were you when you heard Kennedy was shot?” or “Where were you when the Twin Towers came down on 9/11?”

A monumental day. An unforgettable moment and it is true. For the first time in its nineteen-year history the Big Wave Awards, now managed by the World Surf League will be held outside of the big wave Mecca also known as Orange County, California moved to the other big wave Mecca also known as Redondo Beach, California.

It’ll be rolled in to the BeachLife Festival and what is that?

Oh.

Let’s learn about it but let’s do it together unless we need to hold each other’s hands in order to stop from peeing our pants out of excitement.

Since the BeachLife Festival aims to celebrate beach culture with food and music, it makes sense to add another essential beach element, surfing.

The inaugural event announced announced today that it is partnering with the World Surf League to bring the 19th annual 2019 Big Wave Awards to Redondo Beach May 2.

Entry to the Big Wave Awards is included for all BeachLife attendees who purchased a Founder’s Pass or Captain’s Pass. General admission tickets for the awards are $20 and go on sale at 10 a.m. March 18.

The award ceremony, which is being held outside of Orange County for the first time, will take place on the festival grounds and is considered the kickoff event for the May 3-5 concert that’s bringing more than 40 acts playing at the 8.6-acre site that encompasses Seaside Lagoon and an adjacent parking lot.

Performers include headliners Brian Wilson, Bob Weir and Wolf Bros and Willie Nelson, who will take the main stage while three chefs serve dinner in a 50-seat pop-up restaurant set up just a few feet from the music.

The awards are expected to draw big wave surfers from around the world, including Maya Gabeira and Rodrigo Koxa, who currently hold the titles for the largest wave surfed.

Will you promise me something? Will you promise me that we’ll both get online before 10 a.m. on March 18 and buy the maximum amount of tickets and sell the extras to each other just in case one of us has a bad internet connection and/or gets blocked?

Thank you.

It's the new the new capoeira!

It is well established fact that vulnerable adult learners are the future of our grand Pastime of Kings. The World Surf League is geared toward their embrace. Rip Curl produces its complete line of outerwear exclusively for them. Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch.

But what does the adult learner really think? What goes on in his mind besides #blurrV2 and #liveyourpassion? What does she feel whilst sitting astride a 9’2 SurtTech?

Thankfully we have People magazine and let’s get to know one-time Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester. Let’s discover what she loves most about surfing so BeachGrit can become a more welcoming environment.

The Single Parents star, 32, said that surfing is one of the new things she’s recently tried.

“Last year, I took up personal training. My husband also taught me how to surf, and in the last year, I got really into it,” Meester tells SHAPE for their April cover. “For the last six months, surfing has pretty much been my main form of exercise.”

Now the former Gossip Girl star is fully addicted to hanging ten, and not just for the workout.

“I have found that when I don’t have a physical result in mind when I’m exercising — it’s not just about getting sore or getting abs or burning fat — I feel much more confident,” she says. “I’m working on a skill, and that is so fulfilling to me. Plus, being in the ocean is such a spiritual experience that you forget you’re getting a real workout.”

So mostly exercise, skill practice and spirituality.

Is surfing a martial art?

The new capoeira? the old tai chi?

Noted.

"Fist fights likely!"

Have you missed your hot big wave action this year? Oh there has been absolutely no lack of swell pounding coasts from Hawaii to California to Australia’s west and east but there have been very few days of live coverage and even fewer events.

Why?

In the dying days of 2018 the World Surf League decided to drop the Big Wave World Tour and have a Pretty Big Wave World Tour instead and as fun as it is watching bold women and men paddle into 7 -9 foot waves with helicopters circling overhead and many jetskis in the water it’s also not that fun.

Thankfully we have Oregon and today a massive swell is hitting her famed Nelscott Reef. Those brave souls north of the wall are not like their compatriots in Santa Monica. The bigger the better for them and they love it so much not one but two events are scheduled for the same day. Let’s catch up on the action in the Newport Times News!

Big-wave surfing contest promoters are slated to hold competing tournaments on the same giant swell Sunday, setting the stage for a clash that involves renowned surfers, bewildered city officials and the Oregon State Police.

John Forse, who holds the primary permit from the city allowing him to use Canyon Drive Park as a staging site for his Nelscott Reef Big Wave Classic, announced this week he would hold the contest Sunday, March 10, with alternative dates of March 11 or 13 depending on conditions.

But a rival group whose organizers were once cited and fined by Lincoln City for holding an illegal surfing contest has also laid claim to the big wave, setting up the possibility of another clash like one that captured the attention of the OSP.

“They’re saying they’ll break the law to run their event,” asserted Forse, who has asked the city to cancel both his permit and a secondary license held by the rival group for a contest called the Nelscott Reef Pro.

City tourism officials who sanction the event by issuing permits for exclusive use of the park did not return queries from the newspaper. However, the system allows the primary permit-holder, Forse, first call on surf dates.

In an embittered email sent to city hall on March 5, Nelscott Reef Pro organizer Gabe Smith announced his contest would not be suspended, regardless of city penalties. His web site, nelscottsurf.com, claims the event will be held March 10, as well.

“Considering we have $40,000 on the line and we are doing an actual webcast you would think we could get priority, but whatever,” wrote Smith, giving his interpretation of the city-issued permits. “John is not allowed to have both days so he needs to pick which one of those days he is going to run his itty bitty garbage contest. I would rather pay a fine than return $40,000, just a head’s up. John Forse will not ruin this for us. It’s already in the works and happening no matter what he does.”

Forse responded to the letter by calling on city officials to rescind both permits before the situation boils over, as it has previously.

The grudge match between rival surf contests has vexed city officials for several years and drew the attention of state police after Forse complained of rampant safety violations, including jet skis that endangered surfers.

Etc.

So, to sum up, we will have two big wave events today and in Oregon and likely mixed-martial arts action in between sets.

I love my home state.

Watch live here!