"He's very talented..."
Ooooooee what would we have done the last few
days if not for the Brothers’ George? Sam
and Matt
brought the heat, burning right through typical post-World Surf
League event gloom. I’ve now read both of their fine works and all
the comments and still have no idea what Matt is defending.
Do you?
Can you help me understand?
In other news, the Japanese have been surfing for over 100 years
and Kanoa Igarashi, current world number five, is on track to
become the face of the Olympic Games.
All true and I read about it this morning on Japan
Today. Here, I’ll give you a taste.
A total of 26 sports applied for inclusion in the 2020 Games
and in August of 2016, five new sports, including surfing , were
added.
The IOC has also approved the inclusion of surfing on the
program for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Surfing in Japan dates back over 100 years.
As detailed by Legendary Surfers, most Japanese-style wooden
boats at the time had removable floor boards that were called
Itago. When the boats were beached after fishing, the children of
the fishermen took the Itago out of the boats and used them as body
boards. This practice was commonly known as Itago-nori, meaning
“Floor board riding.”
Japan, meanwhile, is hoping to get a boost from Kanoa
Igarashi. Born in Huntington Beach, California, the 21-year-old
Igarashi recently received dual citizenship in order to compete for
his ancestral homeland in 2020. He has become one of the top
surfers in the World Surf League and will be a medal contender next
year.
In May, Igarashi became the first Japanese surfer to win an
elite Championship Tour event when he topped the men’s competition
at the Corona Bali Protected.
As host, Japan will get one automatic berth in each of the
20-surfer draws and will have a chance to earn another.
“He’s very talented, I think he could become a face of the
games,” Fasulo said.
So, first, I would like to officially change the word “surfing”
here to also be “floor board riding.” I think it is more accurate
and also more poetic. A rare win-win.
Second, does it surprise you that Kanoa Igarashi is current
world number five and that Kolohe Andino is current world number
one? When I was laying out my projected midway rankings ahead of
the 2019 season I did not have it like this, to be very honest.
Professional floor board riding never ceases to confound and
delight.
Third, are you still not on the Kanoa Igarashi train? As
sometime BeachGrit contributor Jamie Tierney eloquently puts,
“to know Kanoa is
necessarily to love him.” I think he will make a fine
face of the Olympic Games and I will do my best to run all the very
cute Japanese commercials he appears in here.
Lastly, one of Kanoa Igarashi’s very strongest events, The U.S.
Open of Floor Board Riding, is set to begin in seven days. Do you
have plans to go to Huntington Beach? Are you a registered sex
offender?
Just curious.
