I'll pack my bags, I guess.
Our new world champ is wonderful, bright, effervescent, magnetic, handsome, talented, fun, funny, has a beautiful better half, progressive, snappy, happy, glorious, grand but he said something today that made me very sad.
That put a tear in my eye.
I’m having trouble seeing right now, with that tear, so let’s just go to Reuters. Let’s allow the news organization to give you the details.
On Wednesday, freshly crowned surfing world champion Italo Ferreira sliced through steep, fast-barreling waves off Rio de Janeiro’s Leblon beach and popped several feet into the air.
On the shore, dozens of young fans cheered and shouted as the soft-spoken native of Brazil’s impoverished northeast carved effortlessly through the swell. Most had arrived – parents in tow – for a skimboarding clinic, a close cousin of surfing where riders focus on small waves close to shore.
For Ferreira, one of two surfers set to represent Brazil at the sport’s Olympic debut in Japan this summer, scenes like this help explain how the sport, after decades of trying, finally scored a spot at the Games.
“(The Olympics) is something gigantic for surfing, seeing as just a few years ago, surfing was seen as a sport for bums,” said Ferreira, after exiting the water, signing autographs and snapping photos with fans.
Surfing is no longer a sport for bums?
No?
Well…
First they came for the standard thrusters, and I did not speak out—
Because I did not ride a standard thruster.
Then they came for the men who wear below-the-knee boardshorts, and I did not speak out—
Because I did not wear below-the-knee boardshorts.
Then they came for the Hurley team riders, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Hurley team rider.
Then they came for the bums—and there was no one left to speak for me.
Weeping.
Weeping openly.
PS. Arrested development? That explains a lot……
Surf Bum–NOUN–slang
A surfing enthusiast: a person who habitually spends time surfing, or participating in surf culture.”
Wayyyyyy back in a forgotten time fathers hid their daughters away from surfers. Police arrested us because…surfers. Gym coaches hate Hate HATED us. We were outlaws. We were longhaired shortboard riding revolutionaries. Red eyed and without leashes. Life was good. Now their daughters are proffered. Everybody got their hair cut. Red eyes are legal. The po- po’s are friendly. And now the Olympics? I’m going to quit this shit. I never ever signed on to be fucking respectable.
Not quite everybody has forgotten, and not quite everyone got their hair cut. And if you look in most beach parking lots, not quite everyone is respectable. I think there’s still an ‘underground faction’ out there within the whole that hasn’t bought into the new hype or sold out. But I know what your saying. . But its still our ‘great escape’. We still may see the Wsl go under yet.
But that’s only the sport side of surfing, the where athletes disguised themselves as Bums, chasing some easy money…..being bums.
When our local freak of nature is turning on I amble down to the closest jump off, it’s not frequented by everyone as it’s a little sketchy. Most prefer a little keyhole further away. At times you may be left waiting a long time for a wave so as to ease the nerves I indulge in the first cigarette of the day and head spin my way across the slimy battered rocks blowing plumes of smoke across the largely clean living pack with downturned mouths. Sometimes, if the gods are smiling on me, I can even jump in with a few drags remaining. Most shake their head, but the other Bums and I rejoice.
No matter how ” bright, effervescent, magnetic, handsome, talented, fun, funny, progressive, snappy, happy” someone may seem to be, we all have our agendas, and for better or worse–Italo is on the side of the Wsl. Wsl surfers, it seems, want surfing more mainstream, more Olympics–more exposure, more people surfing, what benefits the ‘Wsl’ benefits them. More exposure–more people surfing–more money for them.
Hate to break the news to you, but the pros are not on your side, they are out for themselves, and if their fans get cut off and dropped in on, on their way to the bank–oh well–they get all the waves they want–they’re not worried about you. Ya, get mad, the truth can hurt sometimes……..
Not sure a first time World Champ is going to bite the hand that feeds no matter how he felt losing the year before.
And with that girlfriend? Every day is sunny, pull the string on any surf trip you want and your shaper can’t build you enough boards.
Uhh, ok, your point being? My point is, by supporting pro surfing, its like shooting yourself in the foot– it brings more mainstream exposure, and more crowds
“bright, effervescent, magnetic, handsome, talented, fun, funny, progressive, snappy, happy” – that’s right Sammy, fantasise….
If you read the post– I’m quoting Chase. And when ‘your’ local spot starts getting more crowded, you can probably thank the Wsl, and the pros, for all the added surfing exposure.
Oh Sammy darling I know what you’re quoting but I also know what you’re thinking, stop camouflaging your inner desires….
This makes me want to be very bummy. Growing my hair out and buying a red/yellow/green poncho. What else can I do? I feel I’ve lost touch with my bumminess.
Also a few years ago might have been the height of endemic endorsement deals.
Grab one of those flannel, hooded sweater combos. That should bring your bum level up a bit.
Cracked a legit smile on this, Chas. Like the ending. But aren’t we still in Italo honeymoon phase (for the next 10 years since he seems solid), especially Derek? Lemoore GOAT, nice to have you back in residency–Italo as friendly in person as he comes across online and in interviews?
Derek is a fickle, fickle man when it comes to his darlings.
Ok, BG is kinda getting a little out there, don’t know if that’s gonna help your cause with Elo et al. You once had a real chance to bring about some change.
Alas, and I remember when being called a Surf Bum used to be like a Badge of Honor. Well, maybe Italo is suffering from some kind of low self esteem complex– and feels he needs to try and boost his ego to merge with ‘real’ bonafide members of soçiety.
Next people will be writing magazine articles saying that surfing is the new golf where business deals are done
deals being lined up while surfing has been happening as long as I can remember. safest place for it
Id trust a surfer before a golfer
You mean drug deals?
Hard to pick up good sound wearing a wire under 4 to 5mm of neoprene
The point is not whether it is happening or not. Its whether WSL/industry corporates have attempted to commodify it.
We all need to be aware of the VAL need for validation. Look what they did for Harley-Davidson. There used to be no group with a worse reputation than Harley riders and now they are fucking bank managers. We’re on a very slippery slope here and I fear the VAL is surfing’s climate catastrophe.
Do they wear earplugs riding those fuken thing ?
They are obnoxious. I think Harley riders suffer from low self-esteem–and thus the added noise in an attempt to get noticed.
I’m offended by the lack of the word shark in this article
I’ve got two tee’d up in your honor!
I rock way below the knee. It’s the only way to be.
I’m sorry I didn’t speak up for you.
It’s all good. Me and Greebnurt are the few and the proud.
I got a sick pair of Jet Pilot below the knee boardies when I was in Thailand. They have pictures of hot chicks is string bikinis sucking on big popsicles. I don’t wear them much because I don’t want to ruin them. Only for special occasions.
I have a pair of 15 year old Oakleys that I treasure.
They make you look like a midget
Works for me.