Time for quantum leaps.
A crackle in the air, energy, as people begin to emerge from their house caves, protest, eat meals in restaurants, take their children to the park, fly kites etc.
I only counted one solo masked drivers in car during a short drive yesterday afternoon. A heavy reduction from the two-in-three just last month.
Major news outlets are reporting deadly spikes in Coronavirus, a new hot (as in feverish) girl (as in overweight 80 year-old diabetic men with underlying heart conditions) summer that might see the death toll double in just two short months.
The the crackle, the energy is undeniable and life is returning to normal.
But can life ever be normal without professional surfing?
Certainly not and it must be on the verge of busting through the “abundance of caution.”
And when it does famous Australian and current World Number 5 Sally Fitzgibbons declares, definitively, “There will be a change.”
Where?
How?
Aerial surfing, of course. In a recent interview with Olympics.org Fitzgibbons opened up about how she spent the quarantine hours, trying, trying, trying again to get consistent, watching video parts, dealing with the bumps and bruises, etc.
“I think aerial manoeuvres will make a huge push when we return to competition. There will be a change. They are so hard. The ones you see in all the surf movies getting stomped are just so technical. I’ve always had such a fascination in them.
You see some of the best [aerial] specialists in the world, like a Filipe Toledo or Italo Ferreira, the way they stomp them, and you think they have never been through the process of it being very awkward and getting hurt and the board hitting you every which way. You think maybe they just got them straight away because they make it look so effortless, but that’s the beauty in this sport. You can be inspired by the pursuit.
I have made some huge leaps in practice, but I think the quantum leap is putting them regularly into your competitive repertoire and under pressure going to them, even though they are super risky.”
Exciting but do you think she has watched BeachGrit‘s award winning serial Girl Goes into Orbit while training?
Many good tips from Filipe Toledo himself.
Five years ago, Derek Rielly interviewed Fitzgibbons about many wonderful subjects including her “air-reverse almost on tap.”
My how times have changed.
Do you wear a mask when driving alone in your car, though?
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“World #5 ” and slipping, Sally will never win a world title (which is lucky as hopefully that voice wont grace our ears as a commentator when she retires at that rate) , standing open mouthed out front of the tube will never cut it nor will the imagined airs that she will never do, and I,m an Aussie too so no racial bias involved, faaark talk about a female wanker pro surfer, sally takes the cake
Sally’s style needs work but not as much as her IG account. So fucked
no, they’re not.
Will Sally close her mouth when she pops an air ? That is the question… My mate drives in a car alone with a mask on! I thought he was the only one? Covid fuckwits, hes bought the whole thing too, 5g, bill gates, pete evans, done and dusted
Why is it universally accepted that these are 540s? There is 1 full spin and maybe a bit more to straighten out but not another half rotation.
chris cote. clean up on aisle 5 stat.
Women’s surfing will see zero progression until the judges change the scale. If you can do 3 safety turns and get an 8 , why would any of them risk trying an air ? If the judges scored them equal to how they score the men, not rewarding safe surfing they would struggle to score over a 4 in most heats.
WSL needs to push a new scale for the women to change the surfing !
Can anyone on here do consistent airs?
What manoeuvre is the most satisfying apart from toobs?
I choose to invoke my 5th amendment right.
Aussie translation – that’s what you say when you’re guilty as fuck in the USA.
The silence is telling.
You saying I can’t do airs?
I was fishing for confirmation shredder!
So what’s the most satisfying?
Me all time favourite involves some sort of cover up, I’m not terribly fussy.
I consistently get air going over the falls or pin dropping does that count?
I have a large repertoire of errors in my surfing.
Sals got it all wrong as usual
Fil was doin airs before he could walk.
The girls ‘momentem generation’ moment is about to happen. Almost every main break has a 14yr girl throwing full rotations. As soon as they get through the ‘QS these ladies are going to have to up their game or move on.
Indeed, bit more style than Joe Crimo too. He proper ripped.. Though techno was super technical
Joe Crimo?
Or Justin Matthieson
Can we stop calling airs progressive? Ive been watching them since Christian Fletcher did one over me in 1989 at lowers. Its like saying Frankie Goes to Hollywood is progressive.
Relax.
“There can be only one” (Sal, in surfing, under the ‘new normal’)
((and it probably won’t be Masekala…))
The question isn’t whether aerials will change the Women’s Tour, the question is whether women’s aerials will change Coté’s 540.
People who wear facemasks while driving solo are the reason why there are instructions on Pop Tarts.
One of the images I’ll keep from C-19 is a whole family driving in their mini van, all wearing masks.
I also bought something on craigslist and the guy came out with a shower cap on, dishwashing gloves, and his wives apron. I had to put the money on the ground and he put the product on the ground. I felt like we were doing a Cold War spy trade.
The rear view mirrow
Is a known Super Spreader
Take care on the roads
Mikey C. feels like he should apologize for something here. Good luck, Sal. May you get the hang of Radical Aerial Maneuvers™ (Pottz)…
Awww, the days when Filipe, the little fawn, got on with Beach Grit and could frolic joyfully in shoulder high and under beachbreak without getting angry at BG for him not charging. So cute.
different world.