"I'll take a 20-foot wave everyday for the next ten days."

Surfing’s modern renaissance is entirely undeniable, even to the grumpiest of locals, the grouchiest of saltwater kinks. Our game is officially in the Olympics, Duke Kahanamoku re-incarnated as a handsome Japanese-by-way-of-Huntington Beach boy, more participants splashing around than ever before and on Mr. Pipeline foam boards, purchased exclusively at Costco.

Very famous people carrying this mantle including Jonah Hill and star of new Hulu documentary Adam Neumann.

You may remember the latter as the very rich founder of WeWork, investor in Laird’s SuperFoods and big wave maven, once breaking a finger on an 18-foot wave.

The most important man in surf?

BeachGrit’s Derek Rielly, forever ahead of the game, called it two years ago.

But only recently was it revealed that Neumann actually controls 20-foot waves.

New video of him in front of a room, preparing for an upcoming appearance, telling the group, “I’m preparing for the world show right now so I hope my hair is good. Ok. This is harder than 20-foot waves. (room laughs). You know why? Because I control the 20-foot waves. I’ll take a 20-foot wave everyday for the next ten days.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNTBjmTjEit/

Then he does a little bottom turn with his hand.

Extremely cool.

Though what is the most extremely cool thing you have ever revealed about your own surfing?

In high school, I once told a girl at Christian summer camp that I was sponsored by Coos Bay’s local surf shop because they gave me a t-shirt.

It was actually a dive shop that had two used surfboards.

I bought the t-shirt.

Controlling 20-foot waves much more extremely cool.

Caroline Marks and Carissa Moore rallying for the historically oppressed!

In a move likely to send shockwaves through international sport, the U.S. Olympic Committee quietly reversed a decades-long policy disallowing protest during the playing of the National Anthem at this summer’s Japan Games and will allow its athletes to rally as they see fit.

A nine-page “guidance” was released detailing the changes and what gold medal winners will now be able to do on the podium including taking a knee, raising a fist or wearing a hat with phrases such as “Trans Lives Matter,” “Black Lives Matter,” “Equality,” or “Justice.”

U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirchland wrote, “This guidance defines latitude for athletes to express their personal perspectives on racial and social justice in a respectful way, and without fear of sanction from the USOPC.”

It also warned athletes not to use any hate language or phrases deemed “impermissible” by the Anti-Defamation League.

All very fine and good, also just in time for surfing’s first-ever appearance in the Olympic Games.

As you know, the U.S. Olympic Surf Team consists of Kolohe Andino and John John Florence, for the men, Caroline Marks and Carissa Moore, for the women.

Which will do what, do you think?

Kolohe Andino on knee, fist in air?

John John Florence sporting a “Trans Lives Matter” hat?

Hmmmm.

The more I ponder, the more unlikely it seems.

In fact, it’s difficult to imagine a more un-protesty group anywhere on earth.

Anywhere historically even.

Kolohe Andino, John John Florence, Caroline Marks, Carissa Moore.

Wow.

Reincarnation.

Exciting times to be a surfer. The most exciting in history, perhaps, or at least since the great Duke Kahanamoku strode the earth nearly a decade ago. More people enjoying the pastime of kings since ever before. An Olympic birth just over the horizon. Our own Duke Kahanamoku reborn as an extremely handsome Japanese by way of Huntington Beach statesman named Kanoa Igarashi.

The young-ish surfer was recently profiled on Australia’s ABC News and the comparison between Kahanamoku and Igarashi was obviously striking.

Igarashi will be the same age as Duke Kahanamoku was at his first Olympics, but it’s not the only thing they share.

The young Japanese surfer exudes the same statesmanlike qualities as the Hawaiian who first believed surfing could be an Olympic sport.

“You know, this is a huge moment, I’m sure not just for me but I can speak on behalf of all the other surfers we’re going to feel pressure that we’ve never felt before,” he said.

“You have Brazilians, you have Australians, you have Americans all feeling pressure from their country and we are all really proud to represent our flag.

“But there’s something about it being in Japan and I feel like in a way I am representing our country to the world of surfing, and also representing surfing to the Olympics.

“So, in a way, I feel I have a lot on my hands,” he says, “but this is what I feel like I was born to do.”

Very cool. Igarashi also talks about his new megaphone and butterflies in his blood.

Read the rest here.