A tsunami of change.

It ain’t all just a bed of roses for industry out there in the 21st century western world. Sure, profits are soaring while wages remain relatively stagnant but messaging is becoming more and more difficult what with a “woke” mob gathered at every corner, pitchforks raised. Most behemoths, like Disney or Walmart, are able to pivot relatively easy by “stopping” and “listening” then releasing statements detailing that stopping and listening followed by a emotionally impactful commercials.

Others, like Big Tobacco or the Association of Whites-Only Country Clubs, have a rougher go.

Who will partner with them to get their message of health and wellness or inclusivity in front of a misinformed public?

Well, hope grew unexpectedly in micro-plastics factories to coal mines when the ultra-green World Surf League recently announced its pairing with Great Wall Motors, a Chinese manufacturer of inexpensive internal-combustion SUVs and trucks.

As previously reported, WSL APAC General Manager Andrew Stark announced, “World Surf League sees a great synergy in this new partnership with GWM. GWM produces vehicles that are robust and suitable for the outdoors and the surfing lifestyle so WSL sees it as a partnership that makes sense.”

Fantastic and imagine what organized professional surfing at the highest level could do for the tarnished image of child powered sweatshops, high-school-adjacent vape pen distributors or even community organizations like the Ku Klux Klan.

Riding a wave of change, indeed.

More questions than answers.

Days ago, on April 1st as it were, the most decorated professional surfer of all-time, Kelly Slater, shocked the world with his announcement that he had received a gift at the just-wrapped Academy Awards wherein he presented a tribute to the James Bond franchise. That gift? Covid-19 or some variation thereof. Well, the public admission was lightly interesting for two reasons. One, that Slater had heavily hinted he had been vaccinated against the disease and therefore extremely unlikely to contract. Two, the Australian leg of the World Surf League Championship Tour kicks off in just days.

Now, average folk took it all at face value, mostly, but Slater has a hardcore base of alternative health devotees who could not believe that he actually “got the jab.”

Well, tea leaf readers and new wave shamans are now weighing in on various chatrooms, floating the theory that the surfing great never was pre-infected but rather waited until just the right moment to “ride the real wave.”

The “real wave” not referring to his inland surf ranch, ostensibly, but rather viral loads.

Slater, himself, has publicly declared that he would rather “get antibodies naturally” and, as was revealed in the Novak Djokovic Australian Open imbroglio, a documented Covid infection and recovery gifts one entry into the southern hemisphere’s third greatest country.

So, what is the truth here? Was Slater truly vaccinated or did he perfectly game the system, master tactician that he is?

Disqus.

"It's gotta sting."

Real wins, lately, for Santa Monica’s ultra-green World Surf League. A Chinese internal combustion engine truck and sport utility vehicle manufacturer was just announced as tour partner, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach is ready to kick off in small but fun surf and Kelly Slater was recently celebrated by James Bond but might a rare jab from popular shoe brand Vans take some of the glow out of those cheeks?

It was just announced that the Duct Tape Invitational and Festival will be kicking off in Sayulita, Mexico April 20 – 23. It will not be one of the just-announced three stops one the reinvigorated World Surf League Longboard Tour but it will be very publicly headlined by Joel Tudor.

Tudor, you must recall, is the reason for that re-invigorated World Surf League Longboard Tour. As rumors floated, that were never denied, of a slash and burn, WSL executives cutting professional longboarding from three promised stops to one, the current world champion took to the airwaves and rallied much support, calling those WSL executives hypocrites etc. along the way.

Well, feelings were hurt as hot war broke wide open and Tudor became very suspended for “knowingly making baseless accusations of corruption and instigating social media based-attacks on the WSL and tour leadership.”

But now look. There our hero is with his name in lights once again, or at least acrylic paint.

Will this thumbed nose cause that hot war to reignite, World Surf League executives hurt feelings still smoldering and ready to scorch the earth?

Or is this a signal that the suspension is maybe coming to an end?

Much to ponder.