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World Surf League chief strategist Dave Prodan reacts to torrent of hate surrounding re-imagined tour: “Reality is that our audience figures have never been higher, which drives the value of the platform…”

A shaker of martyrdom mixed with holier-than-thou and a splash of father-knows-best.

Ever since the World Surf League released its 2023 Championship Tour schedule, I have deeply wondered what those who make their living behind the Wall of Positive Noise think about the reaction. CEO Erik Logan, Senior Vice-President Jessi Miley-Dyer, chief strategist Dave Prodan et. al. As you know, Lower Trestles will continue to crown champions* and Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch will return, hosting the very first event after the mid-season cull.

Surf fans, core and non, vomiting, spewing unfiltered loathe at the WSL on channels usually reserved for happy affirmations.

Did Logan, Miley-Dyer, Prodan and… whoever is left grow sad? Stiffen spines? Laugh into flavored seltzer waters?

Well, in a missive to aggrieved professional surf watcher, Dave Prodan tipped the mood.

In response to the question, “How’s those comments on the WSL page? Who is your audience? Do they factor in to the decision at all? Doesn’t sound like it,” Prodan responded, “I appreciate the comments are negative. Reality is that our audience figures have never been higher, which drives the value of the platform, which means we can continue to run events.”

Ahhh.

A shaker of martyrdom mixed with holier-than-thou and a splash of father-knows-best.

David Lee Scales and I, anyhow, discuss the re-imagined tour and also the great state of Florida. A fine enough show and one I hope you enjoy.

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Biolos (left) and Pyzel. Happier times.
Biolos (left) and Pyzel. Happier times.

Jon Pyzel chokes out Matt Biolos in heavyweight brawl, named best surfboard shaper in the world by noted design and technology website!

Tap out.

The noted technology, design, science and science fiction website Gizmodo turned its steely gaze into our humble surfing space, days ago, in a broad feature that aimed to name “the best surfboards, wetsuits and surfing accessories.” Now, when I stumbled upon the headline, particularly the word “accessories,” I was all but certain the “best surfboard” would be Gerry Lopez’s Costco special and so you can imagine my shock when the heavyweight brawl came down to John John Florence’s longtime shaper Jon Pyzel and Kolohe Andino’s meister Matt Biolos.

The winner?

Pyzel.

Gizmodo wrote:

A lot of pro surfers use Pyzel boards, and so for years I stayed away, thinking they were too advanced for me. That may be true of some of their shapes, but the Phantom (6’1” round tail version) surprised me by being one of the most user-friendly boards I’ve ever tried. It paddles incredibly well and is very stable under-foot. It has a ton of drive to get down the line, but it also turns effortlessly.

I used this board in everything from 2-3-foot beach break slop to racing 6-foot+ right-hand point-breaks, and the board didn’t blink. In other words, it can grovel (i.e. catch small, weak waves) decently well but can still hold a line when things get critical. It’s good with steep, late drops, too. I went with the five fin-box version, so I could ride it as a thruster (three fins) or quad (four fins). It’s so versatile that if I could only have one board, this would probably be it. When things start getting in the double-overhead range (8-foot plus) you’ll probably want to have a step-up, and I actually found a 6’ 6” Pyzel Tank for $300 on Craigslist that I use for those big days. But for everyday conditions, the Phantom is dreamy.

Biolos did not leave the ring empty handed as his Lost + Lib Tech Quiver Killer was named best travel board.

Pretty good.

7till8 won for best wetsuit, Roark took the boardshort category and Dryrobe Advanced Long Sleeve earned best changing robe.

Do you use a changing robe?

Me either.

Celebrate the rest of the winners here.

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Logan (left) telling Tom Carroll his strategy for winning surf fans back.
Logan (left) telling Tom Carroll his strategy for winning surf fans back.

As deluge of disgust continues to pound World Surf League over re-imagined 2023 tour feat. Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch, CEO takes evasive action: “Erik Logan doesn’t allow everyone to @mention them.”

Keep my name outta your mouth.

In my time here on this earth, I have noticed a general pattern when it comes to announcements of very unpopular things. The public initially revolts and screams extremely angry words. After a few days, a counter-narrative begins to take hold with silver linings, other perspectives finding purchase. The extremely angry words soften to a low grumble. The rose colored lens-wearers smugly nod and everyone waits for the next bit of outrage.

The World Surf League’s recently-announced 2023 Championship Tour, however, has bucked this trend, the fury growing, growing, growing with no end in sight. The bitterness, exasperation bouncing back and forth between the crown being decided at Lower Trestles, again, and Surf Ranch being pulled from its shallow grave.

Pure vitriol.

Now, I don’t know how this deluge is being dealt with beyond the World Surf League’s patented Wall of Positive Noise. I’d image the early hours of frenzy were met with paternal “understanding” but its unrelentingness must now be disquieting.

Or maybe not.

CEO Erik Logan has taken the proactive step of limiting those who can speak his name in Instagram comments.

Will this turn the tide? Allow the counter-narrative to finally take hold? The Best of Maroon 5 once again re-filling the heretofore sad spaces of Logan’s mind?

Or maybe not?

Currently more questions than answers.

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Palm Springs cements reputation as place for old people to go and die as “Fountain of Youth” Coral Mountain surf park concept killed by city council!

The Curse of Adriano de Souza?

Los Angeles-area surfers harboring dreams of driving east for two hours, instead of north for four, and ending up in a postmodern architectural wonderland, as opposed to a dairy apocalypse, to surf Kelly Slater’s patented wave-generating technology woke up deeply depressed this morning.

After much debate, public hand-wringing, back and forths, La Quinta’s city council, last night, unanimously rejected the Coral Mountain citing community concerns that the surf club would bring “the wrong element” i.e. people still alive.

The project, announced two years ago, promised, “hundreds of houses, a hotel and a high-tech surf wave basin” to be built in the shadow of the glorious Santa Rosa mountains. Concerns about building a wave tank during a historic drought were raised, though the developers promised it would take less water than neighboring golf courses. The footprint was shrunk to alleviate stress but there was no alleviating the stress of “surfers” coming to town.

Kelly Slater’s wave technology is as fun to surf as it is awful to watch but, after all these years, we are still only left with the cow stink.

How did all that happen?

How is there not one more plow on earth?

The curse of Adriano de Souza?

Ahhh.

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Australia retains crown as #1 nation in the world for “citizen policing” after teen surfers threatened with massive fines for opening lagoon entrances to create standing waves, “(It’s) illegal and can be dangerous for members of the public!”

Australia's rep as a nation of rule-flouting larrikins takes fatal blow!

A big part of the white Australian psyche is a supposed rebel spirit borne from its convict beginnings in the nineteenth century, men, women, kids ripped from the motherland and thrust into a wild, tough country.

The truth is very different, of course.

Australia is marked by its slavish adherence to rules, whether its water restrictions (citizen police diligently telephoning authorities if a water is being unlawfully watered), driving at a determined speed limit or ensuring music is neither heard nor played after nine pm.

A country of docile rule-followers, demonstrated most recently by the population’s response to the most draconian pandemic lockdowns in the world, the few protesters quickly dispersed with rubber bullets and swarms of police arresting the uncooperative.

And, all aided and abetted by armies of citizen police armed with sharp eyes and telephones.

After an ungodly amount of rain on Australia’s east coast, surfers on Sydney’s northern beaches used shovels to open up lagoons to create standing waves, something that’s been happening for decades.

Real good, real clean fun,.

Not any more. Citizen cops, along with local councillors, have combined to call for a shutdown of the “illegal” activity, kids threatened with $1100 fines if they take up a shovel.

The warming came after a member of Dee Why’s citizen police force “saw people, including four teens, with spades digging a channel to the ocean from Dee Why Lagoon on Saturday, September 10… he witnessed the the two adults watching the teenagers, aged 12 to 14, create a metre-wide trench. The resident, who asked not to be named, told the Manly Daily that the trench soon opened to close to 4m wide and started funnelling a large flow of water. ‘It created a large wave that the children were surfing on with surfboards. I asked one parent what they were doing and the man said ‘I know some people don’t like it, but it’s fun for the kids and people have been doing it here for years’. I was told I’m part of the fun police.’”

The council, for its part, warned, “Unauthorised lagoon openings are illegal and can be dangerous for members of the public. The water outflow often develops into ‘standing waves’, with particularly dangerous downward pressure. This can trap even strong swimmers.”

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