whos got the best style?

[LBCrew]

kielson... you're looking at the whole picture (no pun intended). And that's what I was trying to say as well wrt style. Like good art, good style evokes emotion... it's pleasing to see. A filmmaker with the eye for surfing style can artfully combine the two media... visual art and music, to create something greater than the sum if it's parts.

I've said before that surfing is not a spectator sport. But good style elevates surfing to something that can be appreciated by an onlooker, if the onlooker has the eye for it.

Here's a question... is style intentional? Is it cultivated purposefully? Or is it innate... gifted surfers just have it from the start?

[GoodVibes]

1)Curren
2)Slates
3)Lopez

[GnarActually]

what about craig anderson?

I look up to keith malloys, parkos, danes, and older rippers for style inspiration

[Scobeyville]

Mr. Nathan Flethcer

[Harhar]

Here's a question... is style intentional? Is it cultivated purposefully? Or is it innate... gifted surfers just have it from the start?

I would say style is cultivated intentionally for most, but just like any other sport/way of life there are those who are just born with the gift/instincts that just make it look easy and effortless, poetry in motion. But for the rest style is based off our physical/mental limitations and refined to work within those limitations, and can be cultivated by time logged and conscious thought. I would argue that in the modern era with the advances in technology and the prolifiration of coaching that style has become something that people purposely cultivate and at the pro level style is consciously thought about to be more appealing to judging. This is why many great surfers with unique styles eschew the tour. I mean really if you were a grom with professional asperations would you not try to emulate slaters style? He has won 11 titles so his technique and style are obviously what judges are looking for, but he is one of the truly gifted so maybe thats why no one can seem to dethrone him.

[superbust]

what about craig anderson?

I look up to keith malloys, parkos, danes, and older rippers for style inspiration

Im there with you on craig anderson

[Harhar]

No love for Occy?

[kdiddy8]

..........

[jonmharrell]

Definitely. Everyone's personal definition of style is OK by me. I think it makes the conversation interesting that they don't match up. I don't think your definition is "wrong;" it's just different from mine.

We're also sort of comparing apples to oranges. Guys like Machado, Tudor, or Knost (good call, HurryCane) approach surfing from a completely different angle than some of the more "progressive" style surfers you'll find on the tour. Both styles are fine, but I personally enjoy watching the less "progressive" guys take a nice, smooth line on a wave more than I enjoy watching a handful of huge cutbacks punctuated with a big air.

Lastly, I feel like music has a lot to do with my experience as a viewer of surf films and therefore it also affects my perception of a surfer's "style." Would watching Tudor surf feel the same way if hardcore music was playing behind his sections of a film? I don't know. Obviously music doesn't determine anything, but I think it definitely produces a "mood" that is undeniable.

Parko
Kelly
Curren

Thats just who I like the most.